An Wang

An Wang
An Wang
Born	Template:Birth date; Shanghai, China
Died	March 24, 1990 (aged 70)
Occupation(s)	Innovator, computer engineer, entrepreneur
Known for	Cofounder of Wang Laboratories, magnetic-core memory technology

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article An Wang, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 8 August 2025

An Wang (; February 7, 1920 – March 24, 1990) was a Chinese-American innovator, computer engineer, and cofounder of Wang Laboratories, a firm best known for its specialized word processing equipment. He played a pivotal role in advancing magnetic-core memory technology.

Early life and career

Wang was born in Shanghai, China, with family roots in Kunshan County within the Suzhou region. His father worked as an English instructor while his mother managed the household. In 1940, he graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Seeking further education, he moved to the United States in 1945 to attend Harvard University, where he earned a PhD in applied physics by 1948.

During his time at Harvard, Wang collaborated with Howard Aiken on the development of the Mark IV, Aiken’s inaugural fully electronic computing machine. Alongside Way-Dong Woo, he co-developed the pulse transfer controlling device featuring write-after-read capability, which was instrumental in enabling magnetic core memory. When Harvard reduced its focus on computer research in 1951, Wang decided to establish his own engineering enterprise.

Wang Laboratories

In June 1951, Wang launched Wang Laboratories as a sole proprietorship, initially securing $50,000 in capital by selling one-third ownership to Warner & Swasey Company. After obtaining a patent related to core memory in 1955, he sold it to IBM for $500,000 and formally incorporated Wang Laboratories with Ge-Yao Chu. The company experienced steady growth, achieving $1 million in revenue by 1964 and entering the market for desktop electronic calculators featuring digital readouts.

By 1970, sales had risen to $27 million with a workforce of 1,400 employees. Wang Laboratories ventured into word processing in 1974 with a cassette-based device designed for single users and followed this with a multi-user system equipped with a display in 1976, powered by the Zilog Z80 processor. This product quickly gained market dominance. The firm also expanded into minicomputers during the early 1970s, introducing the Wang 2200 desktop computer that included a CRT screen and rapid BASIC interpreter, as well as the Wang VS multiuser minicomputer modeled after IBM’s System/370 architecture but without binary compatibility. The VS terminals supported both word processing and data processing functions.

By 1984, approximately 55% of company shares were held by Wang and his family. Forbes ranked him as the fifth wealthiest American with an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion. At its zenith in 1989, Wang Laboratories employed over 30,000 individuals and was headquartered initially in Tewksbury before relocating to Lowell, Massachusetts. Upon An Wang’s retirement from day-to-day management in 1986, leadership passed to his son Fred Wang; however, financial challenges resulted in Fred’s removal from his position in 1989.

Later years

An Wang established the Wang Institute of Graduate Studies located in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, which provided graduate-level education focused on software engineering. Despite generous financial support—including earnings from his autobiography Lessons—the institute faced low enrollment and ceased funding operations in 1987, subsequently transferring control to Boston University.

His philanthropic efforts were significant; he contributed $4 million toward Massachusetts General Hospital’s ambulatory care center (later named the Wang Building) and supported Boston’s Metropolitan Theatre, which was renamed the Wang Theatre in 1983. Honors bestowed upon him included receiving the Medal of Liberty in 1986 and induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame two years later.

Several academic chairs commemorate his impact: the An Wang Professorships at Harvard University (in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering), Brown University (Computer Science), and Boston University (Cognitive and Neural Systems). Additionally, the An Wang Middle School located in Lowell bears his name.

An Wang passed away from cancer in 1990. He resided with his wife Lorraine in Lincoln, Massachusetts; she died in 2016. Together they had three children.

Aphorisms

An Wang is recognized for his succinct aphorisms that encapsulate his philosophies on business and life. Among his well-known sayings is:

"Consistent common sense plays a greater role in success than sheer genius."

External links

Brief biography of An Wang (archived)

Patents

"Pulse transfer controlling device," application submitted 1949, granted 1955
"Calculating Apparatus" utilizing logarithms, filed 1964, granted 1968
"Distributed data processing system," filed 1977, granted 1979
Ideographic typewriter, 1981
Helical print head mechanism, 1981
Selective paper insertion mechanism for printing devices, 1983
Data communication system, 1984
High-density dot matrix printer, 1985
Document scanner positioning device, 1985
Management communication terminal system, 1986
Polling method to determine service requirements, 1986
Writing pad, 1987
Game racket, 1987
Composite document processing terminal featuring graphic and text buffers, 1992
Keyboard with keys operable by fingers and stylus, 1994