Datasoft

Datasoft
IndustryVideo games
Productivity software
Founded1980; 44 years ago (1980)
FounderPat Ketchum
Headquarters,
US

Datasoft, Inc. (also written as DataSoft) was a software developer and publisher for home computers founded in 1980 by Pat Ketchum and based out of Chatsworth, California.[citation needed] Datasoft primarily published video games, including ports of arcade video games, games based on licenses from movies and TV shows, and original games. Like competitor Synapse Software, they also published other software: development tools, word processors, and utilities. Text Wizard, written by William Robinson and published by Datasoft when he was 16, was the basis for AtariWriter.[1] Datasoft initially targeted the Atari 8-bit computers, Apple II, and TRS-80 Color Computer, then later the Commodore 64, IBM PC, Atari ST, and Amiga. Starting in 1983, a line of lower cost software was published under the label Gentry Software.[2]

Datasoft went into bankruptcy,[when?] and its name and assets were purchased by two Datasoft executives, Samuel L. Poole and Ted Hoffman.[citation needed] They renamed the company IntelliCreations and distributed Datasoft games until it closed.

Software

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Games

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1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988

Games under the Gentry Software label

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  • Leap'in Lizards! (1983)
  • Magneto Bugs (1983)
  • Maniac Miner (1983)
  • Maxwell's Demon / Memory Mania (1983)
  • Rosen's Brigade (1983)
  • Sea Bandit (1983)
  • Spiderquake (1983)
  • Starbase Fighter (1983)
  • Target Practice (1983)

Education

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  • Bishop's Square / Maxwell's Demon (1982)[4]

Word processing

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  • Text Wizard (1981)
  • Spell Wizard (1982)
  • Letter Wizard (1984)

Other software

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  • Micro-Painter (1982)[5]

References

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  1. ^ Cohen, Frank (June 1987). "The Making of AtariWriter Plus". ANALOG Computing (55): 9–10.
  2. ^ "New Products". ANALOG Computing (13): 17. September 1983.
  3. ^ "Gunslinger". Atari Mania. Archived from the original on 2010-08-27. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
  4. ^ "Bishop's Square / Maxwell's Demon". Atari Mania. Archived from the original on 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  5. ^ "Micropainter". Atari Mania. Archived from the original on 2022-06-22. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
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