Ovation Technologies

Ovation Technologies was a short-lived software company founded in Canton, Massachusetts, in December 1982[1] to create business productivity software for the then-emerging IBM PC and compatible market.[2] Briefly named Spectrum Group Inc., the company was founded by Thomas J. Gregory, who also served as the company's president.[3] Mike Walrod served as vice president of marketing.[4]

Ovation Technologies
FormerlySpectrum Group Inc.
TypePrivate
IndustrySoftware
FoundedDecember 1982 (1982-12) in Canton, Massachusetts
FounderThomas J. Gregory
Defunct1984 (1984)
FateDissolved
ProductsOvation (never released)

Their intended product, also named "Ovation", was an integrated software suite aiming to compete against the industry leader at the time, Lotus 1-2-3.[5] The company raised several million in capital and secured a distribution agreement with Tandy Corporation, including co-marketing with their line of Tandy 2000 computers.[6][7] The "Ovation" project was led by chief software designer Robert Kutnik.[8]

The company made impressive demonstrations, culminating with a high-profile news conference staged at Manhattan's Windows on the World restaurant,[9] but ultimately they were unable to ship their product, and filed for bankruptcy by the end of 1984.[5]

Ovation's most enduring claim to fame may be as what many consider to be the industry's first widely publicized and "most notorious" example of vaporware.[9][10][11]

References
  1. Wierzbicki, Barbara (1983-11-07). "Ovation integrates five applications". InfoWorld. CW Communications. 5 (45): 31–32 – via Google Books.
  2. "New Companies". Computerworld. 1983-10-24. p. 90. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  3. Posner, Bruce G. (1983-09-01). "In Search of Better Business Plan". Inc. Mansueto Ventures. Archived from the original on 2010-02-06.
  4. Shea, Tom (1984-05-07). "Developers Unveil 'Vaporware'". InfoWorld. Vol. 6, no. 19. pp. 48–51 – via Google Books.
  5. Bartimo, Jim (1984-12-03). "Stoking the Micro Fire". InfoWorld. p. 48. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  6. Needle, David (1984-02-20). "Late Breaking News". InfoWorld. p. 11. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  7. Alsop, Stewart II (1988-01-18). "Tandy DeskMate: Viva La Small Business" (PDF). P.C. Letter. 4 (2): 9–10.
  8. McCarthy, Michael (1984-11-12). "From the News Desk". InfoWorld. CW Communications. 6 (46): 13 – via Google Books.
  9. Forbes ASAP Staff (2001-05-28). "Burning Questions, Final Answers". Forbes. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  10. Flynn, Laurie (1995-04-24). "The Executive Computer". The New York Times: D4. Archived from the original on 2011-01-10.
  11. Townsend, Emru (2008-05-06). "The top 15 vaporware products of all time". PCWorld. IDG Communications. Archived from the original on June 19, 2021.


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