AtariWriter

rdf:langString AtariWriter

rdf:langString AtariWriter

rdf:langString AtariWriter

rdf:langString William Robinson

rdf:langString Editing "Lorem Ipsum"

rdf:langString yes

rdf:langString Version C

rdf:langString AtariWriterScreenshot.png

rdf:langString AtariWriter is a word processor program for the Atari 8-bit family released by Atari as a 16 kB ROM cartridge in 1983. The program was fast and easy to use, while still allowing the creation of fairly complex documents. It was a huge success for the platform, with at least 800,000 examples sold not including international versions and later updates. Atari had introduced its first branded word processor in 1981, Atari Word Processor. Reviews invariably lauded its features but concluded it was too difficult to use and its system requirements were too demanding. During the process of introducing new models of the computers, the XL series, the decision was made to abandon Word Processor in favour of a simpler program that would run on any machine. This led to them hiring William Robinson, author of Datasoft's Text Wizard, and having him to modify the program to run from a cartridge. Highly positive reviews in all major magazines quickly followed its release. The only major concerns were the lack of mail merge, a spell checker and a lack of printer drivers for anything other than Atari's models. An author of an add-on printer pack estimated he sold 25,000 copies through the Atari Program Exchange and direct. Atari later merged the spell checker, a mail merge function and a number of other features in 1986's AtariWriter Plus, available on floppy disk. A final upgrade was AtariWriter 80 of 1989, which added support for the XEP80 80-column display. AtariWriter also spawned a port to the Atari ST, ST Writer, which was offered free on early models of the ST.