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Delrina Corporation
Company typePrivate
IndustrySoftware
Founded1988
FounderBert Amato, Mark Skapinker, Dennis Bennie, Lou Ryan
Defunct1995
FateAcquired by Symantec
Headquarters
Toronto
,
Canada
Area served
Canada, United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany
Key people
Dennis Bennie (Chairman and CEO), Mark Skapinker (President), Bert Amato (CTO), Lou Ryan (San Jose sales office head)
ProductsWinFax, PerForm, FormFlow, WinComm, Cyberjack, Opus 'n Bill screensaver

Delrina Corporation was a Canadian software enterprise operating between 1988 and 1995, primarily recognized for its flagship product WinFax, which enabled computers equipped with fax modems to transmit documents to fax machines or other computer systems. The company also developed electronic form software such as PerForm and FormFlow. In 1995, Delrina was purchased by the American company Symantec.

Among its developments were screensavers, including one that triggered a significant legal case over copyright and trademark infringement (Berkeley Systems Inc. v. Delrina), which clarified that commercial software with satirical content does not receive First Amendment protections afforded to parody.

Delrina additionally offered online communication tools via WinComm and created the web browser Cyberjack. After being acquired by Symantec, several of its divisions were sold off, while some former executives proceeded to launch venture capital enterprises.

Corporate history

Established in Toronto in 1988, Delrina was founded by Zimbabwean expatriate Bert Amato, South African expatriates Mark Skapinker and Dennis Bennie, along with American Lou Ryan.[1] Bennie, an experienced entrepreneur, had previously co-founded Mission Electronics and Aviva Software (which later became Ingram Micro Canada). Delrina’s approach centered on securing leadership in specialized software sectors,[2] particularly through its electronic forms and PC fax solutions. Prior to incorporation, Amato and Skapinker began creating an electronic forms application that evolved into PerForm. Bennie, then CEO of Carolian Systems International, obtained a $1.5 million CAD seed funding to establish Delrina.[3] Carolian held 51% ownership; Bennie took on chairman and CEO roles, Skapinker became president, and Amato served as CTO.[4]

The company’s first headquarters were located on Mount Pleasant Rd. in Toronto. A sales office was set up in San Jose, California, overseen by co-founder Lou Ryan.[1] Delrina later expanded with additional branches in Kirkland, Washington, Washington, DC, and Lexington, Massachusetts, followed by offices in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.[5]

Origins of PerForm

Delrina’s debut product was the electronic forms software PerForm. Founders Amato and Skapinker recognized the demand for digital form completion as opposed to traditional paper forms. This product gained substantial traction among Canadian and U.S. government bodies, partly due to the U.S. Paperwork Reduction Act, which aimed to reduce paperwork volume. A landmark early contract was a multi-year agreement with the U.S. Navy signed in 1990. During the First Gulf War, PerForm was installed on Compaq laptops used by military personnel for requisitioning everything from basic supplies to equipment. Other significant clients included corporations such as 3M and Rockwell International.

PerForm stood out because of its user-friendly interface, powerful development tools, affordable pricing model, efficient workflow and routing functions, alongside enhanced security measures. It received recognition including InfoWorld’s 1991 "Product of the Year" award for electronic forms and PC World Magazine’s "Best Buy" accolade. By 1993, PerForm had firmly established itself within the retail sector.

In the early 1990s, Delrina collaborated with value-added resellers like NCR and GE Information Services, utilizing their customization capabilities to tailor paperless form solutions for corporate clients. These alliances contributed to consistent revenue growth: from CAD 5.63 million in 1989 to CAD 8.76 million in 1990, reaching CAD 11.89 million by 1991.

Challenges in Achieving Profitability

Although revenues increased, the company faced ongoing difficulties in turning a profit. Significant expenses—primarily in marketing and research and development—caused losses to escalate from $500,000 in 1989 to $1.5 million by the following fiscal year. By fiscal 1991, the net loss had risen to $1.7 million.

To raise capital, Bennie secured $7.7 million through a private placement in April 1991.

The company’s objective was to broaden the distribution of its electronic form software. In May 1992, Bennie remarked that "we've barely scratched the surface of our market."

In early 1992, Delrina and WordStar International Inc. entered into a letter of intent for a merger, but negotiations collapsed within weeks due to intricate legal, accounting, and managerial challenges. WordStar’s market share had fallen sharply from 80% at its peak to just 5%, as it sought Delrina’s advanced technology, while Delrina aimed to leverage WordStar’s extensive global sales network. Despite the failed merger, Bennie remained confident about expanding both the sales team and international market reach.

