InterCon Systems Corporation

InterCon Systems Corporation was a software company founded in April 1988 by Kurt D. Baumann and Mikki Barry to make Macintosh computers useful in mixed-computing environments. Its original opportunity arose from the limited availability of Macintosh software for connecting to non-Macintosh systems at a time when businesses and institutions were adopting heterogeneous networks and the long-term dominance of TCP/IP over competing networking standards was not yet certain. InterCon initially pursued two product lines: TCP/Connect, a communications package based in part on NCSA Telnet, and an email product. The email project was not released after licensing negotiations failed, but TCP/Connect became the foundation of the company’s business. TCP/Connect debuted at Macworld Conference & Expo in August 1988. It initially resembled NCSA Telnet while adding commercial support, but InterCon expanded it quickly with features such as a graphical FTP client and IBM 3270 terminal emulation. Later releases added further terminal-emulation and file-transfer capabilities. In 1990, the company replaced the original product with TCP/Connect II, a substantially broader Internet suite. TCP/Connect II combined terminal emulation and file transfer with email, network news, web browsing, Gopher access, automation, filtering, highlighting, and support for graphics and multimedia content in email. It remained InterCon’s principal product through the first half of the 1990s. The company also developed or marketed products serving specialized networking needs. NFS/Share provided Macintosh access to NFS file servers, making it particularly relevant to universities, educational organizations, and prepress operations that used Sun Microsystems UNIX systems. InterSLIP and InterPPP supported dial-up TCP/IP connectivity through Apple’s MacTCP. InterPrint enabled network printing to PostScript printers, while InterServer Publisher provided web, FTP, and Gopher server functions on Macintosh computers. Planet X, developed externally and marketed by InterCon, brought X Window System client functionality to the Macintosh. WatchTower, also developed by an outside software firm and published by InterCon, was an early Macintosh SNMP monitoring system. InterCon experimented with emerging Internet technologies as well. During early IPv6 research, it implemented the experimental SIPP protocol on the Macintosh in a version of TCP/Connect II, although SIPP was not ultimately adopted. In Japan, the company established a subsidiary known as IIKK in 1992 and partnered with AT&T JENS to help create early commercial Internet-service operations. IIKK later became part of PSINet Japan after PSINet acquired InterCon. By the mid-1990s, InterCon had expanded from three employees to more than 100 and sold software in the United States, Europe, and Japan. It attempted to reach consumers through the Shark product family, including NetShark, MailShark, and WebShark. WebShark was derived from the company’s browser technology and was licensed by AOL for Macintosh dial-up clients; a rebranded version also shipped as Apple’s eWorld Web Browser. NetShark, a reduced Internet suite containing web and email functions, did not achieve broad popularity, while MailShark was created but never sold. PSINet acquired InterCon in June 1995. InterCon continued to sell and maintain its TCP/IP software for a period, and in February 1996 PSINet merged it with Software Ventures, another Macintosh communications-software company. In February 1997, InterCon’s engineering group and products were sold to Ascend Communications. The company therefore ceased to operate as an independent software business, although elements of its technology and product history remained connected to the development of Macintosh Internet connectivity and early commercial Internet services.

