Tom Proulx
Encyclopedia
Tom Proulx is an American computer programmer and company founder. He was a co-founder of Intuit and a pioneer of usability testing
in the 1980s. He lives in Atherton, California
, one of the wealthiest cities in the United States, on an 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) estate that includes a private 3-hole golf course, the largest property in Atherton.
In 1983 Scott Cook
went to Stanford University
in California
, USA. He wanted a programmer for a planned home bill payment and bank reconciliation program. Proulx, who studied Electrical Engineering/Computer Science at Stanford, was the first person Cook met and they soon co-founded Intuit. Proulx was the first and main programmer of the first version of Quicken
and the first Apple and Radio Shack
versions. He obtained a patent
for finding a way for a computer to verify that a user had correctly inserted blank checks in a dot matrix printer
. This was essential to the near universal use of such checks in accounting programs.
In 1984, in what may have been the first case of usability testing
with engineers, Intuit recruited people off the street to test Quicken with a stopwatch. After each test Proulx improved Quicken. Before this experienced computer users spent an hour or more to install programs and print a check. Novices often gave up. Quicken let novices do it in less than 15 minutes, printing checks faster than it took to write them. The market share of Quicken varied from 65% to 98%, making it a killer application
, which drove many computer sales. It also made usability testing a standard industry practice.
In 1985, while Proulx was one of three Intuit employees, Intuit became the first company to shrink wrap floppy disk
s and manuals. This further revolutionized software development. By 1992, all major Intuit programs has a market share of 75% or more. Proulx then created an Intuit credit card with a download service, which automatically classified charges. In 1993, he actively assisted with helping Intuit go public and was the driving force behind its Chip Soft TurboTax
merger. He resigned soon after.
Proulx a recipient of the Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1992.
He and his wife Barbara have two children, Audrey and Ian. Proulx is now CEO of Netpulse
, a fitness entertainment company based in San Francisco, CA.
Usability testing
Usability testing is a technique used in user-centered interaction design to evaluate a product by testing it on users. This can be seen as an irreplaceable usability practice, since it gives direct input on how real users use the system...
in the 1980s. He lives in Atherton, California
Atherton, California
Atherton is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States. Its population was 6,914 at the 2010 census. In September 2010, Forbes magazine placed Atherton's zip code of 94027 at #2 on its annual list of America's most expensive zip codes, with a median home price of $4,010,200...
, one of the wealthiest cities in the United States, on an 11 acres (44,515.5 m²) estate that includes a private 3-hole golf course, the largest property in Atherton.
In 1983 Scott Cook
Scott Cook
Scott David Cook is a founder of Intuit, has been a director of Intuit since March 1983 and is currently Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board. Cook also serves on the boards of directors of eBay Inc., and The Procter & Gamble Company....
went to Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA. He wanted a programmer for a planned home bill payment and bank reconciliation program. Proulx, who studied Electrical Engineering/Computer Science at Stanford, was the first person Cook met and they soon co-founded Intuit. Proulx was the first and main programmer of the first version of Quicken
Quicken
Quicken is a personal finance management tool developed by Intuit, Inc.Quicken runs on Windows and Macintosh systems. Previous versions ran on DOS. An online version is also available. The last version of Quicken for Macintosh computers was Quicken Essentials for Mac released in February 2010...
and the first Apple and Radio Shack
Radio shack
Radio shack is a slang term for a room or structure for housing radio equipment.-History:In the early days of radio, equipment was experimental and home-built. The first radio transmitters used a noisy spark to generate radio waves and were often housed in a garage or shed. When radio was first...
versions. He obtained a patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
for finding a way for a computer to verify that a user had correctly inserted blank checks in a dot matrix printer
Dot matrix printer
A dot matrix printer or impact matrix printer is a type of computer printer with a print head that runs back and forth, or in an up and down motion, on the page and prints by impact, striking an ink-soaked cloth ribbon against the paper, much like the print mechanism on a typewriter...
. This was essential to the near universal use of such checks in accounting programs.
In 1984, in what may have been the first case of usability testing
Usability testing
Usability testing is a technique used in user-centered interaction design to evaluate a product by testing it on users. This can be seen as an irreplaceable usability practice, since it gives direct input on how real users use the system...
with engineers, Intuit recruited people off the street to test Quicken with a stopwatch. After each test Proulx improved Quicken. Before this experienced computer users spent an hour or more to install programs and print a check. Novices often gave up. Quicken let novices do it in less than 15 minutes, printing checks faster than it took to write them. The market share of Quicken varied from 65% to 98%, making it a killer application
Killer application
A killer application , in the jargon of marketing teams, has been used to refer to any computer program that is so necessary or desirable that it proves the core value of some larger technology, such as computer hardware, gaming console, software, or an operating system...
, which drove many computer sales. It also made usability testing a standard industry practice.
In 1985, while Proulx was one of three Intuit employees, Intuit became the first company to shrink wrap floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
s and manuals. This further revolutionized software development. By 1992, all major Intuit programs has a market share of 75% or more. Proulx then created an Intuit credit card with a download service, which automatically classified charges. In 1993, he actively assisted with helping Intuit go public and was the driving force behind its Chip Soft TurboTax
TurboTax
TurboTax is an American tax preparation software package developed by Michael A. Chipman of Chipsoft in the mid-1980s. TurboTax became an Intuit product as a result of the 1993 acquisition of its creator, San Diego-based Chipsoft. Chipsoft, now known as Intuit Consumer Tax Group, is still based in...
merger. He resigned soon after.
Proulx a recipient of the Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 1992.
He and his wife Barbara have two children, Audrey and Ian. Proulx is now CEO of Netpulse
Netpulse
Netpulse, LLC is an American broadband fitness entertainment company which is dedicated to "the evolution of fitness equipment". Its products include the N3i Broadband Entertainment System, N3t LCD Entertainment Station, and ClubWatch, the first online network for monitoring exercise equipment. The...
, a fitness entertainment company based in San Francisco, CA.
External links
- Intuit photos, including Tom Proulx and Scott Cook in their first formal portrait, 1989.