(Data General Corporation, Westboro, MA) One of the first minicomputer companies, founded in 1968 by Edson de Castro, Henry Burkhardt and Richard Sogge, all former employees of Digital Equipment Corporation, and Herbert Richman, formerly of Fairchild Semiconductor. De Castro and Sogge designed Digital's PDP-5 and PDP-8 product lines, while Burkhardt headed the programming for the machines.
In 1969, Data General introduced the Nova, the first 16-bit minicomputer with four accumulators, a leading technology at the time. During its early years, the company was successful in the scientific, academic and OEM markets. With its 32-bit ECLIPSE family of computers and its Comprehensive Electronic Office (CEO) software, Data General gained entry into the commercial marketplace in the early 1980s.
In subsequent years, Data General switched from proprietary hardware to Motorola and then Intel-based computers with its AViiON line, running Windows NT and its own version of Unix (DG/UX). The CLARiiON line of RAID storage systems was introduced in the early 1990s. In 1999, EMC acquired the company and continued to promote the CLARiiON products.
The "Eagle project," Data General's development of its ECLIPSE and first 32-bit computer, was chronicled in Tracy Kidder's Pulitzer-prize winning novel, "Soul of a New Machine," published by Little, Brown and Company, ISBN 0-316-49170-5. See Data General One and EMC.
Edson de Castro
De Castro's Novas helped expand the market for "low-priced" computers (under $100,000, that is). This was a time when minicomputers were expected to make mainframes obsolete. (Image courtesy of Data General Corporation.)
In 1969, Data General introduced the Nova, the first 16-bit minicomputer with four accumulators, a leading technology at the time. During its early years, the company was successful in the scientific, academic and OEM markets. With its 32-bit ECLIPSE family of computers and its Comprehensive Electronic Office (CEO) software, Data General gained entry into the commercial marketplace in the early 1980s.
In subsequent years, Data General switched from proprietary hardware to Motorola and then Intel-based computers with its AViiON line, running Windows NT and its own version of Unix (DG/UX). The CLARiiON line of RAID storage systems was introduced in the early 1990s. In 1999, EMC acquired the company and continued to promote the CLARiiON products.
The "Eagle project," Data General's development of its ECLIPSE and first 32-bit computer, was chronicled in Tracy Kidder's Pulitzer-prize winning novel, "Soul of a New Machine," published by Little, Brown and Company, ISBN 0-316-49170-5. See Data General One and EMC.
Edson de Castro
De Castro's Novas helped expand the market for "low-priced" computers (under $100,000, that is). This was a time when minicomputers were expected to make mainframes obsolete. (Image courtesy of Data General Corporation.)
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Jacknife 1.3 (Mac)
- Jacknife is versatile enterprise software for businesses and organizations. It includes several specific types of programs and you may choose which to use simply by selecting a program type in settings. Jacknife Studio is ideal for studios of all kinds, including dance, gymnastics, and karate studios. It...
- Software downloads 2009-11-26
- Chrome OS will rise or fall on the safety dance
- Scare tactics against Chrome OSI can see Microsoft really did the 'safety dance' with Windows it has been so successful...Chrome_OS is an entirely different modular approach plus they are using Open_Source with NO limitation of how high they can reach. I find it amazing anyone with a straight face say...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-24
- What if the search-index was run by a non-profit? GOOG founders once supported that idea
- Soloution looking for a problemReread the tragedy of the commons. This is a bad idea. If different search companies have different businesses listed that will give rise to meta search engines that search the search engines and produce combined results in a single context.There is already a Firefox plugin...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-23
- Is Wikipedia maxed out?
- Interesting....I don't see a reason Wikipedia would max out considering that every day new younger participants are entering the field. It's timeless relevance could diminish as new and younger editors focus on more up-to-date matters as Twitter, Sexting and Cloud computing, and less on the Roman Empire, the Great Depression...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-23
- Schiller: App Store isn't broken
- The truth hurtsThe truth is consumer lacks the ability to make good decision regarding the security of their data. We are regularly tricked into click-installing things while surfing the web, download trojans and other malware, give out information over the phone that we shouldn't etc ... and we never...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-23
- HP Pavilion dv4-1555dx
- Editors' note: This review is part of our 2009 Retail Laptop and Desktop Holiday Roundup, which covers specific fixed configurations of popular systems found in retail stores. With its stylish, Imprint-finish chassis, excellent audio output, and remote control, the 14-inch HP Pavilion dv4-1555dx is best suited for students and others...
- Product reviews 2009-11-20
- Barcode Generator & Overprinter 6.4.5 (Windows)
- If you need to batch generate barcode label and overprint a barcode/text on preprinted blank labels, cards, forms, etc. Barcode Generator & Overprinter can satisfy your requirement, just need a few quick mouse motions to set the print position, you can print barcodes on any preprinted forms, and you also...
