CPM
CPM was the first disk operating system for microcomputers. After installing it on your computer, it allow you to type in preset of commands that controlled your system. It was revolutionary. Everyone building their own computer immediately installed CPM. There wasn't anything like it. It could it organize files on a magnetic storage medium, and to load and run programs stored on a disk.
When IBM announced the PC, you could buy CP/M for $75 or you could buy Microsoft DOS for $20. The problem with MS DOS was no programs run on it while there were hundred of programs running CP/M.
The reason IBM decided to sell CPM was they were afraid that Digital Research would sue them because MS DOS was a blatant copy. They actually delayed the PC announcements until they had a sign contract with Killdall. However they way over changed for it killing it sales.
CPM ERA -> DOS DELETE
CPM SAVE - > DOS COPY
Garry Killdall stated he had no intention of sueing anybody!
Sticky Bear Learning
Sticky Bear ABC Learning program for children. You learn your alphabet by Pick It, Write It, Find It or Say It. Sticky Bear was the mascot of Weekly Reader.
Adventure Game
A fun game having you go into the Colossal Cave where you have to figure out solutions such as what to take and what to drop while fighting elves. It was text driven. You type in a command and received a text respons. It is very much like reading a book where you use your imagination. Not like games today which are like movies.
When the IBM PC was announce, Adventure was the only game. It sold for $20 which made it a best seller. Whatw I don't like was you had to guess what the commands were wasting a lot of time. Also it could have had some hints when you got stuck.
Visual Cafe
Visual Cafe is a app development program. It comes complete with built-in editor, compiler and interpreter.The principle strength lies in the fact that Visual Cafe for Java is a "visual" environment. Symantec's IDE attempts to make the design and development of a graphical user interface (GUI) a less-difficult task by making all GUI components drag-and-drop.