Wicat Systems, Inc., was an American computer and software company founded in 1980 in Orem, Utah. Originally a branch of WICAT, the World Institute for Computer-Assisted Teaching (later the Wicat Education Institute), the company manufactured

multi-user Multi-user software is computer software that allows access by multiple users of a computer. Time-sharing systems are multi-user systems. Most batch processing systems for mainframe computers may also be considered "multi-user", to avoid leavi ...

systems for educational institutions before focusing their efforts on educational

software Software consists of computer programs that instruct the Execution (computing), execution of a computer. Software also includes design documents and specifications. The history of software is closely tied to the development of digital comput ...

development in the early 1990s. The company was among the first to use the

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microprocessor in a computer with the introduction of the Wicat System 100 in 1980. Both Wicat Systems and its parent institution were founded by Dustin H. Heuston, originally of New York.

History

At its peak in the mid-1980s, Wicat Systems employed 500 and had an annual budget of US$40 million. The company formed a

joint venture A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acce ...

with

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in early 1985. Named Plato/Wicat after Control Data's Plato educational software, the venture was intended to "address the entire educational process, including computer-based instructional courseware, testing and evaluation, and classroom management and administration". In 1992, the company was acquired by Jostens in a

stock swap In corporate finance, a stock swap is the exchange of one equity-based asset for another, where, during the merger or acquisition, the swap provides an opportunity to pay with stock rather than with cash; see . Overview The acquiring company ...

valuated at roughly $111 million. Jostens, who had a rival educational software division Jostens Learning which was aimed at preschools, planned to use the Wicat Systems repertoire to increase their presence in high schools and

higher education Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...

. During the period from the late 1980's to 1996, Wicat Systems also operated a UK branch in Camberley in Surrey. During this period, Wicat produced CBT (computer based training - the forerunner of eLearning), and partial cockpit simulations for aviation clients. These included many of the then-leading airlines and aircraft manufacturers and training covered pilot, cabin crew and ground crew training.

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was another of many non-aviation clients.

Citations

References

* * * * * * 1980 establishments in Utah 1992 disestablishments in Utah 1992 mergers and acquisitions American companies established in 1980 American companies disestablished in 1992 Companies based in Orem, Utah Computer companies established in 1980 Computer companies disestablished in 1992 Defunct computer companies of the United States Defunct software companies of the United States Defunct computer hardware companies Defunct computer systems companies {{Computer-company-stub