word biography english

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Meaning of biography in English

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• This biography offers a few glimpses of his life before he became famous .
• Her biography revealed that she was not as rich as everyone thought .
• The biography was a bit of a rush job .
• The biography is an attempt to uncover the inner man.
• The biography is woven from the many accounts which exist of things she did.
• exercise book
• novelistically
• young adult

biography | Intermediate English

• biographical

Examples of biography

Translations of biography.

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a game played on ice between two teams of players who each have a curved stick with which they try to put a puck (= a small, hard disc) into the other team's goal

Fakes and forgeries (Things that are not what they seem to be)

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[ bahy- og -r uh -fee , bee- ]

the biography of Byron by Marchand.

• an account in biographical form of an organization, society, theater, animal, etc.
• such writings collectively.
• the writing of biography as an occupation or field of endeavor.

/ baɪˈɒɡrəfɪ; ˌbaɪəˈɡræfɪkəl /

• an account of a person's life by another
• such accounts collectively
• The story of someone's life. The Life of Samuel Johnson , by James Boswell , and Abraham Lincoln , by Carl Sandburg , are two noted biographies. The story of the writer's own life is an autobiography .

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Derived forms.

• biˈographer , noun
• biographical , adjective
• ˌbioˈgraphically , adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of biography 1

Example Sentences

Barrett didn’t say anything on Tuesday to contradict our understanding of her ideological leanings based on her past rulings, past statements and biography.

Republicans, meanwhile, focused mostly on her biography — including her role as a working mother of seven and her Catholic faith — and her credentials, while offering few specifics about her record as a law professor and judge.

She delivered an inspiring biography at one point, reflecting on the sacrifice her mother made to emigrate to the United States.

As Walter Isaacson pointed out in his biography of Benjamin Franklin, Franklin proposed the postal system as a vital network to bond together the 13 disparate colonies.

Serving that end, the book is not an in-depth biography as much as a summary of Galileo’s life and science, plus a thorough recounting of the events leading up to his famous trial.

The Amazon biography for an author named Papa Faal mentions both Gambia and lists a military record that matches the FBI report.

For those unfamiliar with Michals, an annotated biography and useful essays are included.

Did you envision your Pryor biography as extending your previous investigation—aesthetically and historically?

But Stephen Kotkin's new biography reveals a learned despot who acted cunningly to take advantage of the times.

Watching novelists insult one another is one of the primary pleasures of his biography.

He also published two volumes of American Biography, a work which his death abridged.

Mme. de Chaulieu gave her husband the three children designated in the duc's biography.

The biography of great men always has been, and always will be read with interest and profit.

I like biography far better than fiction myself: fiction is too free.

The Bookman: "A more entertaining narrative whether in biography or fiction has not appeared in recent years."

Related Words

• autobiography

Look up a word, learn it forever.

/baɪˈɑgrəfi/, /baɪˈɒgrəfi/.

Other forms: biographies

A biography is an account of somebody's life written by somebody else, complete with details of the most important parts.

These days, anyone, of any age, can be the subject of a biography: Justin Bieber, at the tender age of 17, had one written about his life. A biography is not to be confused with an autobiography, an account of someone's life written by the subject himself. You'll find biographies in printed form (remember books?), but also increasingly in the form of e-books, TV dramatizations, and cinematic "bio-docs."

• noun an account of the series of events making up a person's life synonyms: life , life history , life story see more see less examples: Parallel Lives a collection of biographies of famous pairs of Greeks and Romans written by Plutarch; used by Shakespeare in writing some of his plays types: show 4 types... hide 4 types... autobiography a biography of yourself hagiography a biography that idealizes or idolizes the person (especially a person who is a saint) profile biographical sketch memoir an account of the author's personal experiences type of: account , chronicle , history , story a record or narrative description of past events

Vocabulary lists containing biography

Are you ready to learn the facts of life? Then review these words from the Greek root bio , meaning "life" or "way of living."

