GST Computer Systems

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GST was a group of computer companies based in Cambridge, England, founded by Dr Jeff Fenton in June 1979. The last remaining entity with any connection to GST is greenstreet. The company worked with Sinclair Research, Torch Computers, Acorn Computers, Monotype Corporation and Kwik-Fit, amongst others.

The group consisted of

GST Professional Services: a software consultancy that was sold and became OTIB A.T.

GST Software Products: produced retail software, most notably Timeworks Publisher.

GST Computer Systems: a hardware vendor/integrator. The original name of the company.

GST Training Centre: a class based software training provider in Cambridgeshire, UK.

Originally GST Software Products was known as Electric Software and produced software for the ill fated Sinclair QL and MSX range of computers. In 1985 it was approached by Atari to port products from the QL on to the just to be launched Atari ST. 1st Word was bundled with every Atari ST for the first 2 years of its life and GST became the lead software supplier for the Atari ST platform.

In 1987 GST developed its first Desktop Publishing Program "Timeworks Publisher". This was sold in the USA by Timeworks, Inc. (a Chicago based software publisher) as Publish-it. This product went on to become the world leading budget DTP product until competition from Microsoft Publisher in 1993 caused the eventual demise of Timeworks, Inc. The product was sold under new names including NEBS PageMagic (changed after objections from Adobe), Macmillan Publisher, Canon Publisher and many other brands distinguished by use of the .DTP file extension. The latest version was sold as Greenstreet Publisher 4 and is upwards file compatible with earlier versions.

In 2001 GST merged with eGames Europe as a new company Greenstreet Software. It remains a world wide developer and publisher of computer software for Windows operating systems.