View source for Lotus 1-2-3

{{Short description|Spreadsheet software}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Lotus 1-2-3
| logo = Lotus1-2-3 R2 logo.svg
| screenshot = Lotus-123-3.0-MSDOS.png
| caption = Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3.0 running on MS-DOS
| collapsible =
| developer = [[Lotus Software]]
| released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1983|1|26}}
| latest release version = 9.8.2
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2002}}
| discontinued = Yes
| programming language = [[x86 assembly language]], [[C (programming language)|C]]
| operating system = [[DOS]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[OS/2]], [[classic Mac OS]], [[MVS]], [[VM (operating system)|VM/CMS]], [[OpenVMS]], [[PC-98]], [[Unix]], [[Linux]]
| genre = [[Spreadsheet]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]]
}}
'''Lotus 1-2-3''' is a discontinued [[spreadsheet]] program from [[Lotus Software]] (later part of [[IBM]]). It was the first [[killer application]] of the [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]], was hugely popular in the 1980s, and significantly contributed to the success of [[IBM PC compatible|IBM PC-compatibles]] in the business market.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.crn.com/it-channel/18818026 |title=Whatever Happened To Lotus 1-2-3? |author-first=Barbara |author-last=Darrow |newspaper=CRN |date=2002-02-01 |access-date=2007-10-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109203535/http://www.crn.com/it-channel/18818026 |archive-date=9 January 2009}}.</ref>
The first spreadsheet, [[VisiCalc]], had helped launch the [[Apple II]] as one of the earliest personal computers in business use. With IBM's entry into the market, VisiCalc was slow to respond, and when they did, they launched what was essentially a straight port of their existing system despite the greatly expanded hardware capabilities. Lotus's solution was marketed as a three-in-one integrated solution: it handled spreadsheet calculations, [[database]] functionality, and graphical charts, hence the name "1-2-3", though how much database capability the product actually had was debatable, given the sparse memory left over after launching 1-2-3. It quickly overtook VisiCalc, as well as [[Multiplan]] and [[SuperCalc]], the two VisiCalc competitors.
Lotus 1-2-3 was the [[state of the art|state-of-the-art]] spreadsheet and the standard throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s, part of an unofficial set of three stand-alone office automation products that included [[dBase]] and [[WordPerfect]], to build a complete business platform. Lotus Software had their own [[word processor]] named [[Lotus Manuscript]], which was to some extent acclaimed in [[academia]], but did not catch the interest of the business, nor the [[consumer|consumer market]]. With the acceptance of [[Windows 3.0]] in 1990, the market for desktop software grew even more. None of the major spreadsheet developers had seriously considered the [[graphical user interface]] (GUI) to supplement their [[DOS]] offerings, and so they responded slowly to [[Microsoft]]'s own GUI-based products [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]] and [[Microsoft Word|Word]]. Lotus was surpassed by Microsoft in the early 1990s, and never recovered. IBM purchased Lotus in 1995, and continued to sell Lotus offerings,<ref>{{cite journal |author-last=Power |author-first=D. J. |title=A Brief History of Spreadsheets |website=DSSResources.com |date=2004-08-30 |volume=3 |issue=6 |url=http://www.dssresources.com/history/sshistory.html}}</ref> only officially ending sales in 2013.<ref name=11june2013lotus123/>
== History ==
=== VisiCalc ===
[[VisiCalc]] was launched in 1979 on the [[Apple II]] and immediately became a best-seller. Compared to earlier programs, VisiCalc allowed one to easily construct free-form calculation systems for practically any purpose, the limitations being primarily related to the memory and speed of the computer. The application was so compelling that there were numerous stories of people buying Apple II machines to run the program<ref>{{cite journal |author-last1=McMullen |author-first1=Barbara E. |author-last2=McMullen |author-first2=John F. |title=Apple Charts the Course for IBM |journal=[[PC Magazine]] |date=1984-02-21 |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=122–129 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UCIvSU6Y2GAC&pg=PA120 |access-date=2015-01-11}}</ref> (see article [[Killer application]]). VisiCalc's runaway success on the Apple led to direct [[bug compatible]] ports to other platforms, including the [[Atari 8-bit computers]], [[Commodore PET]] and many others. This included the [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]] when it launched in 1981, where it quickly became another best-seller, with an estimated 300,000 sales in the first six months on the market.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Freiberger |first1=Paul |last2=Swaine |first2=Michael |title=Fire in the Valley: The Making of the Personal Computer |date=2000 |publisher=McGraw-Hill |isbn=978-0-07-135892-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Fire_in_the_Valley.html?id=guwnAQAAIAAJ |language=en}}</ref>
There were well-known problems with VisiCalc, and several competitors appeared to address some of these issues. One early example was 1980's [[SuperCalc]], which solved the problem of [[circular reference]]s, while a slightly later example was [[Microsoft]] [[Multiplan]] from 1981, which offered larger sheets and other improvements. In spite of these, and others, VisiCalc continued to outsell them all.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}
=== Beginnings ===
{{more citations needed|section|date=January 2021}}<!--4 paragraphs without citations-->
[[Image:Lotus 1-2-3 for DOS - Release 2.3 - User's Guide.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.3 for DOS User's Guide; the Functions and Macros Guide is next to it.]]
The Lotus Development Corporation was founded by [[Mitch Kapor|Mitchell Kapor]], a friend of the developers of [[VisiCalc]]. 1-2-3 was originally written by [[Jonathan Sachs]], who had written two spreadsheet programs previously while working at [[Concentric Data Systems]], Inc.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-NDHistory/ |contribution=The History of Notes and Domino |date=2007-11-14 |access-date=2005-12-20 |publisher=[[IBM]] |title=Developer Works |archive-date=20 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120160049/https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/lotus/library/ls-NDHistory/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |url=http://purl.umn.edu/107619 |title=Oral history interview with Jonathan Sachs |author-first=Martin |author-last=Campbell-Kelly |date=2004-05-07 |publisher=[[Charles Babbage Institute]], University of Minnesota}}.</ref> To aid its growth both in the UK and possibly elsewhere, Lotus 1-2-3 became the very first computer software to use television consumer advertising.<ref>{{Citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kVhEPmU8Z6IC&pg=PA24 |contribution=[[Computerworld]] |page=24 |date=1984-11-26 |publisher=[[Computerworld]] |title=Micro Software TV Ads Play to Mixed Review}}</ref>
Kapor was primarily a marketing guru. His ability to develop his product to appeal to non-technical users was one secret to its rapid success. Unlike many technologists, Kapor relied on focus group feedback to make his user instructions more user-friendly. One example: the instructions that came with the floppy disc read: "Remove the protective cover and insert disc into computer." A few focus group participants tried to rip-off the stiff plastic envelope of disc carrier. Kapor's recognition that techno-speak instructions needed to be translated to normative English was a strong contributor to the product's popularity.
