VisiCalc was introduced by Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston, in 1979. They took the idea of a spreadsheet (sometimes done on chalk boards, manually, originally) and mapped it to an early personal computer. This in many ways is considered the jump start of personal computing – it was a massive productivity boost for accounting, finance, marketing and others who did math models. The productivity boost easily justified the cost of buying early personal computers and software.
(Disclosure – I created one of the products on the list below – PFS First Choice – and I also previously worked with Bob Frankston, in the 1990s. The following list was created with the assistance of AI search.)
Here’s a structured timeline of early spreadsheet software and integrated productivity suites that shaped the personal computing revolution.
🧮 Early Standalone Spreadsheet Programs
| Product | Year Introduced | Platform(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| VisiCalc | 1979 | Apple II | First spreadsheet for personal computers; often called the “killer app” for the Apple II |
| SuperCalc | 1980 | CP/M, later MS-DOS | Popular alternative to VisiCalc; bundled with Osborne 1 portable computer |
| Multiplan | 1982 | MS-DOS, Apple | Microsoft’s first spreadsheet; later replaced by Excel |
| Lotus 1-2-3 | 1983 | IBM PC (MS-DOS) | Integrated spreadsheet, charting, and database; dominated the 1980s |
| Quattro Pro | 1988 | MS-DOS | Developed by Borland; known for tabbed sheets and graphical interface |
| Microsoft Excel | 1985 (Mac), 1987 (Windows) | Macintosh, Windows | First GUI-based spreadsheet; eventually eclipsed Lotus 1-2-3 |
🧩 Early Integrated Productivity Suites (Spreadsheet + Word + Database)
| Product | Year Introduced | Platform(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AppleWorks | 1984 | Apple II | Combined word processing, spreadsheet, and database |
| Microsoft Works | 1987 | MS-DOS, Windows | Budget-friendly suite with spreadsheet, word processor, and database |
| PFS: First Choice | 1985 | MS-DOS | Easy-to-use integrated suite; popular in schools and small offices |
| GEOS Ensemble | 1990 | Commodore 64, PC | Graphical suite with spreadsheet, word processor, and desktop tools |
🧠 Honorable Mentions & Precursors
- LANPAR (early 1970s): Used on mainframes; one of the first electronic spreadsheets, but not for personal computers
- Context MBA (1981): Early integrated suite for CP/M systems
These early software packages became known as “productivity software” because they enabled many workers to get much more done, in less time – thereby dramatically increasing productivity. These productivity improvements were so compelling that for many individuals and businesses, the costs of personal computers and software was an easily justifiable expense.
