The Cornerstone Database Database

(Version 1.3, copyright © 2003 - 2010 by C.E. Forman. Please do not copy or redistribute without this notice.)
(N/A = no part number is printed on this item)
(??? = currently unknown whether this item has a part number)
Item Description / Notes "IPC" Code CS Part #
Cardboard Shipping Carton Brown corrugated cardboard box with Infocom and Cornerstone logos. This is what the software was sent inside if you mail-ordered it from Infocom. I've seen one in the home of a German collector, and know of another included in an eBay auction by the former manager of corporate sales at Infocom. ??? ???
Slipcover Outer paperboard slipcover that goes over the case. Pictured prominently in the sales brochure, but almost always missing. Both mine and the other I know of have "Release 5.1" on the system sticker. ISBN 0-87321-228-2. BC1-IB1 10034
Plastic Case Large blue plastic case with no handle, used in the first two releases. Measures 9-1/2" x 9-1/2" x 3-1/8". Opens hatch-like at the top to reveal four stair-stepped slots, three of which hold the thinner manuals (they fit in sideways), and the lowest of which is divided into two sections - one for the disk package and one for the smaller materials. The dividers look like they should be removable, but they are not. Attached to the underside of the hatch lid is a shorter piece with separators, which is removable, but is very difficult to get back in place if you do. N/A N/A
Cardboard Insert A small piece of plain unmarked cardboard, fitted over the three large manuals (Beginner's Guide and Owner's Handbook I & II). N/A N/A
Quick Reference Card 4-page quick reference card with creases for folding, initially unfolded. Measures 8-3/4" x 5-3/4". Two versions exist: One is dated "1984", blank on the back (just the grey stripes), and has a separate non-foldable card with TI Professional keyboard diagrams inside it; and one dated "1984, 1986", which has smaller keyboard diagrams on the back cover. The later version does not have the CS part number. N/A 10025
Infocom SASE Pre-paid Infocom self-addressed business envelope, folded in thirds. Intended for mailing in the registration card. N/A N/A
"Read This First: How to Get Started", Large Booklet 24-page booklet, measures 9" x 5-3/4". Dated 1984. Includes tear-out cards for upgrade notifications, newsletter subscription, and two for change of address. N/A 10084
"Read This First: How to Get Started", Small Booklet 16-page (plus cover) booklet, measures 3-1/4" x 7-1/2". Dated 1985. N/A 10102
"Customer Assurance Program" Paperboard foldout card with 7 "panels", the last 3 of which (replacement order, extended support plan, and program registration cards) have tear-off perforations. Measures 3-1/4" x 7-1/2" folded. N/A 10103
"Beginner's Guide: Ten Easy Lessons" Coil-bound, 156 pages (plus 12 Roman-numeral intro pages and two-sided blank last page). Copyright date is 1984, first printing January 1985. No ISBN. Measures 6-3/4" x 9". Seems to have been included in both plastic case releases. N/A 10020
"Owner's Handbook I: Working with Cornerstone" Coil-bound, 204 pages (plus title, TOC and preface pages). Copyright date is 1984, first printing January 1985. No ISBN. Measures 6-3/4" x 9". Included in the first release. N/A 10021
"Owner's Handbook II: Additional Information and Advanced Concepts" Coil-bound, 259 pages (plus title, TOC and preface pages). Copyright date is 1984, first printing January 1985. No ISBN. Measures 6-3/4" x 9". Included in the first release. N/A 10022
Large 3-in-1 Manual The second release of Cornerstone had the Beginner's Guide and Owner's Handbook I & II combined into this single thick manual. Page numbering is reset with each book. Owner's Handbooks are organized a bit differently than their individual versions, with 194 and 278 pages, respectively. Cover features a photograph of smiling people. Mentions the new price of $99.95 on the back. Dated "1985, 1986". ISBN 0-87321-255-X. Measures 6-3/4" x 9". The few I've seen have always been accompanied by the "1984, 1986" version of the quick reference card. I got one of these with a plastic case, though I'm not sure how it was originally packaged, as it doesn't fit inside. N/A N/A
Large Manual, Budget Release Alternate version of the large manual with cartoon cover. Has the disks stuck inside the manual pages, then shrinkwrapped, with no outer plastic case. Dated "1985, 1986". ISBN 0-87321-255-X (same as the other large manual). G-IB2-MAN N/A
