MS-Excel

Microsoft originally marketed a spreadsheet program called Multiplan in 1982, which was very popular on CP/M systems, but on MS-DOS systems it lost popularity to Lotus 1-2-3. This promoted development of a new spreadsheet called Excel which started with the intention to, in the words of Doug Klunder, 'do everything 1-2-3 does and do it better' . The first version of Excel was released for the Mac in 1985 and the first Windows version (numbered 2.0 to line-up with the Mac and bundled with a run-time Windows environment) was released in November 1987. Lotus was slow to bring 1-2-3 to Windows and by 1988 Excel had started to outsell 1-2-3 and helped Microsoft achieve the position of leading PC software developer. This accomplishment, dethroning the king of the software world, solidified Microsoft as a valid competitor and showed its future of developing graphical software. Microsoft pushed its advantage with regular new releases, every two years or so. The current version is Excel 11, also called Microsoft Office Excel 2003.

Versions

Versions for Microsoft Windows include:

  • 1987 Excel 2.0 for Windows
  • 1990 Excel 3.0
  • 1992 Excel 4.0
  • 1993 Excel 5.0
  • 1995 Excel 7.0 (Office '95)
  • 1997 Excel 8.0 (Office '97)
  • 1999 Excel 9.0 (Office 2000)
  • 2001 Excel 10.0 (Office XP)
  • 2003 Excel 11.0 (Office 2003)

Versions for the Apple Macintosh include:

  • 1985 Excel 1.0
  • 1988 Excel 1.5
  • 1989 Excel 2.2
  • 1990 Excel 3.0
  • 1992 Excel 4.0
  • 1993 Excel 5.0
  • 1998 Excel 8.0 (Office '98)
  • 2000 Excel 9.0 (Office 2001)
  • 2001 Excel 10.0 (Office v. X)
  • 2004 Excel 11.0 (Office 2004)

Versions for OS/2 include:

  • 1989 Excel 2.2
  • 1991 Excel 3.0

MS-Excel Splash Screen

Microsoft Excel 1.01

Splash in Microsoft Excel 1.01
Microsoft Excel 1.01, Macintosh edition, French

 

Microsoft Excel 1.5

Splash in Microsoft Excel 1.5
Microsoft Excel 1.5, Macintosh edition

 

Microsoft Excel 2.1

Splash in Microsoft Excel 2.1
Microsoft Excel 2.1, promotional edition

 

Microsoft Excel 2.2

Splash in Microsoft Excel 2.2
Microsoft Excel 2.2, OS/2 edition

 

Microsoft Excel 2.2a

Splash in Microsoft Excel 2.2a
Microsoft Excel 2.2a, Macintosh edition, French

 

Microsoft Excel 3.0

Splash in Microsoft Excel 3.0
Microsoft Excel 3.0, OS/2 edition

 

Microsoft Excel 4.0

Splash in Microsoft Excel 4.0
Microsoft Excel 4.0, Macintosh edition, German

 

Splash in Microsoft Excel 4.0
Microsoft Excel 4.0, version 4.0a, part of Office 4.0 package

 

Microsoft Excel 5.0

Splash in Microsoft Excel 5.0
Microsoft Excel 5.0

 

Microsoft Excel 95

Splash in Microsoft Excel 95
Microsoft Excel 95, version 7.0, Polish

 

Microsoft Excel 97

Splash in Microsoft Excel 97
Microsoft Excel 97

 

Microsoft Excel 98

Splash in Microsoft Excel 98
Microsoft Excel 98, Macintosh edition

 

Microsoft Excel 2000

Splash in Microsoft Excel 2000
Microsoft Excel 2000, Polish

 

Microsoft Excel 2001

Splash in Microsoft Excel 2001
Microsoft Excel 2001, Macintosh edition

 

Microsoft Excel XP

Splash in Microsoft Excel XP
Microsoft Excel XP

 

Microsoft Excel v. X

Splash in Microsoft Excel v. X
Microsoft Excel v. X, Macintosh edition

 

Microsoft Excel 2003

Splash in Microsoft Excel 2003
Microsoft Excel 2003

 

Microsoft Excel 2004

Splash in Microsoft Excel 2004
Microsoft Excel 2004, Macintosh edition