- January 29
-
- Microsoft begins shipping Microsoft Word 3.0 for the Macintosh. (About 700 bugs are discovered, with several fatal ones. Within two months, Microsoft mails a free upgrade to 70,000 users at a cost of over US$1 million.) [346.140] (February [1299.328] [1701.333])
- February
-
- Symantec introduces Actor for Windows, an object-oriented visual programming environment. [1049.128]
- Apple Computer's John Sculley tells Ashton-Tate's Ed Esber that Apple Computer will not compete with Ashton-Tate by publishing the 4th Dimension database program. [617.6]
- March
-
- Apple Computer releases System 4.0 operating system for the Macintosh. Size of the software is 260 kB. [1559] [1648.54] [1886.67]
- Aegis Development releases the VideoScape 3D animation creation software for the Amiga. [442.35] [1145.35]
- (month unknown)
-
- Brown-Wagh Publishing releases the Publisher 1000 desktop publishing software for the Amiga. [705.34]
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- April 2
-
- IBM and Microsoft announce Operating System/2 (OS/2), Standard Edition for the IBM PS/2 computer line. [16] [31] [41] [123] [130] [146] [150] [346.200] [346.269] [379.256] [389.28] [415.59] [858.70] [1309] [1639.109] (April 1 [909.231])
- IBM announces Operating System/2, Extended Edition, Version 1.1. [1309]
- IBM announces DOS 3.3 for PCs, for US$120. It adds support for 1.44 MB floppy disks, and multiple 32 MB hard drive partitions. [117] [146] [329.113] [346.254] [748.39] [909.231]
- Microsoft announces Microsoft Windows 2.0. [123] [137] [1299.328] [1648.52] (April 1 [909.231])
- April
-
- Lotus Development announces it will create new versions of Lotus 1-2-3 for DOS, OS/2 Presentation Manager, the Macintosh, and mainframe computers. [627.73]
- Forethought introduces the PowerPoint graphics software for the Macintosh. [1299.344] [2444.66]
- Debut of QuarkXPress for Macintosh. [1886.67]
- ACIUS is formed, with the primary purpose of producing the 4th Dimension database in the U.S. market. [617.8]
- May
-
- Quarterdeck Office Systems ships DESQview 2.0. [130]
- Microsoft releases Microsoft Excel 1.04 for the Macintosh II. [346.269]
- June
-
- IBM withdraws TopView from the market. [346.285] (1986 [383.14])
- Microsoft and IBM release the OS/2 developers' kit. [493.65]
- (month unknown)
-
- Microsoft releases QuickBASIC 4.0. [795.90]
- Lotus Development announces its intention to announce Lotus 1-2-3 for the Macintosh. [679.30]
- Intuitive Technologies releases MaxiPlan 500 and MaxiPlan 2000 for the Amiga. [1167]
- Andrew Tanenbaum releases the Minix operating system for the PC, Macintosh, Amiga, and Atari ST. It is a free version of Unix with complete source code. [835.169] [1184.74] (1986 [1648.52])
- Nashoba Systems buys the Nutshell Macintosh utility software, and renames it FileMaker. [861.21]
- Letraset releases ImageStudio, the first commercial, gray-scale image-editing program for the Macintosh. [582.94]
- Ashton-Tate releases the Rapidfile database file manager for MS-DOS. [650.74]
- Ashton-Tate releases the Byline desktop publishing program for MS-DOS. [650.74]
- The computer virus Stoned first appears. It is the first computer virus to infect the Master Boot Record of IBM PC hard disks. [1260.193]
- At the U.S. Computer Chess Open in Mobile, Alabama, Coffeehouse Chess Monster and Chessmaster 2000 are tied for best personal computer chess program. [241.72]
- Judge William Ingram of the US District Court for the Northern District of California rules for Data East against Epyx in case of Data East's Karate Champ vs. Epyx's World Karate Championship. Epyx is ordered to recall World Karate Championship and International Karate. [1524.26] [2636.368]