- Software downloads 2009-11-20
- Google makes Chrome OS open source today
- I like itThe ChromeOS demo looked pretty cool!I'm almost 100% webapp-based already, so I could see myself using a simple, fast & no maintenance OS like that the majority of the time.I like it too, but, for me, I need to compile and run programs locally. I would imagine that...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-19
- Live from Googleplex: Chrome OS details revealed
- Ubuntu 9.10 has more immediate potentialMight I suggest trying Ubuntu 9.10? A phenominal OS with much more to offer then even Windows 7.Open source, free and ready to try today...http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=1122http://www.tuxradar.com/content/vista-windows-7-ubuntu-904-and-910-boot-speed-comparisonhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYgWE6Svpaghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16-nad9N3pgNot that I have readI'd stick with 904immediate potential to sink in obscurityGoogle was Linux's last fleeting chance to turn...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-19
- ChromeOS says tear down this network regulation wall
- Costs"What is holding back network capacity is politics."What's holding back network capacity is huge costs.Yep, very important to push the ISPs to free up the bits. They would love to continue selling bandwidth through an eyedropper at very high prices. They need a push.Oh, and Microsoft will not like this...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-19
- AT&T launches Verizon counter-punch ad, keeps digging that hole
- There's a Cr-app for that!I only have one thing to say, Sprint! Well, two things, AT&T neglects to mention 4G. Well, three things, They are the most expensive carrier for the least amount of quality delivered. Oh wait, 4 things, I had an iPhone and loved the interface. In the...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-19
- Salesforce Chatter: Social operating systems emerge on the IT stage
- The next big shift: Intranets, portals, and software suites that are the integrating force of the social fabric for our organizations. This morning's announcement here at Dreamforce today from Salesforce of Chatter, an enterprise-class realization of Facebook and Twitter, is further evidence of the industry's push for social Web capabilities...
- Blog posts 2009-11-18
- Disks: why size means performance
- OK, Smarty pants...How do I use only the outer-most sectors of my 500GB disk?Performance != reliabilitySeagate has progressively gotten worse with reliability - that's why they cut the 5-year warranty back down to 3 years. Western Digital has made great strides with reliability though. WD isn't focussing on...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-18
- HP Pavilion Elite owner resorts to lawsuit over 'inherently defective' PC
- My HP Pavilion Elite... / HP quality controlMy HP Pavilion Elite came with an obviously defective, and defectively designed, video card. After about eight months, the video card model was finally recalled.My previous HP desktop computer went for about five years without a problem.HP's quality control is clearly going down...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-17
- VirtualBox 3.0.12 (Windows)
- VirtualBox is a general-purpose full virtualizer for x86 hardware. Targeted at server, desktop and embedded use, it is now the only professional-quality virtualization solution that is also Open Source Software. Features: Modularity: VirtualBox has an extremely modular design with well-defined internal programming interfaces and a client/server design,Virtual machine descriptions in...
- Software downloads 2009-11-17
- CRM Association-Netherlands Rocks Het Huis!
- I'm in love with Amsterdam....no wait, I love it but I'm not in love....no, hold on, I like it a lot, but I'm not in love, nor do I love it. The Theory.... Interestingly enough (to me at least and who else am I really writing this for...
- Blog posts 2009-11-16
- Product Manager 1.4 (Mac)
- Product Manager is a software to manage on Macintosh, company products from different points of view. It's document based and can manage an unlimited number of documents each with an unlimited number of products inside, subdivided in families. The application is customizable with the labels the the user needs for...
- Software downloads 2009-11-16
- Wireshark 1.2.4 (Mac)
- Wireshark is the world's foremost network protocol analyzer, and is the standard in many industries. It is the continuation of a project that started in 1998. Hundreds of developers around the world have contributed to it, and it is still under active development. Read/write many different aWireshark is the world's...
- Software downloads 2009-11-16
- Guess who else is married to paper?
- Another paper perilThankfully, knock on wood, I don't get sick very often.Since I hadn't been there for years, my Clinic threw away my entire medical history.Paper is a fact of life.You have to a have a paper trail, the entire concept of goingpaperless is just silliness.I am sure with the...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-12
- Guess who else is married to paper?
- The real problem that bothers me more than anything else, though, given the state of database and data mining technologies and the general interconnectedness of everything we do, is the inability of any of many information systems to talk to more far-flung systems. by Christopher Dawson
- Blog posts 2009-11-12
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Reduce risk. Reduce complexity. Increase reliability.
-
A simplified IT environment isn't just less complex. It's also more reliable. Standardize on a single Linux platform with SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell, and get the world's most interoperable Linux
- Learn more >>
- Keep Up With The Latest In Document Management with The DocuMentor.
-
Doc delivers the scoop on today's enterprise content management, printer maintenance, and all other issues related to document management. It's the DocuMentor Blog.
- Learn more >>
- Save time with automated shipping solutions
-
The Business Essentials Guide provides you useful tools and templates to help grow your business and save you time with automated shipping solutions.
- Visit the UPS Business Essentials Guide
- New Online Dashboard for IT Leaders
-
Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost-effective solutions to real-life IT problems.
- Learn more >>
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online - Free Six-Month Trial for Eligible Organizations
-
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides fast online access, simple contact management and better sales performance for a low monthly cost - the best value on the market today.
- Learn more about the free, six-month trial offer>>
Popular Sanity Saver Videos
