The term “Vaporware” is used for software and hardware that is never made. It typically implies a product (ware) which is all in smoke (or vapor, if you like)!
Where and how did this term originate?
The term was first used by a Microsoft engineer in 1992 when he was asked about the status of the Xenix operating system which the company was supposedly working on. The engineer said, “Basically, it’s vaporware“. This was reported to Esther Dyson, an influential writer, who published it in her monthly newsletter RELease 1.0.
Ovation: An example of Vaporware
The most notorious vaporware was the Ovation software suite promoted by Ovation Technologies in 1983. The company advertised their product as a “great innovation” and was able to raise several million dollars. They even held a high-profile press conference at a famous Manhattan restaurant.
However, the Ovation software suite never existed and the company soon filed for bankruptcy.
What’s the idea behind Vaporware?
Why would companies announce products which they never plan to make? There can be several reasons:
- Keep present customers interested so that they don’t switch to the competition,
- thwart competitor sales,
- increase stock value if the company is listed,
- there was no real benefit of launching the product because the industry took a different turn, and/or
- the allocated funds got over stopping the development.
Whatever may be the intention behind vaporware, the media should be careful when reviewing a hyped up product. They need to dig deeper and find the truth behind company announcements and advertising.
