Central Point Software

Central Point Software, Inc. was an American software company that became one of the most visible utilities vendors of the MS-DOS and early Microsoft Windows eras. The company was founded in 1980 by Michael Burmeister-Brown in Central Point, Oregon, and took its name from that location. It initially built its business around software for copying and backing up computer diskettes, at a time when software distribution was dominated by floppy disks and copy-protection systems were a major practical obstacle for users who needed working backups. Its first significant product was Copy II Plus for the Apple II, released in 1981. The product provided users with a way to duplicate protected diskettes and became the foundation for a broader family of copying utilities. As IBM-compatible personal computers grew rapidly, Central Point introduced Copy II PC in 1983. The company also sold hardware expansion products, including the Copy II PC Deluxe Board and the Deluxe Option Board, which worked with software such as TransCopy to read, write, and duplicate difficult-to-copy floppy formats. These products placed Central Point in a technically and legally sensitive area: they were marketed as backup and preservation tools, but their ability to reproduce copy-protected disks also made them useful for bypassing software protections. Central Point broadened its focus in 1985 with PC Tools, an integrated collection of DOS utilities and a graphical shell. PC Tools became the company's flagship product and established it as a major competitor to Peter Norton Computing's Norton Utilities and Norton Commander. Its functions included file management, undelete and unformat utilities, disk-related tools, and archive and file-viewing capabilities. Central Point later developed PC Tools for Windows, MacTools, and other platform-specific products as personal computing moved beyond DOS. The company licensed some PC Tools components, including Mirror, Undelete, and Unformat, to Microsoft for inclusion as external utilities in MS-DOS 5.x and 6.x. The company also expanded into security and network administration. Central Point Anti-Virus was based on licensed technology from Carmel Software's Turbo Anti-Virus and competed with Norton AntiVirus. Central Point licensed the product to Microsoft, which used it as the basis for Microsoft Anti-Virus for DOS and Windows. Central Point also offered an antivirus product for Novell NetWare servers and marketed products such as Central Point Backup, Central Point Desktop, Central Point Commute, and LANlord. During the early 1990s, the company faced the industry-wide transition from DOS-centered utilities to Windows software. Central Point released PC Tools for Windows 2.0 for Windows 3.1 in 1993, but its Windows transition came relatively late. The shift weakened the strategic position of vendors whose strongest products were built around DOS, particularly as users and software developers moved toward Windows environments. Central Point acquired XTree in 1993, adding another established utility-software name to its portfolio, but the acquisition did not prevent the company from becoming a target for consolidation. Symantec acquired Central Point Software in 1994 in a transaction reported at approximately $60 million. The deal ended Central Point as an independent company and brought its products, technology, and personnel into Symantec's utilities and antivirus portfolio. Following the acquisition, members of the team associated with PC Tools for Windows helped create Norton Navigator for Windows 95. Symantec also separated and later released a version of the PC Tools File Manager for Windows 3.1. Central Point therefore became part of the product and engineering lineage that shaped Symantec's later Windows utilities business, even though the original Central Point brand ceased operating independently.