Lotus 1-2-3 was released on 26 January 1983, and immediately overtook Visicalc in sales. Unlike Microsoft [[Multiplan]], it stayed very close to the model of VisiCalc, including the "A1" letter and number cell notation, and slash-menu structure. It was cleanly programmed, relatively bug-free, gained speed from being written completely in [[x86]] [[assembly language]] (this remained the case for all DOS versions until 3.0, when Lotus switched to [[C (programming language)|C]]<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |title=The Executive computer; Lotus 1-2-3 Faces Up to the Upstarts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/13/business/the-executive-computer-lotus-1-2-3-faces-up-to-the-upstarts.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm |access-date=2012-10-14 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=1988-03-13 |author-first=Peter H. |author-last=Lewis | url-access=limited |quote=Release 3.0 is being written in the computer language known as [[C (language)|C]], to provide easy transportability among PCs, Macs and mainframes.}}</ref>) and wrote directly to video memory rather than use the slow DOS and/or BIOS text output functions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4420/lotus-1-2-3|title=Lotus 1-2-3|last=Techopedia|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pcmuseum.ca/details.asp?id=36346&type=Software|title=Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.4|last=Perconal Computer Museum|access-date=2019-07-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613010619/http://pcmuseum.ca/details.asp?id=36346&type=software|archive-date=13 June 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Among other novelties that Lotus introduced was a graph maker that could display several forms of graphs (including pie charts, bar graphics, or line charts) but required the user to have a graphics card. At this early stage, the only video boards available for the PC were IBM's [[Color Graphics Adapter]] and [[IBM Monochrome Display Adapter|Monochrome Display and Printer Adapter]], the latter not supporting any graphics. However, because the two video boards used different RAM and port addresses, both could be installed in the same machine and so Lotus took advantage of this by supporting a "split" screen mode whereby the user could display the worksheet portion of 1-2-3 on the sharper monochrome video and the graphics on the [[Color Graphics Adapter|CGA display]].
The initial release of 1-2-3 supported only three video setups: CGA, [[IBM Monochrome Display Adapter|MDA]] (in which case the graph maker was not available) or dual-monitor mode. However, a few months later support was added for Hercules Computer Technology's [[Hercules Graphics Card|Hercules Graphics Adapter]] which was a clone of the MDA that allowed bitmap mode. The ability to have high-resolution text and graphics capabilities (at the expense of color) proved extremely popular and Lotus 1-2-3 is credited with popularizing the Hercules graphics card.
Subsequent releases of Lotus 1-2-3 supported more video standards as time went on, including EGA, AT&T/Olivetti, and VGA. Significantly, support for the PCjr/Tandy modes was never added and users of those machines were limited to CGA graphics.
The early versions of 1-2-3 also had a key disk copy protection. While the program was hard disk installable, the user had to insert the original floppy disk when starting 1-2-3 up. This protection scheme was easily cracked and a minor inconvenience for home users, but proved a serious nuisance in an office setting. Starting with Release 3.0, Lotus no longer used copy protection. However, it was then necessary to "initialize" the System disk with one's name and company name so as to customize the copy of the program. Release 2.2 and higher had this requirement. This was an irreversible process unless one had made an exact copy of the original disk so as to be able to change names to transfer the program to someone else.
The reliance on the specific hardware of the IBM PC led to 1-2-3 being utilized as one of the two [[stress testing (software)|stress test]] applications, along with [[Microsoft Flight Simulator]], for true 100% compatibility when [[IBM PC compatible|PC clones]] appeared in the early 1980s.<ref name="springer19850603">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8C4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA72 |title=Tandy's Magnificent Concession |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=1985-06-03 |access-date=2014-07-19 |author-last=Springer |author-first=P. Gregory |pages=72 |volume=7 |issue=22}}</ref><ref name="lockwood198509">{{cite news |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v11n9/50_Zenith_Z151_choice_of_U.php |title=Zenith Z-151; choice of U.S. Air Force and Navy |work=[[Creative Computing]] |date=September 1985 |access-date=2013-02-26 |author-last=Lockwood |author-first=Russ |pages=50}}</ref><ref name= "alsop19940131">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AzsEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22flight%20simulator%22&pg=PT1 |title=A public Windows pane to make compatibility clearer |access-date=2011-02-28 |author-last=Alsop |author-first=Stewart |date=1994-01-31 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |page=102 | volume=16 | issue=5 }}</ref><ref name= "dvorak19860512">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sy8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22flight%20simulator%22&pg=PA66 |title=Springtime in Atlanta Beats Fall in Las Vegas |access-date=2011-02-28 |author-last=Dvorak |author-first=John C. |date=1986-05-12 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |page=66 |volume=8 |issue=19}}</ref><ref name="satchel19860127">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=my8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22flight%20simulator%22&pg=PA50 |title=The Corona ATP Is Faster Than The IBM PC AT, But It Has Flaws |access-date=2011-02-28 |author-last=Satchell |author-first=Stephen |date=1986-01-27 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |pages=47, 50 | volume=8 | issue=4}}</ref><ref name="mace19860505">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qi8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22flight%20simulator%22&pg=PA5 |title=Amiga, Atari Ready PC Emulators |access-date=2011-02-28 |author-last1=Mace |author-first1=Scott |author-first2=Karen |author-last2=Sorensen |date=1986-05-05 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |page=5 |volume=8 |issue=18}}</ref><ref name="satchell19850114">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-i4EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22flight%20simulator%22&pg=PA54 |title=AT&T 6300 Personal Computer |access-date=2011-02-28 |author-last=Satchell |author-first=Stephen |date=1985-01-14 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |pages=49, 53–54 |volume=7 |issue=1 & 2 }}</ref> 1-2-3 required two disk drives and at least 192K of memory, which made it incompatible with the [[IBM PCjr]]; Lotus produced a version for the PCjr that was on two cartridges but otherwise identical.<ref name="trivette198504">{{cite news |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/compute/issue59/review_lotus_123.php |title=Lotus 1-2-3 For IBM PCjr |work=[[Compute!]] |date=April 1985 |access-date=2013-10-06 |author-last=Trivette |author-first=Donald B. |pages=63}}</ref>
By early 1984 the software was a [[killer application|killer app]] for the IBM PC and compatibles, while hurting sales of computers that could not run it. "They're looking for 1-2-3. Boy, are they looking for 1-2-3!" ''InfoWorld'' wrote. Noting that computer purchasers did not want PC compatibility as much as compatibility with certain PC software, the magazine suggested "let's tell it like it is. Let's not say 'PC compatible,' or even 'MS-DOS compatible.' Instead, let's say '1-2-3 compatible.{{'"}}<ref name="clapp19840227">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gy4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA22 |title=PC compatibility |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=1984-02-27 |access-date=2015-01-18 |author-last=Clapp |author-first=Doug |pages=22 |volume=6 |issue=9}}</ref> PC clones' advertising did often prominently state that they were compatible with 1-2-3.{{r|trivette198504}} An Apple II software company promised that its spreadsheet had "the power of 1-2-3".<ref name="incider198612">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/inCider_86-12#page/n176/mode/1up |title=VIP Professional |magazine=inCider |date=December 1986 |access-date=2015-02-04 |type=advertisement |pages=171 |issn=0740-0101|volume=4 |issue=12}}</ref> Because spreadsheets use large amounts of memory, 1‐2‐3 helped popularize greater RAM capacities in PCs, and especially the advent of [[expanded memory]], which allowed greater than 640k to be accessed.