Practice this vocabulary list and explore words that contain the Greek roots graph ("write/writing") and gram ("written thing").

To improve your fluency in English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR), learn this academic vocabulary list that includes words selected from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) state standards.

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biography noun

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What does the noun biography mean?

There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun biography . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

How common is the noun biography ?

How is the noun biography pronounced?

British english, u.s. english, where does the noun biography come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun biography is in the mid 1600s.

OED's earliest evidence for biography is from 1661, in the writing of John Fell, bishop of Oxford.

biography is a borrowing from Latin.

Etymons: Latin biographia .

Nearby entries

• biognosy, n. 1880
• biograph, n. 1825–
• biograph, v. 1776–
• biographee, n. 1812–
• biographer, n. 1644–
• biographic, adj. 1752–
• biographical, adj. 1668–
• biographically, adv. ?1719–
• biographist, n. a1661–
• biographize, v. 1793–
• biography, n. 1661–
• biography, v. 1794–
• biographying, n. 1858–
• biohacker, n. 1988–
• biohacking, n. 1992–
• biohazard, n. 1965–
• biohazardous, adj. 1973–
• bioherm, n. 1928–
• biohermal, adj. 1937–
• bioidentical, adj. 1995–
• bioimaging, n. 1983–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for biography, n..

biography, n. was revised in November 2010.

biography, n. was last modified in July 2023.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into biography, n. in July 2023.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1887)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View biography, n. in OED Second Edition

Please submit your feedback for biography, n.

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Citation details

Factsheet for biography, n., browse entry.

Business , Education

24 Biography Templates and Examples (Word | PDF | Google Docs)

Biographies serve as a fascinating lens into the lives of individuals, ranging from influential family members and historical figures to renowned personalities. Whether you’re a student, an aspiring writer, or someone captivated by the art of telling a life story , grasping the essential elements of a biography is vital. Writing a biography goes beyond compiling facts; it involves crafting a narrative that educates and inspires your readers. This guide provides you with practical steps, style advice, and, importantly, biography templates to assist you in structuring your work effectively. With these resources, you can start to create biographies that not only inform but also captivate your audience. Are you ready to capture the essence of a life story in words? Let’s delve into the fundamentals of crafting a compelling and memorable biography.

Biography Templates & Examples

Aesthetic Biography Template

An Aesthetic Biography Template is a carefully designed layout that allows individuals to present their personal and professional information in an organized and visually appealing manner. The template provided in the previous response offers a structured format for users to showcase their educational background, work experience, skills, and personal interests. This format is particularly useful for creating a compelling narrative of one's life and achievements, making it ideal for applications, personal websites, or professional profiles. The inclusion of sample data guides users on how to effectively fill out each section, ensuring clarity and coherence in presenting their unique story.

Short Biography Template

A Short Biography template is a structured format for summarizing an individual's personal, educational, and professional background. It offers a concise yet informative way to present one's achievements, skills, and experiences. The template provided above is designed to capture a wide range of details, from basic personal information to career highlights and skills. It is versatile and can be tailored to suit different situations, whether for a professional profile, a speaker introduction, or a personal website. The inclusion of sample data in the brackets makes it user-friendly, allowing for easy customization. This template serves as a useful starting point for anyone looking to create a clear and engaging biography.

Professional Biography Template

A Professional Bio Template is a structured format designed to aid individuals in crafting a succinct and engaging biography that highlights their career achievements, skills, and personal qualities. This template helps users efficiently organize and present their professional story, ensuring that key elements like career milestones, skills, and personal interests are effectively communicated. This assists in creating a compelling bio that resonates with various audiences, such as potential employers or networking contacts, enhancing their professional presence and impact.

Personal Biography Template

A personal biography template is a structured outline designed to guide individuals in documenting their life stories, achievements, and experiences. It provides a framework to organize personal details in a coherent and engaging manner. This template, created in our prior response, can assist users by simplifying the process of writing their biography. It offers a clear structure, ensuring that key aspects of one's life are highlighted effectively. This can be particularly useful for creating professional bios, personal introductions, or for preserving personal history.