Subsequently, WordStar merged with Spinnaker Software and SoftKey Software Products to form SoftKey International. Following this development, Delrina established distribution partnerships with Wallace Computer Services, UARCO, and NCR Corporation to strengthen its product sales channels.

WinFax Product Development

As part of a strategic diversification effort, the company ventured into fax software with its WinFax product. Tony Davis, a software developer who initially consulted on forms products, developed a prototype that Delrina agreed to publish. WinFax was introduced at COMDEX in 1990 under the tagline "Send a Fax from Your PC," garnering the most attention among Delrina’s offerings and demonstrating strong commercial promise. Davis sold the concept to Delrina and assumed the role of lead architect.

The initial WinFax release supported only certain fax modems and was limited to sending faxes without receiving capability. This shortcoming was resolved with WinFax PRO 2.0 in 1991, which offered compatibility with all fax/modems—a significant advantage over competitors who restricted their software to specific hardware brands. Delrina also launched an OEM version bundled with fax/modems; initial collaborations involved eight manufacturers, growing to 50 by mid-1992 and exceeding 100 by early 1993.

The strategy of bundling the LITE version proved profitable: customers who registered via fax received upgrade offers for the PRO version, which generated the majority of sales. To penetrate the Apple market, Delrina acquired Solutions Inc.’s BackFax for Macintosh in December 1991 and rebranded it as "Delrina Fax Pro." A DOS variant ("DosFax PRO") followed in June 1992.

In late 1991, Delrina attempted to enhance its electronic forms software by acquiring OCR companies; however, these negotiations failed. Instead, it partnered with Caere Corporation to incorporate AnyFax OCR technology into its products, debuting this feature in WinFax PRO 3.0 (1992) and subsequently in FormFlow. Despite this collaboration, later editions of WinFax utilized Xerox’s TextBridge OCR engine.

Robust sales of WinFax enabled Delrina to report its first profitable quarter in three years by October 1992. The company then announced intentions to acquire additional consumer software firms as part of its strategy to broaden market share.

Purchase of Amaze Inc.

In October 1992, Delrina completed the acquisition of Amaze Inc., a Kirkland, Washington-based creator of daily planner software that incorporated licensed comic strips such as Cathy, Bloom County, B.C., and The Far Side. The deal involved assuming Amaze's $3 million debt in the U.S. and integrating two of Amaze’s board members—Rowland Hanson, formerly Microsoft’s VP of Corporate Communications, and George Clut—into Delrina’s board of directors. Following the acquisition, Amaze operated as a fully owned subsidiary under Delrina.

Berkeley Systems Inc. v. Delrina

Delrina's 1993 release, the screensaver Opus 'n Bill, utilized licensed characters from Bloom County and included a "Death Toasters" segment depicting Opus firing at flying toasters resembling those from Berkeley Systems’ well-known Flying Toasters screensaver in After Dark. Berkeley Systems initiated legal action against Delrina, alleging copyright and trademark violations. Delrina countered by asserting that their product was a parody protected by the First Amendment.

A preliminary injunction issued in September 1993 forced Delrina to suspend sales and recall the product, resulting in an estimated loss of $150,000. Support for Delrina’s parody claim came from political satirist Mark Russell, whereas the estate of composer Irving Berlin sided with Berkeley Systems. Cartoonist Berkeley Breathed commented that if television programs could parody corporate logos, then Delrina should have similar rights regarding flying toasters.

Judge Eugene Lynch ruled in favor of Berkeley Systems, determining that commercial software does not qualify for copyright exemption and that the toaster designs were substantially similar. The court also noted that Berkeley’s design was inspired by the Jefferson Airplane album Thirty Seconds Over Winterland, which subsequently led to a separate lawsuit by Jefferson Airplane against Berkeley Systems.

Although Delrina lost the case, the dispute attracted widespread media attention across North America, which temporarily increased sales prior to the recall. The screensaver was re-released with propellers replacing wings and renamed as the "Censored Toaster Module," leading to sales tripling initial projections. Despite this success, the screensaver division contributed less than 15% to Delrina’s overall revenue.

Josef Zankowicz, who managed public relations during this time, remarked that the lawsuit significantly raised market visibility at a fraction of typical advertising expenditures.

WinFax’s Market Success

WinFax's growing popularity substantially increased company revenues from $19.2 million in 1992 to $48.6 million in 1993—more than doubling within a year. Eventually, WinFax outperformed the original forms product in revenue generation, accounting for 80% of total sales. By 1994, over three million copies had been sold, with WinFax consistently ranking among the "Top 10" software titles.

