Quarterdeck Office Systems

Quarterdeck Office Systems was an American computer-software company founded by Therese Myers and Gary Pope in 1981 and incorporated in 1982. It began in Santa Monica, California, and later operated from Marina del Rey, with a separate sales and technical-support presence in Clearwater, Florida. During the 1990s it also maintained a European office in Dublin, Ireland. The company became one of the better-known independent software publishers of the DOS era, particularly through products that expanded the practical capabilities of IBM PC-compatible computers before Windows became the dominant desktop environment. Quarterdeck's best-known product was the Quarterdeck Expanded Memory Manager, generally known as QEMM and later associated with QEMM-386. It enabled compatible computers to use expanded or extended memory more effectively, allowing users to run larger or multiple DOS applications. The company's DESQview multitasking environment built on this market position by allowing several DOS programs to run in windowed or task-oriented sessions. DESQview was compatible with the broader IBM PC software ecosystem and became especially important for users who needed multitasking before mainstream Windows versions offered comparable functionality. Quarterdeck later developed DESQview/X, an X Window System-based version that extended the concept toward networked and graphical computing. The company also produced a broad portfolio of utilities and applications. These included CleanSweep for software installation and removal management, Manifest for system information, Partition-It! for disk-partition work, and communications products such as Quarterdeck InternetSuite, GlobalChat, and GlobalStage. Through acquisitions, Quarterdeck added products including MagnaRAM, WinProbe, HiJaak graphics software, PROCOMM and PROCOMM PLUS communications software, DoubleDisk, and Fix-It utilities. This expansion made Quarterdeck less dependent on its original DOS memory-management and multitasking franchise, but it also increased operational complexity and exposed the company to the rapid transition from DOS utilities toward Windows-based software. Quarterdeck received a United States software patent in April 1989 relating to the use of multiple windowed PC applications under MS-DOS. The patent reflected the company's technical position in the pre-Windows multitasking market, although its long-term commercial prospects were weakened as graphical operating systems became standard and DOS-specific utilities lost strategic importance. By the middle of the 1990s, the company was under pressure from falling sales and a declining stock price. Interim chief executive King R. Lee appointed Gaston Bastiaens as chief executive, and Bastiaens pursued an acquisition-led diversification strategy. Between 1995 and 1996, Quarterdeck acquired Landmark Research International, Inset Systems, Datastorm Technologies, and Vertisoft Systems. The transactions brought products such as MagnaRAM, WinProbe, HiJaak, PROCOMM, PROCOMM PLUS, DoubleDisk, and Fix-It into the portfolio. Datastorm's Columbia, Missouri headquarters subsequently became the center for technical support and development operations. The acquisitions broadened Quarterdeck's catalog and added direct-marketing capabilities, but they did not reverse the company's structural decline. Bastiaens resigned in August 1996, after which Lee and Anatoly Tikhman served as acting co-chief executives. Quarterdeck announced restructuring measures and losses, and Curtis Hessler was appointed to lead the company in January 1997. In 1998, Symantec acquired Quarterdeck for reported consideration of $0.52 per share. Symantec, whose portfolio centered on Norton utilities and security products, discontinued support for some Quarterdeck offerings, including Mosaic, while integrating other technologies and products. CleanSweep, for example, became associated with Norton SystemWorks. Quarterdeck therefore ceased to operate as an…

