Who were the founders of Borland Software Corporation, and what was the company's primary business upon its establishment?

Borland Software Corporation was founded in 1983 by Niels Jensen, Ole Henriksen, Mogens Glad, and Philippe Kahn. The company's main business focused on developing and selling software development and software deployment products, which are tools and systems used to create and distribute computer programs.

What was the progression of Borland's headquarters locations, and what is its current corporate status and parent company?

Borland's headquarters moved from Scotts Valley, California, to Cupertino, California, and finally to Austin, Texas. The company became a full subsidiary of the British firm Micro Focus International plc in 2009. As of 2023, Micro Focus, including Borland, was acquired by the Canadian firm OpenText, which subsequently integrated Borland's product portfolio into its application delivery management division.

How did Borland's initial founding in 1981 lead to the involvement of Philippe Kahn and the establishment of Borland Inc. in the U.S.?

Borland Ltd. was initially founded in August 1981 by Niels Jensen, Ole Henriksen, and Mogens Glad in Denmark to create products such as Word Index for the CP/M operating system. The need to access the American market led them to establish a U.S. company, where they encountered Philippe Kahn, a significant developer of the Micral computer. Kahn subsequently served as chairman, president, and CEO of Borland Inc. from its inception in 1983 until 1995.

What was Borland's original name, and how did the company come to be known as "Borland"?

Borland's original name was MIT, an acronym for "Market In Time." The name "Borland" was adopted after acquiring it from a small Irish company that had been one of MIT's initial customers and subsequently went bankrupt. This rebranding was legally recommended after the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (also known as MIT) sent a letter, prompting the company to change its name.

Who were the main shareholders at the time of Borland's incorporation, and what were their respective shareholdings?

At the incorporation of Borland, the main shareholders were Niels Jensen with 250,000 shares, Ole Henriksen with 160,000 shares, Mogens Glad with 100,000 shares, and Philippe Kahn with 80,000 shares.

What was Borland's inaugural product, and who was its key developer?

Borland's first product was Turbo Pascal, released in 1983. It was developed by Anders Hejlsberg, a notable software engineer who later went on to develop .NET and C# for Microsoft. Before Borland acquired it, the product was known as Compas Pascal in Scandinavia.

Describe Borland's product "Sidekick" and its significance in the early MS-DOS era.

In 1984, Borland introduced Sidekick, a utility program that offered features like time organization, a notebook, and a calculator. It was notable as an early terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program for MS-DOS compatible operating systems, meaning it could load into memory and remain active in the background while other applications ran.

What other early applications did Borland launch after Turbo Pascal and Sidekick, and where were they developed?

Following the success of Turbo Pascal and Sidekick, Borland released additional applications such as SuperKey and Lightning. All these early products were developed in Denmark.

Detail Borland's initial public offerings and the financial institutions involved.

Borland first went public in 1986 on London's Unlisted Securities Market (USM), with Schroders serving as the lead investment banker. The company then had its first U.S. initial public offering (IPO) in 1989, led by Goldman Sachs, followed by a second offering in 1991 with Lazard as the lead banker.

What significant acquisition did Borland make in 1985, and how did it position the company in the software market?

In 1985, Borland acquired Analytica, which brought the Reflex database product into its portfolio. This acquisition was significant, as Forrester Research subsequently identified Borland, along with Analytica, Ashton-Tate, Lotus Development, and Microsoft, as the "Big Four" leaders in personal computer software.

How did the Analytica acquisition impact Borland's U.S. engineering team and future product development?

The engineering team from Analytica, led by Brad Silverberg and including Reflex co-founder Adam Bosworth, became the foundation of Borland's U.S. engineering efforts. Silverberg served as VP of engineering until 1990, while Bosworth initiated the Quattro spreadsheet project at Borland before eventually moving to Microsoft, where he took over the project that evolved into Microsoft Access.

What was the impact of Borland's 1987 acquisition of Wizard Systems on its compiler development and the Danish co-founders?

In 1987, Borland acquired Wizard Systems, integrating its Wizard C technology into Turbo C, which was released on May 18, 1987. Bob Jervis, the creator of Wizard C, joined Borland. This move, however, caused a divergence with Niels Jensen and his team, who were working on new compilers in London, leading them to spin off Jensen & Partners International (JPI), later known as TopSpeed, to develop their own Modula-2, C, C++, and Pascal compilers.

