Artisoft Moves in on Windows NT Market

Networking company Artisoft is focusing more effort on Windows NT after conceding that more users are migrating to the operating system.

It will release software in September, allowing businesses to connect a number of different PCs using diverse operating systems to NT servers.

The move is seen as a departure for Artisoft, which has targeted small to medium-sized businesses using Dos, Windows 3.x, OS/2 and Windows 95. But Rob Aherne, Artisoft marketing director, said research has shown that the users are now migrating to NT.

He said: ?People can use NT to network machines, but if they have invested in other platforms, like a lot of small to medium-sized businesses have, this will give them a way to connect.? He added that Lantastic NT already had five million users installed worldwide and the decision to port its operating system software to the 32bit platform was a recognition that small businesses were adopting this.

It is also a good opportunity for resellers, Aherne said. ?We have 757 resellers and for them this a is a big opportunity. One sells to 2,000 funeral directors and this product will help them,? he said.

Artisoft is also looking to push the NT-based networking software through its retail partners which includes Byte Computer Stores, PC World, Software Warehouse and Watford Electronics.

J Artisoft has promoted Jay Bennett to vice president of operations and Rick McGee to VP of North American sales.