The rapid expansion caught company executives off guard; Bennie acknowledged in late 1993 that WinFax’s triumph "really caught us by surprise." The workforce expanded quickly from 250 employees early in 1993 to 350 by year-end. The surge in demand placed considerable pressure on Technical Support due to the wide variety of modems available on the market, prompting Delrina to invest approximately $800,000 in telephone infrastructure upgrades and add 40 new support staff by December 1993. By late 1994, industry analysts praised Delrina for delivering "exceptional" customer support.

To leverage WinFax’s momentum further, Delrina established a Communication Services division in 1993 focused on business markets. This initiative included strategic alliances with major telecommunications providers such as BellSouth and MCI Inc.. In November 1994, this division launched Fax Broadcast—a service allowing users to send one fax message simultaneously to up to 500 recipients via Delrina’s platform. A planned Fax Mailbox feature combining fax and voice message retrieval was delayed due to negotiations with AlphaNet Telecom, but was resolved by mid-1994 with AlphaNet receiving compensation.

By late 1994, Delrina had become one of North America’s fastest-growing software firms with a workforce exceeding 500 employees primarily located in Toronto. Financially robust by February 1995, the company controlled nearly 75% of the fax software market share, maintained zero debt, and held $40 million in cash reserves. Monthly WinFax shipments reached 200,000 units with an installed base surpassing four million users. Operational efficiencies improved as cost of sales declined from 30% to 25% of net revenue, boosting gross profit margins.

Influence of Windows 95

In November 1992, Skapinker encountered Bill Gates at a dinner hosted by Microsoft and inquired about the fax features planned for their forthcoming operating system, which would later be known as Windows 95. Gates confirmed that basic fax functionality was intended and proposed working together with Microsoft’s development team to create enhanced products.

Delrina concentrated on building a product suite designed to extend the capabilities of Windows 95.[6] According to Bennie, their objective was to develop software spanning fax, data transmission, telephony/digital voice, and Internet connectivity, which eventually culminated in CommSuite 95. In 1994, Delrina acquired AudioFile, a company specializing in voice technologies, leading to the creation of TalkWorks—a voicemail client utilizing fax/modem technology.

Recognizing the surge in online communication during the early 1990s, Delrina licensed Hilgraeve's HyperACCESS terminal emulator in 1993 to introduce their first WinComm application. Initially part of the Communications Suite alongside WinFax, WinComm became a separate product line in March 1994. Although entering a market largely dominated by Datastorm’s Procomm series relatively late, Delrina pursued aggressive growth by acquiring the Canadian online bulletin board service CRS Online and distributing free editions of WinComm LITE and FreeComm during 1995.

With the Internet becoming commercially accessible in the mid-1990s, Delrina released Cyberjack 7.0 in December 1995. Created by a South African development team, Cyberjack combined a Web browser, Usenet news reader, FTP client, IRC chat capability, and support for Microsoft Exchange email. A distinctive feature was its "Guidebook" bookmarking system.

Later that same month, CommSuite 95 was launched, bundling WinFax PRO 7.0, WinComm PRO 7.0, TalkWorks, and Cyberjack’s Internet utilities.[7]

After Windows 95 debuted in August 1995,[8] Delrina encountered direct rivalry from Microsoft’s integrated fax application and their licensed HyperTerminal communication software—the foundation for Delrina’s WinComm product. Although Microsoft’s tools were more rudimentary compared to Delrina’s sophisticated offerings, they nonetheless represented a formidable challenge. The introduction of Microsoft’s complimentary Internet Explorer browser later that year effectively eliminated the market for commercial browsers like Cyberjack,[9] thereby restricting Delrina’s competitiveness within the Internet software sector.

Symantec Acquisition and Subsequent Developments

In early 1995, Delrina Chairman Dennis Bennie engaged in discussions with Symantec CEO Gordon Eubanks regarding a potential merger. By September 1995, Delrina’s founders agreed to sell the company to Symantec through a stock transaction valued at $415 million USD. The deal was announced in July and received shareholder approval in November, with completion on November 22, 1995. This consolidation positioned the combined entity as the fifth largest software company in the United States. Post-acquisition, Delrina operated as the "Delrina Group" within Symantec and incorporated other communications software such as pcAnywhere. Bennie joined Symantec’s Board of Directors and assumed the role of Executive Vice President.

At its height, Delrina employed over 700 staff globally, predominantly based in Canada. Symantec’s acquisition exemplified a broader pattern of major U.S.-based corporations acquiring Canadian software firms—paralleling transactions like Microsoft’s purchases of Softimage and Zoom-it, as well as Silicon Graphics’ acquisition of Alias.