What were Borland's financial performance metrics in fiscal year 1987, and who were its main competitors at that time?

In fiscal year 1987, Borland reported a revenue of $29.2 million and pretax earnings of $4.7 million. During this period, the company was actively competing with other major software firms like Lotus and Ashton-Tate.

Which database management tool did Borland acquire in September 1987, and what key personnel changes resulted from this acquisition?

In September 1987, Borland acquired Ansa-Software, thereby gaining the Paradox (version 2.0) database management tool. As a result of this acquisition, Richard Schwartz, a co-founder of Ansa, became Borland's Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and Ben Rosen joined the company's board of directors.

What legal challenge did Borland face after launching Quattro Pro, and what was the outcome of this significant lawsuit?

After launching the Quattro Pro spreadsheet in 1989, Borland was sued by Lotus Development for copyright infringement, specifically concerning the "look and feel" of its software. In the case *Lotus Dev. Corp. v. Borland Int'l, Inc.*, Borland advocated for "programmer's rights." The First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Borland's favor, and although the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case, a 4-4 tie vote meant the Circuit Court's decision stood, but it did not establish a national legal precedent.

How did Borland's "no-nonsense license agreement" address software piracy and intellectual property rights?

Borland's "no-nonsense license agreement" was a unique approach to software intellectual property, allowing users to make multiple copies of a program. The key condition was that only one copy could be actively used at any given time, effectively treating software usage "just like a book" where one person reads one copy at a time.

What major acquisition did Borland make in 1991, and how did it intensify competition with Microsoft?

In September 1991, Borland acquired Ashton-Tate through an all-stock transaction, bringing the dBASE and InterBase databases into its product line. This acquisition heightened competition with Microsoft, which responded by launching its own database product, Microsoft Access, and purchasing the dBASE clone FoxPro in 1992, often at lower prices than Borland's offerings.

How did Borland's C and C++ compilers perform against Microsoft's offerings in the early 1990s?

In the early 1990s, Borland's implementations of the C and C++ programming languages, specifically its compilers, were more successful in sales than those offered by Microsoft.

What internal challenges did Borland face following the Ashton-Tate merger, particularly concerning its product portfolio?

The Ashton-Tate merger created significant internal challenges for Borland, primarily due to Ashton-Tate's weak product portfolio, which lacked a Windows-compatible version of its highest revenue earner, dBASE. The consolidation of duplicate offices was expensive and disruptive, and an internal project to create a Windows version of dBASE was abandoned in late 1992 due to technical issues, necessitating a new development team.

How did market conditions and internal issues affect the success of dBASE for Windows and Borland's overall market position in the mid-1990s?

Borland experienced layoffs in 1993, and by the time dBASE for Windows was released, the developer community had largely shifted to competing products such as Clipper or FoxBase, preventing dBASE from regaining its former market share. This decline occurred against the backdrop of Microsoft's growing dominance with its integrated Office product suite.

How did changing market conditions regarding corporate software purchasing impact Borland's prominence in the mid-1990s?

In the mid-1990s, the software market underwent a significant shift as companies moved from allowing individual technical staff to purchase software freely to implementing corporate standards and demanding clear return on investment. This required software vendors to provide new types of marketing and support, but Borland continued to prioritize the technical aspects of its products, which contributed to its decline in market prominence.

What strategic alliance did Borland attempt in 1993 to compete with Microsoft, and what was its outcome?

In 1993, Borland sought an alliance with WordPerfect to create a software suite that could rival Microsoft's integrated offerings. This collaboration resulted in "Borland Office for Windows," which combined the WordPerfect word processor, Quattro Pro spreadsheet, and Paradox database. However, despite its introduction at the 1993 Comdex computer show, it failed to gain significant market share against Microsoft Office, and WordPerfect was subsequently acquired by Novell.

What major divestiture did Borland undertake in October 1994, and how did it reshape the company's strategic focus?

In October 1994, Borland sold its Quattro Pro spreadsheet and the rights to sell up to one million copies of its Paradox database to Novell for $140 million in cash. This strategic divestiture allowed Borland to reposition itself, focusing on its core software development tools and the Interbase database engine, and shifting its attention towards client-server applications and, later, web development tools.

Why did Philippe Kahn resign from his leadership roles at Borland in 1995?

Philippe Kahn resigned as chairman, CEO, and president of Borland in January 1995, after 12 years, due to disagreements with the company's board of directors regarding the strategic focus of the company. He continued to serve on the board until November 7, 1996.

