1-2-3
At one time, 1-2-3 was the world standard for spreadsheets. But somewhere along the way, Excel took over. Currently, 1-2-3 is a distant second in spreadsheet market share.
A problem with 1-2-3 is that it is not consistent. It seems that every new release of 1-2-3 sports a different user interface. Therefore, when someone says, "I know how to use 1-2-3," the response should be, "Which version?"
The table below lists some of the versions of 1-2-3 that you may encounter.
| Version | Released | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Release 1A | 1983 | For DOS. This is the product that gave Lotus its start, and knocked the socks off of VisiCalc. |
| Release 2 | 1985 | For DOS. Lots of improvements, including add-in support, better memory management, more rows and support for math coprocessors. Release 2.01 was released in 1986. |
| Release 3 | 1989 | For DOS. Designed for higher-end systems (did not replace Release 2). Featured 3-D workbooks, multi-file support, better graphics, access to external database files. |
| 1.0 for Windows | 1991 | Essentially a Windows version of Release 3. Most analysts found this product to be very disappointing and buggy. |
| 4.0 for DOS | 1993? | Information not available |
| 4.0 for Windows | 1993 | Completely redesigned. Better, but no cigar. |
| 5.0 for Windows | 1994 | Lots of enhancements and design changes. Still better, but lacking in many areas. |
| 1-2-3 97 | 1997 | Long overdue, the first 32-bit version of 1-2-3. Very different interface, introduced InfoBoxes, and support for LotusScript. For many, this product is considered "too little, too late." |
| 1-2-3 Millennium Edition | 1998 | New features include: more rows, improved Y2K support, "ask the expert" help, new @functions, internet support, better Excel compatibility, ViaVoice support. |
.