WUGNET Publications

WUGNET was formed in 1988 to educate and inform the users and developers of Microsoft Windows shareware and software, through an international network of user groups along with Windows forums on Genie, CompuServe, and BBS systems. In 1990 WUGNET, in partnership with Microsoft Support, launched a major online Windows-support program on CompuServe, and introduced the first Windows-centric publication, The Windows Journal. The Windows Journal subscription included a digital-Help resource-Windows Resource Kit-on disk, a utility called System Engineer (later sold to Symantec as Norton Utilities for Windows), and a companion disk of Windows software, scripts, and resources with each issue. A series of best-selling computing books on Windows, authored by WUGNET, were published in partnership with IDG/InfoWorld. The success of the books led to the eventual sale of The Windows Journal to IDG's leading magazine, PC World. By 1995, WUGNET was managing nearly 500 Compuserve forums related to computing, as well as managing forums for a variety of software and hardware vendors, a veritable Who's Who of the technology business, including the Microsoft's Microsoft Connection forum which provided support for all Microsoft products. WUGNET CompuServe-forum clients included WinZip, Quarterdeck, Symantec, MacAfee, Corel, WordPerfect, and 400+ software publishers. WUGNET had nearly 300 online staff managing the support, distribution, and ecommerce programs for shareware on CompuServe. With Microsoft as a partner, WUGNET developed a CD-Windows 95 CD Sampler-containing over 100 Windows 95 third-party software applications and utilities to coincide with Microsoft's release of Windows 95. The success of this sampler led to a series of WUGNET-developed retail products in 2002, called Greatest XP Apps, Greatest XP Games, etc. Today, WUGNET continues to leverage its expertise in community/social networking, editorial, software distribution, marketing, and ecommerce in all aspects of software. Among our highlights over the past 10 years are: • Microsoft Windows Marketplace (Currently Microsoftstore.com) - online launch of a portal containing nearly 200,000 Windows-compatible hardware and software products. • The design and development of Affiliate Business Models with Digital River, Esellerate, and many other ecommerce providers. • Creation of a premier affiliate network for software, including Tucows, Simtel, Microsoft, AOL, Sunbelt Software and other promotional campaigns for offering special offers of the very best in downloadable software. • OEM and distribution consulting leading to nearly two dozen OEM, bundle, and licensing agreements for specific software publishers.