Central Point Software began in 1980 in Central Point, Oregon, under founder Michael Burmeister-Brown. Its original business addressed a practical problem of the early personal-computer era: users needed to duplicate and back up floppy disks, while software publishers increasingly used copy-protection mechanisms. Copy II Plus, released for the Apple II in June 1981, established the company's first important product family. It allowed users to make working copies of protected disks and gave Central Point an early presence in the Apple II software market. The arrival of the IBM PC and compatible computers led Central Point to adapt its technology to a much larger platform. Copy II PC appeared in 1983 and became a significant product. The company supplemented the software with hardware, including the Copy II PC Deluxe Board and the Deluxe Option Board. Used with products such as TransCopy, these boards supported the reading, writing, and duplication of floppy disks with protection schemes that ordinary disk-copy utilities could not handle. Central Point presented the products as backup tools, although their technical function also enabled users to circumvent copy protection. By the middle of the 1980s, Central Point was moving from a specialized disk-copying business toward a broader systems-utility company. In 1985 it introduced PC Tools, an integrated DOS shell and collection of maintenance tools. PC Tools quickly became the company's best-known product and placed it in direct competition with the Norton utilities family. Its feature set included file management, recovery functions, disk utilities, and later file and archive viewing capabilities. Central Point subsequently produced related offerings for Macintosh systems under the MacTools name and expanded its product family with backup, desktop, communications, and network-management software. The company's utilities gained additional distribution through licensing arrangements. Central Point licensed the Mirror, Undelete, and Unformat components of PC Tools to Microsoft for inclusion as external utilities in MS-DOS versions 5.x and 6.x. It also licensed Central Point Anti-Virus technology to Microsoft, contributing to Microsoft Anti-Virus products for DOS and Windows. Central Point Anti-Virus itself was based on technology licensed from Carmel Software's Turbo Anti-Virus and competed with Norton AntiVirus. A version for Novell NetWare 3.x and 4.x servers extended the company’s security business into network environments. Central Point relocated from its namesake community to Beaverton, Oregon, as the company grew. In 1990, Corey Smith was identified as president. The company continued to maintain products for several computer platforms, including the Apple II, Commodore 64/128, Atari ST/TT, Macintosh, DOS, Windows, and Novell NetWare. It also sold the Laser 128 Apple II-compatible computer by mail. The transition from DOS to Windows created a strategic challenge. Central Point released PC Tools for Windows 2.0 in 1993 for Windows 3.1, but the Windows version arrived after the market had already begun moving away from DOS-centered software. This timing reduced the strength of the company's established franchise. In the same year, Central Point acquired XTree, adding another recognizable utilities and file-management business to its portfolio. Symantec acquired Central Point Software in 1994 for a reported price of approximately $60 million. The transaction concluded Central Point's independent history and brought its products and personnel into Symantec. The post-acquisition lineage included the creation of Norton Navigator for Windows 95 by members of the group associated with PC Tools for Windows 2.0. Symantec also separated the file-manager component associated with PC Tools for Windows and released it as PC-Tools File Manager 3.0 for Windows 3.1. Central Point's original brand is therefore defunct, but its software concepts and engineering work continued within Symantec's utilities portfolio.

1. 1994Acquired by Symantec

   Symantec acquired Central Point Software for approximately $60 million, ending its independent operation.

   Source
2. 1993XTree acquisition and Windows expansion

   Central Point acquired XTree and released PC Tools for Windows 2.0 for Windows 3.1.

   Source
3. 1990Corey Smith identified as president

   Corey Smith was president of Central Point Software in 1990.

   Source
4. 1985PC Tools becomes the flagship franchise

   Central Point released PC Tools, an integrated DOS shell and utilities suite that became its principal product and a major competitor to Norton utilities.

   Source
5. 1983Copy II PC launches

   Central Point extended its copying technology to IBM-compatible personal computers with Copy II PC.

   Source
6. 1981Copy II Plus launches for Apple II

   The first version of Copy II Plus was released in June 1981, establishing Central Point in disk-copying and backup utilities.

   Source
7. 1980Company founded in Central Point, Oregon

   Michael Burmeister-Brown founded Central Point Software in Central Point, Oregon, giving the company its name.

   Source

A practical utility-software specialist for personal-computer users, initially centered on disk duplication and backup and later expanded into system maintenance, file management, antivirus protection, and network tools.

• Copy II PlusApple II disk-copying utility1981

  Copy II Plus was Central Point's foundational Apple II product. First released in 1981, it enabled users to duplicate floppy disks, including disks protected by techniques intended to prevent ordinary copying. It established the company's early reputation in backup and disk-utility software and served as the template for later Copy II products on other computer platforms.

• Copy II PCIBM PC disk-copying utility1983

  Copy II PC brought Central Point's disk-copying technology to IBM-compatible personal computers in 1983. It was designed to duplicate floppy disks that used copy-protection methods and was sold alongside optional hardware intended to improve compatibility with difficult disk formats. The product was one of the company's principal early commercial successes.

• PC ToolsDOS system-utility suite1985

  PC Tools was Central Point's flagship DOS utilities package. It combined a graphical shell with tools for file management, disk maintenance, recovery, deletion and formatting operations, and later archive and file viewing. Its breadth made it a direct competitor to products from Peter Norton Computing and helped transform Central Point from a disk-copying specialist into a general PC utilities vendor.

• PC Tools for WindowsWindows system-utility suite1993

  PC Tools for Windows was Central Point's effort to adapt its DOS utilities franchise to Microsoft's graphical Windows environment. Version 2.0 ran on Windows 3.1 and included file-management and related utility capabilities. Its relatively late arrival reflected the difficulty established DOS vendors faced as users shifted toward Windows-based desktop software.

