http://www.zdnet.com/goodbye-lotus-1-2-3-7000015385/

Goodbye, Lotus 1-2-3

Summary: IBM is shutting the doors on Lotus 1-2-3, the software program that made the IBM PC and Microsoft household names.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

By Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols for Between the Lines | May 15, 2013 — 02:39 GMT (12:39 AEST)

The first killer app was VisiCalc. This early spreadsheet turned the Apple II from a hobbyist toy to a business computer. VisiCalc came with room for improvement, though. In addition, a new architecture and operating system, the Intel-based IBM PC and MS-DOS, also needed a spreadsheet to be taken seriously. That spreadsheet, released in early 1983, would be Lotus 1-2-3, and it would change the world. It became the PC’s killer app, and the world would never be the same.

On May 14, IBM quietly announced the end of the road for 1-2-3, along with Lotus Organizer and the Lotus SmartSuite office suite. Lotus 1-2-3’s day is done.

…

End of an era, and all that.

I must admit I thought it had been killed off years ago.

sibeen said:

I must admit I thought it had been killed off years ago.

never heard of it…

Arts said:

sibeen said:

I must admit I thought it had been killed off years ago.

never heard of it…

Some horrid archaic business software that multinational companies used for way too long for some strange reason.

poikilotherm said:

Arts said:

sibeen said:

I must admit I thought it had been killed off years ago.

never heard of it…

Some horrid archaic business software that multinational companies used for way too long for some strange reason.

Actually the final versions were in many ways better than Excel.

And it’s a spreadsheet program, not “business software”.

The Rev Dodgson said:

poikilotherm said:

Arts said:

never heard of it…

Some horrid archaic business software that multinational companies used for way too long for some strange reason.

Actually the final versions were in many ways better than Excel.

And it’s a spreadsheet program, not “business software”.

Eh, the only ones dumb enough to buy it were businesses…

poikilotherm said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

poikilotherm said:

Some horrid archaic business software that multinational companies used for way too long for some strange reason.

Actually the final versions were in many ways better than Excel.

And it’s a spreadsheet program, not “business software”.

Eh, the only ones dumb enough to buy it were businesses…

So do you have the same misguided notion about the program known as Microsoft Excel, which has exactly the same functionality as Lotus 123?

The Rev Dodgson said:

poikilotherm said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Actually the final versions were in many ways better than Excel.

And it’s a spreadsheet program, not “business software”.

Eh, the only ones dumb enough to buy it were businesses…

So do you have the same misguided notion about the program known as Microsoft Excel, which has exactly the same functionality as Lotus 123?

Probably.

I remember using Lotus SmartSuite…

even had Notes going at one stage….

diddly-squat said:

I remember using Lotus SmartSuite…

even had Notes going at one stage….

Apparently Notes lives on (although no longer branded with the L word).

The Rev Dodgson said:

diddly-squat said:

I remember using Lotus SmartSuite…

even had Notes going at one stage….

Apparently Notes lives on (although no longer branded with the L word).

meh… the fact is now you live and die by the exchange-ability of electronic data and this plays directly into the hands of a single provider market

>>And it’s a spreadsheet program, not “business software”.<<

And it was called a program, not an app…..

I didn’t use it. I learned to use a database and never actually graduated to using a spreadsheet. I’ve never had a need.

Please can they scrub Lotus Notes next? Please??

I recall big glossy ads for Lotus SmartSuite before the turn of the century, in the days when computer magazines were as thick as phone books. But I’ve never had much call for office software.

It’s dead Jim.

party_pants said:

Please can they scrub Lotus Notes next? Please??

I would love if they killed lotus notes. But it might be undead, have you noticed how slowly it does everything?

Angus Prune said:

party_pants said:

Please can they scrub Lotus Notes next? Please??

I would love if they killed lotus notes. But it might be undead, have you noticed how slowly it does everything?

I hate it with the hatiest hating hatred that has ever hated in the history of hatred.

Yes, I have noticed its slowness.

i’m sorry pp but i’m out of snickers.

Angus Prune said:

party_pants said:

Please can they scrub Lotus Notes next? Please??

I would love if they killed lotus notes. But it might be undead, have you noticed how slowly it does everything?

From the OP

“On May 14, IBM quietly announced the end of the road for 1-2-3, along with Lotus Organizer and the Lotus SmartSuite office suite. Lotus 1-2-3’s day is done.”

I think that includes Lotus Notes.

The Lotus Europa is one of the world’s ugliest sports cars.

Geoff D said:

Angus Prune said:

party_pants said:

Please can they scrub Lotus Notes next? Please??

I would love if they killed lotus notes. But it might be undead, have you noticed how slowly it does everything?

From the OP

“On May 14, IBM quietly announced the end of the road for 1-2-3, along with Lotus Organizer and the Lotus SmartSuite office suite. Lotus 1-2-3’s day is done.”

I think that includes Lotus Notes.

Don’t think so, they released a new version of Notes in March.

Angus Prune said:

Don’t think so, they released a new version of Notes in March.

Ahh … OK … I thought it was part of the suite. Maybe it was, a long time ago.

Bubblecar said:

The Lotus Europa is one of the world’s ugliest sports cars.

.

That’d be a value judgment.

Another value judgment (held by many people) is that the Lotus Europa was one of the world’s prettiest sports cars of its time.

.

Michael V said:

Bubblecar said:

The Lotus Europa is one of the world’s ugliest sports cars.

.

That’d be a value judgment.

Another value judgment (held by many people) is that the Lotus Europa was one of the world’s prettiest sports cars of its time.

.

It was all downhill after the Super 7 – tic -

In spite of the Lotus division going down the gurgler it seems that IBM are doing OK. Their market cap is now about the same as Microsoft (although a fair bit less than Apple).

Lotus Notes is dire.

That is all.

Looks like a toy panel van that’s had its back half stepped on by a careless parent:

That’s not a Lotus 123 it’s a Lotus 1974.

Lotus 123:

I just assumed they stopped making this in the mid 1990s.

No really.

Lotus 123 is way back in the distant past for me. Along with Word Perfect, something Gold for managing files (I loved that program), I even no longer use DOS (although before Windows 8 I used DOS to get editable lists of files in my directories, not even sure if Windows 8 has a command prompt?).

Xtree Gold! There is a fan page:

http://www.xtreefanpage.org/

Ahh those were the days!

dv said:

I just assumed they stopped making this in the mid 1990s.

No really.

It was regularly updated until about 2000. The final versions were at least as good as Excel, and had some features lacking in Excel, like true 3D ranges.

I still use it for a few things, although mostly I have moved to Excel now.

BTW, just discovered that the IBM page saying it is discontinued also suggests you download a copy for $350!

podzol said:

Lotus 123 is way back in the distant past for me. Along with Word Perfect, something Gold for managing files (I loved that program), I even no longer use DOS (although before Windows 8 I used DOS to get editable lists of files in my directories, not even sure if Windows 8 has a command prompt?).

Just discovered that if you start “Windows Powershell” in Windows 8 you get a command prompt, complete with b&w text only display!

podzol said:

Lotus 123 is way back in the distant past for me. Along with Word Perfect, something Gold for managing files (I loved that program), I even no longer use DOS (although before Windows 8 I used DOS to get editable lists of files in my directories, not even sure if Windows 8 has a command prompt?).

Xtree Gold, fantastic programme for it’s time, it brought DOS to life.