Small businesses and home users often need to connect
more than one computer to their dial-up line. Czech company Software602 now offers a solution that is not only simple and reliable, but also free for the end users.
The trick? Internet service providers are expected to foot the bill.
The new product–602Pro Internet Server Lite–is described by the company as a “solution for sharing Internet access in a small network of up to five machines without a dedicated Internet server.”
The software is free for end users, but ISPs are charged on a monthly basis depending on their number of customers. The idea is that ISPs will distribute the software to the customers themselves. In turn, Software602 offers free support.
Software602 said it will target the solution at the small- to medium-sized business market in the U.S. The company also offers Internet and messaging solutions through distributors.
Founded in 1989 as a computer club, Software602 stills holds the original
registration number as part of its name. During the early nineties it became one of the most successful software producers in Eastern Europe, particularly with its text editor, Text602 for DOS. Even now there are few PCs in the Czech Republic or Slovakia without a copy of the tool.
Since 1993, Software602 has been experiencing increasing competitive
pressure from
local Microsoft subsidiaries. Many of 602’s products compete directly with
Microsoft Office and other products. Microsoft wasn’t much of a threat in
the early 90s because of language barriers, but today Eastern European
companies have to demonstrate more skills than just a command of the local
language in order to succeed.
Software602 went public–a move that is still very unusual in the Czech
Republic–in 1997. It started its fully-owned subsidiary in
Jacksonville, Florida the same year.
“The U.S. market is of primary importance for us,” said Richard Kaucky, CEO and president. “Once we are successful there, the success at home will come more or less automatically.”
According to the company, Software602 now does all its development in English. Czech is the second language of the software which is developed in Prague.