--- title: "From the CEO: Laplink Celebrates Four Decades of Innovation and Excellence" description: Laplink CEO Thomas Koll reflects on 40 years of innovation and excellence in the technology industry to celebrate the company's milestone moment. image: https://blog.laplink.com/hubfs/Canva%20images/Blog%20banners/blog%20image-CEO%20letter-40th%20anniversary-2023.jpg --- TRUSTED FOR OVER 40 YEARS - [About Laplink](https://go.laplink.com/about-us) - [About Us](https://go.laplink.com/about-us) - [Management](https://go.laplink.com/management) - [Careers](https://go.laplink.com/careers) - [Laplink Blog](https://blog.laplink.com/) - [Media Center](https://news.laplink.com/) - [Support](https://contact.laplink.com) - [Knowledge Base](https://help.laplink.com) - [Laplink Account Login](https://laplink.com/mysupport/default.asp?FinishURL=/mysupport/mysupport.asp) - [Contact](https://contact.laplink.com/) [![Laplink](https://blog.laplink.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Blog%20%20Main/images/logo-white.png?width=750&height=242&name=logo-white.png "Laplink")](https://www.laplink.com/) - 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Evaluation requests are processed and approved usually within one business day. Please fill out the form below. Please note the Evaluation copy of PCmover Enterprise requires you to be logged into a domain when testing. If you would like to test Enterprise without this requirement, please contact corpsales@laplink.com to receive an alternate copy of the software. Thank you for your interest, and for choosing Laplink Software! ##### Contact Sales × ![Featured Image](https://blog.laplink.com/hubfs/Canva%20images/Blog%20banners/blog%20image-CEO%20letter-40th%20anniversary-2023.jpg) # From the CEO: Laplink Celebrates Four Decades of Innovation and Excellence Published by [Thomas Koll, CEO](https://blog.laplink.com/author/thomas-koll-ceo) on May 11, 2023 at 10:44 AM 40 years — wow! I doubt anybody in the early years of software business anticipated being around for 40 years! And for many, that was rightly so. In 1983 when Laplink was founded as “Traveling Software”, the IBM Personal Computer was just two years old. Back then, it was not the PC that stood in the forefront, but Radio-Shack’s TRS-80 Model 100, for which the first software was built. Just like its famous competitor, Microsoft, Traveling Software built its first software for the M100: Appointment Manager, Expense Manager, and TS-DOS, to provide relevant software for this new device. Relationships were cultivated with Epson, Olivetti, NEC, Kyocera and HP. The breakthrough came with the first ad-hoc network between two PCs in the late 80s. The work with Sharp, Casio, and HP on connecting and syncing devices was first called “LapDOS,” ultimately dubbed “Laplink.” Before the Laplink product was further developed and taking off in the 90s, two projects stood out. In 1992, we developed sync software to connect the Apple Newton to PCs. We also launched CommWorks (1993), which was the first integrated fax, file transfer, and terminal services product. In the end, it was the Laplink product, after which the company was subsequently named, that became essential for PC users. Laplink set up an ad-hoc network connection that allowed file transfer between two PCs via patented parallel and serial cables. It was so fast and convenient that it became the standard companion for any IT staffer in corporate and small business alike. In the early history of Laplink, many projects launched that were similar to other technology companies at the time, and few made a visible entry into the market. Often the quest for new solutions thwarted sales, marketing, and operations from addressing the needs of customers. Stamina of vision, smart development, customer-oriented sales, and financial stability are all needed to survive in a fast-paced and innovation-driven industry. With “Laplink,” the company stuck to its guns and became a world market leader with many awards and accolades. The product in its early stages also addressed the need of PC users to transfer files, settings, and applications to a new PC. At first one needed simply to transfer the data to a new PC, but with the maturing of the Windows platform, this became a much more difficult process, which meant the pure transfer was not sufficient. Microsoft and its OEMs never focused on providing solutions for migrating to a new PC. A new group of players emerged who offered that solution, but in the end, it was Laplink’s PCmover that won the hearts and minds of users worldwide. We experimented with different technology at the time