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The beginnings of L-Soft trace back to 1986 when an engineering student in Paris named Eric Thomas decides to develop a software program to automate the administration of email lists. He wanted to solve the problems and delays associated with the original, manually administered email lists that threatened the viability of mailing lists altogether. |
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This email list management program was a huge success and became known as LISTSERV, the software that launched the email list management industry. |
In February 1994, Eric Thomas incorporates L-Soft in the United States so that LISTSERV, which had by now become the standard for email list management, can be developed further and ported from VM to other operating systems, such as Unix and VMS. At this time, Windows NT had not yet been released. L-Soft also starts providing technical support to customers. In May 1994, L-Soft launches the first version of LISTSERV for VMS and Unix.
L-Soft launches LISTSERV for Windows NT, which would eventually become the best selling LISTSERV package offered by L-Soft. L-Soft also introduces the first spam filter for electronic mailing lists. Later in the same year, L-Soft expands its business by launching a hosted email list service. The EASE hosting service was started to allow customers to administer email lists without hardware, software or personnel investments.
LISTSERV celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Around the same time, LISTSERV is registered as a trademark. |
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L-Soft releases a new version of LISTSERV with database connectivity and mail-merge capabilities, allowing customers to send personalized email messages to targeted recipient lists. In the same year, L-Soft opens its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, to continue strengthening its position on the European market.
L-Soft continues to grow and opens a second European office in London, UK. The number of LISTSERV subscriptions surpasses the 100 million mark. The software manages over 170,000 different email lists with more than 100 million list subscriptions worldwide.
L-Soft acquires tracking technology and the German development unit of a Swedish email marketing communication company. The plan is to integrate the tracking technology into LISTSERV.
L-Soft announces a partnership with security company F-Secure to integrate F-Secure's Anti-Virus software into LISTSERV. Millions of list subscribers are now protected from viruses. The virus protection works as a complement to regular anti-virus solutions. Preventing the distribution of a virus outright protects email list subscribers with outdated or no anti-virus capabilities. |
Eric Thomas, L-Soft CEO, and Tero Suomi, Director of Strategic Partnerships at F-Secure, look forward to anti-virus cooperation.
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L-Soft complements the LISTSERV product family by launching the LISTSERV Maestro email marketing software solution. The new product enables the creation, management, delivery, tracking and reporting of customized opt-in email marketing campaigns. L-Soft also releases a new version of LISTSERV with a new Web interface and enhanced virus protection.
L-Soft forms L-Soft Germany GmbH to facilitate the continued development of LISTSERV Maestro.
L-Soft participates in the Federal Trade Commission spam forum and the European Union workshop on spam, submitting comment papers. L-Soft promotes opt-in, to the exclusion of any and all opt-out compromises.
L-Soft also expands the virus protection for email lists by launching the LISTSERV Anti-Virus Station, which offers virus protection for all LISTSERV platforms. |
Erkki Liikanen, European Commissioner for Enterprise and the Information Society
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L-Soft wins the Technology Fast 50 award for Maryland for the third time. The award is given by Deloitte & Touche to recognize the 50 fastest growing technology companies in the state of Maryland.
L-Soft celebrates 10 years of dependable, scalable and high-performance email list solutions for businesses, governments and organizations worldwide. LISTSERV also celebrates its 18th birthday. |
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L-Soft releases LISTSERV Maestro 2.0 with a Recipient Warehouse module that combines data administration and target group creation in one interface.
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L-Soft releases LISTSERV and LISTSERV Maestro for Mac OS X.
L-Soft releases new versions of LISTSERV and LISTSERV Maestro that include DomainKeys support and a deliverability assessment feature to boost deliverability in today's challenging email environment. L-Soft also releases HDMail, a new mail server that combines the power and performance of LISTSERV with the speed and deliverability advantages of StrongMail's mail server technology.
LISTSERV celebrates 20 years as the de facto standard for email list management software. LISTSERV 15.0 is released, a milestone version of the pioneering email list manager, featuring a completely redesigned Web interface. |
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L-Soft releases LISTSERV 15.5, featuring support for RSS abstracts and the capability to connect to LDAP servers. |
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L-Soft celebrates the 15th anniversary of double opt-in. LISTSERV was the first product to introduce the feature in 1993.
LISTSERV is a registered trademark licensed to L-Soft international, Inc.
All other trademarks, both marked and not marked, are the property of their respective owners.
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