Data General

Data General[edit | edit source]

Data General was an American computer company that was founded in 1968 by Edson de Castro and Henry Burkhardt III. The company played a significant role in the early development of the minicomputer industry and was known for its innovative and reliable computer systems.

History[edit | edit source]

Data General was established with the goal of designing and manufacturing affordable and powerful minicomputers. Their first product, the Nova, was introduced in 1969 and quickly gained popularity due to its compact size and high performance. The Nova series became one of the most successful minicomputer lines of the time.

In the 1970s, Data General faced fierce competition from companies like Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and Hewlett-Packard (HP). To stay competitive, Data General introduced new models such as the Eclipse and the MV/8000 series. These systems offered improved performance and expanded capabilities, allowing Data General to maintain its position in the market.

Products[edit | edit source]

Data General produced a wide range of computer systems throughout its history. Some notable products include:

Nova: The Nova series was Data General's first successful product line. It featured a 16-bit architecture and was available in various models, including the Nova 1200 and the Nova 800.

Eclipse: The Eclipse series was introduced in the late 1970s and offered significant improvements over the Nova line. It featured a 32-bit architecture and supported multitasking and virtual memory.

MV/8000: The MV/8000 series, introduced in the early 1980s, was designed for high-performance computing. It featured a 32-bit architecture and supported multiprocessing.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Data General's contributions to the computer industry were significant. The company's innovative designs and reliable systems helped establish the minicomputer market and influenced the development of future computer technologies.

In 1987, Data General was acquired by EMC Corporation, a leading provider of data storage solutions. The Data General brand continued to exist within EMC, but the focus shifted towards storage and networking products.