Remembering WANG COMPUTERS & WORD PROCESSING 1973-1981 Office Automation Minicomputers

170522 Like and subscribe. This is an archive, check the link in the end if you are owner. A short non-technical look back at some of WANG's early computers and Word Processors 1973-1981.

From the 1970’s to the mid 1980’s, Wang Laboratories was a global leader in word processing and office automation. Founded in 1951 in Massachusetts, it established headquarters in Cambridge, then Tewksbury and finally Lowell, Mass. At its peak in the 1980s, annual revenue reached $3 billion, with over 33,000 employees.

IN 1955, Wang produced an early computer (WEDILOG digital differential analyzer) for U.S. Gov.

In the mid-1960s, Wang Labs introduced innovative electronic calculators, including the “logarithmic calculating instrument” or LOCI in 1964, and the programmable LOCI-2, in 1965. Wang also released a variety of products, including the successful 300, and 700 series calculators.

WORD PROCESSING and BUSINESS COMPUTING
The Wang model 1200 of 1972 could perform basic word processing functions, but lacked a CRT screen.

Wang released the Model 2200 minicomputer in May 1973. It had a video display screen, keyboard and cassette tape drive; 4k RAM and “BASIC” language built-in. The 2200 was very successful, selling over 10,000 units in the first few years.

Wang is especially remembered for its very successful Wang WPS, Word Processing System, introduced in June 1976; it sold 5,000 units in the first two years. Word Processing Computers became highly popular in the mid 1970’s and ‘80’s. By 1980, Wang dominated the dedicated word processing market.

Wang worked to integrate its OIS (Office Information Systems) line and its Wang VS (Virtual Storage) line to facilitate office automation during the late 1970's and early 1980's.

Wang products continued in use for years. Due to market losses, however, Wang filed for bankruptcy in 1992 and underwent restructuring. In 1999, Wang Global acquired by by Dutch computer firm Getronics for $2 billion. In 2007, CompuCom Systems, Inc., acquired the North American operations of Getronics.

RECOMMENDED REFERENCES FOR MORE WANG HISTORY:--------------------

The following are some excellent web resources for historical info
on Wang computers.

Old Calculator Museum.com
https://oldcalculatormuseum.com/wangloci.html

Wang 1200.org
http://wang1200.org/

Wang 2200.org
http://www.wang2200.org/

Wang3300.org
http://wang3300.org/

Datapro Research Report: Wang Laboratories 2200 Series (1981)
http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/datapro/programmable_terminals/Datapro_C21_Wang.pdf

Vintage Computers: Wang Computers
http://www.horniger.de/computer/wang/index.html

Wang Museum Netherlands
https://www.wangmuseum.nl/

National Museum of American History (Wang LOCI and Calculator photos)
https://americanhistory.si.edu/

Rhode Island Computer Museum
https://www.ricomputermuseum.org/

Computer Museum Mountain View
https://computerhistory.org/

Bitsavers.org
http://www.bitsavers.org

IEEE Computer Soc. Art.: Computer Pioneers: An Wang by J.A.N. Lee
https://history.computer.org/pioneers/wang.html

Wang Corporate Records (Harvard)
https://hollisarchives.lib.harvard.edu/repositories/11/resources/622

-- Timeline of a few Key Events 1951-1976 (DRAFT) (some dates approx.)

1951 Wang Laboratories founded in Massachusetts.
1955 Wang incorporated in Delaware. An Wang was registered as president and treasurer.
1955 (May) Wang is granted a U.S. patent for “magnetic "Pulse Transfer Controlling Device,” which helped make magnetic core memory practical.
1955 WEDILOG Differential Analyzer, a vacuum tube and diode machine, is produced for the U.S. Government.
1956 (March 4) Wang sells his memory core patent to IBM for $500,000.
1958-59 Weditrol (“Wang Electronic Digital Control Units”) sold for $700 each.
1959-1963 Wang works with Compugraphic to produce the Linasec, a semi-automated phototypesetting machine.
1964 The LOCI-1 calculator is completed.
1965 LOCI-2, its first programmable scientific calculator, is released.
1965 Wang announces the 300 family of calculators. Base model sells for $1,700.
1967 Wang went public and sold 210,000 shares of common stock on NYSE.
1968 Wang announces the 700 advanced programming calculator.
1968 Wang introduces the model 4000 computer.
1970 Wang introduces the model 3300 computer.
1971 Wang introduces the Series 600 programmable calculator.
1973 Wang 2200 computer released in April (about $8,500).
1973 Wang’s rudimentary word processing machine, the 1200, is introduced.
1975 Wang WCS family 10, 20, 30 introduced. Similar architecture to the Wang 2200, but are marketed primarily to business and commercial customers.
1976 (June) Wang introduced its first CRT based word processor, the Wang WPS (Word Processing System)
https://rumblevideoarchive.wordpress.com/