=== Rivals ===
Lotus 1-2-3 inspired imitators, the first of which was Mosaic Software's "The Twin", written in the fall of 1985 largely in the [[C (programming language)|C programming language]],<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a91QXlvTPHAC&q=Mosaic+Software+%22The+Twin%22&pg=PA59|title=The Twin: Slow Lotus for Less.|last=Barr|first=Christopher|date=August 1986|magazine=PC Magazine | volume=5 |issue=14 |pages=59–60 |access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref> followed by VP-Planner, which was backed by [[Adam Osborne]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_S4EAAAAMBAJ&q=VP-Planner+Adam+Osborne&pg=PA42|title=Osborne's 1-2-3 Clone: VP Planner|last=O'Connor|first=Rory J.|date=19 August 1985|magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |volume=7|issue=33|page=42}}</ref> These were able to not only read 1-2-3 files, but also execute many or most macro programs by incorporating the same command structure. Copyright law had first been understood to only cover the source code of a program. After the success of lawsuits which claimed that the very "[[look and feel]]" of a program were covered, Lotus sought to ban any program which had a compatible command and menu structure. Program commands had not been considered to be covered before, but the commands of 1-2-3 were embedded in the words of the menu displayed on the screen. 1-2-3 won its three-year long court battle against Paperback Software International and Mosaic Software Inc. in 1990.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/29/business/lotus-wins-copyright-decision.html|title=Lotus Wins Copyright Decision|last=Markoff|first=John|newspaper=The New York Times|date=1990-06-29|access-date=2019-07-12 | url-access=limited}}</ref> However, when it sued [[Borland]] over its [[Quattro Pro]] spreadsheet in ''[[Lotus Dev. Corp. v. Borland Int'l, Inc.|Lotus v. Borland]]'', a six-year battle that ended at the Supreme Court in 1996, the final ruling appeared to support narrowing the applicability of copyright law to software; this is because the lower court's decision that it was not a copyright violation to merely have a compatible command menu or language was upheld, but only via stalemate.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c6IS3RnN6qAC&q=lotus+borland&pg=PA63|chapter=Keyboard Commands and Menu Arrangements|last=Graham|first=Lawrence D.|title=Legal Battles that Shaped the Computer Industry |location=Westport, Connecticut |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |pages=63–68 |access-date=2019-07-12|isbn=9781567201789|lccn=99-13620|year=1999}}</ref> In 1995, the First Circuit found that command menus are an uncopyrightable "method of operation" under section 102(b) of the [[Copyright Act of 1976|Copyright Act]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gesmer|first=Lee T.|date=1 April 1995|title=Perspective: Lotus Development Corp. v. Borland International|url=https://www.gesmer.com/news/perspective-lotus-development-corp-v-borland-international|journal=Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly|access-date=12 July 2019|archive-date=6 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106191059/https://www.gesmer.com/news/perspective-lotus-development-corp-v-borland-international|url-status=dead}}</ref> The 1-2-3 menu structure (example, slash File Erase) was itself an advanced version of single letter menus introduced in [[VisiCalc]]. When the case came before the Supreme Court, the justices would end up deadlocked 4–4. This meant that Borland had emerged victorious, but the extent to which copyright law would be applicable to computer software went unaddressed and undefined.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/1996/06/updata-29/|title=Lotus v. Borland: Deadlock on the Electronic Frontier|last=Spence|first=Kristin|magazine=Wired|date=1996-06-01|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
=== Decline ===
[[Image:1-2-3 Floppy Disk Set.jpg|thumb|right|upright|A Lotus 1-2-3 box, as seen in an exhibit at the Computer History Museum in 2008]]
Microsoft's early spreadsheet Multiplan eventually gave way to [[Microsoft Excel|Excel]], which debuted on the Macintosh in 1985. It arrived on PCs with the release of Windows 2.x in 1987, but as Windows was not yet popular, it posed no serious threat to Lotus's stranglehold on spreadsheet sales. However, Lotus suffered technical setbacks in this period. Version 3 of Lotus 1-2-3, fully converted from its original macro assembler to the more portable [[C (programming language)|C language]], was delayed by more than a year as the totally new 1-2-3 had to be made portable across platforms and fully compatible with existing macro sets and file formats. The inability to fit the larger code size of compiled C into lower-powered machines forced the company to split its spreadsheet offerings, with 1-2-3 release 3 only for higher-end machines, and a new version 2.2, based on the 2.01 assembler code base, available for PCs without extended memory. By the time these versions were released in 1989, Microsoft had eroded much of Lotus's market share.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-14 |title=Antitrust Division {{!}} U.S. V. Microsoft: Court's Findings Of Fact |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/us-v-microsoft-courts-findings-fact |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=www.justice.gov |language=en}}</ref>
During the early 1990s, Windows grew in popularity, and along with it, Excel, which gradually displaced Lotus from its leading position. A planned total revamp of 1-2-3 for Windows fell apart, and all that the company could manage was a Windows adaptation of their existing spreadsheet with no changes except using a graphical interface. Additionally, several versions of 1-2-3 had different features and slightly different interfaces.
Lotus 1-2-3's intended successor, [[Lotus Symphony (MS-DOS)|Lotus Symphony]], was Lotus's entry into the anticipated "[[integrated software]]" market. It intended to expand the rudimentary all-in-one 1-2-3 into a fully-fledged spreadsheet, graph, database and word processor for DOS, but none of the integrated packages ever really succeeded. Lotus 1-2-3 migrated to the Windows platform, as part of [[IBM Lotus SmartSuite|Lotus SmartSuite]].
IBM's continued development and marketing of Lotus SmartSuite and [[OS/2]] during the 1990s placed it in direct competition with [[Microsoft Office]] and [[Microsoft Windows]], respectively. As a result, Microsoft "punished the IBM PC Company with higher prices, a late license for [[Windows 95]], and the withholding of technical and marketing support."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.cnet.com/Full+text+of+Judge+Jacksons+findings+of+fact+-+page+23/2009-1001_3-232571-23.html |title=Full text of Judge Jackson's findings of fact |publisher=[[CNet]] |date=January 2007 |at=Section 116 |access-date=3 July 2014 |archive-date=9 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509201927/https://www.cnet.com/topics/tech-industry/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Full text of Judge Jackson's findings of fact |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/full-text-of-judge-jacksons-findings-of-fact/ |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref> Microsoft did not grant IBM the [[Original equipment manufacturer|OEM]] rights for Windows 95 until 15 minutes prior to the release of Windows 95 on 24 August 1995. Because of this uncertainty, IBM machines were sold without Windows 95, while [[Compaq]], [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]], and other companies sold machines with Windows 95 from day one.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.cnet.com/Full+text+of+Judge+Jacksons+findings+of+fact+-+page+25/2009-1001_3-232571-25.html?tag=st.next |title=Full text of Judge Jackson's findings of fact |publisher=[[CNet]] |at=Section 125 |date=January 2007 |access-date=3 July 2014 |archive-date=8 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208033143/http://news.cnet.com/Full+text+of+Judge+Jacksons+findings+of+fact+-+page+25/2009-1001_3-232571-25.html?tag=st.next |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-14 |title=Antitrust Division {{!}} U.S. V. Microsoft: Proposed Findings Of Fact |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/us-v-microsoft-proposed-findings-fact |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=www.justice.gov |page=section 208 |language=en}}</ref>
On 11 June 2013, IBM announced it would withdraw the Lotus brand: IBM Lotus 1-2-3 Millennium Edition V9.x, IBM Lotus SmartSuite 9.x V9.8.0, and Organizer V6.1.0. IBM stated, "Customers will no longer be able to receive support for these offerings after 30 September 2014. No service extensions will be offered. There will be no replacement programs."<ref name=11june2013lotus123>{{cite news |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/goodbye-lotus-1-2-3/ |title=Goodbye, Lotus 1-2-3 |publisher=ZDNet ZDNet |first=Steven J. |last=Vaughan-Nichols}}</ref>
== User features ==
[[Image:Lotus 1-2-3 on PC-98 DOS chart.jpg|thumb|Charting on Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.2 for DOS]]
[[Image:Lotus123 Macro.JPG|thumb|right|Examples of Lotus 1-2-3 macros]]
The name "1-2-3" stemmed from the product's integration of three main capabilities: along with its core spreadsheet functionality, 1-2-3 also offered integral charting/graphing and rudimentary database operations.
