VCN ExecuVision, a combination graphics program and file manager, was the first

presentation program A computing, a presentation program (also called presentation software) is a software package used to display information in the form of a slide show. It has three major functions: * an editor that allows text to be inserted and formatted * a ...

for the personal computer, created by Visual Communications Network, Inc. and published by Prentice-Hall, Inc. for the IBM PC in 1984. The program's pre-loaded graphics library and it's separate additions make the VCN ExecuVision the first professional digital

clip art Clip art (also clipart, clip-art) is a type of graphic art. Pieces are pre-made images used to illustrate any medium. Today, clip art is used extensively and comes in many forms, both electronic and printed. However, most clip art today is creat ...

library. Featuring ten different typefaces, 64 color schemes, clip art, animation options, the ability to import images and the ability to draw freehand using a mouse, this program allowed users to manipulate graphics and text built with business data presentation in mind but could be used for all visual communication purposes. The program's capabilities were expanded with the release of six supplemental graphics libraries sold as individual floppy disks, which were to be joined by four more said to be in production but were ultimately never released. All of these functions required PC-DOS 1.01, 128KB RAM, two disk drives, a color monitor and color graphics adapter to operate, as well as either an IBM dot-matrix or Hewlett printer to print visuals created within the program. VCN ExecuVision gained popularity quickly following its release as it enabled businesses to create presentation slides and data visualizations quickly and easily, and was relatively cheaper than having to rely on an art department to produce all professional visual media. The benefits of this software program were first discussed in the journal of

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is a 501(c)(3) professional association for electronic engineering and electrical engineering (and associated disciplines) with its corporate office in New York City and its operation ...

in March 1984. In addition to the benefits of VCN ExecuVision, the journal published images created by the software, illustrating the new emerging software available for personal computers at that time.{{comp-sci-stub

References

Presentation software Technical communication tools Proprietary software