EasyWriter
| Industry | Software development |
|---|---|
| Founder | John Draper |
| Products | EasyWriter |
EasyWriter holds the distinction of being the inaugural word processing software designed for the Apple II, created by John Draper and introduced in 1979.
History
Developed by Draper's Cap'n Software and published by Information Unlimited Software (IUS), EasyWriter was written in the Forth programming language, which Cap'n Software also adapted into its own version. Draper crafted EasyWriter during nighttime hours while participating in a work furlough program at the Alameda County Jail.
Subsequently, EasyWriter was adapted for the IBM PC and launched alongside IBM’s new machine in August 1981. The initial release, EasyWriter 1.0 distributed by IBM, encountered criticism due to numerous bugs and a challenging user experience; as early as December 1981, PC Magazine noted that users "wish IBM had provided better word processing." IBM swiftly urged IUS to improve the software. When William Baker later offered "I Survived EasyWriter" T-shirts, IBM declined them, citing a policy against accepting gifts. IBM provided a complimentary upgrade from version 1.0 to 1.10, yet EasyWriter's deficiencies allowed competitors like Camilo Wilson’s Volkswriter to capture significant market share.
Following this, IUS released EasyWriter II, a completely redesigned program developed by Basic Software Group. Positioned as a more "professional" word processor, EasyWriter II was written in C, departing from Forth, and was an entirely new product rather than an update of the original IBM edition.
Reception
In 1981, BYTE praised both EasyWriter and EasyWriter Professional for the Apple II, commending their features, user interface design, and comprehensive documentation. However, a review from early 1982 focusing on the IBM PC version criticized EasyWriter for its lack of user-friendliness and slow scrolling performance, recommending alternative systems for word processing until superior software became available. That same year, Andrew Fluegelman of PC Magazine described EasyWriter 1.0 as approachable for casual users but hampered by bugs, sluggishness, and interface problems; he later characterized it as "pretty much a lemon." By 1985, Fluegelman admitted that although his critique was severe, it was warranted.
IBM executive Don Estridge acknowledged in 1983 that his experience with EasyWriter 1.0 had been unsatisfactory. The follow-up release, version 1.10, resolved many prior issues; Fluegelman reported that it operated smoothly, managed standard writing tasks effectively, and was easy to learn—suggesting that if IBM had launched with this improved version initially, EasyWriter might have become the dominant word processing software on the PC.
BYTE also criticized EasyWriter II for booting directly from its own disk rather than running under DOS, necessitating specialized disk formatting and conversion tools. Additionally, it lacked support for double-sided drives and featured a heavily modal editing environment.