Data features included sorting data in any defined rectangle, by order of information in one or two columns in the rectangular area. Justifying text in a range into paragraphs allowed it to be used as a primitive word processor.
It had keyboard-driven pop-up menus as well as one-key commands, making it fast to operate. It was also user-friendly, introducing an early instance of [[context-sensitive help]] accessed by the F1 key.
[[Macro (computer science)|Macros]] in version one and add-ins (introduced in version 2.0) contributed much to 1-2-3's popularity, allowing dozens of outside vendors to sell macro packages and add-ins ranging from dedicated financial worksheets like [[F9 Financial Reporting|F9]] to full-fledged [[word processor]]s. In the single-tasking [[MS-DOS]], 1-2-3 was sometimes used as a complete office suite. All major graphics standards were supported; initially CGA and Hercules, and later EGA, AT&T, and VGA. Early versions used the [[filename extension]] "WKS".<ref>{{Citation |title=File info |url=http://www.fileinfo.com/extension/wks |contribution=WKS File Extension – Open .WKS files}}.</ref> In version 2.0, the extension changed first to "WK1",<ref>{{Citation |title=File info |url=http://www.fileinfo.com/extension/wk1 |contribution=WK1 File Extension – Open .WK1 files}}.</ref> then "WK2".<ref>{{Citation |title = File info |url=http://www.fileinfo.com/extension/wk2 |contribution=WK2 File Extension – Open .WK2 files}}.</ref> This later became "WK3" for version 3.0<ref>{{Citation |title=File info |url = http://www.fileinfo.com/extension/wk3 |contribution=WK3 File Extension – Open .WK3 files}}.</ref> and "WK4" for version 4.0.<ref>{{Citation |title=File info |url=http://www.fileinfo.com/extension/wk4 |contribution=WK4 File Extension – Open .WK4 files}}.</ref>
Version 2 introduced macros with syntax and commands similar in complexity to an advanced [[BASIC]] interpreter, as well as string variable expressions. Later versions supported multiple worksheets and were written in [[C (programming language)|C]]. The charting/graphing routines were written in [[Forth (programming language)|Forth]] by Jeremy Sagan (son of [[Carl Sagan]]) and the printing routines by Paul Funk (founder of [[Funk Software]]).{{Citation needed|date=May 2008}}
== {{anchor|WKS|WK1|WJ1|WK2|WJ2|WK3|WJ3|WK4|WJ4|WK5|123}}PC version history ==
=== DOS ===
==== {{anchor|1|1A|2|2J|2.01|2.1J|2.1J+|2.2|2.2J|2.3|2.3J|2.4|2.4J|2.5J}}Real Mode (8088+) ====
[[Image:Lotus 1-2-3 on PC-98 DOS spreadsheet.jpg|thumb|right|Lotus 1-2-3 R2.2J Japanese version in action]]
These editions of 1-2-3 for DOS were primarily written in [[x86 assembly language]].
* Release 1 was the first release for DOS-based PCs. Introduced in January 1983.<ref name="Walkenbach_2007_VBA">{{cite book |title=Excel 2007 Power Programming with VBA |chapter=Chapter One: Excel 2007: Where It Came From |url=https://archive.org/details/excel2007powerpr2007walk/ |url-access=registration |author-first=John |author-last=Walkenbach |publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons, Ltd]] |date=2007 |isbn=978-0-470-04401-8 |lccn=2006939606 |chapter-url=https://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/servlet/DCARead?standardNo=9780470044018&standardNoType=1&excerpt=true |access-date=2016-11-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130105402/https://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/servlet/DCARead?standardNo=9780470044018&standardNoType=1&excerpt=true |archive-date=2016-11-30}}</ref>
* Release 1A in April 1983<ref name="Walkenbach_2007_VBA"/><ref name="umd123">{{cite web |title=Lotus 1-2-3 |url=http://www.cs.umd.edu/class/spring2002/cmsc434-0101/MUIseum/applications/lotus123.html |website=University of Maryland |access-date=2014-10-29 |archive-date=27 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927092154/http://www.cs.umd.edu/class/spring2002/cmsc434-0101/MUIseum/applications/lotus123.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Officially supported [[ASCII]], unofficially supported the IBM extended character set (but not LICS).<ref name="Attia_2015_L2"/><ref name="Schemenaur"/>
* Release 2 brought add-in support, better memory management and [[expanded memory]] support, supported [[x87|x87 math coprocessors]], and introduced support for the [[Lotus International Character Set]] (LICS).<ref name="Schemenaur">{{cite magazine |title=Firm to Debut Clone Version of Lotus 1-2-3 - Program Offers 2.0 Compatibility |author-first=P. J. |author-last=Schemenaur |date=1986-10-27 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mTwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA8 |volume=8 |issue=43 |access-date=2016-11-29 |quote=[…] Twin Release 2 keeps the IBM extended character set of Version 1A, rather than Release 2.0's [[Lotus International Character Set]], which […] causes problems with commercial templates designed for Lotus 1-2-3, Release 1A. […]}}</ref><ref name="Attia_2015_L2">{{cite web |title=ASCII graphic characters, range names |publisher=Computer Tips |author-first=Zayn 'Utbah |author-last=Attia |date=2015-03-11 |url=https://onlinetechstrixes.blogspot.de/2015/03/ascii-graphic-charactersrange-names.html |access-date=2016-11-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130230247/https://onlinetechstrixes.blogspot.de/2015/03/ascii-graphic-charactersrange-names.html |archive-date=30 November 2016 |quote=[…] Release 1A's capability to use extended graphics characters to dress up a screen was an [[undocumented feature]]. These characters allowed you to draw boxes and add special symbols on the screen. With Release 2, Lotus has assigned different meanings to these characters, the [[Lotus International Character Set]], LICS. Any these extended characters must be erased or replaced with regular keyboard characters before the character can appear acceptable on an Release 2 screen. Release 2.01 offers an install option to use extended characters rather than LICS characters. […] }}</ref><ref name="Cobb_1988_123">{{cite journal |title=Spreadsheet clinic: How to adjust SuperCalc's financial functions to analyze annuities due, create flashing screen messages in 1-2-3, and access upper-level