History of Norsk Data

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A brief list of some events in the Norsk Data history.

1967

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

1968

  • Three 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. One of the first minicomputer to do so (the Burroughs B5000 was the first computer[citation needed])
  • 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, one NORD-5
  • NORDIC completed
  • BASIC compiler developed
  • Terminal systems developed
  • NORD-TSS in development, a multi-user multi-lingual time-sharing operating system
  • Development of the NORD-10 started, estimated finished first half of 1973

1973

  • 36 NORD-1 installed, one 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
  • 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, one 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 5 800 m2. 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

  • Four NORD-1 installed
  • 62 NORD-10 installed, three 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, three 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, seven 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 ND-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 (see ND-100 Satellite)

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


Sources

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