Other DOS Era ISVs

Unfortunately, as time passes, we have lost a lot of information about some of the smaller ISVs. In some cases, they only had a product or two, or only shareware. In other cases, they closed up shop and their forwarding information is no longer current. Worse, some of them we have nothing but references in messages or catalogs. If you have any information about these companies, please share it with us!

These ISVs first became active starting with the Major BBS v6, Worldgroup 1, Worldgroup 2 era.

A-Z Computer Solutions
Not much is known about this ISV, except that they had a Trivia product called Against The Clock Trivia. We do not have copies of this product, nor any information about other products from this ISV.

Astrocom Multimedia
Astrocom Multimedia developed the Hungarian language addon.

BBS Solutions
BBS Solutions created several addons for WG1/2. They included: Certificates, which created codes/certificates that could be sold to users or given as gifts; Cracked, a program to allow users to hack something safe rather than hack your system; Quick Help, provides keyed help topics and global command access; Secure Keys, allows the Sysop to define up to 5 keys and users granted the key that won't have access to the key until they type a password; Suspend, a utility to help manage suspending and unsuspending users; The Hideout!, a chat room requiring an alias different from the userid, so nobody knows who is who; User Invis, forces new users as Invisible at login so they will not disturb paying users. We do not have any contact information for BBS Solutions.

BSI Technologies
BSI was a developer of Language packs for MBBS 6 and up. They produced a BSI RIP Kit, Czech, French, German, Greek, Jive, Portuguese, Slovak, Spanish, Turkish, and Valley Girl. BSI also developed some utility addons, such as: BSI Guest and BSI Virtual User. We have no further information about BSI.

Bush Consulting
Again, not much is known about this ISV. It's name might refer to the Galacticomm developer Ed Bush, but since we don't have any contact information for Ed, we can't verify. The only product we're aware of was called Bandit Slots (MajorPro). We don't have any copies of it, though.

Business BBS, The
The Business BBS produced utility addons for Major BBS. The one product we know of was their Graphical Database. We do not have any further information about it or Business BBS, though.

Clover Enterprises
Clover Enterprises produced the Flatline RIP Editor. We have no more information about them.

Computer Based Alternatives
Computer Based Alternatives developed a single product that we're aware of, called The Community Calendar. We don't know anything else about it or them.

Corbin 22 Limited
Corbin 22 Limited offered the Connect 900 Service to SysOps looking to add alternative payment systems to their systems.

Digital Business Communications
Digital Business Communications produced a single product that we're aware of in the early/mid 90's: Event Planner. We know nothing more about the company or the product.

DigiTel
DigiTel offered a network product called Majormail. We don't know anything more about it.

DR Soft
DR Soft produced a utility for The Major BBS called Info Door. We don't know anything more about it.

Entertainment Technologies
Entertainment Technologies produced a modification to the Forums called ETI Conf. We don't know what it did.

Free Financial Network
FFN was a professional applications and services vendor for Major BBS Sysops. They produced the Stock Quotes product, which allowed Sysops to offer stock quotes to their users.

fROODsoft Programming Group
fROODsoft developed a flash game called Flash Game (possibly it was just a placeholder title). We've never seen a copy and don't know how to contact the author.

Galactilink BBS
Galactilink BBS developed a product called Major Holiday. It's unknown what the title was, and when it was available. We have more information about Galactilink BBS.

Genesis Network
Like FFN, Genesis provided data services. In this case, they provided Movie Reviews (Ebert) which was, presumably, Roger Ebert's movie reviews.

Heart of Gold Software
Heart of Gold Software produced a couple of utilities that we're aware of: HGS Audit and HGS NOT. We're not sure what they did, and don't have any more information, nor copies of the programs.

High Water Mark
High Water Mark produced utilities. They produced Call Time, Caller ID, Data Screen Editor, Global Display, Key Registries, Profanity Forum Control, and SE/U. We don't have details on the ISV or the individual programs, but High Water Mark was sold to Wilderland Software, and then transferred to Elwynor Technologies when Wilderland was sold.

Imagen
Imagen was a database vendor for The Major BBS. They produced a product called Fracterm. We don't know anything more about it, though.

Infima
Infima was a language addon vendor. They co-developed the Czech addon with BSI.

