Visionware

Visionware Ltd was a British enterprise software company established in Leeds in June 1989 through a management buy-out from Systime Computers. Its products addressed a practical problem in the late-1980s and early-1990s corporate computing market: enabling Microsoft Windows personal computers to access, display, and exchange data with Unix-based servers and business applications. The company’s principal products were PC-Connect, XVision, and SQL-Retriever. The company emerged from software work developed within Systime, a Leeds computer manufacturer that had shifted toward internally developed software after experiencing commercial and legal difficulties. Visionware was formed by former Systime technical development manager Tony Denson and former commercial manager Chris Holmes, with management-buyout and venture-capital backing. It introduced itself publicly at the European Unix Show in London in June 1989 and initially concentrated on Windows-to-Unix connectivity. PC-Connect combined Windows and Unix components to provide terminal-emulation and interoperability features. It supported interaction between Windows applications, X Window System applications, and Unix character-mode programs, including cut-and-paste functions. XVision, originally developed as PC-XVision, provided a Windows-based server for the Unix-oriented X Window System and allowed X applications to be presented with a Windows-like interface. SQL-Retriever, initially known as SQL-Connect, supplied ODBC-compliant access to relational database systems, allowing Windows programs such as Microsoft Excel to retrieve and use information held in corporate databases. Visionware grew rapidly during its relatively short period as an independent company. Its market was driven by the spread of Windows desktop computing inside organizations that continued to rely on Unix servers and specialist business software. Europe supplied most of the company’s revenue in 1992, and Visionware established a North American operation in Menlo Park, California, during that year. It later maintained smaller European operations in Bonn and Paris and an office in Sydney. The company reported approximately $6 million in revenue in 1993 and approximately $12 million in 1994, when it employed about 130 people, most of them in Leeds. The Santa Cruz Operation announced the acquisition of Visionware on 12 December 1994. The transaction was valued at $14.75 million in cash plus a small amount of SCO stock. SCO sought to strengthen its presence on Windows desktops and to provide a more accessible client interface for its Unix products. Visionware had already worked with SCO on an optimized X server associated with Wintif, a Windows-look-and-feel version of Motif developed by SCO’s IXI subsidiary. The Visionware brand continued briefly after the acquisition. In 1995, Visionware was combined with IXI to create IXI Visionware, Ltd., and the business was subsequently integrated into SCO’s Client Integration Division. Its products were placed within a broader Vision product family. PC-Connect evolved into TermVision, while SQL-Retriever was eventually discontinued. The source code of SCO’s XVision was later acquired by MKS Inc. and developed into MKS X/Server. Visionware’s technological legacy therefore continued through successor products and through later work in terminal services and secure application access, even though Visionware itself ceased to operate as an independent brand.

Visionware originated within Systime Computers, a Leeds-based computer company that had become a significant British manufacturer through systems built around original-equipment components from Digital Equipment Corporation. After Systime encountered legal and export-control difficulties and was acquired by Control Data Corporation in 1985, the business placed greater emphasis on software developed by its own engineers. In June 1989, Control Data divided what remained of Systime into four management-buyout ventures. Visionware was one of these companies. It was established by Tony Denson, previously Systime’s technical development manager, and Chris Holmes, previously its commercial manager. The new company focused on software that made Microsoft Windows computers easier to use with Unix servers and applications. Visionware made its public debut at the European Unix Show in London in June 1989. The company’s portfolio developed around three principal products. PC-Connect, originally created at Systime and released there in 1987, combined Windows and Unix software components for terminal access and interoperability. It supported communication among Windows, X Window System, and Unix character-mode applications and was also sold through redistribution arrangements. XVision, first known as PC-XVision, provided a Windows-based X server that displayed Unix X applications on Windows systems while supporting color graphics and a Windows-oriented user experience. SQL-Retriever, initially called SQL-Connect, offered ODBC-compliant access to databases including Informix, Oracle, Uniplex, and InterBase. Its purpose was to let Windows applications retrieve and work with information stored in relational databases. Visionware benefited from the expansion of Windows desktops in organizations that still depended on Unix-based servers. By 1992, most of its revenue came from Europe, and it opened a North American operation in Menlo Park, California. It also established smaller offices or operations in Bonn, Paris, and Sydney. The company’s reported revenue rose to approximately $6 million in 1993 and approximately $12 million in 1994, while its workforce reached about 130 employees. In December 1994, SCO acquired Visionware. The companies had already collaborated on an optimized X server for Wintif, a Windows-style version of Motif associated with SCO’s earlier acquisition IXI. The acquisition gave SCO additional Windows client technology and a way to make its Unix products more approachable to desktop users. Visionware continued as a recognizable business and product identity for a short period, but in 1995 it was merged with IXI into IXI Visionware and then absorbed into SCO’s Client Integration Division. Under SCO, PC-Connect evolved into TermVision, including support for 32-bit Windows and Windows 95. SQL-Retriever was later removed from the Vision product line and did not receive further releases. MKS Inc. acquired the source code for SCO’s XVision and used it as the basis for MKS X/Server after further development. Other work from the broader business ultimately contributed to SCO’s Tarantella terminal-services product, which later became associated with Tarantella, Inc. The Leeds operation survived subsequent corporate changes and eventually became part of Sun Microsystems after Sun acquired Tarantella, later contributing to Oracle’s Secure Global Desktop activities. These successors preserve aspects of Visionware’s client-integration legacy, although the independent Visionware company and brand are defunct.