"Support Me! Inform Me!" Warranty / Registration Card No-postage registration card, white with blue lettering. Measures 4-1/4" x 6". Included with the budget release. G-IB2-WAR N/A
"How To Choose an Information Management System" brochure Blue brochure with black horizontal stripes. Measures 4" x 9". Ten panels, the last four are fold-out (12" x 9"). Included with at least one issue of The Status Line, and possibly distributed through other channels. N/A N/A
"The Joy of Cornerstone" Card Mail-in card for ordering the Building Applications with Cornerstone book. Measures 4-1/4" x 6" (folded). Likely included with the budget release. G-IB2-APL N/A
Diskette Package Small paperboard box containing the five Cornerstone disks. Included in the plastic case releases. Has a license agreement sticker on the back. Measures 5-3/8" x 5-3/4" x 11/16". N/A 10221
License Agreement Sticker Stuck to the reverse side of the disk package. Non-removable. N/A 10222
"Cornerstone" Disk 5.25" disk, contains the actual Cornerstone software. Release 5.16 or 5.20. PD-IB2-104 10212
"Sample Database" Disk 5.25" disk, contains a demonstration database referenced in the manuals. Release 5.16, 5.20, or 5.21. PD-IB2-304 10213
"Client Tracking" Disk 5.25" disk, contains a pre-designed client contract system and sample sales files for conversion to/from Lotus 1-2-3. Release 5.16, 5.20, or 5.21. PD-IB2-204 10214
"Beginner's Guide 1" Disk 5.25" disk, contains accompanying lessons for use with the "Beginner's Guide" manual. Release 5.16, 5.20, or 5.21. PD-IB2-404 10215
"Beginner's Guide 2" Disk 5.25" disk, contains accompanying lessons for use with the "Beginner's Guide" manual. Release 5.16. (I've never come across any later versions. This disk does not seem to have been included in any upgrade sets.) ??? 10216
"Sample Database Copy" Label Disk label for a backup copy of the "Sample Database" disk. Comes on the same sheet as "Client Tracking Copy". N/A 10220
"Client Tracking Copy" Label Disk label for a backup copy of the "Client Tracking" disk. Comes on the same sheet as "Sample Database Copy". N/A 10219
"Beginner's Guide 1 Copy" Label Disk label for a backup copy of the "Beginner's Guide 1" disk. Comes on the same sheet as "Beginner's Guide 2 Copy". N/A 10218
"Beginner's Guide 2 Copy" Label Disk label for a backup copy of the "Beginner's Guide 2" disk. Comes on the same sheet as "Beginner's Guide 1 Copy". N/A 10217
"Cornerstone Back-Up Copy" Label Disk label for a backup copy of the "Cornerstone" disk. Has a space for writing in the serial number. Comes on the same sheet as a blank label. N/A 10226
Blank Disk Label Unused disk label. Has grey horizontal lines across it, but no text or Cornerstone logo. Comes on the same sheet as "Cornerstone Back-Up Copy". N/A N/A
Plastic Function Key Template Plastic overlay that goes around a 2x5 matrix of function keys (F1-F10) on older keyboards. There are two varieties: One thin, blue, and flexible; the other blue-grey and cut from thicker plastic. Another collector's plastic case came with both, as did mine. N/A N/A
"Don't Panic!" Button Aside from its color (white letters on blue), it is identical to the Hitchhiker's Guide pin. Originally attached to a card. N/A N/A
New Support Number Card Card holding the "Don't Panic!" button. Contains Infocom's new Cornerstone support number. N/A N/A
"Cornerstone Demo" Disk 5.25" disk with a demo version of Cornerstone. Dated 1985. A second label on the disk's sleeve contains loading instructions. Included in a disk pouch which was attached inside a sales brochure, part of a sampler packet sent out by Infocom. N/A 10050
"Cornerstone Demo" Disk Pouch Paper pouch containing the "Cornerstone Demo" disk. Measures 5-1/2" x 6-1/4". Originally attached inside a sales brochure, part of a sampler packet sent out by Infocom. N/A N/A
Sales Brochure 10-page, 6" x 9" sales brochure showing pictures and screenshots of Cornerstone. Pouch containing "Cornerstone Demo" disk is attached along a perforation inside. Includes pictures of the elusive slipcover and an alternate version of the "Ten Easy Lessons" book that I've never seen. Part of a sampler packet sent out by Infocom. N/A N/A
Barry Jacobson Letter A letter by Barry Jacobson (not hand-signed), Director of Business Products Marketing at Infocom. Expresses thanks for your interest in Cornerstone and provides brief info about the software's availability. Two slightly different versions are known to exist. One describes the contents of the sampler packet it was included in, the other mentions periodicals that have published favorable reviews of Cornerstone. N/A N/A