Who succeeded Philippe Kahn as CEO of Borland, and what was the leadership transition like in the mid-1990s?

After Philippe Kahn's resignation, Gary Wetsel briefly served as CEO but resigned in July 1996. William F. Miller then took over as interim CEO, followed by Whitney G. Lynn as interim president and CEO. The company subsequently saw a succession of leaders, including Dale Fuller and Tod Nielsen.

When was the Delphi 1 rapid application development environment launched, and who led its development?

The Delphi 1 rapid application development (RAD) environment, a software tool designed to accelerate application creation, was launched in 1995 under the leadership of Anders Hejlsberg.

Which company did Borland acquire in 1996, and who founded it?

In 1996, Borland acquired Open Environment Corporation, a company based in Cambridge that was founded by John J. Donovan.

Who was appointed as Borland's CEO and chairman in late 1996?

Del Yocam was hired as Borland's CEO and chairman on November 25, 1996.

What strategic moves did Borland make regarding its database products and middleware in 1997?

In 1997, Borland sold its Paradox database product to Corel, but crucially retained all development rights for the core Borland Database Engine (BDE). Later that year, in November 1997, Borland acquired Visigenic, a middleware company specializing in implementations of CORBA, which is a standard for distributed object computing.

What significant name change occurred in April 1998, and what was the strategic reasoning behind it?

In April 1998, Borland International, Inc. officially changed its name to Inprise Corporation. This rebranding was intended to signal a strategic refocusing of the company's efforts towards enterprise applications development, with the name "Inprise" chosen to suggest "integrating the enterprise."

Why was the proposed merger between Inprise and Corel in 2000 ultimately abandoned?

A proposed merger between Inprise and Corel, announced in February 2000, which aimed to develop Linux-based products, was ultimately abandoned. The reasons cited were a decline in Corel's share value and the realization that there was no clear strategic alignment between the two companies.

What was Borland's strategy regarding InterBase in 2000, and how did it evolve?

In July 2000, InterBase 6.0 was released as open-source software. However, plans to spin off the InterBase division into a separate company were later abandoned due to disagreements on terms. Following this, Borland ceased open-source releases and instead focused on rapidly developing and selling new commercial versions of InterBase.

When and why did Inprise Corporation revert its name to Borland Software Corporation?

In November 2000, Inprise Corporation announced its intention to change its name back to Borland Software Corporation, a process that was completed in the first quarter of 2001. This change also involved updating its Nasdaq market symbol from "INPR" to "BORL."

How did Borland's strategy change under CEO Dale L. Fuller in the early 2000s, particularly concerning its product offerings?

Under the leadership of new president and CEO Dale L. Fuller, a smaller and more profitable Borland refocused its strategy on its Delphi product. This led to the creation and 2001 launch of Kylix, a version of Delphi and C++Builder specifically for the Linux operating system, which marked the first time Borland brought its expertise in integrated development environments (IDEs) to the Linux platform.

What significant technological milestone did Delphi 6 achieve in 2001?

In 2001, Delphi 6 achieved a significant technological milestone by becoming the first integrated development environment (IDE) to offer support for web services, which are standardized ways for different applications to communicate over a network. Currently, all of Borland's development platforms support web services.

Describe the evolution of Borland's C# development tools in the early to mid-2000s.

In 2003, Borland released C#Builder as a native C# development tool, designed to compete with Microsoft's Visual Studio .NET. By 2005, C#Builder, along with Delphi for Win32, and Delphi for .NET, were integrated into a single comprehensive integrated development environment (IDE) known as "Borland Developer Studio," though it was still commonly referred to as "Delphi."

What acquisitions did Borland make in late 2002, and how did they enhance its product offerings?

In late 2002, Borland made two key acquisitions: design tool vendor TogetherSoft and tool publisher Starbase. Starbase was known for its StarTeam configuration management tool and the CaliberRM (later renamed Caliber) requirements management tool. These newly acquired tools were subsequently integrated into Borland's JBuilder and Delphi development environments, providing developers with a more extensive set of tools.

Trace the leadership changes at Borland from mid-2005 to early 2009.

Dale Fuller resigned as CEO in July 2005 but remained on the board of directors. Scott Arnold, the former COO, served as interim president and chief executive officer until Tod Nielsen took over as CEO on November 9, 2005. Nielsen departed in January 2009 to become the chief operating officer at VMware, at which point CFO Erik Prusch assumed the role of acting president and CEO.