InterCon Systems Corporation was established in Virginia in April 1988 by Kurt D. Baumann and Mikki Barry. Its purpose was to develop commercial software that allowed Macintosh computers to communicate with non-Macintosh systems. The company entered the market while networking standards were still unsettled and while Macintosh users lacked a broad commercial alternative to products such as NCSA Telnet. Its first major product, TCP/Connect, was introduced at Macworld Conference & Expo in August 1988. The initial release focused on terminal access and related communications functions, but subsequent development quickly broadened its capabilities. By October 1988, InterCon was demonstrating a graphical FTP client and IBM 3270 emulation. Further versions added more terminal-emulation and file-transfer functions. TCP/Connect II, introduced around 1990, was a major rewrite and became the company’s flagship through 1995. It expanded beyond terminal access into an integrated Internet suite with email, network news, terminal emulations, web browsing, Gopher support, and extensive automation and content-handling features. The product’s browser technology was later separated into WebShark. AOL licensed WebShark for Macintosh Internet clients, and Apple used a rebranded version as the eWorld Web Browser. InterCon maintained a diverse product portfolio. NFS/Share gave Macintosh users high-performance access to NFS file servers, particularly in educational and prepress settings. InterSLIP and InterPPP enabled dial-up TCP/IP connectivity through Apple’s MacTCP. InterPrint supported printing to networked PostScript printers, and InterServer Publisher provided Macintosh-based web, FTP, and Gopher server functions. The company also marketed Planet X, an X Window System client developed by a third party, and WatchTower, an early Macintosh SNMP monitoring system developed by GBP Software. In 1992, InterCon created the Japanese subsidiary IIKK and worked with AT&T JENS to support early commercial Internet-service operations in Japan. IIKK subsequently became the foundation of PSINet Japan after PSINet acquired InterCon. InterCon also participated in early IPv6-related experimentation by implementing SIPP support in an experimental TCP/Connect II version, although that protocol was not adopted. The company grew from three employees to more than 100 over approximately nine years and sold its software in the United States, Europe, and Japan. In 1995 it introduced the consumer-oriented Shark family, including NetShark, MailShark, and WebShark. The consumer strategy had limited success: NetShark did not become a popular product and MailShark was never sold. In June 1995 PSINet acquired InterCon. PSINet merged InterCon with Software Ventures in February 1996, and Ascend Communications acquired InterCon’s engineering group and products in February 1997. These transactions ended InterCon’s life as an independent company.

• 1997

  Products and engineering group sold to Ascend

  [1]InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  Ascend Communications acquired InterCon’s engineering group and products in February.

• 1996

  tcpCONNECT4 released

  [1]InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  tcpCONNECT4, a renamed and expanded successor to TCP/Connect II, was released as an integrated TCP/IP suite for Internet and intranet use.

• 1996

  Merger with Software Ventures

  [1]InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  PSINet merged InterCon with Software Ventures in February.

• 1995

  PSINet acquisition

  [1]InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  PSINet acquired InterCon in June, while InterCon continued supporting its TCP/IP software.

• 1992

  IIKK established in Japan

  [1]InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  InterCon created IIKK and partnered with AT&T JENS to help develop early commercial Internet-service operations in Japan.

• 1991

  Planet X marketed

  [1]InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  InterCon began selling Planet X, a third-party X Window System client for Macintosh computers.

• 1990

  TCP/Connect II becomes the flagship suite

  [1]InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  A major rewrite broadened the product into an Internet suite with email, network news, web, Gopher, and terminal-emulation capabilities.

• 1990

  WatchTower published

  [1]InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  InterCon began marketing WatchTower, an early Macintosh SNMP monitoring system developed by GBP Software.

• 1988

  Company founded

  [1]InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  Kurt D. Baumann and Mikki Barry founded InterCon Systems Corporation in Virginia to develop software connecting Macintosh computers to heterogeneous networks.

• 1988

  TCP/Connect launches

  [1]InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org

  InterCon introduced TCP/Connect at Macworld Conference & Expo and soon expanded it with graphical FTP and IBM 3270 emulation.

InterCon positioned itself as a specialist provider of commercial networking and Internet software for Macintosh users who needed access to non-Macintosh systems, enterprise networks, UNIX file servers, dial-up services, and emerging Internet protocols.

• communications and TCP/IP software · 1988

  TCP/Connect

  InterCon’s first flagship product, launched in 1988, provided Macintosh users with terminal access and file-transfer functionality for mixed-computing environments. It initially resembled NCSA Telnet but differentiated itself through commercial support and rapid feature development. Early additions included a graphical FTP client and IBM 3270 emulation, followed by further terminal-emulation and file-transfer capabilities.

• Internet software suite · 1990

  TCP/Connect II

  TCP/Connect II was a substantial rewrite of TCP/Connect and served as InterCon’s main product from approximately 1990 to 1995. It combined terminal emulation and file transfer with email, network news, web browsing, Gopher access, content handling, automation, filtering, and highlighting. Its browser technology later supported the separate WebShark product.