Popular Computing Review Glossy, two-sided reprint of a favorable article about Cornerstone in the June 1985 issue of Popular Computing magazine. Included in sampler packet. N/A N/A
Review Flyer Two-sided flyer, one side with a collage of articles and positive reviews, the other showing positive letters received from users. Likely included in sampler packet. N/A N/A
Dealer List 11" x 17" list of retailers who at the time carried the Cornerstone software. Multiple pages, printed on light blue copier paper. The only one I've heard of lists Western U.S. dealers. Variations almost certainly exist. Likely included in sampler packet. N/A N/A
Cornerstone Consulting Group Letter Letter dated 5/21/1986, soliciting training and consulting services for Cornerstone users. "Signed" by Barry Jacobson and Richard Weissberg. Either sent out to registered users, or possibly included in later demo packets. N/A N/A
"Introduction to Cornerstone" Disk 5.25" disk, contains some kind of intro to the software. I have no idea how these were distributed, but it's not the same as the demo. Says release 5.1 on the label. A second label on the disk's sleeve says it is designed for use with the Cornerstone demonstration cassette. I've only seen this on eBay once. N/A 10007
Demonstration Cassette Follow-along audiocassette designed for use with the "Introduction to Cornerstone" disk. Only seen it mentioned on the disk's label, never an actual copy. ??? ???
"Please Note" Card Small white paper containing instructions for synchronizing the Cornerstone demo disk with the audiocassette. N/A N/A
30-Day Evaluation Cover Letter Apparently Infocom sent out a number of copies of the Cornerstone software for evaulation. These came with a cover letter printed on Infocom stationary. The one I have heard of was dated December 16, 1985. N/A N/A
30-Day Evaluation Form The evaluation cover letter mentions this form, requesting that it be filled out and returned after the 30-day evaluation period. N/A N/A
Cornerstone Poster Large roll-out poster displayed at trade shows and given to Cornerstone dealers. Two versions, one with a group of smiling people at computers, the second showing a smiling guy lying on his side while floating in midair. ??? ???
"Building Applications with Cornerstone" Softcover book by Laura Buddine, published by Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0-31860-211-3. Approximately 300 pages. Cover price $14.95. Some book lists refer to it as The Cornerstone Book: Twenty Blueprints for Applications, but Building Applications is the correct title. ??? ???
InvisiClues for Cornerstone Personally, I doubt these exist, but they are clearly listed in the product inventory included with some later issues of The Status Line, and it even gives an IPC number. Priced at $14.95, so it likely refers to the Building Applications book. BC1-BOK ???
Micro/Answer for Cornerstone From what little information I could find, it looks like Micro/Answer was a joint effort between Informatics and Infocom, used to extract data from mainframe database formats to a PC client using Informatics' Answer/DB product. One article I found priced it at $550, more than CS itself, even before the price drop. The horizontal slipcase, suggesting a three-ring binder, is made of the same hard clothbound material that early versions of DOS came in. It measures 8-3/4 x 9-1/4 x about 2-1/2" and is surprisingly light. If anyone ever comes across an already-opened one, let me know! N/A N/A
Micro/Answer License Agreement Attached to the reverse side of the Micro/Answer package. N/A 10099
"Off the Record" Cornerstone newsletter, mentioned in the "Customer Assurance Program" flyer and by name in the larger "How to Get Started" booklet. Described as a quarterly newsletter, though I have no idea how many (or even if any) issues were printed and sent out. ??? ???


For more details on the contents of Cornerstone, refer to the appropriate Shoppe column.


Revision history:

03/22/2003 Initial version of the Cornerstone Database Database.
05/12/2003 Added details about the Micro/Answer package. Corrected the source of the "How To Choose" brochure, which was included with at least one issue of The Status Line.
09/22/2003 Added the 30-day evaluation form and cover letter to the parts list. Added details on the cardboard shipping carton, and slipcover (including CS part number).
03/06/2004 Added cardboard insert, after one collector found it upon opening his shrinkwrapped CS (the HORROR!)
05/30/2004 Added ISBN on slipcover. (Got a shrinked one of my own now!)


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