Berkeley Systems

Berkeley Systems

Company type	Private
Industry	Software development, Video games
Founded	1987 (1987)
Founder	Wes Boyd, Joan Blades
Defunct	2000 (2000)
Fate	Acquired by Sierra On-Line (CUC International) in 1997; absorbed into iWin.com in 2000
Headquarters	Berkeley, California , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Wes Boyd, Joan Blades
Products	After Dark, You Don't Know Jack, Stepping Out, inLARGE, Launch Pad, Expresso Calendar and Address Book, Triazzle, licensed screen savers (Star Trek, The Simpsons, Looney Tunes)
Number of employees	120 (1997)
Parent	Sierra On-Line (CUC International) (1997–2000)

Berkeley Systems was a software firm located in the San Francisco Bay Area, founded in 1987 by Wes Boyd and Joan Blades. The company initially earned income by undertaking contracts for the National Institutes of Health, focusing on adapting Macintosh computers to assist users with visual impairments. Apple licensed several of Berkeley Systems' accessibility applications, incorporating them into its operating system; among these was outSPOKEN, a screen-reading tool that received a Smithsonian technology accolade in 1990.

The company's earliest commercial achievement was Stepping Out, a virtual desktop solution for Macintosh that helped overcome the limitations imposed by small display sizes. Another early offering, inLARGE, served to enlarge on-screen visuals for individuals with low vision.

Berkeley Systems gained widespread recognition with the release of After Dark, a modular screen saver known for its memorable features such as the flying toasters animation. Created by Jack Eastman and Patrick Beard, this product was pioneering as the first commercially marketed modular screen saver and became emblematic of the company’s portfolio.

Their highest-grossing product was the trivia game You Don't Know Jack, produced by Jellyvision. This title utilized interactive educational methods derived from Jellyvision's instructional film "The Mind's Treasure Chest" and introduced sophisticated graphics, sound design, and promotional strategies to Berkeley Systems. Game development continued at Jellyvision’s Chicago location.

Additional significant products included:

• Launch Pad, a child-friendly desktop interface replacement
• Expresso Calendar and Address Book, featuring the Star Trek-inspired Star Date
• Triazzle, a puzzle game based on concepts created by Dan Gilbert
• Licensed screen savers themed around popular franchises such as Star Trek, The Simpsons, and Looney Tunes

Operating out of Berkeley, California, the company grew to employ around 120 staff members and generated nearly $30 million in yearly revenue before being acquired by Sierra On-Line (under CUC International) in 1997 for $13.8 million. After Vivendi Universal took over Sierra, Berkeley Systems served as the U.S. base for Flipside.com. In 2000, it was absorbed into iWin.com, a Los Angeles-based online gaming site, as part of Vivendi’s organizational realignment.

Berkeley Systems was involved in two prominent legal disputes related to its flying toasters imagery: one in 1993 against Delrina Corporation over a similar screen saver component, which concluded with Delrina modifying its design; and another in 1994 initiated by Jefferson Airplane alleging infringement on their album cover artwork, which was dismissed due to absence of trademark protection.

Following their time at Berkeley Systems, founders Boyd and Blades went on to create the progressive advocacy organization MoveOn.org in 1998. Additionally, Blades co-founded MomsRising.org in 2006 alongside Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner.

External links

• Archived official website (berksys.com)