WhereIsAtlas · WordStar
What Happened to WordStar?
The 1978 word processor that turned microcomputers into serious writing tools — a legend of the early PC era, now discontinued.
WordStar, released by MicroPro International in 1978, was one of the first and most influential word processors for personal computers. Overtaken by graphics-based rivals in the 1980s, it was eventually discontinued but remains a landmark of the early PC business-software era.
Writing on a microcomputer
WordStar was released by MicroPro International in 1978, at a time when personal computers were still finding their purpose. It was among the first word processors that made a desktop microcomputer genuinely useful for writing, helping establish the PC as a business tool.
The keyboard-driven classic
WordStar's strength was speed. Its command set was designed for touch typists, using keyboard shortcuts so writers could format and edit without breaking flow. It became especially beloved by publishers and technical writers, and for years it was the word processor professionals reached for.
Overtaken by a changing computer world
When graphical interfaces arrived, command-based WordStar fell behind. WordPerfect and later Microsoft Word offered what-you-see-is-what-you-get editing that the aging WordStar could not match, and its popularity collapsed through the 1980s.
Where WordStar is now
WordStar was discontinued and is now a piece of computing history. It survives mainly in the memories of those who used it and through efforts to keep the software available, but as a commercial word processor it is long gone — an early giant of PC software outpaced by a changing industry.
Entries in this story
Sources
- WordStar - Wikipedia — Wikipedia (2026-09-05)
- Classic word processor WordStar gets a new "plug-and-play" release — TechSpot (2026-09-05)