View source for Timeline of Norsk Data

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. Rolf Skår counts this as the "beginning of the company in earnest". An anniversary is planned for September 2007.

==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.
* Bo Lewendal developed a time-sharing system for the NORD-1 during the summer holidays, the first rudimentary iteration of [[NORD-TSS]]

==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 [[SINTEF|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==
* The company changes name from "NORDATA Norsk Data-Elektronikk" to "Norsk Data A/S"
* 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, which has now changed name to [[ND-100]]. 
* Development of the [[ND-500]] begins.
* Another large order for [[F-16 simulator]]s is received. 
* 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#ND-100/CX|ND-100/CX]] is introduced.
* The ND-500 is split into three systems: ND-520, ND-560, and ND-570 (?)

==1982==
* The [[ND-500#ND-570|ND-570/CXA]] is introduced.

==1987==
* The [[ND-5000]] is introduced.

==1989==
* The [[ND-5850]] is introduced, the final generation in the ND-5000 series. This ends the line of 32-bit ND minicomputers which started with the NORD-5, continued through the NORD-50, then the ND-500 series, to the ND-5000 variants (5200, 5400, 5500, 5700, 5800), ending with the last generation: ND-5850

==1992==
* The company Norsk Data is dissolved.

==2000==
* Despite the non-existence of Norsk Data, a new ND-5850 Satellite model is delivered to a customer.

==2006==
* Tore takes a break.

==2007==
* Tore realizes he STILL hasn't finished this page, and promises to do that any moment now.
[[Category:Timelines]][[Category:Norsk Data]][[Category:Norwegian Computer History]]