Title:
PC Software Workshop: Accounting

Date:
2004-05-06

Pages:
30 p.

Interviewer:
Johnson, Luanne; moderator
Ensmenger, Nathan; historian
Yost, Jeffrey; historian
Dyer, Ben; participant
Goodhew, Bill; participant
Harpst, Gary; participant
Jerger, Doug; participant
Russo, Mitch; participant
O’Donald, Louise ; editor
Ances, Carol Anne; editor

Abstract:
The principals who led three significant PC-based accounting and timekeeping software packages (Peachtree, TLB/Solomon and Timeslips) discuss the histories of their products and what competitors they were selling against. They discuss the difficulties of determining the most appropriate sales channel and the significance of product reviews in determining the success (or failure) of PC products. They talk about how the entry of IBM into the microcomputer market legitimized the entire industry and the difficulties in supporting the multitude of computer platforms prior to the dominance of the MS/DOS operating system. Finally, they discuss customer support issues and how marketing problems changed with the maturing of the industry.

Keywords:
Dyer, Ben
Goodhew, Bill
Harpst, Gary
Jerger, Doug
Russo, Mitch
Peachtree Software
Timeslips
Solomon
TLB
Fortex
DacEasy
BPI
Roberts, Ron
Mann, Steve
IBM PC
MSA
PC Magazine
InfoWorld

Rights:
Software History Center

102658155