Electric Pencil
| Industry | Software |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Michael Shrayer |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Electric Pencil |
Electric Pencil, developed by Michael Shrayer and launched in December 1976, holds the distinction of being the inaugural word processing software designed for personal computers.
Although it initially dominated the market, rivals such as WordStar and Magic Wand eventually eclipsed its popularity.
History
After spending two decades as a filmmaker in New York, Michael Shrayer relocated to California in 1975. Fascinated by assembling electronic kits, he constructed a MITS Altair 8800 and adapted a public domain assembler for the Processor Technology Sol-20. When fellow enthusiasts expressed interest in purchasing his ESP-1 software, an unexpected commercial opportunity arose.
Without prior knowledge of "word processors," Shrayer created the first microcomputer word processor to facilitate writing documentation for his software. Electric Pencil was first released for the Altair in December 1976, with its Sol-20 iteration achieving notable popularity. Due to the absence of retail distribution, Shrayer established Michael Shrayer Software Inc., promoted through publications such as BYTE, and sold the program via mail order. The software required 8K of memory and operated on either an Intel 8080 or Zilog Z80 CPU. In response to customer requests, he adapted Electric Pencil into 78 versions compatible with various systems including NorthStar Horizon and TRS-80.
A key innovation introduced by Electric Pencil was the word wrap function, which dynamically adjusted line breaks as text was inserted or removed.
Its market prominence waned after Shrayer stopped updating the product and transferred ownership; meanwhile, competitors like WordStar and Magic Wand gained traction. Nevertheless, Electric Pencil remained on the market into the 1980s, including a 1983 edition tailored for the IBM PC.
Reception
In 1982, James Fallows characterized Electric Pencil as "outmoded and rudimentary" when compared to more advanced alternatives such as Perfect Writer and Scripsit.
The 1984 issue of InfoWorld awarded the $450 IBM PC version a "Good" rating across all evaluated aspects, commending its user-friendliness, performance speed, undo functionality, and absence of copy protection. However, it criticized the developer's unwillingness to provide updates.
A review from PC Magazine in 1987 emphasized Electric Pencil's rapid operation, powerful features, and fully reprogrammable keyboard at a price of $49.95. The publication noted that it was better suited for users seeking a robust word processor capable of growth rather than novices.
Notable use
Jerry Pournelle is credited as the first writer to publish a portion of a book composed using a personal computer word processor, having utilized Electric Pencil in 1977. He adopted this software to enhance efficiency by eliminating the need to retype entire manuscripts after revisions.