Infinity Software
Infinity Software was an ISV at some point in the early 90's. They produced one title that we are aware of called Post Modern Ages. While the title sounds very interesting, we have no idea what it was! We believe it was a game. Infinity also made utilities and networking addons.

Infocomm
Another ISV that we don't know much about - Infocomm produced a game product called Make Your Mark. No further information is available.

Jagware
Jagware produced a flash game called Flash Duel. Jagware was John Gillespie of Boerne, TX. We do not know how to contact John.

Les Bird
Les Bird was a programmer who had his own ISV. He eventually went to work for Galacticomm, but nobody can recall what the actual name of his ISV was! He wrote Super Lotto and SuperNova, which were later integrated into Galacticomm's Entertainment Edition.

Link Line Communications
Link Line developed a utility product called Retry. We don't know what else they developed or anything about Retry.

Logical Systems International
Logical Systems developed utilities for The Major BBS. Products included CRLFPROB, DUPEUSER, Look V11, and Valstats. It's likely that some or all of these were external utilities.

Master Designs
Master Designs was an ISV during the MBBS 6/WG era that developed one game product that we're aware of -- The Catacombs. It sounds interesting, but again, we don't have any copies, or any contact info about the company.

Medcom Information Systems
Medcom was actually one of the largest systems running Major BBS 5.x, and was a systems integrator. Located in Placentia, CA and run by Stephen Grande and Ray Burns, Medcom was an offshoot of the Midcom corporation. They hired a SysOp by the name of Jeff Reeder who developed many custom modifications to their system. Eventually, Jeff took over the system and moved it and renamed it ArenaBBS, and started a TPD called CovyWare. But while Medcom was in operation, they actually produced some saleable products - language addon packs - Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Vietnamese. In addition, Medcom released the very first open source addon for The Major BBS 5.0, called QandA. It was a simple Question and Answer module, and was released as a tutorial for programmers to develop addons for The Major BBS.

Micro City Systems
Micro City Systems produced three titles that we've heard of -- ArenaSafe, City Tower Solitaire, and Number Shuffle. We don't have any more information about them than that, unfortunately.

Micro Magic
Micro Magic developed several small utilities for MBBS 6 through Worldgroup 3. These included: Account Creator, which creates accounts from a text file; Approve All, an offline tool to approve all files in a library; Audit Trail Lister, which lists and allows searching of the Audit Trail; Credit Wrench, an offline tool to modify credits by class; Day Wrench, an offline tool to modify days remaining by class; Download Chainsaw, an offline tool to prune old and unpopular files; Library Rename, an offline tool to rename a file library, including renaming menu tree strings referring to it; Lock Pick, an offline tool to change library and forum locks quickly; Module Barricade, gives the SysOp the ability to set a password for a module; Magic Keys, a powerful set of user pseudo-keys; Master File Lister, an offline tool to dump a file list to a text file; Master/Slave, a module allowing the SysOp to create "family accounts", a set of accounts that will be billed as one account but allows multiple user identities (like AOL); Path Changer, an offline tool to alter file paths quickly; Power Locks/Keys, provides programmable security and configuration locks, and extends the lock character limit beyond 15 characters; Phoenix - Name Changer, a powerful global User-ID changer, with dev kit for ISVs to support Phoenix; User Lister, an offline tool to provide custom formatted user list text files; Webspinner, allows the Sysop to place file libraries on the web with full descriptions; and Worldgrouper, which groups forums, libraries, teleconferences. Group or nest message forums, file libraries, teleconferences, shopping mall stores, and more by whatever categories you choose.
Micro Magic was purchased by Dialsoft.

MLP Associates
MLP Associates produced several utility addons for The Major BBS. They produced (that we're aware of): AllMaker, MLPFind, MLPULIST, Overload, and Updater. It's possible that some or all of those were external utilities. In addition, MLP developed the network-related product called Anzamation UTIwhich was likely a relaynet product. We don't have any information about these or other products, or anything about the company.

MurkWorks
MurkWorks created several utility modules and addons for The Major BBS and Worldgroup. They were: BBSNet, an internet connectivity package pushed out of the market by Vircom; Major NetDoor, a door game connection product; and WorldSock for Worldgroup, a winsock interface for Worldgroup Manager which allows easy PPP access to the 'net. MurkWorks still exists, but no longer sells their Worldgroup products, and would not consider selling or freewaring BBSNet or Major Netdoor.

