Anybody remember (and used) Visicalc?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

I remember the name VisiCalc, but I think it might be because a roommate used it.

I learned word processing on a dedicated Wang word processor, and then used MultiMate and NotaBene. In the early '90s, I also used a dedicated NCR word processor. I used WordStar at some point, briefly, because a roommate had it. Also WordPerfect.

The first spreadsheet program I remember using was Lotus. Moved to Excel before I really learned much in Lotus. I use Google docs and NeoOffice-J for simple stuff at home, but am most at home in Excel. Same answer for word processing, although Word 2007 has made it hard to find some features that I used to be able to find while blindfolded and with my hands tied behind my back. :slight_smile:

22

Years ago, back when MTV was still new, I was at a trade show for the various cable TV channels. One exhibit (MTV, in fact) had a sign, “Have Your Picture Taken With Martha Quinn.” So I asked the lady operating the booth, “Who the fuck is Martha Quinn?”

She answered (nicely), “I am.”

So I’m not going to make THAT mistake again here.

23

You can legally download the original VisiCalc right here:

It is just a tiny little 27k executable but it still works in Windows! It is a neat little program, I can only imagine what it did for people 30+ years ago.

24

It also works with DOXBox and DOSEMU, which makes it a lot more cross-platform than a lot of software of that era was.

25

Visacalc was the first spreadsheet program I knew about and the first one I used.
I had a TRS80 Radio Shack Model 1 computer that used a cassette recorder as a mass storage device.

26

Oh, yes, Wordstar. It also was not easy to use. Some wag said it was like Darth Vadar: very powerful but everybody hated it.