Jump to content

Wang Laboratories

From Alfawiki
Wang Laboratories, Inc.
Company typePublic (formerly)
IndustryComputing
Founded1951
FounderAn Wang, Ge Yao Chu
FateRenamed Wang Global after bankruptcy; acquired by Getronics in 1999
Headquarters
Billerica, Massachusetts (final headquarters)
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
An Wang (Founder and CEO)
ProductsTypesetters, calculators, word processors, computers, copiers, laser printers
Number of employees
33,000 (1980s)

Wang Laboratories, Inc. was an American computing firm established in 1951 by An Wang alongside Ge Yao Chu, with its original headquarters located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company initially focused on producing typesetters, calculators, and word processing machines before broadening its scope to include computers, copiers, and laser printers. During the 1980s, Wang Laboratories reached its peak with annual revenues of $3 billion and a workforce exceeding 33,000 employees, becoming a prominent entity amid the Massachusetts Miracle economic surge.

An Wang, who served as founder and CEO, played a pivotal role in directing the company’s business approach and product innovation over its 40-year history. To adapt to competitive market dynamics, the firm adjusted its product emphasis multiple times. Its main office relocated several times within Massachusetts: from Cambridge (1954–1963), then Tewksbury (1963–1976), followed by Lowell (1976–1995), and eventually settling in Billerica.

Confronted with financial difficulties, Wang Laboratories sought bankruptcy protection in August 1992. Following reorganization, the company was renamed Wang Global, acquired by the Dutch corporation Getronics in 1999, and subsequently integrated into KPN and CompuCom through later transactions.

Public stock listing

Wang Laboratories went public on August 26, 1967, offering 240,000 shares at $12.50 each on the American Stock Exchange. The stock closed above $40 per share that day, valuing the firm at approximately $77 million, with An Wang and his family retaining about 63% ownership.

To maintain family control after the initial public offering, An Wang implemented a dual-class stock system: class B shares carried higher dividends but only one-tenth the voting rights compared to class C shares. The general public predominantly acquired class B shares while the Wang family held the majority of class C shares. This arrangement eventually led to delisting from the New York Stock Exchange due to regulatory restrictions and a subsequent relisting on the more accommodating American Stock Exchange. After the bankruptcy proceedings in 1992, shareholders of both class B and C stocks were treated equally.

Typesetters

The company’s first significant product was the Linasec (1964), an electronic computer designed specifically for automating Linotype machine operations under contract with phototypesetter manufacturer Compugraphic. Compugraphic retained manufacturing rights and later produced the device independently, resulting in over a million dollars in lost revenue for Wang.

Calculators

Introduced in January 1965, the Wang LOCI-2 desktop calculator was notable as the first capable of calculating logarithms without relying on integrated circuits, utilizing 1,275 discrete transistors instead. It performed multiplication by adding logarithms but exhibited some rounding inaccuracies on its display.

Between 1965 and roughly 1971, Wang was regarded as a leading manufacturer of calculators. Their models were priced between and , featuring Nixie tube displays alongside transcendental functions, programmability, and magnetic core memory. The Model 200 and Model 300 offered time-shared simultaneous (SE) configurations that linked multiple desktop units to a central processing unit. Competitors included Hewlett-Packard with its HP 9100A (1968), as well as established companies like Monroe Calculator Company and Marchant Calculator.

Initially aimed at scientists and engineers, Wang’s calculators found increasing use within financial sectors for complex mortgage and annuity computations.

By 1971, anticipating that calculators would become commoditized with shrinking profit margins, Wang decided to withdraw from the calculator market within a few years.

The Wang 1200

Introduced in late 1971 and released the following year, Wang's inaugural word processor, the Wang 1200, merged the computational logic of a Wang 500 calculator with an OEM IBM Selectric typewriter for input and printing functions, complemented by dual cassette decks for data storage. Harold Koplow, who had previously developed microcode for Wang calculators, adapted this technology to support word processing capabilities rather than numerical calculations.

