FinalWord
Mark of the Unicorn
History
Originally released around 1980 by Mark of the Unicorn as MINCE, a CP/M text editor that had some EMACS like functionality and UI. It was sold in a variety of packaged versions, sometimes bundled with a text formatting package from the same company called SCRIBBLE which was a Scribe clone that made the MINCE editor able to function as a word processor. Other packages included full source code and a license for the buyer to use it as long as it did not compete with MINCE. Some packages even included a CP/M C compiler. MINCE was somewhat buggy but gained some popularity with CP/M users that were used to the Teco editor (that Emacs resembled).
One of the customers of the MINCE source code created a word processor out of the package called Perfect Writer and had some success selling it to computer hardware manufacturers as an OEM bundle with a rudimentary spreadsheet and database called "Perfect Calc" and "Perfect Filer" respectively. This inspired MOTU to convert MINCE into a word processor that they called FinalWord. While it failed to set the world on fire and had like MINCE a persistent reputation for bugs, it sold reasonably, well enough for MOTU to port it to DOS. A couple of years later an upgraded version called "FinalWriter II" was introduced.
By the mid 80s MOTU was concentrating on developing music software and hardware products for the Macintosh and sold the package to Borland International.
Version
FinalWord
- 1.10 (1983)
- 1.16 (1984)
FinalWord II
- 2.01 (1986)
Links
- Steve King: Final Word II Packs a Punch - InfoWorld 1986-04-28 - 54