Following these changes, certain segments of Delrina were divested: its Electronic Forms Division was sold to JetForm in September 1996. JetForm (later rebranded as Accelio) was eventually acquired by Adobe Systems, which phased out these electronic forms products by 2004. Simultaneously, rights to the Echo Lake multimedia title were acquired by Creative Wonders, who rebranded it as Family Album Creator.

Despite email supplanting fax technology over time, WinFax continued generating significant revenue for Symantec; one year after the merger, sales from fax software accounted for approximately 10% of Symantec's total income.

Post-Delrina Developments

Delrina acted as a springboard for entrepreneurial leadership, with numerous key figures and staff going on to establish thriving enterprises. With backing from investors such as Skapinker and Amato, and Bennie serving as lead Director, Davis launched Lanacom, which specialized in an early form of Internet "push content" technology. Within just over a year, Lanacom was acquired by Backweb, a company listed on NASDAQ; Davis continued as president while Bennie joined the board as Director.

Following this, Skapinker and Davis collaborated to establish Brightspark, a software-focused venture capital firm. Brightspark secured $60 million in funding in 1999 and an additional $55 million in 2004 from Canadian financial institutions. The firm employed several former Delrina team members, including Allen Lau and Eva Lau. Brightspark Ventures was recognized twice with the Canadian Venture Capital Association's "Deal of the Year Award" for its successful transactions involving ThinkDynamics’ sale to IBM and Radian6’s acquisition by Salesforce.com.

Bennie launched XDL Capital ("Ex Delrina"), a venture capital management company that raised $25 million in 1997 through XDL Ventures and $155 million in 1999 via XDL Intervest. Former Delrina legal counsel David Latner became a partner, while Amato contributed as an advisor and significant investor. XDL Intervest targeted internet-centric startups and brought on board Tony Van Marken (former CEO of Architel) and Michael Bregman (former CEO of Second Cup). The advisory board featured Canadian billionaire Robert Young, co-founder and chairman of Red Hat Inc.

Several companies supported by XDL were either founded or led by ex-Delrina personnel:

Delano, founded by Bahman Koohestani, focused on e-business solutions. XDL provided initial funding prior to its NASDAQ listing under the ticker DTEC. Bennie held the position of Chairman. In 2003, Delano was acquired by divine.

Pinpoint Software Corporation, established in 1992 by Lou Ryan with Bennie on the board as director, developed network PC management software. It received partial financing from XDL Capital, rebranded as ClickNet Software in 1998, and later became Entercept Security Technologies Inc. Entercept was sold to Network Associates for $120 million in 2004, with its technology subsequently integrated into McAfee’s security offerings.

Protégé Software, created in 1996 by Larry Levy—Delrina’s former European Managing Director—raised $120 million in 2003 with participation from XDL Intervest. Protégé facilitated the launch of 20 U.S.-based companies into Europe; nine earned spots on the Red Herring Top 50 Private Companies list, and five eventually went public. After the collapse of the dot-com bubble, it was sold to various buyers including Warburg Pincus.

'Netect Ltd., a network security company backed by XDL, was purchased by Bindview Development Corporation (NASDAQ:BVEW) in 2001. Marc Camm, former General Manager of Desktop Communications at Delrina, led Netect and joined Bindview as Executive Vice President of Marketing following the acquisition.

Over time, Delrina’s primary markets—fax and form software—were eclipsed by advancements in email, e-commerce, and Internet-based technologies. Software for daily planning remained specialized; immersive 3D multimedia environments gave way to more conventional user interfaces. Symantec discontinued support for WinFax PRO in June 2006.

Delrina is widely regarded as an incubator that nurtured innovation and professional expertise, enabling many of its former employees to build prosperous careers within the technology sector, especially around Toronto. A Yahoo Groups forum called "xdelrina" continues to serve as a platform for alumni to maintain their connections.

Forms products

Delrina's inaugural offering, PerForm, was a software solution for electronic forms, accompanied by FormFlow, designed to facilitate electronic forms processing within workgroups and large enterprises. Both products achieved leading positions in the market, competing against solutions from WordPerfect, Microsoft, Novell, Lotus Software, and JetForm.

PerForm and FormFlow allowed users to develop standalone form applications that could be easily shared across network environments. Each product featured a "Designer" module for form creation and a "Filler" component for submitting completed forms via fax or email. Key functionalities included automation of repetitive processes, enforcement of required fields, input masks for data validation, and secure storage of data within dBase files.

Initially created for the DOS-based Graphics Environment Manager (GEM), subsequent iterations—marketed as PerForm PRO—were compatible with Windows 3.1 and later Windows platforms. PerForm PRO 3.0 offered integration with Delrina's WinFax software alongside advanced automation capabilities.

