Apple Writer
| Original author(s) | Paul Lutus |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Apple Computer |
| Initial release | 1979 |
| Stable release | 2.1 / 1985 |
| Development status | Freeware (1992) |
| Operating system | Apple DOS, Apple ProDOS |
| Platform | Apple II |
| Type | Word processor |
Apple Writer is a word processor for the Apple II family of personal computers. It was created by programmer and former NASA engineer Paul Lutus and published in 1979 by Apple Computer.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Apple Writer 1.0
The original 1979 version of Apple Writer ran from a 13-sector DOS 3.2 diskette and supported 40-column text display. It displayed text entirely in uppercase, but case could be toggled by pressing the ESC key; characters that the user signified as uppercase appeared in inverse (black on white) capitals, while characters in lowercase appeared as standard capitals. The names of the binary files Apple Writer 1.0 produced began with the prefix "TEXT".
[edit] Apple Writer 1.1
Released in 1980, Apple Writer 1.1 took advantage of DOS 3.3 and ran under the newer 16-sector format. It also featured a spellchecker known as Goodspell and some minor bug fixes.
[edit] Apple Writer II
Apple Writer II was released in 1981 and like its predecessor ran under DOS 3.3 on an Apple II Plus. Unlike the original, Apple Writer II could display both upper and lower case characters and, with a Sup-R-Term card in slot 3, could support both 40- and 80-column text. It also wrapped text too long to appear on the current line (rather than breaking it mid-word) and included a glossary and the Word Processing Language (WPL), a macro-like resources that allowed certain tasks to be automated. Apple Writer II files saved as standard text files rather than the older binary files.
[edit] Apple Writer IIe
Released in 1983, Apple Writer IIe took advantage of the Apple IIe's built-in 80-column display and full keyboard and featured the ability to create larger files, print files to disk and directly connect the computer keyboard to a printer for typewriter-like operation.
[edit] Apple Writer 2.0
Apple Writer 2.0 was released in September 1984 and was the first version of the series to run under ProDOS. It allowed users to set screen margins and to connect the computer's keyboard to a modem, allowing it to be used as a rudimentary terminal program.
[edit] Apple Writer 2.1
Published in late 1985, this version corrected a problem with parallel printer cards present in 2.0 and changed printed characters from low-ASCII to high-ASCII, correcting an issue with certain interface cards and printers.
[edit] Freeware
Following the success of AppleWorks, Apple discontinued the AppleWriter series. Creator Paul Lutus agreed in 1992 to make his program available on a freeware basis: it could be copied freely and given away, but could not be sold for a profit.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Weyhrich, Steven; Metro Apple Computer Hobbyists (MACH) User Group (1992-11-12). "Apple II History, Chapter 18". http://apple2history.org/history/ah18/#08. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
- ^ Diaz, Tony (2009-04-18). "The Apple II Lost Classics Project". http://lostclassics.apple2.info/downloads/?dl_cat=17. Retrieved 2011-04-13.
