Breakthrough Software

Breakthrough Software
IndustrySoftware
FoundedBy 1984
Defunct1987
FateMerged into Symantec
HeadquartersNovato, California, U.S.
ProductsProject management software
BrandsTime Line, Timeline

Breakthrough Software was a software company based in Novato, California. Breakthrough developed and sold the Time Line project management software for PC DOS computers, releasing the first version in 1984,[1] and version 2.0 in July, 1985.[2] Company staff in the 1980s included William Lohse (1984-1985) as president,[3] Victoria Lohse as COO and CEO[4] and Andrew Layman as president starting in 1986.[2]

Negotiations to merge Breakthrough into Integrated Software Systems Corp. (ISSCO) reached an agreement in principle in October, 1986[4] but broke down soon afterwards when Computer Associates, developer of a different project management program, announced an agreement to acquire ISSCO.[5]

Breakthrough was acquired by Symantec in 1987. Symantec continued to release versions of Timeline until at least version 6.0 in 1994.[6]

References

  1. ^ Breakthrough offers project management software for IBM micro. Computerworld, 3 Sept 1984.
  2. ^ a b Hank Bannister. Project Software Demand Growing. InfoWorld, Jan 27, 1986. page 5.
  3. ^ Vendors search for next big win. Computerworld, Mar 25, 1985. page 57.
  4. ^ a b Issco agrees to buy maker of Time Line. InfoWorld, 13 Oct 1986.
  5. ^ Rachel Parker. Breakthrough to Withdraw from Merge Plans with ISSCO. InfoWorld, 15 Dec 1986.
  6. ^ William Brandel. Symantec to purchase rival. Computerworld. 11 April 1994. page 30.