Quarterdeck Office Systems was established by Therese Myers and Gary Pope in 1981 and incorporated the following year. Its early offices were in Santa Monica, California, before the company moved its principal operations to Marina del Rey. It also maintained sales and technical-support operations in Clearwater, Florida, and later had a European office in Dublin. The company's formative business was built around making IBM PC-compatible computers more capable under MS-DOS. Its Expanded Memory Manager, known as QEMM and later QEMM-386, helped applications access and use memory beyond the limitations faced by many DOS systems. Quarterdeck followed this with DESQview, a multitasking environment that let users manage multiple DOS applications. DESQview's compatibility with IBM TopView and its later DESQview/X variant helped Quarterdeck remain relevant as the personal-computer market moved toward graphical and networked environments. Quarterdeck received a United States software patent on April 18, 1989, concerning multiple windowed PC applications under MS-DOS. The company subsequently expanded beyond its original technical niche into system utilities, disk tools, graphics, communications, and Internet software. Its catalog included CleanSweep, Manifest, Partition-It!, Quarterdeck Mosaic, InternetSuite, WebCompass, and other products. The company entered a difficult period in the mid-1990s. Sales and its stock price declined in 1995, and interim chief executive King R. Lee recruited Gaston Bastiaens as chief executive. Bastiaens attempted to diversify the business through acquisitions. In 1995 Quarterdeck acquired Landmark Research International, adding MagnaRAM and WinProbe, and then acquired Inset Systems, adding HiJaak graphics software. In March 1996 it acquired Datastorm Technologies, publisher of PROCOMM and PROCOMM PLUS. Quarterdeck moved technical-support and development functions from California and Florida to Datastorm's Columbia, Missouri headquarters. In July 1996, it acquired Vertisoft Systems, adding DoubleDisk and Fix-It. The acquisitions enlarged Quarterdeck's product range but did not overcome the decline of its DOS-centered market. Bastiaens resigned in August 1996. King R. Lee and former Vertisoft chief executive Anatoly Tikhman then served as acting co-chief executives. The company announced restructuring and a loss before appointing Curtis Hessler to run the business in January 1997. By 1998, DOS utilities had largely lost their former market position. Symantec acquired Quarterdeck for reported consideration of $0.52 per share. After the transaction, Symantec discontinued support for some products, including Mosaic, while integrating other products into its own utility portfolio. CleanSweep was incorporated into the Norton SystemWorks family. Quarterdeck consequently ceased to exist as an independent software company.

1. 1998Acquired by Symantec

   Symantec acquired Quarterdeck as the DOS utilities market continued to contract.

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2. 1996Support and development move to Missouri

   After acquiring Datastorm, Quarterdeck relocated technical-support and development operations to Columbia, Missouri.

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3. 1995Diversification through acquisitions begins

   Following declining sales and stock performance, Quarterdeck began an acquisition program under Gaston Bastiaens.

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4. 1989MS-DOS multitasking patent

   Quarterdeck received a United States software patent related to multiple windowed PC applications under MS-DOS.

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5. 1982Incorporation

   The company was incorporated after its founding.

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6. 1981Company founded

   Therese Myers and Gary Pope founded Quarterdeck Office Systems in the United States.

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Quarterdeck positioned itself as a developer of practical system software that extended the capabilities of IBM PC-compatible computers. Its early identity centered on memory optimization and DOS multitasking; later it broadened into utilities, graphics, communications, and Internet software through internal development and acquisitions.

• Quarterdeck Expanded Memory ManagerDOS memory-management software

  Quarterdeck's expanded-memory product, commonly known as QEMM and later associated with QEMM-386, helped DOS users make more effective use of available computer memory. It became the company's signature technical product and supported the operation of larger or multiple applications on IBM PC-compatible systems before modern operating systems handled memory management more transparently.

• DESQviewDOS multitasking software

  DESQview provided a multitasking and task-management environment for DOS applications. It allowed users to organize and run several programs in separate sessions and was designed for the constraints of IBM PC-compatible hardware. Its compatibility with IBM TopView helped it occupy an important position in the pre-Windows multitasking software market.

• DESQview/XX Window System software

  DESQview/X extended Quarterdeck's multitasking concept toward X-based graphical and networked computing. It represented the company's attempt to adapt its DOS-era technology to a more connected and graphical software environment as the personal-computer market moved beyond conventional text-oriented DOS applications.

• CleanSweepSystem utility

  CleanSweep was a utility for managing software installations and removals. It became one of Quarterdeck's most durable products after the company was acquired by Symantec, which integrated it into the Norton SystemWorks portfolio rather than maintaining Quarterdeck as an independent brand.

• HiJaak Graphics SuiteGraphics software

  HiJaak was a graphics-software suite acquired through Quarterdeck's purchase of Inset Systems in 1995. Its inclusion broadened Quarterdeck beyond memory management, multitasking, and utilities into graphics-file and image-related applications.

