Geac Computer Corporation Overview and History

Geac Computer Corporation was a Canadian company that played a significant role in the development of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

Geac was founded in 1969 by David Hemington.

The company's first product, the Geac 1000, was a minicomputer designed for the financial services industry.

Geac's early success in this market allowed the company to expand its product line and move into new industries.

Geac Computer Corporation offered a range of products that catered to various needs, including ERP software, minicomputers, and more.

Their product list included notable items like Anael, Expert & Millennium Server, MPC, RunTime, SmartStream, System21, and VUBIS.

These products were designed to provide efficient solutions for specific industries and applications, as evident from their fixed-size disc architecture that allowed for fast and consistent performance.

Geac minicomputers were introduced between 1971 and 1977, with notable models being the Geac 150, Geac 500, Geac 800, and Geac 8000.

The Geac 8000, in particular, supported up to 20-40 terminals, with the option to increase this number using concentrators.

Here are some key features of Geac minicomputers:

Geac designed its own operating system, named Geac, in collaboration with Dr. Michael R. Sweet, and also developed its own programming language, OPL, resulting in a multi-user real-time solution called the Geac 500.

The Geac 500 was a major breakthrough in hardware and software, allowing for multiple simultaneous terminal connections and paving the way for the development of more advanced systems.

Geac's operating system was designed to support real-time multi-user systems, and it was used in a number of high-profile implementations, including the Vancouver City Savings Credit Union's online banking system.

The Geac 8000, introduced in 1978, was a significant improvement over the Geac 500, with a proprietary microcoded processor that provided vastly improved software flexibility, reliability, performance, and fault tolerance.

The Geac 8000 supported up to 20-40 terminals and had 300 MB disks, with a dual-CPU system released in 1978 supporting up to about 1 GB of hard disk.

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Geac's library management software was introduced in 1977 and was adopted by several well-known libraries, including the US Library of Congress and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

The Geac 8000 also introduced a suite of office automation apps, including a calendar, wordprocessor, e-mail, and spreadsheet, which were piloted by the federal Office for Regional Development and later used by the NAFTA Trade Negotiations Office.

Geac developed its own programming languages, which were designed to meet the specific needs of its products and services. One of these languages was OPL, later renamed ZOPL, which was used for low-level programming.

ZOPL found uses in 1970s high-level minicomputer language on Hewlett Packard systems and conventional business-applications on minicomputers.

Geac also had higher-level languages, such as Hugo, which was specifically designed for Library Management Software and had only 24 variables initially.

These languages were tailored to meet the needs of a specific business, showing the flexibility of Geac's approach to programming.

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GEAC's software offerings for libraries and financial institutions date back to the 1970s. The company introduced its first library automation product, the GEAC Library Information System (GLIS), in 1977.

GLIS proved popular with medium-size and larger academic libraries in North America and elsewhere, running on minicomputers manufactured by GEAC. The system was marketed as a pre-configured turnkey combination of hardware and software.

GEAC's library automation business remained profitable, even during the company's financial difficulties in the mid-1980s. However, uncertainty about GEAC's long-term financial stability led to a downturn in new GLIS installations, especially in the United States.

GEAC also offered software for financial institutions, including the Royal Bank of Canada, which was a major customer. The company's stock rose 42.9 percent in 1983 to end the year at C$22.50.

Here are some key financial milestones for GEAC during this period:

GEAC's financial performance improved under the leadership of Stephen Sadler, who became the company's chief financial officer in 1987 and later CEO. The company acquired new library automation software, called Advance, through the acquisition of Advanced Libraries and Information Inc.

Geac Computer Corporation made numerous acquisitions during its existence, including Advanced Business Technologies and Comshare.

Some of the notable acquisitions include Advanced Libraries & Information, Claymore Systems Group, and DataMark International Limited.

Geac also acquired Dun & Bradstreet Software Services, EBC Informatique, and Extensity.

In total, Geac acquired over 30 companies, including Comp-Tech Incorporated, Convergent Solution Pty. Ltd., and Cruickshank Technology Pty.

Here is a list of some of the notable acquisitions:

The new company to be formed by Golden Gate Capital will include two business units built around Geac's remaining assets, with a financial applications unit focusing on Geac's Enterprise Server, SmartStream, Anael, Extensity and Comshare products.

Geac Computer Corporation was incorporated in March 1971 by Robert Kurt Isserstedt and Robert Angus ("Gus") German.

The company's software had become too sophisticated for existing computers by 1976, prompting Geac to begin offering its own online computer hardware.

In 1977, Geac introduced its library management software, which was adopted by a number of well-known libraries.

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The 2nd version of the 8000, a dual-CPU system released in 1978, supported up to about 1GB of hard disk.

Geac was listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in May 1983 at C$15.75 a share.

In 1984, the French National Library in Paris awarded Geac a C$2 million contract to automate its library catalog.

Advance software became available from Geac in late 1989.

In April 1997, Geac held its first user group conference since acquiring DBS, where it outlined a new business plan.

The company continued to acquire smaller companies in 1998.

Geac's 1999 acquisition of JBA Holdings PLC doubled the size of the company, but became a financial disaster.

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Geac Computer Corporation made numerous acquisitions during its existence, including Advanced Business Technologies and Comshare.

The company's acquisition spree was led by CEO Stephen Sadler, who oversaw more than 20 acquisitions in five years. Sadler's talent for cost-cutting drove GEAC's revenues and increased the company's profits.

In 1994, GEAC reported record revenue of C$152 million. The acquisitions enabled GEAC to diversify into a wide range of markets.

Some of the notable acquisitions include:

In 2002, private equity firm Golden Gate Capital Corp. agreed to buy Geac Computer Corp. for about $1 billion.

In 1998, Geac Computer Corporation acquired the assets of the former Computer Associates' Financial Systems division, expanding its presence in the financial management market.

This acquisition marked a significant milestone in Geac's journey to becoming a leading vendor in the industry.

By the early 2000s, Geac had established itself as a major player in the financial management software market, with a strong customer base and a reputation for delivering high-quality solutions.

Geac's commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction was evident in its product offerings, which included a range of financial management systems that catered to the needs of various industries and organizations.

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