- MicroProse releases the Pirates! software for personal computers in the USA. [2229.119]
- July
-
- In New York, Microsoft's Steve Ballmer demonstrates Windows 2 for 600 software developers. [1095.127]
- WordPerfect ships WordPerfect for the Amiga for US$400. [330.109]
- August 10
-
- Borland International announces the Quattro spreadsheet software for the IBM PC. [1402.D4]
- August 11
-
- At the Macworld Expo show, Apple Computer introduces HyperCard (with script language HyperTalk), MultiFinder 5.0 co-operative multitasking, and AppleFax Modem for the Macintosh. The Hypercard software allows users to create database applications with "cards" containing text, graphics, sound, and animation, linked to each other via hypertext links. The software will ship for free with new Macintosh computers, and costs US$49 for existing Macintosh owners. [140] [180.247] [320.36] [413.196] [593.350] [750.50] [1402.D4]
- August
-
- Microsoft ships MS-DOS 3.3. [130]
- September
-
- Ashton-Tate ships dBase for the Macintosh. [617.4] (1988 [650.74])
- Microsoft ships Microsoft Bookshelf, its first CD-ROM application. It includes ten reference works. [123] [1080.42] [1280.46] (June 1988 [1559])
- Lotus Development announces Lotus 1-2-3 for the Macintosh. [346.170]
- October 6
-
- Microsoft announces Microsoft Windows 2.0, and Microsoft Windows/386, priced at US$195. [120] [130] [477.159] [1299.346] (September [909.231])
- Microsoft unveils the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software for Microsoft Windows 2.0, the first major application for Windows. Included is Microsoft Windows v2.01. [119] [123] [346.204] [389.28] [477.159] [909.230] [1049.147] [1299.293,346,359] [1559] [1631.40] [1639.110] (November [346.270])
- October
-
- Microsoft releases Microsoft Word 4.0 for the PC. [346.270] (September [502.49])
- Lotus Development ships Lotus 1-2-3 2.01 for MS-DOS. [502.49]
- Microsoft ships Microsoft Works for DOS. [346.236] [770.312] (March 1988 [346.270])
- Apple Computer releases System 4.2 operating system for the Macintosh. Size of the software is 2 MB. [1648.54] [1886.67]
- WordPerfect ships WordPerfect software for the Atari ST for US$400. [330.109]
- November
-
- Impulse ships Turbo Silver 2.0 for the Amiga. [442.37] [1145.37]
- Hewlett-Packard announces New Wave for Windows. [1299.359]
- Borland International ships the Quattro spreadsheet program, including emulation of Lotus 1-2-3 commands. (This emulation will result in a nine-year legal battle over "look and feel" with Lotus Development.) [453.4]
- (month unknown)
-
- Accolade releases the Test Drive game for the Commodore 64. Price is US$29.95. [1115.26]
- December
-
- Microsoft releases OS/2 1.0 for the IBM PS/2. Code-name during development was CP DOS. It requires an 80286 processor and 3 MB RAM. It includes a DOS-compatibility box. [346.270] [379.256] [858.71] [909.231] [1436.10]
- December 4
-
- IBM ships first copies of OS/2 Standard Edition 1.0. [31] [75] [130] [134] [135] [329.5] [1311] [1404.C3] (November [146])
- December 9
-
- Microsoft ships Microsoft Windows 2.01. It features overlapping windows, and can use protected mode on the 80286 processor. [75] [130] [346.193,206] [477.159] [909.231] [1639.110] [1897.128] (November [146] [346.270])
- December
-
- Microsoft ships Microsoft Windows/386 software. [909.231] [1629.34] [1639.110] [1897.128] (November [346.270])
- Microsoft ships the one millionth copy of Windows. [346.270] [1897.128]
- December 31
-
- Shipments of MS-DOS to date: 10.5 million. [307.224]
- Year
-
- North American software sales: about US$2 billion. [627.38]
- Worldwide spreadsheet sales: 1,802,000 units. [627.73]
- Market share of spreadsheet software: Lotus 1-2-3: 62%. [627.73]
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