1. John Hile, Founder/CTO of Front Edge Publishing—Industry History
o Worked at a newspaper (early 80’s) helping to maintain computer systems.
Created software enabling the portable Radio Shack TRS 80 Computer to
communicate over modem with a Minicomputer so reporters could
electronically file stories from the field.
o First commercial software offering was an early menu based program for
computer-to-computer communication that was used on the Heath/Zenith line
of micro-computers (this was before the IBM PC). The software, name
HyperACCESS, was subsequently updated many times to work on MS-DOS,
Windows, Windows-95 and subsequent versions of Windows to this day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyperACCESS
o Created a scripting language for HyperAccess, named HyperPilot which enabled
complete automation of communication tasks including connecting, signing in,
transferring files, etc. The original proprietary language was later modified to
work with Microsoft’s Visual Basic.
https://books.google.com/books?id=3J2ynRxCU78C&pg=PA243&lpg=PA243&dq=
Hyperaccess+scripting+guide&source=bl&ots=a4EN4AyX9&sig=FrFipSLkRSgDNEF
HqfhkxQ0d7MM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=nGX8VKqOI5CZyQS7oCwBA&ved=0CE4Q6AEw
CQ#v=onepage&q=Hyperaccess%20scripting%20guide&f=false
o The product received numerous industry awards. Renamed HyperACCESS/5 with
the Windows 95 release. Still available today:
https://www.hilgraeve.com/hyperaccess/
o An Equivalent product was created for the OS/2 operating system. It was the
leading communication software for that platform.
https://books.google.com/books?id=QjgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA136&lpg=PA136&dq
=hyperaccess+for+os/2&source=bl&ots=wugXSq1vGb&sig=xgQcdkx5z6WQqnNRa
vdYEOVBXHo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4Wf8VLe3NsflsATSh4B4&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBw#v=
onepage&q=hyperaccess%20for%20os%2F2&f=false
o HyperAccess became the built-in communications applet (auto-detect) for
Windows 95, renamed HyperTerminal. A patent is held for this technology.
http://www.google.com/patents/US5553271
o Was one of the first to add the ability to perform secure, encrypted file
transfers using public-private key technology. Worked with customer Caterpillar
Corp. to develop in approximately 1994.
o This technology was then used to create HyperTerminal for Windows which
shipped as a built-in applet with the first release of Windows 95 and all
subsequent versions until Vista.
o Created DropChute, a peer-to-peer program that enabled secure, fail-safe
transfer of multiple and large files for the OS2 platform. First released in 1998:
http://softwaretheory.net/company/press/1997-98/981116dcproannounce.html
Awarded patents: https://www.google.com/patents/US6094676 and
http://www.google.com/patents/US6219710

2. o As part of DropChute, developed Internet Rendezvous, an early VoIP peer-to-peer
technology which enabled the automation of non-standard/incompatible
computer-to-computer connections. Awarded patent:
http://www.google.com/patents/US20020023140
o Created HyperSend: a server-based system to perform unattended, reliable,
secure exchange of any number of files of any size over the Internet.
o HyperSend was transitioned for use in the healthcare industry becoming an
industry standard because of its capacity for built-in filtering and secure file
exchange for connecting doctors offices, hospitals, insurance and medical labs
who used over 350 different, incompatible computerized office systems. Was
sold to Covisint, a subsidiary of Compuware in 2008.
http://investor.compuware.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=337075
o First to develop real-time virus scanning during file transfers and prevent
malware from being downloaded. Became industry standard, licensed by
McAffee and Symantec. Was awarded patent:
http://www.google.com/patents/US5319776.