31 Facts About CompuServe

CompuServe was founded in 1969 as Compu-Serv Network, Inc in Columbus, Ohio, as a subsidiary of Golden United Life Insurance.

Over time, the CompuServe network evolved into a complicated multi-tiered network incorporating asynchronous transfer mode, frame relay, Internet Protocol and X 25 technologies.

CompuServe is offering a video-text-like service permitting personal computer users to retrieve software from the mainframe computer over telephone lines.

CompuServe developed extensive screening and reporting tools that were used by many investment banks on Wall Street.

CompuServe's origin was approximately concurrent with that of The Source.

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In July 1980, working with Associated Press, CompuServe began hosting text versions of the Columbus Dispatch.

At the peak of this line of business, CompuServe carried millions of authorization transactions each month, representing several billion dollars of consumer purchase transactions.

CompuServe began offering electronic mail capabilities and technical support to commercial customers in 1978 under the name Infoplex, and was a pioneer in the real-time chat market with its CB Simulator service introduced on February 21,1980, as the first public, commercial multi-user chat program.

Around 1981, CompuServe introduced its CompuServe B protocol, a file-transfer protocol, allowing users to send files to each other.

CompuServe began to expand its reach outside the United States.

Between 1994 and 1995 Fujitsu and CompuServe co-developed WorldsAway, an interactive virtual world.

CompuServe was the first online service to offer Internet connectivity, albeit with limited access, as early as 1989, when it connected its proprietary e-mail service to allow incoming and outgoing messages to be exchanged with Internet-based e-mail addresses.

In 1992, CompuServe hosted the first known WYSIWYG e-mail content and forum posts.

CompuServe later introduced CompuServe Information Manager to compete more directly with AOL.

In 1992, CompuServe acquired Mark Cuban's company, MicroSolutions, for $6 million.

In 1997, CompuServe began converting its forums from its proprietary Host-Micro Interface to HTML web standards.

In 2004 CompuServe discontinued HMI and converted the forums to web access only.

CompuServe UK commissioned writer Sue Schofield to produce a 'retail' pack including a new UK CompuServe Book and a free CD-ROM containing the CIS software to access the service.

CompuServe has a long history offering a custom portal of the CompuServe Information Service to the airline industry.

CompuServe had 3 million worldwide users at its peak, compared to AOL's 27 million.

CompuServe introduced a simple black-and-white image format known as RLE to standardize the images so they could be shared among different microcomputer platforms.

In 1991, CompuServe was sued for defamation in one of the early cases testing the application of traditional law on the Internet in Cubby v CompuServe.

CompuServe "was first convicted, in November 1997" and after another hearing sentenced to two years' probation on May 28,1998.

Battle for customers between AOL and CompuServe became one of handing customers back and forth, using free hours and other enticements.

In Germany, CompuServe 2000 was introduced in 1999 and withdrawn in 2001 because of failure on the German market, but CompuServe Classic service remained for a while.

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In January 2007, CompuServe e-mailed members that Windows Vista was not supported, and suggested switching to the AOL-branded service.

In July 2008, CompuServe Germany informed its customers that it would close down its operations on July 31,2008.

CompuServe announced on April 15,2009 that CompuServe Classic would "no longer operate as an Internet Service Provider" and would close on June 30,2009.

CompuServe announced in November 2017 that the CompuServe Forums would be shut down on December 15,2017.

In May 2005, CompuServe discontinued access the OzCis and TapCIS forums on CompuServe.

Visual CompuServe, known as VisCIS, was a demo concept of a VRML-based client by programmer John D Gwinner which modelled the CompuServe interface into a 3D virtual environment.