What strategic rebranding and relocation efforts did Borland undertake in 2007?

In early 2007, Borland unveiled new branding to emphasize its focus on open application life-cycle management (ALM), which encompasses the entire process of managing a software application from conception to retirement. In April 2007, the company announced it would move its corporate headquarters and development facilities to Austin, Texas, while maintaining other development centers in locations such as Singapore, Santa Ana, California, Prague, Czech Republic, and Linz, Austria.

Describe the acquisition of Borland by Micro Focus, including the timeline and financial details.

On May 6, 2009, Borland announced its impending acquisition by Micro Focus for $75 million. Borland shareholders approved the transaction on July 22, 2009, at a price of $1.50 per share. The acquisition was finalized in late July 2009, at which time Borland was estimated to have around 750 employees.

What happened to Borland's products after Micro Focus integrated the Attachmate Group in 2015?

On April 5, 2015, following Micro Focus's integration of the Attachmate Group of companies (which had merged on November 20, 2014), Borland's products were absorbed and became part of the broader Micro Focus portfolio.

What was the purpose of Borland's acquisition of Leaders in October 2005?

In October 2005, Borland acquired Leaders with the aim of integrating its IT management and governance suite, known as Tempo, into Borland's existing product line.

What significant strategic shift did Borland announce in February 2006 regarding its product divisions and future focus?

On February 8, 2006, Borland announced a major strategic shift: the divestiture of its Integrated Development Environment (IDE) division, which included products like Delphi, JBuilder, and InterBase. Simultaneously, the company declared its intention to acquire Segue Software, a developer of software test and quality tools, signaling a renewed focus on application life-cycle management (ALM).

Which company specializing in software quality and security did Borland acquire in March 2006?

On March 20, 2006, Borland announced the acquisition of Gauntlet Systems, a company that provided technology designed to screen software under development for quality and security issues.

What was the purpose of creating CodeGear in November 2006?

In November 2006, Borland decided to separate its developer tools group into a wholly owned subsidiary named CodeGear. This new operation was made responsible for four distinct Integrated Development Environment (IDE) product lines.

When and to whom did Borland sell its CodeGear division, and for what financial terms?

On May 7, 2008, Borland announced the sale of its CodeGear division to Embarcadero Technologies. The transaction was expected to be valued at $23 million, with Borland retaining an additional $7 million in CodeGear accounts receivables.

List some of the "recent" products offered by Borland, including those acquired from Segue Software.

Among Borland's more recent products are the Silk line, which includes Silk Central, Silk Performer, and Silk Test, all acquired from Segue Software and first announced in 1997. Other programs in its recent portfolio include Borland AppServer, Borland Caliber DefineIT, Borland CaliberRM, Borland Enterprise Server, Borland Enterprise Studio (for C++, Mobile, and Java), Borland Gauntlet, StarTeam, Borland Tempo, Together, and Visibroker.

Name several historical software products developed or acquired by Borland.

Borland's historical product lineup includes a wide array of software, such as Borland C++, Borland Delphi, Brief (a text editor), C++Builder, C#Builder, CodeWright, Entera (acquired from Open Environment Corporation), Eureka: The Solver (a numerical solver for mathematical systems of equations), IntraBuilder, JBuilder, Kylix, ObjectVision, and various "Turbo" products like Turbo Assembler, Turbo BASIC (now PowerBASIC), Turbo C, Turbo C++, Turbo Debugger, Turbo Delphi, Turbo Pascal, and several Turbo Pascal toolboxes (Database, Editor, Graphix, Numerical Methods, Tutor), Turbo Profiler, and Turbo Prolog (now Visual Prolog). Additionally, it included dBase, InterBase, Borland Paradox, Sidekick, Sidekick Plus, SuperKey, Turbo Lightning (a TSR spell checker), Borland Eureka the Solver, Borland Reflex, Quattro, Quattro Pro, Sprint (a word processor), Turbo GameWorks, and Word Wizard.

Was there any unreleased software by Borland that later found commercial release under a different name?

Yes, Borland had an unreleased software product called Turbo Modula-2, which was later sold by TopSpeed as TopSpeed Modula-2.

What was *CB Magazine*, and what was its connection to Borland?

*CB Magazine* was an official publication by Borland Japan, which was republished on April 3, 1997.