ASCII characters in Quattro and 1-2-3. |date=1988-10-31 |journal=[[PC Magazine]] |author-first1=Douglas |author-last1=Cobb |author-first2=Steven |author-last2=Cobb |page=411 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0VKjwnGrhNwC&pg=PA411 |access-date=2016-12-01 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202023719/https://books.google.com/books?id=0VKjwnGrhNwC&pg=PA411&lpg=PA411 |archive-date=2016-12-02 |quote=[…] Unlike 1-2-3, [[Borland Quattro|Quattro]] uses the [[ASCII]] character set. By default, 1-2-3, Release 2.01, uses the [[Lotus International Character Set]] (LICS) — the same character set that Release 2.0 always uses […] you can command Release 2.01 to use the ASCII character set, just as Quattro does. […] load the install program, and select Advanced Options […] select TextDisplay […] choose Universal Text Display – ASCII-No LICS […] Now, when you load 1-2-3 using the modified driver set, the @CHAR function will produce upper-level ASCII characters […]}} (NB. By "Upper-level ASCII", the authors actually meant the 8-bit [[OEM character set]].)</ref><ref name="Lee_1993_100LX">{{cite magazine |title=HP 100LX rolled out as successor to palmtop |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |author-first=Yvonne |author-last=Lee |date=1993-05-03 |page=27 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QjsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA27 |volume=15 |issue=18 |access-date=2016-11-26}}</ref> Introduced in September 1985.<ref name="Walkenbach_2007_VBA"/><ref name="umd123"/><ref name="Lotus_1989_Compatibility">{{cite book |title=Lotus 1-2-3 Version 3.1 Upgrader's Handbuch |language=de |trans-title=Upgrader's handbook |chapter=Kapitel 4. Kompatibilität mit anderen 1-2-3 Versionen - Zeichensätze |trans-chapter=Chapter 4. Compatility with other 1-2-3 Versions - Character Sets |edition=1 |pages=4-10–4-11 |date=1989 |publisher=[[Lotus Development Corporation]] |location=Cambridge, MA, USA |id=302173}}</ref> The Japanese version Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2J for [[PC-9800 series|NEC PC-98]] computers was released on 1986-09-05.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=by8EAAAAMBAJ&q=infoworld%20lotus%20japan&pg=PA9|title=Lotus Perseveres to Unveil Japanese Version of 1-2-3|date=1986-09-08|magazine=[[InfoWorld]]|pages=9 |volume=8 |issue=36 |access-date=2016-05-02|author=Edward Warner}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=パソコンソフト世界最大の米ロ社上陸に揺れる、発売早々国内トップ。|date=1986-10-14|newspaper=[[The Nikkei|Nihon Keizai Shimbun]]|volume=Morning|page=20|language=ja}}</ref>
* Release 2.01 in July 1986.<ref name="Walkenbach_2007_VBA"/> Introduced an option to switch between LICS and the IBM extended character set.<ref name="Schemenaur"/><ref name="Cobb_1988_123"/>
* The Japanese version Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.1J for NEC PC-98 computers was released in October 1987.<ref>{{Cite journal|year=1987|title=ASCII EXPRESS: ロータスが1-2-3のバージョンアップ版とアドイン日本語ワープロ「4Word」を発表|journal=[[ASCII (magazine)|ASCII]]|language=ja|volume=11|issue=10}}</ref> A version Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.1J+ followed in February 1989.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1989-07-24|title=表計算ソフトの新しい世界 : 第2部 徹底比較研究 : 代表的表計算ソフト|journal=日経パソコン|language=ja|publisher=[[Nikkei Business Publications]]|page=198}}</ref>
* Release 2.2 brought improved speed, automated macro tools, and presentation-quality graphics. Introduced in 1989.<ref name="NYT123-89">{{cite news |author-last=Lewis |author-first=Peter H. |title=THE EXECUTIVE COMPUTER; Sorting Out Lotus's New 1-2-3's |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/13/business/the-executive-computer-sorting-out-lotus-s-new-1-2-3-s.html?pagewanted=all | url-access=limited |access-date=2015-01-11 |journal=[[The New York Times]] |date=1989-08-13}}</ref> The Japanese version Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.2J was released in February 1990.<ref>{{Cite journal|year=1990|title=ASCII EXPRESS : ロータス、1-2-3をバージョンアップ|journal=[[ASCII (magazine)|ASCII]]|language=ja|volume=14|issue=3}}</ref>
* Release 2.3 brought [[WYSIWYG]] editing to the 2.x line. Introduced in 1991.<ref name="ems123">{{cite web |title=Lotus 1-2-3 Version Information |url=http://www.emsps.com/oldtools/lotus123v.htm |website=EMS Professional Software |access-date=2014-10-29}}</ref> The Japanese version Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.3J was released in September 1991.<ref>{{Cite journal|year=1990|title=ASCII EXPRESS : ロータスがOS/2対応のLotus 1-2-3 R3Jを開発|journal=[[ASCII (magazine)|ASCII]]|language=ja|volume=14|issue=5}}</ref>
* Release 2.4 added icons and additional tools, and was the last release supporting 2D (only) spreadsheets. Introduced in 1992.<ref>{{cite magazine |author-last=Walkenbach |author-first=John |title=Lotus Dresses Up 1-2-3 with Smart Icons |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=1992-06-01 |volume=14 |issue=22 |pages=73, 76 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XFEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA73 |access-date=2014-10-23}}</ref><ref name="Kamenz_1992_DB">{{cite book |author-first1=Alfred |author-last1=Kamenz |author-first2=Helmut |author-last2=Vonhoegen |title=Das große Buch zu Lotus 1-2-3 für DOS |language=de |edition=1 |date=1992 |publisher=[[Data Becker]] |isbn=3-89011-375-3}}</ref> The Japanese version Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.4J was released in September 1993.<ref>{{Cite news|title=ロータスが新版、「MS-DOS」対応ソフト―表計算のシート上で|date=1993-08-04|newspaper=[[The Nikkei|Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun]]|page=6|language=ja}}</ref>
* In July 1995, Lotus released Lotus 1-2-3 Release 2.5J for DOS.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www2.lotus.co.jp/info_qa/2456.htm|title=Ｑ＆Ａ集 1-2-3 R2.5J MS-DOS対応版 発売日・パッケージ内容を教えてください|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991001192716/http://www2.lotus.co.jp/info_qa/2456.htm|archive-date=1999-10-01|access-date=2016-08-04}}</ref>
==== {{anchor|3|3.1|3.1+|3.4|4|Home}}Protected Mode (80286+) ====
These editions of 1-2-3 for DOS were primarily written in [[C (programming language)|C]].