You can explore more free biography templates and examples in the collection at Highfile . This resource offers a diverse range of templates suitable for various needs, whether for professional, personal, or academic purposes.

What Is a Biography?

A biography is an in-depth narrative of someone’s life, written by another person. It encompasses more than just basic facts like birthplace and education. A biography delves into the subject’s personal experiences, significant life events, and the influences that shaped their character and achievements. It’s not just a timeline of events; a biography weaves these details into a compelling story, offering insights into the individual’s motivations and impacts. The aim is to present a well-rounded portrait that is both informative and engaging, allowing readers to understand and empathize with the subject’s journey. A biography, in essence, is a vivid window into another person’s life experience, capturing their unique contributions and the essence of their existence.

Fun Fact: Did you know that one of the earliest biographies ever recorded was about an ancient Egyptian official named Ptahhotep around 2400 BC? This ancient biography was not written in a book but carved on the walls of his tomb, depicting his life and achievements. This highlights how the art of biography writing has been significant throughout human history, evolving from ancient carvings to modern digital formats!

Essential Elements of a Biography Template

Crafting a professional biography involves creating a concise yet comprehensive summary of your career objectives, current position, and notable achievements. This type of bio is ideally suited for professional networking platforms like LinkedIn or AngelList, where a more detailed and career-focused narrative is expected compared to the brief bios often seen on other social media sites.

Key Components to Include in Your Professional Biography:

• Your Name : Clearly state your full name at the beginning.
• Personal Brand or Company Affiliation : Mention your business or the brand you represent.
• Professional Tagline or Current Role : Include your current job title or a tagline that encapsulates your professional essence.
• Career Aspirations : Briefly outline your career goals or what you aim to achieve professionally.
• Unique Personal Fact : Share an interesting personal detail that sets you apart.
• Top Achievements : Highlight two or three significant accomplishments relevant to your professional trajectory.

While primarily professional in tone, don’t hesitate to weave in personal elements like a favorite book or hobby. This adds a human touch, making your bio more relatable and engaging. Remember, a well-rounded biography balances professional accomplishments with personal insights, creating a holistic view of you as both a professional and an individual.

How to Write a Biography

Writing a compelling biography requires a structured approach. Follow these steps to create an engaging and informative biography:

• Choose a Subject : Select a person whose life story is interesting and impactful. Consider whether their contributions or experiences have the potential to inspire or connect with your audience.
• Obtain Permission : If your subject is alive, obtaining their consent is crucial, as it involves discussing personal details. For deceased or public figures, ensure all information is factual to avoid legal issues.
• Conduct Thorough Research : Gather information from primary sources like interviews, letters, and personal accounts for an authentic portrayal. Complement these with secondary sources like documentaries and articles for additional context.
• Formulate a Thesis : In the opening section, clearly state what the reader will learn from the biography. This thesis sets the stage for the narrative to unfold.
• Organize Chronologically : Structure the biography in a timeline format, presenting events in the order they occurred. This helps in maintaining a clear narrative flow.
• Incorporate Flashbacks : Skillfully use flashbacks to provide context or highlight significant past events, enriching the narrative without overloading it with background details.
• Inject Personal Insight : While sticking to factual information, don’t shy away from adding your own perspective on the subject’s achievements and their societal impact. This adds depth and personal touch to the biography.

A good biography balances factual accuracy with narrative flair, bringing the subject’s story to life in a way that resonates with the readers.

