Human Engineered Software

Human Engineered Software, commonly abbreviated HES and also marketed as HesWare, was an American microcomputer-software developer and publisher active from 1980 until its closure in 1984. Based in Brisbane, California, the company operated during the formative period of home computing, when software businesses were building products for systems such as the Commodore PET, VIC-20, Commodore 64, and Atari 8-bit computers. Its catalog combined entertainment software with programming tools, educational applications, productivity programs, and peripheral hardware. The company was founded by Jay Balakrishnan and Cy Shuster. Its early development work grew out of Balakrishnan's apartment in Los Angeles, where the founders assembled software and hardware with very limited resources. Balakrishnan's work on the PET ROM led to HESbal, an 8K 6502 assembler written in BASIC, and HESedit, an accompanying text editor. These tools helped establish a technical foundation for later products, while Shuster worked on hardware construction and software utilities. Their activities included HEScom, which combined software and a user-port cable to support transfers between VIC-20 programs and PET disk storage, as well as HESlister, a utility for printing BASIC programs that was ported from the TRS-80 Model I to Commodore systems and later to the IBM PC. HES expanded beyond developer tools into consumer software. Its catalog included games such as Project Space Station and Mr. TNT, educational and graphics-oriented programs such as Turtle Graphics by David Malmberg, and productivity products including OMNIWRITER, a word processor for the Commodore 64. It also released hardware and systems software, including HesModem, HesModem II, Graphics BASIC, and 64Forth, a cartridge-based Forth implementation. The company published several games associated with British designer Jeff Minter and his Llamasoft label, including Attack of the Mutant Camels, Gridrunner, Hes Games, and HesMon. Later LucasArts designers Lawrence Holland and Ron Gilbert began their careers at HES, linking the company to the early professional development culture of the home-computer software industry. By early 1984, HES had become a substantial participant in the microcomputer-software market. InfoWorld reported that it was tied with Broderbund as the world's tenth-largest microcomputer-software company and described it as the largest entertainment-software company, citing reported 1983 sales of $13 million. The company nevertheless entered bankruptcy in October 1984. Avant Garde Publishing Corporation was reported as a potential cash purchaser, but the proposed acquisition was blocked in bankruptcy court. HES subsequently ceased operations. Its importance rests less on longevity than on the breadth of its early software-and-hardware catalog, its support for Commodore platforms, and the careers of developers who later became prominent in the game industry.

Human Engineered Software was established in 1980 by Jay Balakrishnan and Cy Shuster during the early expansion of the personal-computer market. The founders initially worked from Balakrishnan's apartment in Los Angeles, using improvised facilities while developing software for Commodore's early computers. Balakrishnan studied the PET ROM and created HESbal, an 8K 6502 assembler implemented in BASIC, together with HESedit, a text editor. These tools gave the company an early identity as a technically capable supplier to computer hobbyists and programmers. The founders also developed HEScom, combining software with a user-port cable to help VIC-20 users save programs to PET disk storage. Shuster assembled cables and created HESlister, a printing utility for BASIC programs that originated on the TRS-80 Model I and was adapted for the PET, VIC-20, and later IBM PC. This combination of software utilities and hardware accessories distinguished HES from publishers focused solely on games. As the company developed, it broadened its catalog across the Commodore PET, VIC-20, Commodore 64, and Atari 8-bit platforms. Its products included programming systems such as Graphics BASIC and 64Forth, the latter distributed as a cartridge-based Forth implementation; productivity software such as OMNIWRITER for the Commodore 64; educational programs; and consumer games. HES also sold modem products, including HesModem and HesModem II. Its entertainment catalog included Project Space Station, Mr. TNT, and works connected with Jeff Minter's Llamasoft, including Attack of the Mutant Camels, Gridrunner, Hes Games, and HesMon. Turtle Graphics by David Malmberg represented its educational and graphics-oriented software interests. HES also served as an early professional environment for game developers. Lawrence Holland and Ron Gilbert, who later became associated with LucasArts, began their careers at the company. Their presence illustrates how publishers of the period functioned as incubators for programmers and designers moving from hobbyist and microcomputer development into the larger game industry. By early 1984, HES had achieved notable scale. InfoWorld reportedly placed it alongside Broderbund as the world's tenth-largest microcomputer-software company and identified it as the largest entertainment-software company, with reported 1983 sales of $13 million. The growth did not continue. HES filed for bankruptcy in October 1984. Avant Garde Publishing Corporation was reported as a possible cash buyer, but the offer was blocked in bankruptcy court. HES then ceased operations, ending a short but diverse presence in early American home-computer software.