* Release 3 introduced the concept of 3D spreadsheets, utilized [[extended memory]], supported having multiple files open simultaneously, and required an 80286-based PC or higher. It also introduced support for the [[Lotus Multi-Byte Character Set]] (LMBCS).<ref name="Balaban_2001_LMBCS">{{cite web |title=Multi-Language Character Sets - What They Are, How To Use Them |author-first=Bob |author-last=Balaban |date=2001 |publisher=Looseleaf Software, Inc. |url=http://www.bobzblog.com/tuxedoguy.nsf/dx/multilanguage.pdf/$file/multilanguage.pdf |access-date=2016-11-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125174612/http://www.bobzblog.com/tuxedoguy.nsf/dx/multilanguage.pdf/%24file/multilanguage.pdf |archive-date=25 November 2016 }}</ref><ref name="Lotus_1989_Compatibility"/> Introduced in March 1989.<ref name="umd123"/><ref name="NYT123-89"/><ref name="Balaban_2001_LMBCS"/><ref name="Walkenbach_2007_VBA"/> The test was performed with 16 MHz system with the [[Intel 80387SX|387SX-16]] math coprocessor using the mortgage payment schedule file resulting 33 seconds without math coprocessor and 10 seconds with it.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/199105imcpig Intel Corporation, "Intel Math CoProcessor Pocket Information Guide", CP1-334/0591/100K/DG LH, 1991, page 8]</ref>
* Releases 3.1 and 3.1+<ref name="Kamenz_1992_DB"/> added WYSIWYG capabilities, the ability to swap to disk allowing for larger files (up to 64 MB), and could be run as a DOS program under [[Windows 3.0]] and OS/2. Introduced in 1990.<ref>{{cite magazine |author-last=Walkenbach |author-first=John |title=Lotus 1-2-3, Release 3.1 Has Publishing-Quality Output |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=1990-10-15 |volume=12 |issue=42 |pages=91–92, 96 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LjwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT78 |access-date=2015-01-12}}</ref>
* Release 3.4 added icons, improved performance, and enhanced graph capabilities, making it functionally similar to Release 2.4. Introduced in 1992.<ref>{{cite magazine |author-last=Walkenbach |author-first=John |title=Lotus updates, accelerates 1-2-3 for DOS |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=1993-02-15 |volume=15 |issue=7 |pages=57, 60–61 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ujsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA57 |access-date=2014-10-29}}</ref>
* Lotus 1-2-3 for Home, 1992
* Release 4 was the last release for DOS. More an upgrade to Release 3.4 than in line with Release 3 for Windows, it contains an improved interface and new features, including Version Manager, a spell checker, context-sensitive help, and cell comments. Introduced in May 1994.<ref>{{cite magazine |author-last=Singh |author-first=Jai |title=Lotus Readies 1-2-3 Upgrade |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=1994-05-16 |volume=16 |issue=20 |page=10 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nTgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA10 |access-date=2014-10-23}}</ref><ref name="Walkenbach_2007_VBA"/>
=== {{anchor|G|G1|G1.1|G2|G2.1}}OS/2 ===
* '''Lotus 1-2-3/G''' Release 1. OS/2 text mode application<!-- not Presentation Manager --> introduced support for the [[Lotus Multi-Byte Character Set]] (LMBCS) together with the Release 3.0 for DOS in summer 1989.<ref name="Balaban_2001_LMBCS"/><ref name="Walkenbach_2007_VBA"/>
* Release 1.1. Introduced in 1991.<ref>{{cite web |title=1-2-3/G for OS/2, Release 1.1 |url=http://www.lotusmuseum.com/pages/123G_OS2_R1.1 |website=Lotus Museum |access-date=2014-10-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108092358/http://www.lotusmuseum.com/pages/123G_OS2_R1.1 |archive-date=8 November 2014}}</ref>
* Release 2. Introduced in 1992.<ref name="guisplash123">{{cite web |title=Splashes 1-2-3 |url=http://www.guidebookgallery.org/splashes/1-2-3 |website=Graphical User Interface Gallery Guidebook |access-date=2014-10-29}}</ref>
* Release 2.1. Introduced in 1994.<ref name="guisplash123"/>
=== {{anchor|W}}Windows ===
==== {{anchor|W1|W1J|W1.1J|W4|W4J|W5|W5J}}Win16 (Windows 3.x) ====
* '''Lotus 1-2-3/W''' Release 1 was the first release for Windows, requiring [[Windows 3.0]] or higher, was 16-bit, and was functionally equivalent to Release 3.x for DOS. Introduced in 1991.<ref name="umd123"/><ref name="Walkenbach_2007_VBA"/> The Japanese version Lotus 1-2-3/Windows R1.0J was released on 1991-11-15.<ref>{{Cite news|title=ロータス、「1-2-3」発表、日本語版W3.0対応|date=1991-09-19|newspaper=[[The Nikkei|Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun]]|page=9|language=ja}}</ref>
* The version Lotus 1-2-3/Windows R1.1J was released on 1992-6-2.<ref>{{Cite news|title=ロータス、「1-2-3」最新版―書体設定など多様に|date=1992-06-02|newspaper=[[The Nikkei|Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun]]|page=6}}</ref>
* Release 4 was an extensive improvement that added [[groupware]] capabilities, improved integration with [[Lotus Notes]], advanced graphics, context-sensitive menus and icons, and in-cell editing. Introduced in June 1993.<ref>{{cite magazine |author-last=Strehlo |author-first=Kevin |title=Lotus significantly improves usability in 1-2-3, Release 4 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=1993-05-24 |volume=15 |issue=21 |page=172 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PTsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA172 |access-date=2015-01-24}}</ref><ref name="Walkenbach_2007_VBA"/> A Japanese Lotus 1-2-3/Windows Release 4J was released 1993-07-16.<ref>{{Cite news|title=ロータス、ウィンドウズ3.1対応ソフト4製品を投入―「表計算」など対象|date=1993-06-16|newspaper=[[The Nikkei|Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun]]|page=6|language=ja}}</ref>
* Release 5 added additional groupware capabilities, chart maps, and improved database access. This was the last 16-bit version for [[Windows 3.1x]], and was available as part of SmartSuite 3.1, 4, and 4.5. Introduced in mid-1994.<ref>{{cite magazine |author-last=Conatser |author-first=Kelly |title=Lotus navigates steady course with 1-2-3 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |date=1994-10-03 |volume=16 |issue=40 |pages=85–86, 88, 90 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aDgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA85 |access-date=2015-01-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author-last=Rose |author-first=Daniel |title=Windows 1.x, 2.x, 3.x - Lotus SmartSuite Release 3.1 |url=http://www.danielsays.com/ss-gallery-win1x2x3x-lotus-smartsuite-31.html |website=Daniel's Legacy Computer Collections |access-date=2015-01-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150127061456/http://www.danielsays.com/ss-gallery-win1x2x3x-lotus-smartsuite-31.html |archive-date=27 January 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Japanese version Lotus 1-2-3/Windows Release 5J was released on 1994-09-22.
==== {{anchor|W97|W97J|W98|W98J|W2000J|W2001J|}}Win32 (Windows 9x/NT) ====
* The ''97 Edition'' was the first 32-bit version, requiring [[Windows 95]] or [[NT 4.0|Windows NT 4.0]], and had a changed interface and support for LotusScript. Introduced in 1997.<ref name="umd123"/> The Japanese-language version Lotus 1-2-3 97J was released on 1997-04-11.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.lotus.co.jp/info_qa/231a.htm |title=Ｑ＆Ａ集 1-2-3 97 発売日・パッケージ内容を教えてください|publisher=Lotus Development Japan. Ltd. |language=Japanese |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/19991010022935/http://www2.lotus.co.jp/info_qa/231a.htm |archivedate=1999-10-10 |access-date=2016-08-04}}</ref>
* The Japanese-language Lotus 1-2-3 98J was released on 1998-06-05,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.lotus.co.jp/info_qa/269e.htm |title=Ｑ＆Ａ集 1-2-3 98 発売日・パッケージ内容を教えてください |publisher=Lotus Development Japan. Ltd. |language=Japanese |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19991117022812/http://www2.lotus.co.jp/info_qa/269e.htm |archive-date=1999-11-17 |access-date=2016-08-04}}</ref> followed by Lotus 1-2-3 2000J on 1999-07-02, and by Lotus 1-2-3 2001J on 2001-07-27.
