SuperCalc
| Industry | Software |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1980 |
| Products | SuperCalc |
SuperCalc is a spreadsheet software introduced by Sorcim in 1980.
History
While VisiCalc was the pioneering spreadsheet application, it was initially not available for the CP/M platform. SuperCalc was created specifically to serve that unmet demand. It was bundled with the Osborne 1 portable computer alongside WordStar, quickly gaining traction and subsequently being adapted for MS-DOS in 1982.
Building upon VisiCalc’s foundation, SuperCalc maintained a similar command interface but distinguished itself as one of the earliest spreadsheet programs to incorporate iterative solutions for circular references—situations where cells depend reciprocally on each other’s values. This capability appeared over ten years prior to its adoption in Microsoft Excel. According to the product manager, this iterative calculation feature was implemented when Sorcim transitioned from binary-coded decimal arithmetic to binary math, resolving precision issues that impacted IF function results.
SuperCalc was released for platforms including the Apple II and IBM PC compatible systems running MS-DOS. After Sorcim was acquired by CA Technologies in 1985, a version for Microsoft Windows was launched under the name CA-SuperCalc. This marked CA Technologies' initial entry into personal computing software. The MS-DOS editions frequently outsold the market leader Lotus 1-2-3, largely due to their absence of copy protection and more affordable pricing.
By March 1987, when version 3 debuted, SuperCalc reported a user base of one million. Development continued into the early 1990s, though eventually Microsoft Excel established dominance over the spreadsheet market.
In 1993, CA Technologies reached an agreement with Russia’s Ministry of Railway following unauthorized use of SuperCalc by a Russian government employee.
Reception
A prerelease evaluation of SuperCalc for CP/M by InfoWorld in 1981 highlighted its rapid screen refresh rate, support for an 80x24 display size, integrated help system, user-friendly design, and robust error management. In 1986, the magazine characterized SuperCalc 4 for DOS as "neck and neck with Lotus ... a serious corporate spreadsheet alternative," emphasizing its compatibility with earlier versions—both forward and backward—which Lotus lacked, along with its capability to perform goal-seeking calculations. InfoWorld concluded that "SuperCalc 4 tackles the toughest competitor of them all on its own terms ... a very equal battle."
In 1982, BYTE columnist Jerry Pournelle praised SuperCalc for CP/M for its straightforward usability and thorough documentation, forecasting it would become "a classic" alongside notable products such as dBASE II and Spellguard.
By 1987, Computer Intelligence estimated that Computer Associates held approximately 4% share of the PC financial analysis market among the Fortune 1000, trailing behind Lotus’s dominant 85% and Microsoft’s 6%. A survey conducted in 1990 by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants revealed that 3% of respondents used SuperCalc for spreadsheet tasks while another 3% utilized it for graphical purposes.
Versions
- 1980: SuperCalc
- SuperCalc 2, which introduced a split-screen interface displaying formulas on one side and charts on the other
- 1986: SuperCalc 4, ranked second in the spreadsheet sector after Excel; featured automatic macro generation
- 1989: SuperCalc 5
External links
- SuperCalc 1.00 demonstrated on an IBM PC Model 5150 displayed at the System Source Computer Museum.