• 1984

  Bankruptcy and closure

  [1]Human Engineered Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  HES filed for bankruptcy in October. A proposed purchase by Avant Garde Publishing was blocked in bankruptcy court, after which the company shut down.

• 1983

  Reported high point in sales and market position

  [1]Human Engineered Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  InfoWorld reported HES as one of the ten largest microcomputer-software companies and cited $13 million in 1983 sales.

• 1980

  Company founded

  [1]Human Engineered Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Jay Balakrishnan and Cy Shuster established Human Engineered Software in the early home-computer era.

• 1980

  Early assembler and utility development

  [1]Human Engineered Softwareen.wikipedia.org

  Balakrishnan developed HESbal and HESedit, while the founders also worked on HEScom and HESlister for early Commodore and other microcomputer systems.

A technically oriented early home-computer software company serving both hobbyist programmers and consumers of games, educational applications, productivity tools, and computer peripherals.

• Programming tool

  HESbal

  HESbal was an 8K 6502 assembler written in BASIC by Jay Balakrishnan after research into the Commodore PET ROM. It formed part of HES's early development-tool portfolio and helped support subsequent software projects for the company's target microcomputers.

• Text editor

  HESedit

  HESedit was an accompanying text editor developed alongside HESbal. Together, the two products provided a basic environment for writing and assembling programs on early Commodore-oriented systems.

• Utility and hardware accessory

  HEScom

  HEScom combined software with a user-port cable. It was designed to help VIC-20 users save programs to PET disk storage, addressing storage limitations of early VIC-20 configurations.

• Programming utility

  HESlister

  HESlister was a utility for printing BASIC programs. Originally ported from the TRS-80 Model I, it was adapted for the PET, VIC-20, and later IBM PC, reflecting HES's cross-platform utility work.

• Word processor

  OMNIWRITER

  OMNIWRITER was a word-processing application published by HESware for the Commodore 64. It represented the company's effort to serve practical productivity needs alongside its games and technical software.

• Programming language

  Graphics BASIC

  Graphics BASIC was a HES programming product aimed at graphics-capable home-computer systems. It belonged to the company's broader range of programming and development tools for Commodore and related platforms.

• Programming language

  64Forth

  64Forth was a cartridge-based implementation of the Forth programming language for the Commodore 64. Its cartridge format reflected HES's interest in combining software with dedicated distribution hardware.

• Computer hardware

  HesModem and HesModem II

  HesModem and HesModem II were modem products sold by HES for early home-computer users. They extended the company's business beyond software into communications peripherals.

• Video game

  Attack of the Mutant Camels

  Attack of the Mutant Camels was one of the games associated with Jeff Minter's Llamasoft and published through HES. It was part of the company's entertainment catalog for early home-computer platforms.

• Video game

  Gridrunner

  Gridrunner was another Jeff Minter game issued in HES's catalog. Its inclusion demonstrated the publisher's role in distributing distinctive independent-style games during the early microcomputer period.

• Video game

  Project Space Station

  Project Space Station was a game published by Human Engineered Software. It formed part of the company's general entertainment software range alongside titles from outside designers and developers.

• Video game

  Mr. TNT

  Mr. TNT was an HES-published game from the company's early home-computer catalog. Specific gameplay and release details are not established in the supplied reference material.

• Educational software

  Turtle Graphics by David Malmberg

  Turtle Graphics by David Malmberg was an educational and graphics-oriented title published by HES. It illustrates the company's participation in software intended for learning and creative computer use, not only games.

• 1984

  Bankruptcy filing and unsuccessful sale proposalOther

  Background

  After reaching a reported high point in the early-1980s microcomputer market, HES entered bankruptcy in October 1984.

  Action taken

  Avant Garde Publishing Corporation reportedly proposed a cash acquisition, but the offer was blocked by the bankruptcy court.

  Aftermath

  Human Engineered Software shut down after the proposed transaction failed.

  Source

1. 1Human Engineered Softwareen.wikipedia.org