Upon their launch in the early 1980s, Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3 offered similar products measured by both quality and efficiency. Each of them was associated with different systems that in turn determined their place in the market for the next two decades. We seem to be embarking on another turn of events with the availability of free web-hosted applications such as Google Docs & Spreadsheets and Zoho Office.
Lotus wasn’t the only spreadsheet program in the early 1980s, but it was the most efficient. After its launch in 1983, Lotus was innovative in the use of television advertising for consumers. Things looked great for Lotus for several years due to its speed and similarity to the VisiCalc model, including the A1 letter and number cells, and the bar menu structure. It was practically bug-free and outpaced the slower DOS screen input / output functions. In addition to being a spreadsheet, it also included comprehensive database and charting operations. Hence its name 1-2-3, which refers to its three main capabilities.
The data was arranged in each defined rectangle within the order of the data in one or two columns in the rectangular area. You could also justify the text within a certain range in paragraphs that allow it to act as a primitive word processor. It contained easy-to-use functions such as keyboard-controlled pop-up menus and one-key commands. The most notable user-friendly feature of Lotus was a context-sensitive help menu accessed via the F1 key.
Version 2.0 introduced macros and plugins. This resulted in third-party vendors being able to sell plug-in and macro packages ranging from full word processors to dedicated financial worksheets. Version 2.0 contained macros with syntax and commands, as well as a series of variable expressions that were similar in complexity to an advanced BASIC interpreter. In later versions, Lotus 1-2-3 also supported multiple worksheets. Lotus also created a 1-2-3 version for the HP 200LX, a handheld released by Hewlett-Packard.
Excel was offered first for Mac in 1985 and then for Windows in 1987. Compared to Lotus, the introduction of Excel offered all number processing capabilities plus drop-down menus and WYSIWYG formatting. These two features made Excel much easier to use. In 1988, Excel outsold 1-2-3 and began to cement its place as the leading developer of PC software. Microsoft proved to be an ambitious competitor, keeping a valuable product and releasing new versions approximately every two years. Excel has also kept up with its Mac releases. The current version for Windows is Excel 12 or Microsoft Office Excel 2007. The current version for Mac OS X is Microsoft Excel 2008.
Looking back, it appears that in 1982, when Microsoft offered its spreadsheet program titled Multiplan, it was popular with CP / M systems, but MS-DOS systems favored Lotus 1-2-3. MS-DOS clearly prevailed as the most prevalent system, hence Lotus 1-2-3 as the most prevalent spreadsheet program. In the late 1980s, Microsoft created Excel, an upstart spreadsheet for its Windows graphical interface. Lotus focused on IBM OS / 2. Windows usage skyrocketed with Windows 3.0, but Lotus had already lost its lead. Excel Becomes the Industry Leader in Spreadsheet Software [http://www.thesoftwarespot.com]. IBM continues to sell 1-2-3 as part of the Lotus SmartSuite office suite.
Trends are changing again with the availability of free web-hosted applications such as Google Docs & Spreadsheets and Zoho Office. However, this will surely challenge Excel to maintain its prestigious position; It will not be a clear comparison as online applications are a different product. They do not mimic Excel and 1-2-3, but rather extend them. They use the power of web collaboration, instant feedback, mashups, live data, and context searches. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see Microsoft’s future maneuvers!