While PerForm led the retail segment, Delrina broadened its focus toward enterprise requirements by introducing FormFlow in 1994, which supported email integration and operated on DOS, Windows, and Unix systems.

WinFax

WinFax enabled computers equipped with fax modems to transmit faxes directly to fax machines or other computer systems.

Throughout its lifespan, multiple versions were released, beginning with support for Windows 3.x and later Windows 95. WinFax PRO 2.0 debuted in July 1991. The software was adapted for key European and Asian markets. Collaborations with modem manufacturers such as U.S. Robotics and Supra resulted in bundling of basic "WinFax LITE" editions, which facilitated widespread use while promoting upgrades to the full PRO version at reduced prices. By 1994, nearly 100 companies—including IBM, Compaq, AST Research, Gateway 2000, Intel, and Hewlett-Packard—included WinFax with their hardware offerings.

In late 1992, WinFax PRO 3.0 was released for Windows 3.x, followed shortly by a Macintosh version. The Lite edition was distributed as OEM software by various fax modem manufacturers and later updated to WinFax Lite 4.0.

WinFax PRO 4.0, launched in March 1994, featured an improved OCR engine, enhancements for mobile users, better on-screen fax previewing, and a unified interface design. It also supported direct integration with popular email clients such as cc:Mail and Microsoft Mail. A Workgroup edition enabled multiple users on a network to share a single fax modem.

The standalone application was also packaged with grayscale scanners under the name WinFax Scanner.

The final release bearing the Delrina brand was WinFax PRO 7.0 in late 1995; version 8.0 followed post-acquisition under Symantec's branding. The leap from version 4.0 to 7.0 was a strategic marketing choice aligned with Microsoft Office's version numbering and introduced the first fully 32-bit application optimized for Windows 95, setting it apart from competitors.

By the time WinFax PRO 7.0 became available in retail outlets, Delrina had been acquired by Symantec.

Multimedia offerings

Screensavers were initially created to protect CRT monitors from phosphor burn-in. Delrina expanded on this idea by integrating audio and simple interactive features, establishing its screensavers as pioneering multimedia products.

After acquiring Amaze Inc., Delrina produced several screensavers featuring licensed cartoon characters. The 1993 release of "Opus 'n Bill Brain Saver" notably resulted in copyright disputes. Subsequent products included a licensed screensaver inspired by the first live-action The Flintstones film and "The Scott Adams Dilbert Screen Saver Collection," launched in September 1994.

Echo Lake

Released in June 1995, Delrina’s Echo Lake was a groundbreaking multimedia scrapbook application combining aspects of Quark Xpress and Myst. It provided users with a 3D virtual workspace to arrange videos, audio clips, and images into digital albums, which could then be shared or printed.

Although celebrated for its inventive approach and contribution to expanding Delrina’s consumer base, Echo Lake encountered obstacles in widespread adoption due to the limited availability of multimedia input and playback devices during that period.

Electronic forms

Multimedia

  • The Far Side Daily Planner Calendar Publisher 3.0 – September 1993
  • Delrina Intermission 4.0 Screen Saver – October 1993
  • Opus 'n Bill Brain Saver – October 1993
  • The Far Side Screen Saver Collection – June 1994
  • Opus 'n Bill On the Road Again Screensaver – September 1994
  • The Scott Adams Dilbert Screen Saver Collection – September 1994
  • Echo Lake – June 1995

Fax software

  • WinFax 1.0 – December 1990
  • WinFax PRO 2.0 – June 1991
  • WinFax Lite – April 1992
  • DosFax Lite – April 1992
  • DosFax PRO 2.0 – June 1992
  • WinFax PRO 3.0 – November 1992
  • Delrina Fax PRO 1.5 for Macintosh – September 1993
  • WinFax PRO for Networks – November 1993
  • WinFax PRO 4.0 – March 1994
  • WinFax Scanner – 1994
  • WinFax PRO 7.0 – November 1995
  • WinFax PRO 7.5 (included with TalkWorks) – October 1996
  • WinFax PRO 8.0 (bundled with TalkWorks PRO) – March 1997
  • TalkWorks PRO 2.0 – August 1998
  • WinFax PRO 9.0 – August 1998
  • TalkWorks PRO 3.0 – August 1999
  • WinFax PRO 10.0 – February 2000

Online communication tools

Sources

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Softwarriors p33
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 1994AnnualReport p1
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named web.archive.org
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MacFarlane
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named thefreelibrary
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 1994AnnualReport p2
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Millman
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Segal
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named freeware

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