Tips on Writing a Biography

Crafting a biography requires a blend of accuracy, creativity, and attention to detail. Here are some essential tips to guide you in writing an effective biography:

• Write in Third Person : Use the third person perspective for a professional and objective tone.
• Inject Humor Appropriately : While maintaining professionalism, subtle humor can make the biography more engaging and relatable.
• Be Mindful of Length : Keep an eye on the word count. A biography should be comprehensive yet concise enough to hold the reader’s interest.
• Narrate a Story, Not Just Facts : Instead of listing events, weave them into a compelling narrative to make the biography more interesting and readable.
• Include Relevant Links : Provide links to your work, projects, or publications to offer readers additional context and evidence of your achievements.
• Provide Contact Information : Make it easy for readers to reach you by including up-to-date contact details.
• Edit Thoroughly : Ensure your biography is free of errors and well-polished. Comprehensive editing enhances readability and professionalism.
• Keep it Concise : Aim for brevity while ensuring all critical information is included. A succinct biography is often more impactful and memorable.

Important Note: Before diving into our FAQs, it’s crucial to remember that while a biography aims to be factual and accurate, it also requires a respectful approach, especially when dealing with sensitive aspects of a person’s life. As a biographer, your responsibility extends beyond mere storytelling; it involves ethical considerations, such as respecting privacy and presenting information in a manner that is fair and considerate to the subject and their family. Keep this in mind as you explore the frequently asked questions and embark on your journey of writing a biography.

For online platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter, a three-sentence bio should be concise yet informative. It should briefly introduce you, focusing on key aspects: Your Name : Start with your full name. Your Current Role : Mention your profession or the role you’re known for. A Notable Achievement or Personal Touch : Include a significant accomplishment or a unique personal detail (like a hobby or goal). This format ensures your bio is succinct but covers essential details.

A personal biography is a brief narrative focusing on your professional life, used for job searches or on professional platforms like LinkedIn. It’s slightly more detailed than a social media bio and should include: Your Name Personal Brand or Company : If applicable. Professional Tagline or Current Role Two or Three Key Achievements : Choose the most relevant and impressive ones. While primarily professional, feel free to add a personal detail like a hobby or favorite book to give a glimpse of your personality.

In a work-related bio, focus on aspects directly relevant to your professional life. This might be more detailed, including your career journey, key skills, and notable projects or roles you’ve held. Personal anecdotes or interests can be included if they relate to your professional persona or add value to your professional story. Remember, the context dictates the bio’s content and tone. Tailor it to suit the platform and the audience you are addressing.

When choosing a subject, consider individuals whose life stories are not only interesting but also have the potential to inspire or educate others. Look for unique experiences, significant achievements, or challenges they’ve overcome. Public figures, historical personalities, or even unsung heroes in your community can make excellent subjects.

Begin with an engaging opening that captures the essence of your subject’s life. This could be a pivotal moment, a significant achievement, or an anecdote that reflects their character. Starting with something compelling draws readers in and sets the tone for the biography.

Effective research methods include conducting interviews with people who know the subject well, reviewing primary documents like letters or diaries, and consulting reputable secondary sources for historical context. Online archives, libraries, and specialized databases are also valuable resources.

To maintain objectivity, present facts without bias, and avoid letting personal opinions color the narrative. Acknowledge different perspectives on the subject’s life, especially in controversial or unclear aspects. Being fair and balanced is key to a trustworthy biography.

Yes, you can write a biography about a family member. However, it’s important to balance personal insights with objective storytelling. Ensure you have enough distance to present their story truthfully and respect their privacy and perspective.

Approach sensitive topics with care and respect. Verify the accuracy of such information and consider its relevance to the overall story. Be mindful of the impact this could have on the subject and their family, especially if they are still living.

The length of a biography depends on the depth of the subject’s life story and the intended audience. Some biographies are short, focusing on key events, while others are comprehensive, covering the subject’s life in detail. Tailor the length to suit the story’s complexity and readers’ expectations.

Final Thoughts

Crafting a biography requires a thoughtful blend of accuracy and creativity to captivate and engage your readers. By focusing on these essential elements and following the outlined steps, you can transform a simple life story into a compelling narrative that holds the reader’s interest from start to finish. Whether you’ve always wanted to write a biography or are just beginning to explore this genre, this guide provides a solid foundation to embark on your biographical writing journey. Remember, a well-written biography not only informs but also inspires, offering a deeper understanding of the subject’s life and legacy.