Users entered text via the IBM Selectric keyboard, saving each line onto cassette tape upon hitting Return. Each cassette could accommodate roughly 20 pages of content, which was printable on continuous-form paper or modifiable through a straightforward six-key control panel offering basic editing features such as Insert, Delete, and Skip.

The Wang 1200 served as the groundwork for the more sophisticated Wang Office Information System (OIS).

Wang OIS

Building upon the Wang 1200, Harold Koplow and David Moros initiated development of a new word processing system by first authoring its user manual. Although reassigned to Long Range Planning—a move generally viewed as a demotion—the duo persuaded founder An Wang to approve the project.

The resulting Wang 1200 WPS debuted in June 1976 and swiftly captured market interest, succeeded by the highly successful 1977 Wang OIS (Office Information System).

This OIS was a multi-user platform equipped with workstations powered by individual Intel 8080 (later upgraded to Z80) microprocessors and 64 KB of RAM—less than that found in the original IBM PC. Storage was centralized on disks shared through high-speed dual coaxial cables known as the "928 Link," facilitating efficient collaboration within office environments.

These offerings formed central components of Wang Laboratories' business model, securing a significant share of the word processing market throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Copiers/Printers

Preceding competitors such as IBM and Xerox, Wang dominated the market for "intelligent" printers—high-speed office copiers electronically integrated with PCs and other automated systems. A year later, The New York Times identified the IBM 6670 Information Distributor as approaching this standard.

Wang 3300

The Wang 3300 marked Wang's entry into computing as an 8-bit integrated circuit minicomputer designed to serve as a central processor for multi-terminal time-sharing setups. It supported byte-oriented and double-byte operand memory instructions, with core memory capacity ranging from 4,096 to 65,536 bytes. Development commenced after Rick Bensene joined in June 1968; it was announced in February 1969 and delivered to its initial customer by March 1971.

Wang 2200

Wang introduced several compact computer systems aimed at word and data processing with overlapping product ranges. The most prominent was the Wang 2200, launched in May 1973. Unlike many contemporaries, it combined a CRT display, compact cassette storage, and keyboard into a single enclosure while running microcoded interpreted Wang BASIC. Approximately 65,000 units were sold globally, primarily targeting small to medium-sized enterprises.

Initially designed for single users, the enhanced VP model increased performance by over ten times and upgraded the language to BASIC-2. The 2200 VP evolved into desktop and larger MVP variants supporting up to sixteen workstations. These systems utilized commercial disk technologies from the late '70s and early '80s. Disk subsystems could connect as many as fifteen computers, theoretically enabling clusters of up to 240 workstations.

Wang utilized value-added resellers (VARs) to tailor and distribute the 2200. For instance, a collaboration with Algorithms, Inc. provided paging services throughout Hong Kong during the early 1980s.

Although eclipsed by the Wang VS series, the 2200 remained an economical yet often overlooked option. In the late '80s, Wang released the 2200 CS model bundled with maintenance at competitive pricing. Featuring an Intel 386 CPU and updated peripherals, most customers transitioned to this version. By 1997, roughly two hundred units worldwide were still maintained.

The BASIC-2 language was subsequently ported by firms like Niakwa Inc and Kerridge Computer (now part of ADP) to operate on non-Wang platforms including DOS, Windows, and Unix. These compiled adaptations greatly enhanced execution speed and capacity while extending language features.

In the 1970s, about two thousand Wang 2200T units were shipped to the USSR. Due to export restrictions amid the Afghan conflict in the '80s, shipments halted. Russian engineers at Minpribor's Schetmash plant reverse-engineered the Wang 2200T to develop the Iskra 226 computer starting in 1978. Though not an exact clone, it employed a similar BASIC dialect (T-BASIC) with added enhancements. The Iskra-226 earned industry accolades with its designers nominated for a State Prize in 1985. Subsequent Unix implementations were also created for this system within the Soviet Union.

