Connectix

Connectix Corporation

Company type	Private
Industry	Software, Computer hardware
Founded	October 1988 (1988-10)
Founder	Jon Garber, Bonnie Fought, Roy McDonald
Defunct	August 2003 (2003-08)
Fate	Acquired by Microsoft (Virtual PC and Virtual Server), QuickCam acquired by Logitech
Headquarters	United States
Products	Virtual, HandOff II, SuperMenu, MODE32, Optima, MAXIMA, Connectix Desktop Utilities, Connectix Powerbook Utilities, RAM Doubler, Agent95, Speed Doubler, Surf Express, QuickCam, DoubleTalk, Virtual Game Station, Virtual PC, Microsoft Virtual Server

Connectix Corporation was established in October 1988 by Jon Garber, alongside co-founders Bonnie Fought and Roy McDonald, who remained CEO until the company ceased operations in August 2003. The firm was known for creating pioneering software and hardware solutions, many of which were either incorporated into Apple's system software or licensed to other businesses as they gained traction.

Products

Notable offerings from Connectix included:

• Virtual: This was Connectix's premier virtual memory application for Macintosh systems, preceding Apple's own implementation in System 7. It provided compatibility with multiple accelerator cards unsupported by Apple.
• HandOff II: A file launcher that addressed the "Application Not Found" error by initiating alternative applications, a feature later adopted by Apple.
• SuperMenu: Recognized as the first commercial hierarchical menu for Apple computers, a concept that Apple later integrated into System 7.
• MODE32: Facilitated 32-bit memory management on Macintosh models classified as "32-bit dirty"; subsequently acquired by Apple and distributed without charge during a related class-action lawsuit.
• Optima: Enabled System 6 to utilize all physical RAM on the Macintosh IIsi by activating 32-bit addressing mode.
• MAXIMA: A RAM disk utility capable of preserving data after system reboots and supporting boot operations directly from RAM.
• Connectix Desktop Utilities (CDU): A suite encompassing power management, file synchronization, and desktop customization tools; it achieved Energy Star Compliant Controlling Device certification.
• Connectix Powerbook Utilities (CPU): Tailored utility software designed specifically for laptop users.
• RAM Doubler: Combined memory compression with virtual memory techniques to expand available system resources; it became a leading Mac utility before being rendered obsolete by Apple's native enhancements. This product was also adapted for Windows 3.1, improving multitasking performance.
• Agent95: An updated Windows version of RAM Doubler compatible with Windows 95, featuring resource monitoring capabilities.
• Speed Doubler: Offered advanced disk caching, an accelerated file copying tool called Speed Copy, and a fast 68K-to-PowerPC emulator named Speed Emulator. The copy function was later separated into CopyAgent for OS 9.
• Surf Express: A local proxy server designed to speed up web browsing through caching mechanisms, available for both Mac OS and Windows 95 platforms.
• QuickCam: The inaugural webcam product initially released for Macintosh and subsequently for Windows, developed under Jon Garber's direction. Logitech acquired it in August 1998 for $25 million, establishing it as a prominent consumer technology device.
• DoubleTalk: Provided Macintosh systems with access to Windows network resources such as file servers and printers.
• Virtual Game Station: PlayStation emulation software sold to Sony following legal disputes; Sony promptly discontinued the product.
• Virtual PC and Microsoft Virtual Server: Emulation software enabling x86 PC operation on Macintosh, Windows, and OS/2 systems. These products were sold to Microsoft in February 2003, along with the transfer of vital technical personnel including CTO Eric Traut.

After divesting Virtual PC to Microsoft, Connectix phased out its Macintosh-focused products like DoubleTalk, CopyAgent, and RAM Doubler. This sale effectively ended Connectix's independent presence while incorporating its virtualization technologies into Microsoft's suite.