Imagine typing a ten-page school report on a typewriter and discovering a spelling mistake on page one. You would have to retype the entire document from the beginning. This was the reality before word processing programs existed. One mistake could mean hours of wasted work.
The first word processing programs changed everything. Understanding which program came first and how it worked helps us appreciate the technology we use every day.
What Is a Word Processing Program?
A word processing program is software that lets you create and edit text documents on a computer. Think of it as a digital typewriter with special powers. You can type text, delete mistakes, move sentences around, change fonts, and save your work. When you use Microsoft Word or Google Docs for homework, you are using a word processing program.
What Was the First Word Processing Program?
Here are First Word Processing Programs:
Electric Pencil (1976) – The True First
Electric Pencil was the first word processing program. It was created by Michael Shrayer in 1976 for personal computers. Shrayer developed it for the Altair 8800, one of the earliest microcomputers available to individuals. This makes Electric Pencil the pioneering word processing software in computer history.
Key features of Electric Pencil:
- Text appeared on screen as users typed
- Users could insert new characters anywhere in the document
- Delete function removed unwanted text instantly
- Search capability found specific words or phrases
- Save function stored work to floppy disks
- Print support sent documents to available printers
The program used keyboard commands for everything since computer mice had not been invented yet. Users pressed combinations of keys to execute different functions.
WordStar (1978-1979) – First Widely Successful Word Processor
While Electric Pencil deserves recognition as the first word processing program, WordStar became the first word processor to achieve widespread commercial success. Developed by Seymour Rubenstein and Rob Barnaby, WordStar was released in 1979 for computers running the CP/M operating system.
Major innovations introduced by WordStar:
- On-screen editing where text appeared exactly as typed
- Control-key combinations for executing commands
- Text formatting including bold, underline, and italic
- Print preview to see documents before printing
- Block operations to copy, move, or delete sections
- Mail merge to create personalized letters automatically
The program used a clever command system based on Control-key combinations. Users held down the Ctrl key and pressed letter keys to execute functions. For example, Ctrl+Y deleted an entire line, while Ctrl+T deleted a single word. The commands were arranged in a diamond pattern on the keyboard.
Why WordStar Is Considered “The First” by Many
Although Electric Pencil came first chronologically, many computer historians and users consider WordStar the first significant word processing program. This perspective reflects WordStar’s much greater impact on society and the computer industry.
WordStar was the first word processor that millions of regular people actually used. While Electric Pencil reached a small group of computer hobbyists, WordStar entered offices, law firms, publishing houses, and eventually schools. It was the program that showed the world what word processing could do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who invented the first word processor?
Michael Shrayer invented Electric Pencil for the Altair 8800 in 1976. Evelyn Berezin developed the Data Secretary in 1971 for minicomputers. Seymour Rubenstein and Rob Barnaby created WordStar, which became the first commercially dominant word processor.
Why is WordStar more famous than Electric Pencil?
WordStar became much more popular and influential than Electric Pencil. Millions of people used WordStar in businesses and schools, while Electric Pencil reached only a small group of computer hobbyists. WordStar established the features and standards that defined word processing for years to come.
How did people use early word processors?
Users typed keyboard commands to perform all functions since graphical interfaces and mice did not exist. They saved documents to floppy disks manually and had to remember complex command sequences. Despite these challenges, early word processors still saved enormous time compared to typewriters.
What is WYSIWYG in word processing?
WYSIWYG stands for “What You See Is What You Get.” It means the document appears on screen exactly as it will look when printed. Early DOS programs did not have WYSIWYG. This feature became standard with graphical interfaces in the 1980s and 1990s.