Alliance

Wang's Alliance series, built upon a sophisticated high-end OIS (140/145) hardware framework, incorporated more advanced software capabilities than the initial OIS word processing and list management tools. Certified under Tempest standards, it was deployed globally, including in U.S. embassies following the Iran hostage crisis. Operating on the Z80 architecture, Alliance functioned as an 8-bit application confined to a 64 KB workstation environment.

The Wang VS computer line

Launched in 1977 alongside Digital Equipment Corporation's VAX, the Wang VS family was designed to serve the business data processing sector, positioning itself as a competitor to IBM. Although its instruction set mirrored that of the IBM System/360, it did not support IBM’s system software.

Software

The VS operating system accommodated both interactive and batch processing modes. Programming was predominantly done in COBOL, with additional language support including Assembler, COBOL 74/85, BASIC, Ada, RPG II, C, PL/I, FORTRAN, Pascal, among others. Starting in the mid-1980s, Wang introduced PACE (Professional Application Creation Environment), a 4GL coupled with a database system that empowered users and developers to create complex applications capable of supporting hundreds of users. Numerous third-party vendors developed significant vertical market applications for VS across various programming languages. Popular VS software included the Wang OFFICE suite and Wang WP, with word processing functionalities emulated through OIS environment services.

Hardware

The industry and press categorized Wang’s VS series as "minicomputers," although some high-tier models neared mainframe-level performance. An Wang himself described the VS 300 as "approaching mainframe performance," distinguishing it from IBM’s dominant mainframe offerings by focusing on mid-range computing systems.

  • The VS7000, introduced in 1987, represented a rebranding of the VS100 and VS300 lines; upgraded variants such as the VS7110, VS7120, and VS7130 were positioned as higher-end models.
  • The VS5000 series arrived in 1988 as systems intended for user installation, with the smallest units comparable in size to contemporary personal computers.
  • The flagship VS10000 supported extensive multi-user environments using emitter coupled logic (ECL), demanding significant power consumption (up to 10 kilowatts) and advanced cooling solutions. It was engineered to run multiple operating systems simultaneously, including VS version 7 OS and Unix.

This range exemplified Wang Laboratories’ strategic focus on capturing mid-sized enterprise computing markets through flexible hardware options complemented by a comprehensive software portfolio.

Going after IBM

An Wang maintained a personal rivalry with IBM rooted in disputes over his magnetic-core memory patents dating back to the mid-1950s. He envisioned Wang Laboratories surpassing IBM by the mid-1990s, reflecting his ambitious corporate vision.

Wang Laboratories was among the pioneers in television advertising for technology companies, notably airing the first Super Bowl commercial in 1978. Their marketing portrayed the company as David challenging the Goliath of IBM, signaling an assertive competitive posture well before Apple’s famous 1984 advertisement. Subsequent commercials depicted Wang as a helicopter gunship targeting IBM, emphasizing their aggressive market approach.

Initially, Wang targeted management information system (MIS) departments by offering calculators, word processors, and office information systems (OIS), effectively circumventing traditional corporate IT decision-makers. This tactic aimed to establish an initial foothold within Fortune 1000 companies. The introduction of the Wang VS series marked a strategic shift toward engaging IT departments directly by hiring sales personnel experienced in data processing and familiar with large enterprises. As VS adoption increased, Wang phased out earlier word processing and OIS product lines, integrating word processing functionality into the VS microcode environment to function as a document server.

During the 1980s, Wang made progress penetrating IBM and DEC markets but faced challenges breaking IBM’s mainframe stronghold due to limitations in sales training and product positioning. Typically, VS systems served smaller enterprises with annual revenues up to $500 million or operated as gateways connecting workstations to larger mainframes within bigger organizations while managing extensive printing services.