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biography , form of literature , commonly considered nonfictional, the subject of which is the life of an individual. One of the oldest forms of literary expression, it seeks to re-create in words the life of a human being—as understood from the historical or personal perspective of the author—by drawing upon all available evidence, including that retained in memory as well as written, oral, and pictorial material.

Biography is sometimes regarded as a branch of history , and earlier biographical writings—such as the 15th-century Mémoires of the French councellor of state, Philippe de Commynes , or George Cavendish’s 16th-century life of Thomas Cardinal Wolsey —have often been treated as historical material rather than as literary works in their own right. Some entries in ancient Chinese chronicles included biographical sketches; imbedded in the Roman historian Tacitus ’s Annals is the most famous biography of the emperor Tiberius ; conversely , Sir Winston Churchill ’s magnificent life of his ancestor John Churchill, first duke of Marlborough , can be read as a history (written from a special point of view) of Britain and much of Europe during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–14). Yet there is general recognition today that history and biography are quite distinct forms of literature. History usually deals in generalizations about a period of time (for example, the Renaissance), about a group of people in time (the English colonies in North America), about an institution (monasticism during the Middle Ages). Biography more typically focuses upon a single human being and deals in the particulars of that person’s life.

Both biography and history, however, are often concerned with the past, and it is in the hunting down, evaluating, and selection of sources that they are akin. In this sense biography can be regarded as a craft rather than an art: techniques of research and general rules for testing evidence can be learned by anyone and thus need involve comparatively little of that personal commitment associated with art.

A biographer in pursuit of an individual long dead is usually hampered by a lack of sources: it is often impossible to check or verify what written evidence there is; there are no witnesses to cross-examine. No method has yet been developed by which to overcome such problems. Each life, however, presents its own opportunities as well as specific difficulties to the biographer: the ingenuity with which the biographer handles gaps in the record—by providing information, for example, about the age that casts light upon the subject—has much to do with the quality of the resulting work. James Boswell knew comparatively little about Samuel Johnson ’s earlier years; it is one of the greatnesses of his Life of Samuel Johnson LL.D. (1791) that he succeeded, without inventing matter or deceiving the reader, in giving the sense of a life progressively unfolding. Another masterpiece of reconstruction in the face of little evidence is A.J.A. Symons ’ biography of the English author and eccentric Frederick William Rolfe , The Quest for Corvo (1934). A further difficulty is the unreliability of most collections of papers, letters, and other memorabilia edited before the 20th century. Not only did editors feel free to omit and transpose materials, but sometimes the authors of documents revised their personal writings for the benefit of posterity , often falsifying the record and presenting their biographers with a difficult situation when the originals were no longer extant .

The biographer writing the life of a person recently dead is often faced with the opposite problem: an abundance of living witnesses and a plethora of materials, which include the subject’s papers and letters, sometimes transcriptions of telephone conversations and conferences, as well as the record of interviews granted to the biographer by the subject’s friends and associates. Frank Friedel, for example, in creating a biography of the U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt , had to wrestle with something like 40 tons of paper. But finally, when writing the life of any person, whether long or recently dead, the biographer’s chief responsibility is vigorously to test the authenticity of the collected materials by whatever rules and techniques are available. When the subject of a biography is still alive and a contributor to the work, the biographer’s task is to examine the subject’s perspective against multiple, even contradictory sources.

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Definition of biography noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• Boswell’s biography of Johnson
• a biography by Antonia Fraser
• The book gives potted biographies of all the major painters.
• blockbuster
• unauthorized
• biography by
• biography of

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noun as in account of person's life

Strongest matches

• autobiography

Strong matches

• confessions
• experiences

Weak matches

• life history
• personal account
• personal anecdote
• personal narrative
• personal record

Discover More

Example sentences.

Barrett didn’t say anything on Tuesday to contradict our understanding of her ideological leanings based on her past rulings, past statements and biography.

