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!
Trusted for over 40 years, Laplink continues to be a global leader in consumer, SMB, and enterprise 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.