VisiCalc

VisiCalc
source
Name	VisiCalc
Developer	Software Arts
Released	1979
Platform	Apple II, Apple III, CP/M

VisiCalc was a groundbreaking spreadsheet program developed by Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston at Software Arts, a company founded by the two Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduates. The program was first demonstrated at the West Coast Computer Faire in 1978 and later released in 1979 for the Apple II platform, with subsequent versions for the Apple III and CP/M operating systems. VisiCalc was widely used by accountants, financial analysts, and business professionals at companies like IBM, General Motors, and Procter & Gamble. The program's success can be attributed to its innovative features, which were influenced by the work of Douglas Engelbart and his team at SRI International.

Introduction

VisiCalc was designed to be an electronic version of the paper spreadsheet, allowing users to easily create and manipulate financial models, budgets, and forecasts. The program's user interface was inspired by the work of Alan Kay and his team at Xerox PARC, who developed the Alto computer and the Smalltalk programming language. VisiCalc's creators, Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston, were also influenced by the work of Ivan Sutherland and his team at University of Utah, who developed the Sketchpad system. The program's development was supported by Personal Software, a company founded by Dan Fylstra, which later became VisiCorp.

History

The development of VisiCalc began in 1978, when Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston started working on the program at Software Arts. The two developers were inspired by the work of John von Neumann and his team at the Institute for Advanced Study, who developed the EDVAC computer. VisiCalc was first demonstrated at the West Coast Computer Faire in 1978, where it caught the attention of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak from Apple Inc.. The program was later released in 1979 for the Apple II platform, with subsequent versions for the Apple III and CP/M operating systems. VisiCalc was widely adopted by business professionals at companies like General Electric, Ford Motor Company, and Coca-Cola.

Features

VisiCalc introduced several innovative features that revolutionized the way people worked with financial data. The program allowed users to create electronic spreadsheets with rows and columns, perform calculations using formulas, and format cells using various options. VisiCalc also introduced the concept of relative addressing, which allowed users to easily copy and move formulas within a spreadsheet. The program's features were influenced by the work of Edsger W. Dijkstra and his team at the Eindhoven University of Technology, who developed the THE multiprogramming system. VisiCalc also supported macros, which allowed users to automate repetitive tasks and create custom functions. The program's user interface was designed to be intuitive and easy to use, with features like menu-driven commands and context-sensitive help.

Impact

VisiCalc had a significant impact on the personal computer industry, as it helped to establish the Apple II as a popular platform for business applications. The program's success also inspired the development of other spreadsheet programs, such as Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Excel. VisiCalc was widely used by financial analysts at companies like Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley. The program's influence can also be seen in the work of Nicholas Negroponte and his team at the MIT Media Lab, who developed the One Laptop per Child initiative. VisiCalc's impact on the business world was significant, as it enabled companies to make more informed decisions using data-driven insights.

Legacy

VisiCalc's legacy can be seen in the many spreadsheet programs that followed in its footsteps. The program's innovative features, such as relative addressing and macros, have become standard in the industry. VisiCalc's influence can also be seen in the work of Tim Berners-Lee and his team at CERN, who developed the World Wide Web. The program's impact on the personal computer industry was significant, as it helped to establish the Apple II as a popular platform for business applications. Today, VisiCalc is remembered as a pioneering program that revolutionized the way people work with financial data, and its influence can be seen in the many software applications that have followed in its footsteps, including Google Sheets and Microsoft Office. Category:Software