Asymetrix
Encyclopedia
Asymetrix was a US computer software company. The company was founded by Microsoft
founder Paul Allen
in 1984, and produced a number of software products covering web, presentation, and e-learning
markets. In 2004 it became part of SumTotal Systems
.
Asymetrix headquarters were in Bellevue, Washington
. The first ten years were spent on R&D. The company produced a number of Windows software packages including ToolBook, Asymetrix 3D F/X (a tool for creating 3d graphics and animation, later called Asymetrix Web 3D), and Compel (a graphical presentation
and prototyping program). Asymetrix also produced a variety of screen savers for a short period.
In the late 1990s the company started developing learning management software. Titles included Asymetrix Librarian and the e-Learning Network - an early software as a service
product.
In June 1998 Asymetrix held an initial public offering
, selling three million shares at a price of $11 per share, and was listed on the Nasdaq
exchange with the ticker symbol
ASYM.
In 1999 the company was renamed as click2learn.com. The company went on to acquire many other companies and products in the e-learning space. One company acquired was Meliora which made Ingenium, another e-learning software product.
In 2003 the company announced its intention to merge with its competitor Docent, with click2learn's shareholders receiving slightly more than half of the stock in the merged company. The merger completed in 2004,. The combined company is now known as SumTotal Systems
and is headquartered in Mountain View, California
. At the time of the merger, click2learn employed over 300 people and Docent a further 170.
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
founder Paul Allen
Paul Allen
Paul Gardner Allen is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. Allen co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates...
in 1984, and produced a number of software products covering web, presentation, and e-learning
E-learning
E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. The information and communication systems, whether networked learning or not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process...
markets. In 2004 it became part of SumTotal Systems
Sumtotal Systems
SumTotal Systems, Inc. is a software company based in Gainesville, Florida that provides strategic human capital management software solutions to global enterprises, small to medium businesses, and government agencies. SumTotal provides full employee lifecycle management, including a core system...
.
Asymetrix headquarters were in Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
. The first ten years were spent on R&D. The company produced a number of Windows software packages including ToolBook, Asymetrix 3D F/X (a tool for creating 3d graphics and animation, later called Asymetrix Web 3D), and Compel (a graphical presentation
Presentation program
A presentation program is a computer software package used to display information, normally in the form of a slide show...
and prototyping program). Asymetrix also produced a variety of screen savers for a short period.
In the late 1990s the company started developing learning management software. Titles included Asymetrix Librarian and the e-Learning Network - an early software as a service
Software as a Service
Software as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...
product.
In June 1998 Asymetrix held an initial public offering
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
, selling three million shares at a price of $11 per share, and was listed on the Nasdaq
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
exchange with the ticker symbol
Ticker symbol
A stock symbol or ticker symbol is a short abbreviation used to uniquely identify publicly traded shares of a particular stock on a particular stock market. A stock symbol may consist of letters, numbers or a combination of both. "Ticker symbol" refers to the symbols that were printed on the ticker...
ASYM.
In 1999 the company was renamed as click2learn.com. The company went on to acquire many other companies and products in the e-learning space. One company acquired was Meliora which made Ingenium, another e-learning software product.
In 2003 the company announced its intention to merge with its competitor Docent, with click2learn's shareholders receiving slightly more than half of the stock in the merged company. The merger completed in 2004,. The combined company is now known as SumTotal Systems
Sumtotal Systems
SumTotal Systems, Inc. is a software company based in Gainesville, Florida that provides strategic human capital management software solutions to global enterprises, small to medium businesses, and government agencies. SumTotal provides full employee lifecycle management, including a core system...
and is headquartered in Mountain View, California
Mountain View, California
-Downtown:Mountain View has a pedestrian-friendly downtown centered on Castro Street. The downtown area consists of the seven blocks of Castro Street from the Downtown Mountain View Station transit center in the north to the intersection with El Camino Real in the south...
. At the time of the merger, click2learn employed over 300 people and Docent a further 170.
External links
- SumTotal Systems company website
- Asymetrix alumni page
- Gallery of renders done with Asymetrix 3D