Republicans, meanwhile, focused mostly on her biography — including her role as a working mother of seven and her Catholic faith — and her credentials, while offering few specifics about her record as a law professor and judge.

She delivered an inspiring biography at one point, reflecting on the sacrifice her mother made to emigrate to the United States.

As Walter Isaacson pointed out in his biography of Benjamin Franklin, Franklin proposed the postal system as a vital network to bond together the 13 disparate colonies.

Serving that end, the book is not an in-depth biography as much as a summary of Galileo’s life and science, plus a thorough recounting of the events leading up to his famous trial.

The Amazon biography for an author named Papa Faal mentions both Gambia and lists a military record that matches the FBI report.

For those unfamiliar with Michals, an annotated biography and useful essays are included.

Did you envision your Pryor biography as extending your previous investigation—aesthetically and historically?

But Stephen Kotkin's new biography reveals a learned despot who acted cunningly to take advantage of the times.

Watching novelists insult one another is one of the primary pleasures of his biography.

He also published two volumes of American Biography, a work which his death abridged.

Mme. de Chaulieu gave her husband the three children designated in the duc's biography.

The biography of great men always has been, and always will be read with interest and profit.

I like biography far better than fiction myself: fiction is too free.

The Bookman: "A more entertaining narrative whether in biography or fiction has not appeared in recent years."

Related Words

Words related to biography are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word biography . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

noun as in written account of one's own life

• personal history
• reminiscences
• self-portrayal

noun as in chronicle of events

• recapitulation

noun as in the story of one's life

• curriculum vitae

noun as in written matter, both fictional and nonfictional

• belles-lettres
• composition
• disquisition
• dissertation
• information
• literary works
• observation
• written work

noun as in record of experiences

• recollection
• reminiscence
• transactions

Viewing 5 / 10 related words

On this page you'll find 34 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to biography, such as: autobiography, diary, journal, life, life story, and memoir.

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What’s New: June 2024

This month’s update adds sixteen new articles, ranging over four centuries, with a special focus on regions and localities: including dynasties of Scottish whisky distillers and south Yorkshire ironmasters; a Ross-shire clan chief; a Hertfordshire collector of recipes;  a Barnard Castle reformer; a Lancashire landscape painter; a Dewsbury weaver and trade unionist; a Stoke-on-Trent porcelain manufacturer; an Ulverston collector of surnames; a Glastonbury educationist and playwright; a central London landlord and an outer London architect; and a businesswoman who owned a leading group of local newspapers.

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Buckton, Alice Mary (1867–1944), educationist and playwright

An innovative educationist and successful playwright, Alice Buckton settled in Glastonbury, Somerset, attracted by its sacred sites and spiritual traditions, which she did much to promote and preserve. She wrote the screenplay and appeared in a film made in 1922 depicting episodes from Glastonbury’s history.

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• Harry Patch, First World War veteran
• Flora MacDonald, Jacobite heroine
• Geoffrey Malins, filmmaker and adventurer
• Edith Cavell, nurse and war heroine

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Life of the day, june 13, 2024, what's new: june 2024.

Welcome to the 111th update of the Oxford DNB, which adds sixteen new articles, containing sixteen new lives, with a special focus on regions and localities in Britain. 

MAY 9, 2024

What's new: may 2024.

Welcome to the 110th update of the Oxford DNB, which adds thirteen new articles, containing fourteen new lives, with a special focus on women artists. 

APRIL 9, 2024

2024 update of the oxford dictionary of national biography.

The April 2024 of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography ( Oxford DNB ) adds new biographies of 276 men and women who died in the year 2020.

Printed from Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a single article for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 04 July 2024

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biography (n.)

1680s, "the histories of individual lives, as a branch of literature," probably from Medieval Latin biographia , from later Greek biographia "description of life" (which was not in classical Greek, bios alone being the word there for it), from Greek bios "life" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + graphia "record, account" (see -graphy ).