• PROCOMM and PROCOMM PLUSCommunications software

  PROCOMM and PROCOMM PLUS were communications products published by Datastorm Technologies and acquired by Quarterdeck in 1996. They strengthened Quarterdeck's presence in modem and terminal communications and were part of the portfolio diversification that also prompted the relocation of support and development work to Missouri.

• ManifestSystem utility

  Manifest was a Quarterdeck system utility associated with the company's DOS software portfolio. It provided users with information and management functions for their computer environment, complementing QEMM, DESQview, and other tools aimed at improving the usability of DOS systems.

• Partition-It!Disk utility

  Partition-It! was a disk-partitioning utility in Quarterdeck's system-software catalog. It reflected the company's broader effort to provide practical maintenance and configuration tools for personal-computer users in the DOS and early Windows eras.

• 1998Sell the company to SymantecM&A

  Quarterdeck's DOS utilities market had substantially deteriorated, and the company had undergone acquisitions, losses, restructuring, and senior-management changes.

  What changed. Symantec acquired Quarterdeck for reported consideration of $0.52 per share.

  Aftermath. Quarterdeck ceased to operate independently. Symantec discontinued some products, including Mosaic, and integrated others such as CleanSweep into Norton SystemWorks.

  Acquisition consideration per share. $0.52 per share (1998)

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• 1996Acquire Datastorm and relocate operationsM&A

  Quarterdeck sought to expand into communications software and consolidate the operational resources of an acquired publisher.

  What changed. It acquired Datastorm Technologies, publisher of PROCOMM and PROCOMM PLUS, and moved technical-support and development operations to Datastorm's Columbia, Missouri headquarters.

  Aftermath. The move expanded Quarterdeck's communications portfolio but occurred during a period of continuing financial and market pressure.

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• 1996Acquire Vertisoft SystemsM&A

  Quarterdeck continued its effort to diversify into utility software and direct marketing.

  What changed. The company acquired Vertisoft Systems, adding DoubleDisk and Fix-It and obtaining access to Vertisoft's direct-marketing operations.

  Aftermath. The acquisition increased portfolio breadth, but Quarterdeck soon entered restructuring and leadership transition.

  Consideration. 3.5 million Quarterdeck shares (July 1996)

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• 1995Pursue acquisition-led diversificationStrategy

  Quarterdeck faced declining sales and stock performance while its traditional DOS software market was coming under pressure.

  What changed. Under chief executive Gaston Bastiaens, the company acquired Landmark Research International and Inset Systems and began broadening its portfolio beyond its original DOS products.

  Aftermath. The strategy added memory, graphics, utility, and direct-marketing businesses but did not restore the company's long-term independence.

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• 1998Symantec acquires Quarterdeck

  Symantec acquired Quarterdeck for reported consideration of $0.52 per share and subsequently discontinued or integrated parts of the product portfolio.

  M&AOther
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• 1997Quarterdeck appoints Curtis Hessler to lead a restructuring

  After announcing restructuring measures and a loss, Quarterdeck hired Curtis Hessler to run the company.

  Leadership changeOther
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• 1996Quarterdeck acquires Datastorm Technologies

  The acquisition added the PROCOMM and PROCOMM PLUS communications products and was followed by the relocation of support and development operations to Columbia, Missouri.

  M&A
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• 1996Quarterdeck acquires Vertisoft Systems

  Vertisoft brought DoubleDisk and Fix-It utilities into Quarterdeck and added direct-marketing operations.

  M&A
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• 1996Gaston Bastiaens resigns as chief executive

  Bastiaens left the company after the acquisition-driven diversification effort, and Quarterdeck moved to interim co-leadership.

  Leadership change
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• 1995Quarterdeck acquires Landmark Research International

  The acquisition added Landmark products including MagnaRAM and WinProbe and was paid for with Quarterdeck shares.

  M&A
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• 1995Quarterdeck acquires Inset Systems

  The transaction brought the HiJaak graphics-software business into Quarterdeck's portfolio.

  M&A
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• 1989Quarterdeck receives a United States software patent for MS-DOS multitasking

  The company was awarded a United States software patent covering multiple windowed PC applications operating under MS-DOS.

  Other
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1. Quarterdeck Office Systems