• Internet and intranet software suite · 1996

  tcpCONNECT4

  tcpCONNECT4 was the renamed and expanded successor to TCP/Connect II. It was marketed as an integrated collection of TCP/IP applications for Internet and intranet use, although it saw limited development before InterCon’s products were sold to Ascend Communications.

• network file sharing

  NFS/Share

  NFS/Share provided Macintosh access to file servers using the Network File System protocol. Its performance-oriented design made it useful in educational institutions and prepress environments, where Sun Microsystems UNIX servers and NFS-based file sharing were widely used.

• consumer Internet suite · 1995

  NetShark

  NetShark was a consumer-oriented Internet product derived from TCP/Connect II technology. It focused on web and email functions while omitting the terminal-emulation technology of the full suite. The product represented InterCon’s attempt to reach a broader consumer audience but did not become a widely adopted offering.

• email software · 1995

  MailShark

  MailShark was intended to provide only the email portion of InterCon’s broader communications technology. It was created during the company’s Shark-product initiative but was never sold commercially.

• web browser · 1995

  WebShark

  WebShark was the browser component extracted from TCP/Connect II. AOL licensed it for Macintosh dial-up networking services, and a rebranded version shipped as Apple’s eWorld Web Browser. The product illustrates InterCon’s role as a technology supplier for larger Internet-service and platform companies.

• dial-up TCP/IP connectivity

  InterPPP and InterSLIP

  InterPPP and InterSLIP enabled Macintosh users to use TCP/IP networking over dial-up lines without relying on an embedded TCP/IP stack. Both worked with Apple’s MacTCP and addressed the practical challenge of connecting Macintosh computers to emerging online services.

• network printing

  InterPrint

  InterPrint allowed Macintosh computers to print to PostScript printers connected over TCP/IP networks. It was aimed mainly at corporate and prepress users and integrated with Apple’s printer architecture.

• Internet server software

  InterServer Publisher

  InterServer Publisher was a Macintosh server package capable of providing web, FTP, and Gopher services in the background. It extended InterCon’s product range from client connectivity into basic Internet publishing and server administration.

• X Window System client · 1991

  Planet X

  Planet X was a third-party X Window System client marketed and sold by InterCon from 1991. It allowed a Macintosh display to appear as a window on an X Window System server, connecting Macintosh users with UNIX-oriented graphical computing environments.

• SNMP network monitoring · 1990

  WatchTower

  WatchTower was an SNMP network-monitoring system developed by GBP Software and published by InterCon. It was described as the first product of its type for Macintosh and included monitoring and agent functionality, although its high retail price limited its sales volume.

• 1995

  Expansion into consumer Internet softwareStrategy

  Background

  InterCon attempted to extend its enterprise and specialist networking business into the growing consumer Internet market.

  Action taken

  It introduced the Shark family, including NetShark, WebShark, and MailShark, derived from TCP/Connect II technology.

  Aftermath

  WebShark gained licensing traction with AOL and Apple-related eWorld distribution, but NetShark was not broadly popular and MailShark was never sold.

  Source

• 1995

  Sale to PSINetM&A

  Background

  InterCon had grown substantially and operated across the United States, Europe, and Japan, while PSINet was expanding its Internet-service and networking operations.

  Action taken

  PSINet acquired InterCon in June 1995 and retained the company’s software sales and maintenance activities for a period.

  Aftermath

  PSINet merged InterCon with Software Ventures in 1996; InterCon’s engineering group and products were subsequently sold to Ascend Communications in 1997.

  Source

• 1992

  Establishing Internet services in JapanStrategy

  Background

  InterCon sought to strengthen its position in the Japanese TCP/IP market and recognized the need for local commercial Internet services.

  Action taken

  The company created the Japanese subsidiary IIKK and partnered with AT&T JENS to help establish early commercial Internet-service operations in Japan.

  Aftermath

  IIKK was later acquired by PSINet with InterCon and became the core of PSINet Japan.

  Source

1. 1InterCon Systems Corporationen.wikipedia.org