{{pic|Lotus 1-2-3 9.8 icon.png|Icon&nbsp;of Lotus&nbsp;1-2-3 version&nbsp;9.8}}
* The Millennium Edition (version 9.8) contained new functions, improved Y2K support, Internet support, and better Excel compatibility. This is the last version of 1-2-3 for any platform, and has received maintenance releases through Fixpack 2. Introduced in 2002.<ref name="umd123"/>
== Other operating systems ==
[[Image:HP 95LX Pocket Computer.JPG|thumb|right|Hewlett-Packard HP 95 LX pocket PC with Lotus 1-2-3 built into ROM]]
* [[DeskMate]]{{snd}} Introduced in 1989, "Lotus Spreadsheet for DeskMate", which was not officially called "1-2-3", supported 1-2-3 version 2.x files, and used windows, on-screen symbols, pull-down menus, dialog boxes and other graphical tools, similar to Microsoft Windows. However, it did not support add-ins, macros, or expanded memory.<ref name="NYT123-89"/>
* [[Unix]]{{snd}} A single version for [[Unix System V]]/386 was released in 1990. It was certified for SCO [[Xenix]] 2.3 and [[SCO Unix]] 3.2.0, but also expected to work on AT&T's plain System V and on ISC's [[386/ix]].<ref name="Inc.1990">{{cite magazine |title=Lotus to Ship One 1-2-3 For Unix V/386 Systems |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tjwEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA51 |date=1990-06-18 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |volume=12 |issue=25 |page=45 |issn=0199-6649}}</ref>
* [[Linux]]{{snd}} In 2022, Lotus 1-2-3 for [[Unix System V]]/386 was [https://lock.cmpxchg8b.com/linux123.html adapted] to GNU/Linux <ref name="techradar">{{cite web |last1=Fadilpašić |first1=Sead |title=This 40-year-old Microsoft Excel rival is making a surprising comeback |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/this-40-year-old-microsoft-excel-rival-is-making-a-surprising-comeback |website=techradar|date=29 May 2022 }}</ref> by [[Tavis Ormandy]].
* SunOS / Solaris{{snd}} At least three releases for SPARC-based systems were published. Release 1.1 supported both [[SunView]] and the [[OpenWindows]] / [[OPEN LOOK]] windowing systems. It also featured real-time update support. Introduced in 1991.<ref>{{cite web |title=New Lotus 1-2-3 Edition for SPARC systems supports real-time working |website=Computer Business Review |date=1991-07-01 |url=http://www.cbr-online.com/news/new_lotus_1_2_3_edition_for_sparc_systems_supports_real_time_working |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210131172638/http://www.cbr-online.com/news/new_lotus_1_2_3_edition_for_sparc_systems_supports_real_time_working |url-status=dead |access-date=2021-01-31 |archivedate=2021-01-31}}</ref> Release 1.2 supported "Classic" in xterm, "Classic" in X Window, OPEN LOOK, and [[OSF/Motif]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Paloma |first=Cindy |title=Lotus 1-2-3 Upgraded To Version 1.2 |magazine=UCSD Computer Science & Engineering Computing Facility Newsletter |volume=4 |number=6 |publisher=CSE Uptime / UCSD |url=http://cseweb.ucsd.edu/~little/OldSites/CSE_Uptime/v4.6/lotus |date=June 1993 |access-date=12 December 2016 |archive-date=29 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429054635/http://cseweb.ucsd.edu/~little/OldSites/CSE_Uptime/v4.6/lotus |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Based on the Solaris version, other UNIX ports were developed at Lotus's offices in [[Dublin]]. The included 1-2-3 [[HP-UX]] running on the [[HP 9000]] hardware (series 300/400 and 700), [[AIX]] running on [[RS/6000]] workstations, [[DECstation]]s, the [[88000]] processor, and more versions of UNIX running on Intel PCs. All these versions supported the X11 window system.
* [[OpenVMS]]{{snd}} A character cell terminal version of Lotus 1-2-3 was available on OpenVMS.<ref>{{cite web |title=Novell and Spire Technologies Announce WordPerfect 5.1+ for OpenVMS/Alpha Systems |url=http://www.novell.com/news/press/archive/1995/09/pr00220.html |website=Novell press release |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref>
* HP MS-DOS palmtop PCs{{snd}} A joint collaboration between [[Hewlett-Packard]] and Lotus, the [[HP 95LX]], [[HP 100LX]], [[HP 200LX]] and [[HP OmniGo 700LX]] (1991–1994) had ports of Lotus 1-2-3 R2.2 and R2.4 embedded in ROM.
* [[Apple Macintosh]]{{snd}} Lotus's first truly [[WYSIWYG]] spreadsheet, taking full advantage of the [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]], had two releases: Release 1.0 debuted in 1991<ref>{{cite web |title=1-2-3 for Macintosh, Release 1.0 |url=http://www.lotusmuseum.com/pages/123_Mac_R1 |website=Lotus Museum |access-date=2015-01-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217004927/http://www.lotusmuseum.com/pages/123_Mac_R1 |archive-date=17 December 2014}}</ref> and Release 1.1 was introduced the following year.<ref>{{cite web |title=1-2-3 for Macintosh, Release 1.1 |url=http://www.lotusmuseum.com/pages/123_Mac_R1.1 |website=Lotus Museum |access-date=2015-01-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828200054/http://www.lotusmuseum.com/pages/123_Mac_R1.1 |archive-date=28 August 2008}}</ref> Lotus 1-2-3 for Macintosh 1.0 received a 4 mice rating (out of 5) in the March 1992 issue of [[MacUser (US edition)|MacUser]], praising it for being the first spreadsheet on Macintosh to include in-cell editing instead of using the formula bar found in competing products, as well as other interface refinements.<ref>{{cite magazine
| magazine = [[MacUser (US edition)|MacUser]]
| url      = https://archive.org/details/MacUser9203March1992/page/n45/mode/1up
| title    = Lotus 1-2-3 for Macintosh
| date     = March 1992
| volume   = 8
| issue    = 3
| pages    = 42–43
| first    = Louis E. Jr
| last     = Benjamin
}}</ref> The user interface provided Macintosh users the advanced charting capabilities of the PC version with a Macintosh user interface, while also offering a "classic" keyboard driven user interface familiar to the users of the DOS version, giving it a {{fraction|4|1|2}} mice rating (out of 5).<ref name=macuser1992_96>{{cite magazine
| magazine = [[MacUser (US edition)|MacUser]]
| url      = https://archive.org/details/MacUser9206June1992/page/n121/mode/1up
| title    = New Dimensions in Spreadsheets
| department = Buyer's Guide
| date     = June 1992
| volume   = 8
| issue    = 6
| pages    = 32–40
| first1   = Louis E. Jr
| last1    = Benjamin
| first2   = Jon
| last2    = Zilber
}}</ref>
* {{anchor|M}}In 1987, Lotus announced a mainframe version of Lotus 1-2-3, '''Lotus 1-2-3/M'''; 1-2-3/M was designed for use with [[IBM 3270]] terminals and ran under both [[VM/CMS]] and [[MVS]] operating systems.<ref name="Barney1987a">{{cite magazine|last=Barney|first=Douglas|title=Lotus celebrates with IBM pact|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D1a91Lb-8KEC&pg=PA1|volume=21|date=4 May 1987|publisher=IDG Enterprise|pages=1,100|issn=0010-4841|magazine=[[Computerworld]]|issue=18}}</ref><ref name="Barney1987b">{{cite magazine|last=Barney|first=Douglas|title=Debate over host 1-2-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D1a91Lb-8KEC&pg=PA100|volume=21|date=4 May 1987|publisher=IDG Enterprise|page=100|issn=0010-4841|magazine=[[Computerworld]]|issue=18}}</ref><ref name="Chetlen1992">{{cite book | last=Chetlen | first=Martin | title=Mainframe databasing with Lotus 1-2-3/M, Version 1 | publisher=Van Nostrand Reinhold | location=New York | year=1992 | isbn=978-0-442-01017-1 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www-01.ibm.com/common/ssi/ShowDoc.wss?docURL=/common/ssi/rep_ca/4/897/ENUS290-104/index.html&lang=en&request_locale=en |title=LOTUS 1-2-3/M |publisher=IBM Corporation |date=1990-02-27|id= Announcement Letter Number 290-104 }}</ref> Lotus 1-2-3/M was jointly developed by IBM and Lotus, and exclusively sold by IBM.