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Key people at Now Software.
Now Software, now known as ServiceNow, delivers an enterprise-grade cloud platform designed to manage and automate IT and employee workflows across an organization. The company's core offering streamlines complex operational processes by unifying disparate systems onto a single architecture. This platform approach enables businesses to improve efficiency, enhance service delivery, and transform digital experiences for their workforce.
The company was founded in 2003 by Fred Luddy, an experienced software engineer. Luddy started ServiceNow with the insight that enterprise software could be user-friendly and delivered as a service over the internet, a pioneering concept at the time. His vision was to build a flexible, forms-based workflow engine that could automate IT service management, which he initially developed from his home.
ServiceNow's platform is utilized by large enterprises globally, helping them to digitize and optimize critical business functions. The company aims to make the world work better for everyone by harnessing the power of AI, data, and workflows. Its long-term vision centers on empowering organizations to proactively manage high-impact work and unlock greater productivity through intelligent automation.
Key people at Now Software.
Now Software was a software company that developed Now Up-to-Date & Contact, a calendaring and contact management application for individuals and groups on macOS and Windows platforms.[1][3] It served personal and professional users needing integrated scheduling and contact tools, addressing the problem of fragmented productivity software in the pre-cloud era by offering group synchronization and robust utilities.[1][3] The company achieved significant scale with nearly two million users by 1997, ranking as the 71st-largest U.S. software firm, before its acquisition by Qualcomm; products like Now Utilities enhanced Mac workflows with features such as auto-saving and system profiling.[1]
Now Software's growth momentum peaked in the 1990s with awards including Product of the Year and multiple Editor's Choice honors, but declined post-acquisition and relaunch, culminating in suspended operations by 2010 after poor reception of its successor, Now X.[1]
Founded in 1989 and initially based in Portland, Oregon, Now Software emerged during the early desktop computing boom, focusing on productivity tools for Apple Macintosh users.[1] The company quickly expanded with Now Utilities in 1990, named one of *MacUser*'s Top 100 Products, and its flagship Now Up-to-Date & Contact, which combined calendaring with contact management.[1] By 1997, Qualcomm acquired it, citing its two million users and accolades like seven World Class Awards; in 1999, Power On Software repurchased the IP, relaunching the brand near Columbus, Ohio.[1][3]
Pivotal moments included the 2009 release of Now X, criticized by *Macworld* as inferior to predecessors, leading to operational suspension in March 2010.[1] This trajectory humanizes a scrappy innovator overshadowed by enterprise shifts.
Now Software rode the 1990s desktop productivity wave, capitalizing on Mac System 7's rise and demand for utilities amid slow internet adoption, when local synchronization was critical for group work.[1] Timing mattered as it filled gaps before web-based rivals like Outlook dominated; market forces like Apple's ecosystem loyalty favored its tools, influencing early contact management standards.[1][3]
It shaped the startup ecosystem by proving niche software could scale to millions, inspiring later productivity giants, though its decline highlighted the shift to cloud-native platforms amid enterprise consolidation.[1]
Now Software's legacy endures in modern calendaring DNA, but as a defunct entity since 2010, its direct influence has faded.[1] Trends like AI-driven workflows (e.g., in platforms like ServiceNow) eclipse its model, yet revived IP could resurface in retro Mac communities or niche revivals.[1][2] Its story warns of adaptation risks, evolving from innovator to cautionary tale—much like how early tools paved the way for today's AI control towers, tying back to its roots in making desktops work better for users.