• Central Point Anti-VirusAntivirus software

  Central Point Anti-Virus was the company's principal security product and competed with Norton AntiVirus. The software used technology licensed from Carmel Software's Turbo Anti-Virus. Central Point also licensed the technology to Microsoft, which used it for Microsoft Anti-Virus products for DOS and Windows.

• Central Point Anti-Virus for NetWareNetwork-server antivirus software1993

  This product extended Central Point's antivirus business to Novell NetWare servers, with versions supporting NetWare 3.x and 4.x. It reflected the company's attempt to serve both desktop users and the networked computing environments that dominated business systems before Windows-based server platforms became more established.

• MacTools and MacTools ProMacintosh system utilities

  MacTools and MacTools Pro were Macintosh-oriented members of Central Point's utilities portfolio. They extended the company's experience in disk and file maintenance beyond DOS and supported its broader strategy of offering platform-specific tools for the major personal-computer systems of the period.

• Central Point BackupBackup software

  Central Point Backup addressed the preservation and restoration of user data and system files. It complemented the company's earlier disk-copying products by positioning backup as a mainstream utility function rather than solely as a response to copy-protection mechanisms.

• Central Point DesktopDesktop utility software

  Central Point Desktop was part of the company's broader family of productivity and system-management tools. It extended the Central Point brand beyond individual disk utilities into an integrated desktop-software proposition for personal-computer users.

• Central Point CommutePersonal-computing utility software

  Central Point Commute was one of the company's supplementary desktop software products. It formed part of a portfolio designed to support users who worked across different locations and computing contexts, although the available reference material does not provide detailed feature or sales information.

• LANlordNetwork administration software

  LANlord was Central Point's network-oriented software offering. Its inclusion in the portfolio illustrates the company's effort to expand from standalone PC maintenance into tools for networked business environments, particularly during the period when Novell NetWare was a leading networking platform.

• 1994Acquisition by SymantecM&A

  Central Point remained a major utilities vendor but faced strategic pressure from the rapid migration of the desktop market from DOS to Windows.

  What changed. Symantec acquired Central Point Software for approximately $60 million.

  Aftermath. Central Point ceased operating as an independent company. Its products and personnel were absorbed into Symantec, and associated engineering work contributed to later products including Norton Navigator.

  Reported acquisition price. Approximately $60 million (1994)

  Source
• 1993Move from DOS utilities to WindowsGeneration change

  Personal-computer users were increasingly moving from DOS to Microsoft Windows, creating pressure on utilities vendors whose products were built around DOS.

  What changed. Central Point released PC Tools for Windows 2.0 for Windows 3.1.

  Aftermath. The Windows transition came relatively late and was identified as an important factor in the company's eventual acquisition by Symantec.

  Source
• 1993Acquisition of XTreeM&A

  XTree was an established file-management and utility-software company operating in a market closely related to Central Point's core business.

  What changed. Central Point acquired XTree and incorporated its business into the company's broader utilities portfolio.

  Aftermath. The acquisition expanded Central Point's holdings shortly before the company itself was acquired by Symantec.

  Source
• 1985Shift toward integrated PC utilities with PC ToolsProduct launch

  Central Point had built its early business around disk copying and backup, but the expanding IBM-compatible PC market created demand for broader system-maintenance software.

  What changed. The company released PC Tools, combining a graphical DOS shell with file-management, disk, and recovery utilities.

  Aftermath. PC Tools became Central Point's flagship product and positioned it against the Norton utilities family.

  • Peter Norton Computing — Central Point's PC Tools competed directly with Norton Utilities and Norton Commander.
  Source

• 1994Symantec acquires Central Point Software

  Symantec acquired Central Point Software for approximately $60 million, ending the company's independent corporate existence and absorbing its utilities and antivirus products.

  M&A
  Source
• 1993Central Point releases PC Tools for Windows 2.0

  The company launched PC Tools for Windows 2.0 for Windows 3.1 as it attempted to move its utilities franchise from DOS into the growing Windows software market.

  Product launch
  Source
• 1993Central Point acquires XTree

  Central Point acquired XTree, another established file-management and utility-software company, as part of its expansion in the PC utilities sector.

  M&A
  Source
• 1985Central Point introduces PC Tools

  Central Point released PC Tools, an integrated DOS shell and utilities package that became its flagship product and expanded the company beyond disk-copying software.

  Product launch
  Source

1. Central Point Software