Significant deployments included Exxon Corporation’s Houston headquarters where thirteen VS300 units processed mainframe reports for executive online access throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Mellon Mortgage utilized eighteen VS systems for mortgage origination, servicing, finance operations, documentation management, hedge administration, and mainframe interfacing. Across Mellon Mortgage and Mellon Bank combined, forty-five VS systems supported approximately sixteen thousand users for email communication and report distribution.

At Houston-based Kent and KTec Electronics, separate VS clusters managed distribution logistics, manufacturing operations, accounting functions, and electronic data interchange (EDI) processes. Kent Electronics achieved $600 million in annual revenue running Arcus distribution software developed in COBOL; KTec Electronics generated $250 million annually utilizing the CAELUS MRP system for manufacturing written in BASIC. These implementations demonstrate Wang’s targeted penetration into diverse industry verticals through customized enterprise solutions.

Aggressive marketing

During the late 1980s, a British documentary claimed that Wang pursued an aggressive strategy against its competitor, the Canadian firm AES Wordplex, by providing significant discounts on Wang OIS systems in exchange for trade-ins of Wordplex devices, regardless of their condition. This approach, known as "The Gas Cooker Program," was designed to boost Wang’s market presence amid a contracting word processing industry. Eventually, Norsk Data acquired Wordplex.

Word processing market collapse

The dedicated word processing sector experienced a steep decline as personal computers gained prominence. IBM PC-compatible programs such as MultiMate mimicked Wang’s distinctive keyboard and screen interface, attracting many of Wang’s corporate clients. Wang's last effort in this domain was the 1984 Intel-based Wang Office Assistant, primarily sold in the UK through select dealers upgrading users from electronic typewriters. Despite its advantages in speed and reliability—particularly when paired with Wang printers—it struggled in the US market due to the absence of spell-check and the PC’s superior versatility in running multiple applications simultaneously. After four years, the Office Assistant was discontinued.

The Digital Voice Exchange

One of the earliest integrated telephone exchange and voicemail solutions was the Wang DVX, which saw adoption in UK government pilot programs like those at the National Coal Board around 1980. Enhancements included the DVX Message Waiting feature introduced in 1984 and the launch of DVX II in 1989.

Wang invested in internal speech recognition research focused on discrete word recognition but never brought a product to market. The Voice Engineering Department, led by Lawrence E. Bergeron, developed real-time signal processing technologies such as the Peripheral Signal Processor (PSP) board, capable of handling 128 telephone lines within the DVX system. The DVX offered voicemail boxes for rent with multilingual voice prompts engineered to minimize touch-tone interference using notch filters. Supported languages encompassed German, Spanish, French, British and American English, and Portuguese.

PCs and PC-based products

Although the 2200 PCS and PCS-II models introduced in 1976 did not incorporate microprocessors, the PCS-II featured pioneering technology like the first 5.25-inch floppy disk drives developed by Shugart Associates, which later influenced personal computer designs.

The original Wang PC

Launched in April 1982 as a competitor to IBM's PC, the original Wang PC utilized a faster Intel 8086 processor compared to IBM’s 8088 chip. It came with an integrated hardware/software bundle allowing it to operate as a terminal for Wang's OIS and VS systems, initially through large add-in boards called WLOC that housed a Z-80 processor and 64 KB of memory. These PCs eventually served as system consoles for Wang’s mid-frame VS7000 series.

A distinctive feature was its system software employing menu-driven commands supported by help keys instead of conventional command lines. This software was later adapted for MS-DOS-compatible machines. Wang’s word processing applications were notably graphical and user-friendly, utilizing 16 function keys clearly labeled for ease of operation—unlike competitors who required complex control key combinations.

Although it ran MS-DOS, the Wang PC was not hardware-compatible with IBM PCs due to its unique 16-bit data bus architecture and proprietary peripherals, restricting access to IBM PC software libraries. Only certain programs such as Lotus 1-2-3 and dBase II were available. This lack of compatibility led to replacement by an Intel 80286-based model that was fully plug-compatible with IBM PCs. The original system software remained available for purchase separately.

