Compu Serve

A pioneer in providing OnlineInformationServices: started as a skunkworks project within HRBlock as a way to make better use of offpeak network bandwidth in 1979; acquired by AmericaOnline in 1997. Provided an early feel for what was to come in the Internet with discussion groups, on-line software upgrades and trials, multimedia file posting areas, and email. Many people who were active in CompuServe forums feel that they, when used with offline readers such as TapCis (nee ZapCis) or OzWin, were superior in functionality and community building to Web or Usenet alternatives.

See http://foldoc.doc.ic.ac.uk/foldoc/foldoc.cgi?query=compuserve&action=Search