AppleWorks is an office suite of software applications sold by Apple Computer. Versions of AppleWorks exist that are compatible with Mac OS X, Mac OS 9, and Microsoft Windows. AppleWorks, one of the first integrated office suites—featuring a word processor, spreadsheet, and database—was originally released in 1984 for the Apple II platform. Apple, leery of stepping on the toes of its third-party developers, did almost no promotion, but AppleWorks nevertheless became the best-selling software package on any computer. With version 2.0, the program began to be published by Apple's then-new software subsidiary Claris. Later, Claris acquired an integrated package called GS Works from StyleWare and renamed it AppleWorks GS, bringing the AppleWorks brand to the 16-bit Apple IIgs, though no code from the 8-bit Apple II version was used in this product. In addition to the word processing, database, and spreadsheet functions, AppleWorks GS also included telecommunications and graphics modules. The 8-bit version of AppleWorks would later be licensed by Claris to Quality Computers, which published two major upgrades (versions 4.0 and 5.0).

AppleWorks for the Macintosh platform started out being called ClarisWorks. It combined a word processor, a drawing program, a painting program, a spreadsheet, a database program, and a terminal program for communications. All the components were integrated to provide a seamless suite that worked in concert; for example, spreadsheets could be embedded in a word processing document, or formatted text into drawings, etc. A common misconception is that the components were derived from the existing Claris programs MacWrite, and MacDraw. ClarisWorks was written from scratch by Bob Hearn and Scott Holdaway, after the purchase by Claris the user-interface was redesigned to match other Claris programs.

With version 3.0 of ClarisWorks, the Assistants feature was introduced — comparable to the Wizards of Microsoft Office. Some Assistants still remain in the program.

When the Claris company was disbanded and absorbed back into Apple, the suite was renamed AppleWorks. (In fact, version 5 of the software was first called ClarisWorks; following the company's return to Apple, it was later renamed AppleWorks.) The most recent version no longer contains the communications feature, mainly due to the rise of easy-to-use Internet service providers, and adds a presentation feature. It has been Carbonized to work on Mac OS X, but otherwise has not been updated since 2003, and doesn't utilize some of the newer features of Mac OS X. Although some consider 2005's iWork to be a replacement for AppleWorks, the newer product does not include spreadsheet, database, and illustration tools, and AppleWorks remains on the market.

AppleWorks can create, open, and save files in a number of file formats. For example, word processor documents can be saved in Word format, and spreadsheet files can be saved in Microsoft Excel format.

While AppleWorks is available for separate purchase, at one time it came bundled in all Macs sold by Apple. It is not bundled with the new line of Intel-based Macintoshes since iWork is seen as AppleWorks replacement.

AppleWorks is an international program, with different versions in different languages available. Communities of AppleWorks users are linked with resources by Apple online, and by the AppleWorks User Group.

See also

• List of office suites
• Comparison of office suites

External links

• Apple: AppleWorks
• A Brief History of ClarisWorks - A history of ClarisWorks/AppleWorks from one of the original developers, Bob Hearn.
• Apple II History: AppleWorks - Chapter of an Apple II History dedicated to AppleWorks.

Apple software | Office suites

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