• 2001

  Tarantella becomes a separate corporate focus

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  Tarantella became the core of Tarantella, Inc., while the original Visionware brand had already ceased to operate independently.

• 1997

  Tarantella terminal-services work emerges from the successor organization

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  The broader client-integration division developed and released the Tarantella terminal-services application, extending the technical lineage of the combined business.

• 1995

  Visionware is merged with IXI

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  The businesses were combined as IXI Visionware before being integrated more fully into SCO’s Client Integration Division.

• 1994

  Independent company reaches approximately 130 employees

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  Visionware reported approximately $12 million in revenue and employed about 130 people, with most staff based in Leeds.

• 1994

  SCO acquires Visionware

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  On 12 December 1994, SCO announced the acquisition of Visionware for $14.75 million in cash plus a small amount of stock.

• 1993

  Revenue reaches approximately $6 million

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  The company’s reported revenue reached approximately $6 million during its rapid growth phase.

• 1992

  North American operation opens

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  Visionware established a North American operation in Menlo Park, California, as the company expanded beyond its European base.

• 1991

  SQL-Connect is renamed SQL-Retriever

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  Visionware changed the name of its database-connectivity product from SQL-Connect to SQL-Retriever, reportedly to avoid a copyright issue involving a large database vendor.

• 1989

  Visionware is established through a management buy-out

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  Visionware was created in June 1989 as one of four ventures formed from the breakup of Systime under Control Data ownership.

• 1989

  Public debut at the European Unix Show

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  The new company introduced itself at the European Unix Show in London.

• 1987

  PC-Connect is released by Systime

  [1]Visionwareen.wikipedia.org

  The software that later became one of Visionware’s best-known products was originally developed and released by Systime as a Windows-to-Unix connectivity tool.

Enterprise software for seamless integration between Microsoft Windows desktops and Unix-based servers, graphical environments, and relational databases.

• Windows-to-Unix connectivity and terminal emulation · 1987

  PC-Connect

  PC-Connect was a connectivity product whose components ran on both Microsoft Windows and Unix systems. It provided terminal-emulation capabilities and supported interaction among Windows applications, X Window System applications, and Unix character-mode programs. A notable feature was cut-and-paste interoperability across those environments. The product supported multiple Unix platforms, including Sun Solaris, IBM AIX, HP-UX, UnixWare, SCO Unix, and Xenix. It was also resold by other computer companies and through redistribution agreements. Under SCO, it evolved into TermVision before the broader Vision product line faded.

• Windows X server

  XVision

  XVision was a Windows-based server for the Unix-oriented X Window System. Originally developed under the name PC-XVision, it enabled Windows computers to display and interact with X applications hosted on Unix systems. The product supported color graphics and aimed to preserve a Windows-like look and feel while providing access to Unix graphical software. After SCO acquired Visionware, the XVision source code was acquired by MKS Inc. and further developed under the MKS X/Server name.

• ODBC database connectivity

  SQL-Retriever

  SQL-Retriever was an ODBC-compliant database connectivity product for linking Windows applications with relational database systems. It supported databases and application environments involving products such as Informix, Oracle, Uniplex, and InterBase. Its intended use was to allow programs including Microsoft Excel to retrieve corporate data from Unix-hosted or other relational databases and incorporate that information into desktop workflows. The product was initially called SQL-Connect and was later dropped from the successor Vision product family.

• Terminal emulation and client integration

  TermVision

  TermVision was the SCO-era successor to PC-Connect. It developed the original Windows-to-Unix terminal and connectivity concept for newer 32-bit Windows environments, including Windows 95 support. It was part of the broader Vision product family created after SCO combined Visionware and IXI, but the product line later declined and was discontinued.

• 1995

  Integrate Visionware with IXIStrategy

  Background

  SCO owned both Visionware and IXI and sought to consolidate their related client-integration and graphical Unix technologies.

  Action taken

  SCO merged the businesses into IXI Visionware and later absorbed the unit into its Client Integration Division, placing products under the Vision family.

  Aftermath

  PC-Connect evolved into TermVision, SQL-Retriever was eventually discontinued, and the independent Visionware identity diminished.

  Source

• 1994

  Sell the company to SCOM&A

  Background

  Visionware operated in the growing market for Windows access to Unix corporate systems and had already collaborated with SCO on X-server technology.

  Action taken

  SCO acquired Visionware for $14.75 million in cash and a small amount of stock.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition expanded SCO’s Windows-client capabilities. Visionware was subsequently combined with IXI and integrated into SCO’s Client Integration Division.

  Acquisition consideration. $14.75 million in cash plus a small amount of stock (12 December 1994)

  Source

1. 1Visionwareen.wikipedia.org