Neuralogic
Neuralogic developed two flash game titles, and one module (that we're aware of). The flash games were called Flash Moon Base Alpha and Flash Wild West, and were SVGA titles, not ANSI! The module was called Happy Birthday. We have a Wild West demo in the Flash section, but we have no further information about other products or the company itself.

PAGESAT
PAGESAT offered Internet and Usenet services via Satellite to Major BBS Sysops.

Planet Systems
Planet Systems offered a networking product called Planet Connect. I'm not sure what it did.

Realsoft
Realsoft was a mid 90's era ISV that produced a couple of small addons for Worldgroup. One was called Major History, which produced a "this day in history" output, and the other was Major Quotes, which was a "quote of the day" kind of module. We have no more information about the modules or Realsoft.

Rifster Enterprises
Rifster is an ISV specializing in small useful addons/modifications for MBBS/WG. Their modules include: Account Display/Edit, a Sysop editor that allows a remote sysop to edit user information; Credit Poster, a module that gives monthly accounts credits without sysop intervention; Global Teleconference, global chat with up to two billion channels and action words; Line Announcer, a utility that announces a specific text file message to a user when they login to specific channels; Line Lock, which restricts calls to a specific set of lines by key; Low Warning, which sends emails to users notifying them that they are running low on credits and/or days; Quick Mail, allows users to send a quick oneline message through any valid mail/email system your system is hooked to (majornet, maillink, local, internet, etc); Time Control, which handles various time restraints and commands based upon configuration; and Who's On, which is a editable user online listed (and other listings including file transfers, etc). We do not have any contact information for Rifster.

Roxboro
Roxboro produced two addons/modifications for Worldgroup. First was Family Keys, which allowed the Sysop to setup family accounts. Second was WG Manager Pro, a drop-in replacement for Worldgroup Manager which was a modified and enhanced version of the Galacticomm WG Manager. We have no contact information for Roxboro.

Softop
Softop was the co-developer of the Slovak Language Addon with BSI.

Stealth
Stealth developed utilities and entertainment addons for The Major BBS. Among the products that we're aware of are: Ansi-Grams, Fortune Cookie, and STL Mods. We're not sure what these addons did, and we have no copies of them, nor do we have any contact info for the company.

Studio 5 Liguria SRL
Studio 5 developed the Italian language addon.

Symbiont Software
Symbiont provided a data service called Headlines, which, I'm guessing, was a news service.

Systems Design
Systems Design developed the Farsi language addon.

Tectrade International
Tectrade International developed the Dutch language addon.

Telegrafix
Telegrafix developed the RIP "language" addon for The Major BBS. The RIP protocol was invented by Jeff Reeder, and was commercialized by Telegrafix. Later, The Major BBS included the RIP language addon with the BBS package.

The Compass Rose
The Compass Rose developed several different utilities. They included TCR Link Enhancements, which might've been aimed at their National Tele-Chat product The Compass Chat, which competed with Chatlink, Interlink, and Worldlink. TCR also developed the TCR Verification Manager, whose purpose remains a mystery.

Verify Limited
Verify Limited co-developed the Turkish language addon with BSI.

Vertex
Vertex co-developed the Portuguese language addon with BSI.

Visual Link
Visual Link developed a database product called the Real Estate Database Door for The Major BBS. No further information is available about the product or the company.

Wildsoft Development Group
Wildsoft developed some entertainment addons for Major BBS and Worldgroup. They include: Bathroom Stall, which is a variation of the popular Graffiti Wall concept, allowing 3 different bathrooms (Male, Female, Unisex), and up to 50 stalls per room. Can allow users to get "caught" in the wrong restroom, or block them from the wrong restroom.; Neverending Stories, a module to let users collaborate on creative writing projects; and Secret Word, an addon for the Entertainment Teleconference that allows the Sysop to award days/credits to users who type a randomly selected secret word. We have no contact information for Wildsoft.

Wizard Software
Wizard Software developed addons for Worldgroup in the mid 90's. It was sold to Wilderland Software, and then transferred to Elwynor Technologies in the Wilderland sale.