InterCon Systems Corporation
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Founded | April 1988 |
| Founder | Kurt D. Baumann, Mikki Barry |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Fate | Acquired by PSINet in 1995; development team and product lines sold to Ascend Communications in 1997 |
| Headquarters | Virginia , United States |
Area served | United States, Europe, Japan |
Key people | Kurt D. Baumann, Mikki Barry |
| Products | TCP/Connect, TCP/Connect II, tcpCONNECT4, NFS/Share, Shark series (NetShark, WebShark, MailShark), InterPPP/InterSLIP, InterPrint, InterServer Publisher, Planet X, WatchTower |
Number of employees | 100+ (1997) |
InterCon Systems Corporation was established in Virginia in April 1988 by Kurt D. Baumann and Mikki Barry with the goal of creating software that allowed Macintosh computers to operate seamlessly within heterogeneous network environments. During a period when the preference between TCP/IP and OSI protocols was still undecided and prior to the widespread adoption of the Internet, InterCon expanded rapidly—from a small team of three to over 100 employees within nine years—distributing its software products throughout the US, Europe, and Japan.
In June 1995, PSINet acquired InterCon and continued to market and provide support for its TCP/IP software portfolio. Subsequently, in February 1996, PSINet merged InterCon with Software Ventures, another company specializing in Macintosh communication software. By February 1997, InterCon’s development team and product lines were sold to Ascend Communications.
Products
At its inception in 1988, InterCon concentrated on two main offerings: TCP/Connect (initially derived from NCSA Telnet) and an email application. However, licensing complications delayed the release of the email product until the launch of TCP/Connect II.
TCP/Connect
InterCon introduced TCP/Connect as its primary product at the Macworld Conference & Expo in August 1988. Originally based on NCSA Telnet with commercial support enhancements, it quickly evolved; by October 1988, it included one of the first graphical FTP clients available for Macintosh as well as IBM 3270 terminal emulation, demonstrated at the inaugural InterOp Expo.
Over the following years, improvements were made to terminal emulation and file transfer functionalities, though no significant new protocols were added before TCP/Connect was superseded by a fully redesigned version: TCP/Connect II.
TCP/Connect II
Between 1990 and 1995, TCP/Connect II served as InterCon’s flagship internet software suite. It extended beyond terminal emulation and file transfers by incorporating email and network news capabilities along with multiple terminal emulations such as IBM 3270 and DEC VT-240.
The product underwent rapid development introducing features like embedded graphics and multimedia support within email; sophisticated automation tools, filtering, and message highlighting; a high-performance web browser; a gopher client; among other protocol integrations.
After launching its integrated web browser within TCP/Connect II, AOL licensed this browser in 1995 for use with their dial-up networking services, rebranding it as WebShark to distinguish it from the full suite.
tcpCONNECT4
Released in 1996 under the new name tcpCONNECT4 (an enhanced iteration of TCP/Connect II), this suite provided a comprehensive collection of TCP/IP applications designed for Internet or intranet connectivity. The product received limited updates prior to InterCon’s acquisition by Ascend Communications.
NFS/Share ranked as InterCon's second most successful offering, providing high-speed access to file servers through the NFS protocol. This product found widespread use particularly in educational settings and pre-press industries by leveraging NFS’s strong presence within Sun Microsystems’s UNIX server platforms. Employing advanced optimization techniques, NFS/Share secured a prominent position in its target markets.
Shark Series
In 1995, InterCon launched a line of consumer-focused products under the "Shark" brand, which included NetShark, WebShark, and MailShark. These offerings were simplified adaptations of TCP/Connect (II or 4), deliberately excluding Terminal Emulation features.
NetShark
NetShark, along with its variant MailShark, was an internet suite comprising email and web browsing clients derived from TCP/Connect. Aimed at the consumer segment, it struggled to achieve notable market penetration.
MailShark
MailShark consisted solely of the email functionality extracted from TCP/Connect but never reached commercial release.
WebShark
WebShark contained only the web browser component of TCP/Connect. It was licensed by AOL for use on Macintosh platforms to facilitate web access and subsequently rebranded as Apple's eWorld Web Browser, broadening its distribution through strategic collaborations.
InterPPP/InterSLIP
InterSLIP and InterPPP were software products that enabled Macintosh users to establish dial-up connections over TCP/IP without requiring embedded protocol stacks, by leveraging Apple's MacTCP. These tools played a role in expanding TCP/IP adoption within the Macintosh ecosystem.
InterPrint
InterPrint allowed Macintosh computers to print to PostScript printers via TCP/IP networks, primarily targeting corporate and prepress sectors. It was integrated directly into Apple's printing system, enhancing network printing functionality.
InterServer Publisher
InterServer Publisher was a background-running server package for Macintosh that supported web, FTP, and gopher services. It was designed for internet service providers and businesses needing Mac-based server infrastructure.
Planet X
From 1991, InterCon marketed Planet X, an X Window System client developed externally for Macintosh. This software enabled Macs to present their displays as windows on any X Window System server, facilitating graphical interface interoperability across platforms.
WatchTower
WatchTower represented the first SNMP monitoring solution tailored for Macintosh environments. Created by GBP Software (now ClueTrust) and distributed by InterCon starting in 1990, it retailed at $2,495 and offered pioneering SNMP agent and monitoring capabilities within a niche market.
IPv6 Participation
As part of early IPv6 experimentation, InterCon implemented a SIPP protocol variant for Macintosh within a trial version of TCP/Connect II. Although SIPP was ultimately not adopted as a standard, this effort highlighted InterCon’s dedication to developing IPv6-compatible internet technologies.
Internet Services in Japan (IIKK)
In 1992, InterCon founded a Japanese subsidiary named IIKK to grow commercial internet services and bolster its TCP/IP market share in Japan. Collaborating with AT&T JENS, IIKK played a key role in launching the nation’s inaugural commercial ISPs.
IIKK’s first points of presence operated from unconventional locations—initially from Joi Ito’s bathroom—and its first office occupied a former karaoke bar in Myogadani. The company was later acquired by PSINet, forming the cornerstone of PSINet Japan.