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On Tuesday, with no fanfare, IBM closed the last chapter in the life of one of the most iconic early computer programs, Lotus 1-2-3, when it withdrew support for the final build of the software.
IBM Lotus 123 Millennium Edition, IBM Lotus SmartSuite 9.x, and Organizer have now officially all passed their end of life support date and, according to IBM's website, "No service extensions will be offered" ( http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/cgi-bin/ssialias?subtype=ca&infotype=an&appname=iSource&supplier=897&letternum=ENUS913-091 ) – not that anyone is seriously using the spreadsheet any more.
It's a sadly muted end for what was, at one time, the world's premier spreadsheet. Lotus 1-2-3 was one of the first applications that made IBM's original PC a serious business tool, but it fell by the wayside due to poor coding decisions, failure to adapt, and the crushing tactics of Microsoft.
(Score: 1) by anubi on Saturday October 04 2014, @09:15AM
I figured it was at least good for a chuckle that someone out there was still using some little program written to run DOS 1.0... The whole program is about 30Kbytes. I am pretty sure its written in assembler. Just like the FutureNet schematic capture program I still use ( Albeit I admit I am falling in love with Eagle.)
Funny thing, the executable is still on the web. Right Here! [bricklin.com]
My first one had copy protection, and I ran it under DOS 3.3, but the one I link to above is the same one I use now. I liked it because it was so damned simple.
I keep the executable and so far about 30 years of data files on one 1.44Mb floppy disk. I keep two copies in the little binder I store paper copies of my last three years returns. Usually, the VC.com file is on the machine, but if it isn't, there are multiple copies of it on the disks. I just did not want my tax data left laying around in my machine; once the job was done, I wanted to remove the disks, print the returns, mail to IRS, insert copies and return disks to binder until next year when I do the same again.
Some more old DOS programs I can't seem to shake are MathCad, Borland Eureka, Borland TurboC++ ( which is my quickie way of checking out my Arduino code ), and ( God forbid!!!) GWBasic! Damned near anything text based. I even have "TCP/IP Lean" protocol stacks written in TurboC++ so I can check for expected behaviour on the internet before downloading similar code into embedded systems - because the most I am apt to do is nothing more than send and receive a very specific packet structure and I do not want to spend a lot of overhead implementing the entire suite when all I need to do is exchange a few text strings. Just enough code to make and receive a packet the routers will route is good enough for me. Completely nonstandard contents, but as long as the addressing is right, I guess it doesn't matter much what in the envelope, as my code is at both ends. I just treat the internet like I do the post office.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]