The meaning "a history of some one person's life" is from 1791. The meaning "life course of any living being" is by 1854. No one-word verb form has become common; biographise / biographize (1800), biography (1844), biograph (1849) have been tried.

Entries linking to biography

"a memoir of a person written by himself," 1797, from auto- + biography . Related: Autobiographical ; autobiographer ; autobiographic .

"one who writes an account of the life and actions of a person," 1715, from biography + -er (1). Earlier was biographist (1660s). Biographee for the one written about is from 1841.

Of every great and eminent character, part breaks forth into public view, and part lies hid in domestic privacy. Those qualities which have been exerted in any known and lasting performances may, at any distance of time, be traced and estimated; but silent excellencies are soon forgotten; and those minute peculiarities which discriminate every man from all others, if the are not recorded by those whom personal knowledge enabled to observe them, are irrecoverably lost. [Johnson, "Life of Sir Thomas Browne," 1756]

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WordPerfect and Bruce Bastian set the template for all word processors to come

WordPerfect wrote the script

When Bruce Bastian, the co-inventor of WordPerfect, died this week , it sent me back more than 30 years to when there was a legion of DOS-based word processing applications, and then there was WordPerfect – the only one that mattered.

Even though I once traveled to meet with WordPerfect in Utah (near its Orem headquarters), for the launch of WordPerfect for OS/2, I don't think I ever met Bastian. By 1994, he'd sold the company and moved on to become an LGBTQ activist. Still, he built WordPerfect with Alan Ashton, whom I did meet in passing, and what they created wrote the script for virtually every word processing app to come.

When I arrived at PC Magazine in 1991, one of my earliest tasks was to review a DOS-based word processor known as Textra. It's long gone now, but I do recall that I tried to compare its threadbare features with the more powerful WordPerfects and Microsoft Word for DOSes of the world.

In the 1980s and early ’90s, Bruce Bastian and Alan Ashton were at the forefront of making computers more productive for daily tasks. Years later, they became adversaries in the legal battle over gay marriage. https://t.co/Sy7srTj4NM July 2, 2024

Back then even Microsoft was chasing WordPerfect, but that would soon change thanks to Windows 3.1, the first broadly usable version of Windows, and the first X86 GUI to finally attract software developers in large numbers to Microsoft's platform.

Soon, every software company that visited my office was showing or promising Windows versions, including WordPerfect. Microsoft released the first version of Word for Windows in 1989, not that anyone cared at the time. Until Windows 3.1, the dominant platform for word processing was still DOS. WordPerfect dragging its heels almost made sense – until it didn't.

As the PC world shifted to Windows, they also looked for GUI-based word processors that could run on the platform, and Microsoft was only too happy to oblige with Word and then Microsoft Office.

WordPerfect answered in kind, but always seemed two or more steps behind. It was always ostensibly the better product. It had reveal codes that let you view the formatting and structure of documents at an almost programmatic level. It was the king of keyboard shortcuts, which meant you could use many of its features without touching a menu. It was a pioneer in 'groupware' and email integration. For years the company provided unlimited, toll-free product support. In PC Magazine's Service and Reliability studies, WordPerfect regularly bested Microsoft Word.

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It's telling, though, that WordPerfect invested so heavily in an IBM OS/2 version of its software suite. That moribund platform, which many considered more advanced and better than Windows, was doomed almost from the start. It never built a sizable user base, and quickly faded from view. But WordPerfect had invested millions in developing software for it, even though, by 1993, it had already lost its word-processing pole position to Microsoft Word. I remember the excitement at the WordPerfect for OS/2 launch event. Most at the company believed they were at the start of something big, the moment when WordPerfect would recapture its former glory,

I felt like I was at a funeral.

Two years later, Corel bought WordPerfect. At the time, Corel made some of the most popular image-editing and digital illustration software in the world. Ultimately, it didn't fare much better than WordPerfect.