Borland Wiki: Borland's Digital Odyssey: A Legacy in Software Development

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Introduction to Borland

A Software Pioneer

Borland Software Corporation emerged in 1983 as a pivotal computing technology company, dedicated to the development and sale of innovative software development and deployment products. Founded by Niels Jensen, Ole Henriksen, Mogens Glad, and the charismatic Philippe Kahn, Borland quickly established itself as a significant player in the burgeoning personal computer software market.

Shifting Headquarters

Over its operational history, Borland's corporate headquarters transitioned through several key locations in California, starting in Scotts Valley, then moving to Cupertino, and finally settling in Austin, Texas. These relocations mirrored the company's evolving strategic focus and market presence within the dynamic software industry.

Evolution and Legacy

Borland's journey culminated in its acquisition by the British firm Micro Focus International plc in 2009, becoming a full subsidiary. Subsequently, in 2023, Micro Focus, including the Borland portfolio, was acquired by the Canadian firm OpenText, which integrated Borland's offerings into its application delivery management division. This trajectory highlights Borland's lasting influence on software engineering, even as its corporate identity evolved.

The Genesis: 1980s Foundations

Danish Roots, American Ambition

Borland Ltd. was initially established in August 1981 by three Danish entrepreneurs: Niels Jensen, Ole Henriksen, and Mogens Glad. Their early efforts focused on developing products for the CP/M operating system. The enthusiastic reception of their products at the CP/M-82 show in San Francisco underscored the necessity of a U.S.-based entity to effectively penetrate the American market. This led to a crucial meeting with Philippe Kahn, a key developer of the Micral computer, who had recently relocated to Silicon Valley.

From MIT to Borland

The company's initial name was "MIT," an acronym for "Market In Time." However, a legal recommendation prompted a rebranding effort following a letter from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The name "Borland" was subsequently adopted, originating from a small Irish company that had been an early customer of MIT and later went bankrupt, allowing for the acquisition and use of its name in the U.S.

Early Product Innovations

Under Philippe Kahn's leadership as chairman, president, and CEO from 1983 to 1995, Borland launched its first groundbreaking product, Turbo Pascal, in 1983. This was followed in 1984 by Sidekick, an innovative time organization, notebook, and calculator utility that pioneered the concept of terminate-and-stay-resident programs (TSR) for MS-DOS. These early successes quickly propelled Borland into the spotlight, establishing its reputation for delivering high-quality, affordable development tools.

Evolution Through Eras

Borland International, Inc. (1983-1998)

This era marked Borland's rapid ascent and diversification. The company expanded its product line beyond compilers to include database products like Reflex (acquired from Analytica in 1985) and Paradox (acquired from Ansa-Software in 1987). The launch of the Quattro Pro spreadsheet in 1989 led to a landmark copyright infringement lawsuit with Lotus Development, where Borland championed open standards. The company also made significant acquisitions, including Ashton-Tate in 1991, bringing dBASE and InterBase into its portfolio. This period saw Borland challenging industry giants and establishing a strong presence in software development tools.

1983: Turbo Pascal launched.
1984: Sidekick introduced.
1985: Acquired Analytica (Reflex database).
1986: Went public on London's Unlisted Securities Market (USM).
1987: Acquired Wizard Systems (Turbo C) and Ansa-Software (Paradox).
1989: Quattro Pro launched; first U.S. IPO.
1991: Acquired Ashton-Tate (dBASE, InterBase).
1993: Collaborated with WordPerfect on "Borland Office for Windows."
1994: Sold Quattro Pro and Paradox rights to Novell.
1995: Philippe Kahn resigned; Delphi 1 launched.
1996: Acquired Open Environment Corporation.
1997: Sold Paradox to Corel; acquired Visigenic (middleware).

Inprise Corporation (1998-2001)

In April 1998, Borland International, Inc. rebranded as Inprise Corporation, aiming to refocus on enterprise application development and integration. This strategic shift, however, coincided with significant financial losses and a decline in public image, with many mistakenly believing Borland had ceased operations. During this period, dBASE was sold to KSoft, Inc., and a proposed merger with Corel for Linux-based products was ultimately abandoned. Despite these challenges, Inprise made InterBase 6.0 available as open-source software in July 2000, signaling a new direction before the company decided to revert to its original, more recognized name.

