Word Processing

Incidentally, one thing that it is probably hard to grasp if you weren't there in those days was word processing. Starting with the Electric Pencil and evolving gradually to Word Perfect and Microsoft Word, there were what I would conservatively estimate about 30 to 50 word processors that made it to the market. Considering the limitations of the Apple II, with its 40 column upper case only display and limited keyboard, there were about 10 to 15 word processor programs, each of which worked around these limitations in some unique way. The development of the 80 column display with upper/lower case, and the discovery and publication of the shift key modification were also in response to the limitations in word processing capabilities. It seems to me now that I think about it that these developments were a tribute to the popularity and downright love that the Apple II enjoyed. We could sell a $3000 Apple II with all the necessary add-on stuff to make it capable of doing a half way decent job of word processing easier than selling a $2500.00 CP/M system with one of the much more capable word processors like Electric Pencil or other early product.