History
In 1991 a new software programme called Databox was released for use by small venues and arts centres in Britain. Dataculture Limited provided a ticketing and marketing system specifically for small performing arts venues. It offered easy to use functions and reports on the Microsoft DOS platform. Tickets were printed on a dot matrix printer and the system backed up on an integrated tape drive. Best of all - venues could have the system installed on a single pc - which in those days cost about £1200 - and have access to full ticketing and marketing reports - a remarkable and revolutionary event for small venues everywhere.
In 1993 the Databox Users Group was formed. There were about 40 users by that time and there was a need to establish an escrow - a third party legal document, detailing what would happen to users if Dataculture Ltd went out of business.
Databox Users Group became DBug Ltd in 1994 in response to the desire of members to have a more robust legal framework. The company has always been run by a voluntary steering committee, usually made up of people using the system. These committee members became Directors of Databox Users Group Limited (trading as DBug Ltd). DBug Ltd organised national meetings and training events and set up local syndicated meetings in the regions. DBug directors also held regular discussions with Dataculture and then Tickets.com about users' concerns and required developments.
In 1996 the windows version of Databox was launched at the first conference in Milton Keynes and the number of users expanded rapidly.
In 1999 Databox Version 4 was launched and Jonathan Hyams, the founder of Dataculture, sold the company to Tickets.com which had also bought Select Ticketing, owners of the popular PASS system. This meant that Tickets.com had systems in most of the UK's performing venues. In 2005 Tickets.com was purchased by Major League Baseball of America.
During this period, DBug Ltd held meetings, listened to members, developed a website, liaised with the supplier and maintained the escrow document on which it was founded.
The web site (www.dbug.org.uk) was established with an interactive database in which members could log their own system details and search for others with similar set-ups. The number of hits to the site varied with the uncertainty in the business and new problems or issues (such as the introduction of Chip and Pin) led to many hits.
In 2007, DBug Ltd underwent an internal review to examine how it could best serve members. Henderson Aplin Consultancy enabled the organisation to make a number of radical decisions. It was decided that DBug Ltd should be re-incorporated into a new company which serves the needs of people using all ticketing, marketing and venue management systems and act as a representative body for all system users. Following this being put to and voted on by members, the new company became Boxsmart Ltd in May 2008.
The new organisation aims to build on the success of DBug Ltd by introducing new services and expanding its membership beyond the users of Databox. Anyone with an interest in box office, ticketing and related issues is welcome to join and network with members. Suggestions for the ways in which the organisation can continue to improve and develop are always welcome!