Borland Software Corporation (2001-2009)

Re-emerging as Borland Software Corporation in January 2001, the company, under new management led by Dale L. Fuller, embarked on a path of renewed focus and profitability. This era saw the creation of Kylix, bringing Delphi and C++Builder to the Linux platform, and the release of Delphi 6 as the first IDE to support web services. Borland expanded its toolset through acquisitions like TogetherSoft and Starbase, integrating products like StarTeam and CaliberRM. The company also relocated its headquarters to Austin, Texas, before its eventual acquisition by Micro Focus in 2009, marking the end of its independent corporate journey.

Comprehensive Product Portfolio

Modern Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Tools

Following strategic acquisitions and a renewed focus on enterprise solutions, Borland's later product offerings centered on application lifecycle management (ALM) and quality assurance. These tools were designed to streamline software development, testing, and deployment processes for complex enterprise environments.

Silk Central: A centralized test management system.
Silk Performer: A load and performance testing tool.
Silk Test: An automated functional and regression testing tool.
Borland AppServer: An application server for enterprise deployments.
Borland Caliber DefineIT: For requirements definition.
Borland CaliberRM (later Caliber): A requirements management tool.
Borland Enterprise Server: For enterprise-level application deployment.
Borland Enterprise Studio: Integrated development environments for C++, Mobile, and Java.
Borland Gauntlet: Technology for screening software quality and security.
StarTeam: A configuration management tool.
Borland Tempo: An IT management and governance suite.
Together: A design tool (acquired from TogetherSoft).
Visibroker: A CORBA middleware implementation.

Iconic Historical Development Tools

Borland's legacy is largely defined by its pioneering and highly influential development tools, which empowered generations of programmers. These products were renowned for their speed, efficiency, and innovative features, often setting industry standards for integrated development environments (IDEs) and compilers.

Borland C++: A popular C++ compiler and IDE.
Borland Delphi: A rapid application development (RAD) environment for Windows.
Brief (text editor): A highly customizable programmer's text editor.
C++Builder: A RAD environment for C++.
C#Builder: A native C# development tool.
CodeWright: A powerful programmer's editor.
Entera: Middleware acquired from Open Environment Corporation.
Eureka: The Solver: A numerical solver for mathematical systems of equations.
IntraBuilder: A web application development tool.
JBuilder: A Java IDE.
Kylix: Delphi and C++Builder for Linux.
ObjectVision: A visual programming tool for creating database applications.
Turbo Assembler: An assembler for x86 processors.
Turbo BASIC: A BASIC compiler (later PowerBASIC).
Turbo C: A fast C compiler and IDE.
Turbo C++: A fast C++ compiler and IDE.
Turbo Debugger: A debugger for various languages.
Turbo Delphi: A free version of Delphi.
Turbo Pascal: A highly successful Pascal compiler and IDE.
Turbo Pascal Database Toolbox: Extensions for database development in Turbo Pascal.
Turbo Pascal Editor Toolbox: Tools for text editing in Turbo Pascal.
Turbo Pascal Graphix Toolbox: Graphics capabilities for Turbo Pascal.
Turbo Pascal Numerical Methods Toolbox: Numerical analysis tools for Turbo Pascal.
Turbo Pascal Tutor: A tutorial for Turbo Pascal.
Turbo Profiler: A performance analysis tool.
Turbo Prolog: A Prolog compiler (later Visual Prolog).
dBase: A database management system (acquired with Ashton-Tate).
InterBase: A relational database management system.
Borland Paradox: A relational database management system.
Sidekick: A terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) utility.
Sidekick Plus: An enhanced version of Sidekick.
SuperKey: A keyboard macro utility.
Turbo Lightning: A TSR spell checker.
Borland Eureka the Solver: A numerical solver.
Borland Reflex: A flat-file database.
Quattro: An early spreadsheet program.
Quattro Pro: A powerful spreadsheet program.
Sprint: A word processor.
Turbo GameWorks: Game development tools for Turbo Pascal.
Word Wizard: A utility requiring Turbo Lightning.

Unreleased Software

Not all of Borland's development efforts saw a public release under the Borland brand. One notable example is Turbo Modula-2, a compiler for the Modula-2 programming language. While initially an internal project, this technology was later sold by TopSpeed as TopSpeed Modula-2, demonstrating Borland's continuous innovation even in projects that ultimately took a different commercial path.