but the work of Dan Spear, PCmover’s architect and lead developer, made us take a gigantic step forward. With increased focus on commercial markets and addressing the needs of IT administrators and central IT teams, Laplink serves a worldwide market with partners around the world. PCmover has become the de facto standard for commercially available software. By automating the transfer process and customizing the rules and policies set by IT admins or by the user at home, PCmover has given millions of users hours of time back to use for other important tasks. Today we believe — as we always have — in our vision, in smart development, in customer-oriented sales and marketing, and in financial stability. Most essentially, it is our customers who have helped us with their patronage, critical reviews, suggestions and good ideas, and with applause and frustration that spurs us on to do an even better job and always improve our products. My thanks to all of our customers and friends in the industry. Whether you’re an OEM, Migration Service Provider, System Integrator, or industry heavyweight like Intel or Microsoft, you give us so many reasons to move forward with focus and speed. So, here’s to 40 years, and to knowing that the bright future of innovation and fast-paced technology still lies ahead of us! #### About Laplink Software Trusted for over 40 years, Laplink continues to be a global leader in [consumer](https://go.laplink.com/?hsLang=en), [SMB](https://business.laplink.com/?hsLang=en), and [enterprise](https://enterprise.laplink.com/?hsLang=en) PC migration software, and has earned the loyalty and trust of millions of organizations and customers worldwide. The company’s PCmover software saves time and budget, reduces migration risks, and increases efficiency. Only PCmover’s proprietary technology includes full selectivity that transfers data, applications, and settings from an old PC to a new one, even if the two PCs run different versions of Windows. The privately held company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. Tags: [Laplink Anniversary](https://blog.laplink.com/tag/laplink-anniversary), [Leadership](https://blog.laplink.com/tag/leadership) [Back to Blog](https://blog.laplink.com) #### Add Comment Published by #### Thomas Koll, CEO ![Author Image](https://blog.laplink.com/hubfs/TKauthor.jpg) As Chairman of the Board and CEO of Laplink, Thomas guides the company’s strategic direction. Prior to joining Laplink in 2003, Thomas was Chairman of the Board for Infowave, where he was involved in interfacing with global business and financial communities. Thomas also served as Infowave’s Chief Executive Officer from February 2001 to April 2002. Prior to joining Infowave, Thomas worked at Microsoft for more than 13 years. He was Corporate Vice President of Microsoft’s Network Solutions Group where he was responsible for Microsoft’s worldwide business with telecommunication companies. Thomas was instrumental in developing Microsoft’s vision for the communications industry and led the development of strategic partnerships in mobility, broadband and hosting. Previously, he was General... [Read more about Thomas Koll, CEO...](https://blog.laplink.com/author/thomas-koll-ceo) ## Related Articles ## [New Software Release: PCmover Profile Migrator - Laplink's Technology Blog](https://blog.laplink.com/2018/08/09/new-software-release-pcmover-profile-migrator?hsLang=en) For over twenty years, I have been a proponent of what we now call “cloud computing.” [Read More ](https://blog.laplink.com/2018/08/09/new-software-release-pcmover-profile-migrator?hsLang=en) ## [Laplink Connections: Interview with Ghostwriter AI Founder Patrick Husting](https://blog.laplink.com/laplink-connections-interview-with-ghostwriter-ai-founder-patrick-husting?hsLang=en) Have you ever wondered how artificial intelligence could help make your life easier? Or thought... [Read More ](https://blog.laplink.com/laplink-connections-interview-with-ghostwriter-ai-founder-patrick-husting?hsLang=en) ## [From the CEO: PCmover Profile Migrator is Free to IT Teams of All Sizes for a Hassle-Free Transfer to Azure AD](https://blog.laplink.com/from-the-ceo-pcmover-profile-migrator-free-to-it-teams-of-all-sizes-for-a-hassle-free-transfer-to-azure-ad?hsLang=en) When Microsoft introduced Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) I was skeptical that organizations... [Read More ](https://blog.laplink.com/from-the-ceo-pcmover-profile-migrator-free-to-it-teams-of-all-sizes-for-a-hassle-free-transfer-to-azure-ad?hsLang=en) - ©  LAPLINK SOFTWARE INC. 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