Most units shipped equipped with monochrome graphics adapters supporting separate text and graphics planes; color display options were also provided. The design emphasized ergonomics with a monitor arm and desk clamps that suspended both monitor and computer unit above the desktop to conserve workspace.

IBM-compatible Wang PCs

Wang created an emulation expansion board for its Wang PC, which allowed many PC-compatible software applications to run by overseeing I/O and memory operations and triggering non-maskable interrupts (NMI) to mimic incompatible hardware components. This emulation was essential, for example, due to variations in the floppy disk controller design that needed to be accommodated for PC software compatibility.

Following IBM's release of the 80286-based PC-AT, Wang introduced its own 80286-based model, the Wang APC (Advanced Professional Computer). Later versions, beginning with the PC-240, booted operating systems compatible with MS-DOS and supported ISA expansion cards. Nonetheless, the PC-240 was not entirely compliant with IBM PC standards because it featured a keyboard with 24 function keys and exhibited minor differences in CPU interrupt handling, which led to certain software compatibility challenges.

Connectivity to VS systems was achieved through an ISA-based VS-terminal card or LightSpeed, a networked VS Terminal Emulator that operated over IPX Ethernet. The PC-240 utilized a proprietary Wang Hercules Graphics Card and display that also functioned as an extension of the keyboard; subsequent models replaced these with EGA graphics cards and monitors.

Around 1991, Wang launched the PC350-16 and PC350-40 models powered by Intel 80386 processors running at 16 MHz and 40 MHz respectively. Both machines employed the VS-compatible keyboard, supported up to 4 MB of RAM, and included VGA displays. They were supplied with MS-DOS and Windows 3.0 installed. The earlier 350-16 model suffered from a power-on defect that was corrected in the 350-40 through an enhanced power supply design.

In 1992, the Alliance 750CD was introduced, featuring an Intel 80386SX processor clocked at 25 MHz and expandable memory up to 16 MB. This system came equipped with a 1.44 MB floppy drive, an internal 80 MB hard disk, a CD-ROM drive, five expansion slots, and ran MS-DOS alongside Windows 3.1.

By 1994, Wang released a slimline version of the Alliance 750CD in the UK powered by an 80486 CPU. This model was fully IBM compatible, used standard PC/AT keyboards, and shipped with MS-DOS 5.0 and Windows 3.11 pre-installed. Instead of specialized battery packs, BIOS settings and the real-time clock were maintained by four AA batteries. The system supported upgrades to faster Socket 3 processors such as the 80486DX2 via third-party adapters, allowing clock speeds beyond 50 MHz without overclocking or exceeding 100 MHz when overclocked.

Wang Freestyle

Introduced in 1988, Wang Freestyle combined a touch-sensitive tablet paired with a stylus for annotating files displayed on a PC screen, alongside a telephone handset designed for voice annotations (not voice communication), integrated with email functionality through Wang OFFICE. The entry-level model was priced at approximately , while essential features like fax and voice options raised costs up to , limiting its appeal in broader markets. Freestyle primarily targeted senior executives at the C-suite level, significantly narrowing its potential user base compared to general office personnel. Consequently, it was mostly affordable only for specialized or high-ranking employees within Wang Laboratories, restricting widespread adoption.

Decline and fall

During the late 1980s and through the 1990s, Wang Labs was one of several New England-based computer firms that experienced decline, marking an end to the era known as the Massachusetts Miracle. While some analysts attribute Wang's downfall to its focus on word-processing machines that could not compete with versatile personal computers, by that decade Wang’s primary business had shifted toward VS minicomputers and midframe systems—markets increasingly overtaken by microcomputers from competitors such as Apple, IBM, and Sun Microsystems.

