Difference between revisions of "Timeline of Norsk Data"

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(1981: Emphasized interesting trivia.)
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==1981==
 
==1981==
* The average price of a delivered computer was NOK 750 000, and had on average 512 Kbyte RAM, 110 Mbyte hard disk storage, and 16 terminals.
+
* '''The average price of a delivered computer was NOK 750 000, and had on average 512 Kbyte RAM, 110 Mbyte hard disk storage, and 16 terminals.'''
 
* The [[ND Satellite]] range is introduced.
 
* The [[ND Satellite]] range is introduced.
  

Revision as of 00:46, 18 July 2007

This is a brief working page on my part - it is certainly a work in progress. There should be more pictures, and some more summaries of the products introduced. Also, the later history is - stated mildly - anemic.

1967

  • In July, Norsk Data-Elektronikk is founded.
  • In September, it is made publically traded.

1968

  • 3 NORD-1 installed
  • The NORD-1 is completed, featuring an unusually rich register set, and floating-point arithmetic as standard equipment, possibly the first minicomputer to do so.

1969

  • A virtual memory system for the NORD-1 is created. Seemingly the first minicomputer to do so. (IIRC, the Burroughs B5000 was the first computer.)
  • 11 NORD-1 installed

1970

  • 17 NORD-1 installed

1971

  • 28 NORD-1 installed
  • Development is started on the NORDIC system, NORDCOM, and NORD-20.
  • New offices are moved in to: 850 square meters in Økern Forretningssenter.

1972

  • 29 NORD-1 installed, 1 NORD-5
  • NORDIC completed
  • BASIC compiler developed
  • Terminal systems developed
  • NORD-TSS in development
  • Development of the NORD-10 started, estimated finished first half of 1973.

1973

  • 36 NORD-1 installed, 1 NORD-5 (Computas A.S.)
  • 12 NORD-10 installed
  • Market demands increase sharply after CERN contract
  • Contracts signed in Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, and France.
  • 32% of orders from export.
  • NORD-TSS completed, a multi-user multi-lingual time-sharing operating system.
  • NORD-PL developed
  • ND starts a licensing agreement with the central institute for industrial research to use and further develop the database system SIBAS.
  • Contract signed with ASEA-ATOM for three systems for 6 million NOK, each consisting of a configuration of NORD-10/5s. Systems to be used for surveillance and control of nuclear power plants.

1974

  • 36 NORD-1 installed, 1 NORD-5
  • 46 NORD-10 installed
  • NORD-12 and NORD-50 in planning and development.
  • NORD-42 is completed, with MOS memory using 4Kb chips. First delivery in the summer.
  • The NORDCOM-74 is developed, an updated NORDCOM system.
  • Further development of different I/O controllers for the NORD-10, including the NORDCOM graphics system
  • Development of administrative software. Software development team is twice the size of the hardware team!
  • Development of SINTRAN III dominates the software division manpower. The first SINTRAN-III systems are installed in late 1974.
  • The company moves in to new offices in Lørenvn. 57 in August, using 5800m2. Thought to be sufficient until first quarter 1976.
  • A daughter company is considered in Stockholm, Sweden, to be operative 4th quarter 1975.
  • First contract with Cern, Lab. II is signed, using the NORD-10.

1975

  • 4 NORD-1 installed
  • 62 NORD-10 installed, 3 NORD-50
  • The NORD-50 is completed, a second-generation 32-bit superminicomputer.
  • A solid-state memory system for the NORD-10 is developed.
  • Large mass storage system for the NORD-10 developed.
  • The typesetting system GMS-12, the ancestor of NORTEXT, is developed for NTB.
  • NORDFORSK, a Nordic technical research network, is developed using a NORD-12 core system.
  • SIBAS, a Codasyl-based, multi-user on-line database management system, is introduced.

1976

  • 83 NORD-10 installed, 3 NORD-50
  • Planning of the building on Furuset is almost completed. Building is planned to be approx. 9 800 m2, and planned cost is approx. 42 mill. NOK.

1977

  • 114 NORD-10/NORD-10/S installed, 7 NORD-50
  • NORD-10/S introduced
  • Initial deliveries worth 4.5 million NOK for the first parts of the F-16 airplane simulator. Approximately 18 more simulator systems are expected to be delivered.

1978

  • Relocation to the new building takes place medio August.
  • Contract with Singer Link for the delivery of 6 more simulators.
  • CERN is still an active customer. 120 machines sold this year. There have been suggestions of about 40 more simulators being needed.
  • Development of the NORD-100, originally designated the NORD-10/M, and intended as a lower-cost bitsliced version of the NORD-10. Just happened to end up significantly faster. It seems to have been the first single-board 16-bit minicomputer.

1979

  • With effect from July 3, Norsk Data took over part of the business of the former Tandberg Radiofabrikk A/S. Tandberg is expected to show a profit by 1980.
  • Norsk Data introduces the NORD-100.
  • Development of the NORD-500 begins.
  • Another large order for F-16 simulators is recieved.
  • Norsk Data takes over a 16700 m2 industrial building at Skullerud, Oslo. The building is leased to Tandberg.
  • ND-NOTIS, an integrated word processing and administrative data processing system, is introduced.

1980

  • Effective from January 1st, Norsk Data absorbs the four Comtec companies in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and West Germany from Nobø Fabrikker.
  • Tandberg becomes independent of Norsk Data in the autumn of 1980. Profit was well below the anticipations.
  • ACCESS, an on-line query system, allowing user-friendly access to a data-base via interactive terminals.

1981

  • The average price of a delivered computer was NOK 750 000, and had on average 512 Kbyte RAM, 110 Mbyte hard disk storage, and 16 terminals.
  • The ND Satellite range is introduced.

1982

  • COSMOS finishes development. COSMOS was a networking system permitting applications and databases to be shared through a data network.
  • ND-SAFE (backronymed to System Architecture For Expansion) is introduced.
  • ND-ORBIS (Organization Related Business Information System) is introduced.
  • The ND-100/CX is intorduced.
  • The ND-500 is split into three systems: ND-520, ND-560, and ND-570 (?)

1982

2006

  • Tore takes a break.

2007

  • Tore realizes he STILL hasn't finished this page, and promises to do that any moment now.