<ref name="Barney1987a"/><ref name="Barney1987b"/><ref>{{cite book |url=http://publibfp.dhe.ibm.com/epubs/pdf/admg1a06.pdf |title=GDDM: General Information: Version 3 Release 2 |publisher=IBM Corporation |date=December 2001 |id=GC33-0866-04 |access-date=2017-02-09 |page=27 |quote=Lotus 1-2-3M, the System/370 version of Lotus 1-2-3 Release 3, has been developed by Lotus Development Corporation to be exclusively marketed by IBM in the VM/CMS and MVS/TSO/E environments. |archive-date=29 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829110026/https://publibfp.dhe.ibm.com/epubs/pdf/admg1a06.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=LOTUS UNVEILS ITS VERSION OF POPULAR SPREADSHEET FOR IBM MAINFRAME USERS | website=DeseretNews.com | date=1990-02-28 | url=https://www.deseret.com/1990/2/28/18849012/lotus-unveils-its-version-of-popular-spreadsheet-for-ibm-mainframe-users/ | access-date=2017-02-09 | archive-date=11 February 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211080007/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/89442/LOTUS-UNVEILS-ITS-VERSION-OF-POPULAR-SPREADSHEET-FOR-IBM-MAINFRAME-USERS.html?pg=all | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="The Associated Press 1990">{{cite web | agency=Associated Press| title=COMPANY NEWS; Lotus 1-2-3 For I.B.M. Line | website=The New York Times | date=1990-02-28 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/28/business/company-news-lotus-1-2-3-for-ibm-line.html | access-date=2017-02-09 | url-access=limited| quote= The Lotus Development Corporation today introduced a long-promised version of its popular 1-2-3 computer spreadsheet program for I.B.M. mainframe computers. The program, 1-2-3-M, allows personal computer users to pull data from a mainframe computer file and transfer it directly into the 1-2-3 spreadsheet... I.B.M. will be the sole marketer of the program, which is designed for use on I.B.M.'s System-370 computer line. }}</ref>
== File formats ==
Lotus 1-2-3 file formats use various [[filename extension]]s including 123, wks, wk1, wk2, wk3, wk4, some of these may open in the desktop applications of [[Collabora Online]], [[LibreOffice]] and [[Apache OpenOffice]], these can then be saved into the [[OpenDocument]] format or other file formats.
== Reception ==
After previewing ''1-2-3'' on the IBM PC in 1982, ''[[BYTE]]'' called it "modestly revolutionary" for elegantly combining spreadsheet, database, and graphing functions. It praised the application's speed and ease of use, stating that with the built-in help screens and tutorial, "1-2-3 is one of the few pieces of software that can literally be used by anybody. You can buy 1-2-3 and [an IBM PC] and be running the two together the same day".<ref name="williams198212">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1982-12/1982_12_BYTE_07-12_Game_Plan_1982#page/n183/mode/2up |title=Lotus Development Corporation's 1-2-3 |magazine=[[BYTE]] |date=December 1982 |access-date=2013-10-19 |author-last=Williams |author-first=Gregg |pages=182 |volume=7 |issue=12}}</ref> ''[[PC Magazine]]'' in 1983 called 1-2-3 "a powerful and impressive program ... as a spreadsheet, it's excellent", and attributed its very fast performance to being written in [[assembly language]].<ref name="derfler198303">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7wCiNAUEuAMC&pg=RA1-PA187 |title=A Program You Can Count On |magazine=[[PC Magazine]] |date=March 1983 |access-date=2013-10-21 |author-last=Derfler |author-first=Frank J. Jr. |pages=187 |volume=1 |issue=10}}</ref>
== Bugs ==
Lotus 1-2-3 assumes that 1900 is a [[leap year]]. This is incorrect as while 1900 is a year that is divisible by four, years divisible by 100 are not counted as leap years unless divisible by 400.<ref>{{cite web |title=Method to determine whether a year is a leap year - Microsoft 365 Apps |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/office/troubleshoot/excel/determine-a-leap-year |website=learn.microsoft.com |access-date=1 December 2023 |language=en-us |date=5 May 2022}}</ref> This bug persists today as its competitor, Microsoft Excel, still incorporates the bug to ensure compatibility with legacy Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Microsoft Corporation |title=Excel incorrectly assumes that the year 1900 is a leap year |website=Microsoft Corporation |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-US/office/troubleshoot/excel/wrongly-assumes-1900-is-leap-year}}</ref>
== See also ==
* [[As-Easy-As]]
* [[Comparison of office suites]]
* [[Compose key sequence]]
* [[Reverse Polish Notation]] (RPN in formulas)
* [[Microsoft Works]]<!-- uses same file format -->
== References ==
{{Reflist |32em}}
== External links ==
* {{Citation|url=http://www.lotus.com/ |title=Lotus |type=website |publisher=[[IBM]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020401053822/http://www.lotus.com/ |archive-date=1 April 2002 }}.
* {{Citation |url=http://www.aresluna.org/attached/computerhistory/articles/spreadsheets/lotus123review |title=Review of Lotus 123 version 1.0 |date=December 1982 |newspaper=[[Byte magazine]]}}.
* {{Citation |url=http://www.schnarff.com/file-formats/index.html#lotus |title=File Format Documentation |contribution=Lotus 1-2-3 |publisher=Schnarff |access-date=12 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100303114712/http://www.schnarff.com/file-formats/index.html#lotus |archive-date=3 March 2010 |url-status=dead}}.
* {{Citation |url=http://www.knubbelmac.de/bildschau.html?basis=lotus-1-2-3 |type=screenshots |title=Lotus 1-2-3 V.1.00 for Mac OS |publisher=Knubbel Mac |location=Germany}}.
* {{Citation |url=http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21180536 |publisher=[[IBM]] |type=fix list |title=Lotus SmartSuite for Windows 9.8 and fix packs |access-date=16 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016184615/http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21180536 |archive-date=16 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}.
* {{Citation |url=http://www.xpertss.com/ |title=Lotus SmartSuite Support Group |access-date=16 October 2014 |archive-date=11 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411035242/http://www.xpertss.com/ |url-status=dead }}.
* {{Citation |url=http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_programs/using-lotus-123-with-windows-7/45b3e55a-6371-410f-8305-f1677e847473 |title=Getting Lotus 123 to work in Windows 7}}.
* {{Citation |url=http://www.prlog.org/12459779-dbase-llc-announces-support-for-lotus-12-3-for-dos.html |title=dBase, LLC Announces support for Paradox for DOS Ecosystem!}}.
* {{Citation |url=https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-other_settings-winpc/lotus-123-will-install-on-a-windows-10-64bit/1ce639c0-0e7e-4f34-b6d0-bd5768ae1023|title=Getting Lotus 123 to work in Windows 10}}.
* {{Citation |url=https://archive.org/details/lotus-smart-suite?tab=collection|title=CD images and floppy disk files for Lotus SmartSuite from the Internet Archive}}.
{{Spreadsheets}}
{{Lotus Software}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1983 software]]
[[Category:Discontinued software]]
[[Category:DOS software]]
[[Category:IBM Lotus SmartSuite|1-2-3]]
[[Category:Lotus Software software|1-2-3]]
[[Category:OS/2 software]]
[[Category:Assembly language software]]
[[Category:Spreadsheet software]]
[[Category:Spreadsheet software for Windows]]
[[Category:Unix software]]