Founder An Wang’s decision to appoint his sons Frederick and Courtney as his successors contributed to leadership difficulties. Although Fred Wang held a business degree, he was regarded as ill-equipped for leading research & development or managing company operations effectively; his tenure prompted key staff departures. Strategic disagreements culminated in longtime executive John F. Cunningham resigning as president and COO in 1985.

A major error under Fred Wang’s leadership involved announcing fourteen new hardware and software products in 1983 with promised delivery schedules; most were delayed or never materialized, damaging the company’s reputation. Fred assumed roles as president and COO in 1986 but failed to reverse declining trends. An Wang avoided issuing new stock by relying heavily on debt financing, which strained relationships with creditors by 1989. Fred stepped down as president that year but stayed on the board of directors. Harry H.S. Chou briefly served as acting president before Richard W. Miller took over leadership duties following An Wang’s death in 1990.

Under Miller’s guidance, Wang adopted industry-standard software approaches instead of proprietary ones and undertook significant restructuring efforts; despite this, record losses were reported in 1990. Plans to enter the UNIX-based personal computer market and develop new software products such as OPEN Pace and UpWord were abandoned due to high capital requirements and stiff competition from Microsoft.

In 1991, influenced by Ira Magaziner, Wang refocused its strategy on imaging software and office productivity solutions branded Office 2000 while reselling IBM hardware through equity partnerships. That year also saw a patent infringement victory against NEC and Toshiba regarding SIMMs; however, financial losses persisted.

On August 18, 1992, Wang Laboratories filed for bankruptcy protection after analysts concluded that its belated shift toward open systems was insufficient to maintain growth amid rapid industry changes.

Final years

On September 20, 1993, Wang Labs successfully emerged from bankruptcy. As part of its restructuring, the company's landmark headquarters, Wang Towers in Lowell—a $60 million facility originally designed to accommodate 4,500 staff across more than one million square feet—was sold at auction in 1994 for $525,000. Following extensive renovations, the building was renamed Cross Point and later sold in 1998 to a partnership between Yale Properties and Blackstone Real Estate Advisors for upwards of $100 million.

With a fresh capital infusion of $200 million, Wang redirected its strategy under CEO Joe Tucci, shifting away from hardware innovation toward acquisitions and network services. After acquiring Olsy from Olivetti, the company rebranded itself as Wang Global, prioritizing network services as its main area of business.

The final proprietary VS hardware models included the advanced VS18000 Model 950 released in 1999 and the smaller VS6760 and VS6780 models introduced in 2000, signaling the end of Wang’s internal hardware development. In 1997, Kodak purchased Wang’s software division to enhance its offerings in document imaging and workflow solutions.

By 1999, Wang Global had grown to $3.5 billion in annual revenue before being acquired by Dutch network services company Getronics for $1.5 billion. Getronics primarily operated in Europe and Australia. Following the acquisition, Joe Tucci exited the company, and Wang Labs was rebranded as Getronics North America.

In 2005, Getronics launched New VS (VSGX), a virtualization platform that allowed legacy VS software to operate on Intel and IBM POWER servers running Linux or Unix. Developed in collaboration with TransVirtual Systems, New VS ensured compatibility with existing Wang tape and disk drives while supporting TCP/IP networking.

By 2007, Getronics’ worldwide operations were divided and sold off regionally; Dutch telecom firm KPN acquired Getronics North America. In 2008, support for legacy VS systems was discontinued as contracts expired; TransVirtual Systems was appointed as the exclusive reseller for New VS. Later that year, KPN sold Getronics North America to Dallas-based CompuCom.

Although no longer actively marketed after the 1993 bankruptcy and representing only a small portion of Getronics’ portfolio, an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 Wang VS systems remained in use globally by 2006. CompuCom terminated all legacy VS system support at the end of 2014 but continued offering New VS support through TransVirtual Systems.

See also

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Wang_Laboratories&oldid=8800"