Apparat, Inc.
Denver, Colorado | |
Founders |
|
---|---|
Defunct | 1988 |
Fate | Dissolution |
Products | NewDos/80 |
Apparat, Inc., was an American software developer, peripheral manufacturer, mail order company, and retailer active from 1978 to 1988 and primarily based in
History
Foundation (1978–1980)
Apparat was founded in 1978 by Jim Lauletta and Clifford Ide,
In the year of their founding, Apparat began work on an alternative disk operating system for the TRS-80.[5]: 398 After two years of semi-public beta testing, the operating system was formally released as NewDos/80 in 1980, the name christened by Dick Miller, Apparat's East Coast distributor.[6][3]: 49
NewDos/80 (1980)
Authored by Ide,[7] NewDos/80 was the first third-party operating system for the TRS-80,[8][3]: 48 giving users an alternative to the TRS-80's native TRSDOS. Initial versions of NewDos/80 were actually patches to TRSDOS requiring the user already own a legal copy of the latter. Later versions were programmed from the ground up.[9] NewDos/80 was immensely popular among users of the TRS-80 almost immediately after its publication.[10] InfoWorld published a rave review of the operating system in 1980, writing: "NEWDOS/80 belongs in every TRS-80 disk owner's software library. It is a superior operating system that increases the value of the microcomputer, whether you use it for recreation, business, or miscellaneous household purposes."[11]: 19
Tandy were displeased with the popularity of NewDos/80, perceiving the software as infringing their copyrights to TRSDOS, and lodged cease and desist letters at Apparat's front desk. However, a formal lawsuit was delayed by a dispute over legal ownership of TRSDOS between Tandy Corporation and Randy Cook, the original author of TRSDOS.[3]: 50 According to Cook, Apparat themselves countered with a lawsuit against Tandy, giving Tandy an ultimatum by having them pay for Apparat to fix an exhaustive list of bugs within TRSDOS. Cook found Apparat's settlement terms tantamount to blackmail, but according to him, Tandy gave this strong consideration in order to avoid the battle for ownership of TRSDOS between the company and Cook.[3]: 51 The lawsuit dissolved after Apparat rewrote NewDos/80 from scratch in 1981.[3]: 51 [6]
Beyond NewDos, IBM PC products, and dissolution (1980–1988)
Starting in late 1980, Apparat briefly marketed Apex,
Employment at Apparat reached 35 in 1983, the company hiring 10 more people the following year.
As well as developing hardware and software and running their mail-order catalog, Apparat was also active in retailing, opening up a couple of locations in the Denver area dedicated to selling products listed in the company's catalog. In 1984, the company opened up a branch office and retail store in Arlington Heights, Illinois, near Chicago. In 1985, the company began selling their own bespoke IBM PC–compatible computer systems exclusively through their retail locations.[18]
Apparat dissolved in 1988.[19]
References
- ^ a b c "Other Manufacturers of Mass-Storage Products". PC Week. 4 (39). Ziff-Davis: S16. September 29, 1987 – via Gale.
- ^ a b Walter, Russ (1978). Secret Guide to Computers (9th ed.). p. C43 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^ ISBN 9780979346811– via Google Books.
- ^ a b Fish, Larry (2004). "The Story Behind Apex/XPL0 and the 6502 Group". 6502group.org. Denver 6502 Group. Archived from the original on October 14, 2004.
- ^ Maloney, Eric, ed. (January 1983). "80 Micro Hall of Fame". 80 Micro (36). 1001001: 396–398 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^ a b Bell, Ken (December 2, 1981). "Computer can spy on phones". The Province. British Columbia: 29 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Maloney, Eric, ed. (October 1987). "Correction". 80 Micro (93). 1001001: 111 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^ Bell, Ken (July 13, 1980). "First personal computer fair set". The Province. British Columbia: 28 – via Newspapers.com.
- ISBN 9780936200026– via Google Books.
- ^ Bell, Ken (April 29, 1981). "Some memorable alternatives". The Province. British Columbia: 30 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Powers, David E. (September 29, 1980). "NewDos/80 from Apparat, Incorporated". InfoWorld. 2 (17). IDG Publications: 14, 19 – via Google Books.
- ^ O'Connor, Rory J. (November 17, 1980). "CP/M-Like Operating System Designed for Apple". Computer Business News. 3 (46). CW Communications: 33, 38 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^ "Vendors". Computerworld. 17 (50A). IDG Publications: v-i–V-118. December 14, 1983 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^ "Vendors". Computerworld. 18 (39A). IDG Publications: v-i–V-38. September 26, 1984 – via the Internet Archive.
- ^ a b Magid, Lawrence J. (August 1982). "PC on a Budget". PC Magazine. 1 (4). Ziff-Davis: 104–112 – via Google Books.
- ^ Rosch, Winn L. (September 18, 1984). "Apparat: Amazingly Compatible". PC Magazine. 3 (18). Ziff-Davis: 140–143 – via Google Books.
- ISBN 9780830626960– via Google Books.
- ^ "Apparat Shifted from Mfg. as Convenience to Customers". Computer & Software News. 3 (37). Lebhar-Friedman: 34. September 16, 1985 – via Gale.
- ^ "Apparat Computers, Inc". OpenCorporates. n.d. Archived from the original on August 3, 2023.