Remarkably, WordPerfect persists. It's now owned by Alludo, and you can still buy the suite . The reality, though, is that relatively few know of or remember WordPerfect, although it might be argued that among modern word-processing platforms, none is quite as dominant as WordPerfect was in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Sure, Microsoft Word is popular, but Google Docs might now be equally so. I don't even know if people nerd out about word processing in the way we did back in the 90s. Back then, your word processor of choice was like the Hogwarts House you belonged to. WordPerfect definitely felt like the place for Hufflepuffs. Microsoft Word had, back then, a bit of Slytherin in it.

My point is that whatever word processor you use today, it owes much to what Bastian and Ashton built so many decades ago. The modern word processor is a reflection of their early dream, and we should offer quiet thanks to the memory of Mr Bastian.

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A 38-year industry veteran and award-winning journalist , Lance has covered technology since PCs were the size of suitcases and “on line” meant “waiting.” He’s a former Lifewire Editor-in-Chief, Mashable Editor-in-Chief, and, before that, Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, Inc. He also wrote a popular, weekly tech column for Medium called The Upgrade.

Lance Ulanoff makes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Live with Kelly and Ryan, the Today Show , Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, and the BBC. 

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Mets' Jose Iglesias, aka Candelita, performs ‘OMG’ song after victory at Citi Field

The anthem of the Mets' 2024 season is finally released, and Jose Iglesias, aka Candelita, celebrated accordingly.

After the Mets' 7-2 victory over the Astros on Friday night at Citi Field, Iglesias performed his viral single "OMG," which had been released earlier in the day, while accompanied by the Queens Crew — the Mets' hip-hop hype team —- and some pyrotechnics prior to the postgame fireworks show.

"It's hard to express what I feel right now," Iglesias said. "It's a lot of emotions. It was a great game, the guys get the job done one more time. It's a dream come true. I'm very humbled about it. I'm very excited about the win today. I'm floating right now."

As a fully-uniformed Iglesias closed his impromptu concert, which would not have happened had the Mets lost, he was joined by his teammates as they bounced around the diamond. On Thursday night, while the Cuban-born Iglesias performed his song at an event at Citi Field, his teammates poured out and engulfed him as he sang.

"It's hard to express how this group has become a family," Iglesias said. "It's great. I think we have great human beings here. We're clicking. We care about each other. Now we're playing good baseball."

Getting behind Jose Iglesias' song

The 12-year veteran infielder has used "OMG" as his walk-up song as a member of the Mets since he was called up on May 31. Slowly, the team began to love the song, and before long, they were playing it in the clubhouse after wins. Then, it became the celebration song when the team hit home runs as the team thrusts their arms up with each beat of the chorus.

Over the course of the week, the Mets players and coaches have been spotted with black T-shirts with vibrant neon "OMG" letters, some in pink, others in green, and lyrics on the back.

"It's amazing," Jose Quintana said. "I think it's gonna be huge for him and the team. The song's gonna be special for our year. I think our fans and everybody are never going to forget that. That's pretty cool to be a part of this."

On Friday night, the home run celebrations, which came following long balls by Tyrone Taylor, Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil, featured a giant handheld "OMG" sign.

The song's meaning

The upbeat song, which is sung in Spanish and features horns and a guitar, is about achieving your goals and persevering through hard times.

"I love it. It has so much energy," Carlos Mendoza said before the game. "The lyrics, it’s coming from his heart. A lot of people have been through a lot in life and this is a perfect example. It’s got a pretty good rhythm. Yeah, it’s a good day for him and for all of us here."

The song makes sense for Iglesias, who spent the 2023 season in the minor leagues before latching on with the Mets in the offseason. After opening in Triple-A Syracuse, Iglesias played his way into a role at the major league level, where he is 14-for-35 (.400) with two doubles, six RBI and five runs.

"I'm very humbled about it. I'm just enjoying it. It's hard me to say how I feel. That was a big deal singing in front of great fans and to see my teammates running up there, it's a dream come true."