Strategic Acquisitions & Divestitures

Key Acquisitions

Borland's growth and evolution were significantly shaped by its strategic acquisitions, which expanded its product portfolio and market reach. These included:

Analytica (1985): Brought the Reflex database product.
Wizard Systems (1987): Incorporated Wizard C technology into Turbo C.
Ansa-Software (1987): Acquired the Paradox database.
Ashton-Tate (1991): A major acquisition that added dBASE and InterBase to Borland's offerings.
Open Environment Corporation (1996): A Cambridge-based middleware company.
Visigenic (1997): A middleware company focused on CORBA implementations, including Visibroker.
TogetherSoft (2002): A design tool vendor.
Starbase (2002): Publisher of StarTeam configuration management and CaliberRM requirements management tools.
Leaders (2005): Added its IT management and governance suite, Tempo.
Segue Software (2006): A maker of software test and quality tools, including the Silk line (Silk Central, Silk Performer, Silk Test).
Gauntlet Systems (2006): Provider of technology for screening software quality and security.

Divestitures and Spin-offs

As market conditions and corporate strategies shifted, Borland also engaged in divestitures to streamline its focus. Notable examples include:

Quattro Pro and Paradox (1994): Sold to Novell, allowing Borland to reposition on core software development tools.
Paradox (1997): Sold to Corel, though Borland retained development rights for the core BDE.
dBASE (1999): Sold to KSoft, Inc. (later dBASE Inc.).
InterBase (2000): Initially made open-source, though plans for a full spin-off were abandoned, and Borland later resumed commercial development.
CodeGear (2006-2008): Borland announced the divestiture of its IDE division, forming CodeGear as a wholly owned subsidiary. This included flagship products like Delphi, JBuilder, and InterBase. CodeGear was subsequently sold to Embarcadero Technologies in 2008.

Frank Borland: The Iconic Mascot

A Recognizable Figure

Frank Borland served as a distinctive mascot character for Borland products, becoming a recognizable symbol of the company's brand. According to Philippe Kahn, Frank Borland first made his appearance in advertisements and on the cover of the Borland Sidekick 1.0 manual in 1984, during the height of the Borland International, Inc. era. His presence extended to other educational materials, such as the Turbo Tutor for Turbo Pascal, and even later products like Borland JBuilder 2.

Post-Acquisition Revival

Even after Borland Software Corporation was acquired by Micro Focus plc, the character of Frank Borland experienced a revival. A live-action version of the mascot was created by True Agency Limited, further cementing his place in the company's history and marketing efforts. An introductory film was also produced about the mascot, showcasing his enduring appeal and connection to the Borland brand, even as the company transitioned under new ownership.

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Borland's Digital Odyssey

💡 Dive in with Flashcard Learning! 💡

Introduction to Borland 💡

🏢 A Software Pioneer

🗺️ Shifting Headquarters

🔄 Evolution and Legacy

The Genesis: 1980s Foundations 🏗️

🇩🇰 Danish Roots, American Ambition

🏷️ From MIT to Borland

🚀 Early Product Innovations

Evolution Through Eras 📈

🌐 Borland International, Inc. (1983-1998)

📉 Inprise Corporation (1998-2001)

✨ Borland Software Corporation (2001-2009)

Comprehensive Product Portfolio 📦

🛠️ Modern Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Tools

📜 Iconic Historical Development Tools

🚫 Unreleased Software

Strategic Acquisitions & Divestitures 🤝

🔗 Key Acquisitions

➡️ Divestitures and Spin-offs

Frank Borland: The Iconic Mascot 👨‍💻

🌟 A Recognizable Figure

🎬 Post-Acquisition Revival

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Introduction to Borland

A Software Pioneer

Shifting Headquarters

Evolution and Legacy

The Genesis: 1980s Foundations

Danish Roots, American Ambition

From MIT to Borland

Early Product Innovations

Evolution Through Eras

Borland International, Inc. (1983-1998)

Inprise Corporation (1998-2001)

Borland Software Corporation (2001-2009)

Comprehensive Product Portfolio

Modern Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Tools

Iconic Historical Development Tools

Unreleased Software

Strategic Acquisitions & Divestitures

Key Acquisitions

Divestitures and Spin-offs

Frank Borland: The Iconic Mascot

A Recognizable Figure

Post-Acquisition Revival

Teacher's Corner

True or False?

Test Your Knowledge!

Gamer's Corner

Discover other topics to study!

References

Feedback & Support

Disclaimer

Important Notice