Before Microsoft Excel became the ubiquitous spreadsheet software, a lineage of powerful applications paved the way, dominating the early personal computing landscape. The software that truly set the stage for Excel's eventual rise included Microsoft's own Multiplan, which was first introduced in 1982 and can be considered an early iteration or precursor to Excel, and the highly successful Lotus 1-2-3.
The Dawn of Digital Spreadsheets: VisiCalc
The concept of the electronic spreadsheet revolutionized business and finance in the late 1970s. The true pioneer was VisiCalc, released in 1979 for the Apple II computer. It's widely credited with being the "killer app" that transformed personal computers from hobbyist machines into indispensable business tools. VisiCalc allowed users to manipulate numerical data in rows and columns, automatically recalculating totals when individual values changed. This groundbreaking ability eliminated tedious manual calculations and opened up new possibilities for financial modeling and analysis.
Microsoft's First Foray: Multiplan
As personal computing evolved, Microsoft entered the spreadsheet arena with its own offering. Introduced in 1982, Microsoft's spreadsheet was named Multiplan. Initially, Multiplan found considerable popularity, particularly on CP/M (Control Program for Microcomputers) operating systems, which were common on many early 8-bit computers. Multiplan aimed to offer advanced features and a more user-friendly interface compared to its contemporaries.
However, as the market shifted towards MS-DOS systems, Multiplan began to lose its footing. Despite its innovative features, it struggled to maintain its dominant position against a new, formidable competitor.
The King of MS-DOS: Lotus 1-2-3
The vacuum left by Multiplan's decline on MS-DOS was swiftly filled by Lotus 1-2-3, launched by Lotus Development Corporation in 1983. Lotus 1-2-3 quickly became the industry standard for MS-DOS computers, dethroning Multiplan and other competitors. Its success stemmed from several key advantages:
- Speed: It was written largely in assembly language, making it significantly faster than its rivals.
- Integrated Features: As its name suggested, it combined spreadsheet capabilities ("1"), graphing ("2"), and basic database functions ("3") into a single application, a novelty at the time.
- User-Friendly Interface: Its menu-driven interface was intuitive and efficient for power users.
- Strong Performance: It performed exceptionally well on the new IBM PC and compatible machines.
Lotus 1-2-3's dominance lasted throughout the 1980s, becoming the essential business application for the MS-DOS platform.
Evolution to Excel
It was in this competitive landscape that Microsoft developed Excel for Macintosh in 1985, followed by Excel for Windows in 1987. Excel eventually leveraged the graphical user interface (GUI) of Windows to offer a more intuitive and visually appealing experience, gradually eroding Lotus 1-2-3's market share and establishing itself as the premier spreadsheet software.
Key Pre-Excel Spreadsheet Software
Software Name | Release Year | Key Characteristics | Dominant Platform(s) | Impact |
---|---|---|---|---|
VisiCalc | 1979 | First electronic spreadsheet, "killer app" for personal computers. | Apple II | Pioneered the spreadsheet concept and PC business use. |
Multiplan | 1982 | Microsoft's initial spreadsheet offering, precursor to Excel. | CP/M, early MS-DOS | Popular on CP/M, but lost market share on MS-DOS. |
Lotus 1-2-3 | 1983 | Fast, integrated spreadsheet, graphing, and database. | MS-DOS | Became the industry standard for MS-DOS, highly dominant. |
The Impact of Early Spreadsheets
The applications that preceded Excel, particularly VisiCalc, Multiplan, and Lotus 1-2-3, played a critical role in shaping the early software industry and how businesses operated:
- They popularized personal computers as indispensable business tools.
- They transformed financial modeling, budgeting, and data analysis.
- They laid the groundwork for the advanced features and graphical interfaces that Excel would later perfect.
- Their competition drove innovation, leading to more powerful and user-friendly software.