How we got strikethrough
Hey there,
It's hard to build a new app without wondering where some of today's defaults came from.
When did word processors first start tracking changes?
How did the strikethrough end up being the only proofreading mark that stayed with us as we digitalized documents?
Why do we format documents the way we do today?
So I dug in, tracking down old versions of Microsoft Word for DOS to find where it all started, how we started bringing the proofreading process to the screen and how the defaults in early software formalized how we'd edit documents for decades to come.
There was so much there, yet I couldn't quite figure out how to tell a cohesive story. So I ended up writing two articles: One that details the history of the Strikethrough, another that takes a more product development focus and relates how the Strikethrough became the default proofreading mark.
If you have a chance to read them both, I'd love to know which take you enjoyed most.
Thanks for reading, and until next time,
Matt