ClarisWorks 1.0 redefined the software category pioneered by Microsoft Works. Where Microsoft’s package was a software suite containing separate word processor, spreadsheet, and database programs, ClarisWorks was a single program.
Interestingly, ClarisWorks was based on the older AppleWorks, which provided the same kind of functionality to Apple II computers.
ClarisWorks began with GSWorks for the Apple IIGS, and Apple bought StyleWare, the company that produced it, in 1988, renaming it AppleWorks GS. But instead of using different software modules that loaded as needed, ClarisWorks was a single program that handled word processing, spreadsheet, graphics, and databases without having to load application modules – all in a smaller application than Microsoft Works.
Because of the way ClarisWorks was designed, it is very easy to drop a graphic or a spreadsheet into a word processing document, put text in a drawing or painting, etc. ClarisWorks 1.0 was finalized in October 1991 to positive reviews, and sales took off despite competition from Microsoft Works, Symantec GreatWorks, and BeagleWorks – and a US$299 retail price.
Every version of ClarisWorks was also available for Microsoft Windows.
ClarisWorks went through many revisions, and Apple renamed the app AppleWorks after releasing ClarisWorks 5. ClarisWorks 6 is the only version to support Mac OS X and can be used right up through OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard.
ClarisWorks 1.0
Released October 1991. Requires System 7.
ClarisWorks 2.0
Released March 24, 1993.
ClarisWorks 3.0
ClarisWorks 4.0
Released June 14, 1995. Requires System 7, 68020 or later CPU, hard drive, 4 MB RAM. (Windows 95 version also available.)
New features: stylesheets, integrated outlining, sections, facing pages, endnotes, mail merge, HTML export, many types of “experts”, and 3 new font styles: superior, inferior, and double-underline). Ability to format individual chart elements in spreadsheet. See press release.
ClarisWorks uses a different file format than versions 2.0 through 3.0.
ClarisWorks/AppleWorks 5.0
Requres 4.7 MB of RAM.
AppleWorks 6.0
Requires Mac OS 8.1, a PowerPC Mac, and 24 MB of RAM with virtual memory set to 25 MB. This version is also OS X compatible through 10.6 Snow Leopard.
Keywords: #appleworks #clarisworks
Short link: http://goo.gl/94WjWq
searchwords: clarisworksfaq, appleworksfaq
Codewise Clarisworks was not based on AppleWorks for the Apple II or Appleworks GS. They were based on the same concept of an integrated software. Clarisworks was created by the same programmers that created AppleWorks GS. They developed Clarisworks and worked on it through Version 3.0. Clarisworks became AppleWorks when Steve Jobs came back to Apple in 1996 or 1997. This was based on Clarisworks. Appleworks for the Apple II was sold until 1993 or so under Apple. Quality Computers licensed the code from Apple for the Apple II version and improved it with an AppleWorks 4.0 and 5.0. That were sold in the mid 1990s. Apple changed the name of Clarisworks 5.0 to AppleWorks 5.0 after shutting down the Claris software division. Technically there is an Appleworks 5 for the Apple II put out by Quality Computers and an Appleworks 5 for the Mac put out by Apple. More details are here. http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/bob/clarisworks.php