According to well-placed source, the original AppleLink GUI was developed largely by GEIS, whose mainframe computers also hosted the AppleLink service that Apple used internally. The GE product on which it was based was called Business*Talk-a GUI front end for both IBM and Macintosh computers. Through Apple or otherwise, Quantum Computer obtained a copy of the software after they made the deal with Apple. This was used to create AppleLink-Personal Edition and Quantum's own Apple service and Macintosh service.
The roots in Business*Talk were traceable by "Easter Eggs" ' that were hidden in Business*Talk and turned up in early versions of AppleLink-Personal Edition and AOL's Apple software.
Ironically, in 1986 Apple had put GEnie on a list of companies that could not have access to the Business*Talk software. GEIS honored their agreement and did not allow GEnie developers to have the software source code. Thus, GEnie went online as a text-based service, and would have to develop its own GUI programs, independent of Business*Talk. As GEnie founder Bill Louden saw it,"GEnie was more like the bastard step-child when it came to leveraging the GEIS Business*Talk GUI."