Informatics General: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:29, 21 January 2024

Revision as of 18:52, 21 January 2024

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==The name==

{{picplain image with caption|Informatics, Inc. logo.svg|The earlier company logo, used from the 1960s to 1982<ref>{{cite journal | last=Informatics General Corporation | date=June 7, 1982 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2LaqX2JB6_UC&pg=PA93 | title=After 20 Years as a Captain of Industry, Informatics Makes General | journal=Computerworld | page=93 | format=Advertisement}}</ref>}}

{{main|Informatics}}

The company's name came from the founders' desire to base it on "-atics", a Greek suffix meaning "the science of".<ref name="bauer-et">Bauer, "Informatics and (et) Informatique".</ref> Their first thought was "Datamatics", but a form of that was already taken by an early computer from [[Honeywell]]/[[Raytheon]]; Bauer and the others settled on "Informatics", meaning "the science of information handling".<ref name="bauer-et"/><ref name="frank-oh-39-40"/>

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[[Image:Supercomputer NSA-IBM360 85.jpg|thumb|right|260px|The IBM System/360 mainframe was the platform that Mark IV and many other Informatics software products ran on.]]

The history of what became Mark IV goes back to 1960 when GIRLS (the Generalized Information Retrieval and Listing System) was developed for the IBM 704 by [[John A. Postley]] (1923–2004),<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=john-a-postley&pid=2489965 | title=John A. Postley |newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date=August 6, 2004}}</ref> an engineer who had worked for many years in the aerospace industry; the first customer for GIRLS was the [[Douglas Aircraft Company]].<ref>Johnson, "Oral History of John Postley", p. 7.</ref><ref name="haigh-79">Haigh, 'A Veritable Bucket of Facts', p. 79.</ref> Postley was working in the Advanced Information Systems subsidiary of [[Electrada Corporation]] along with [[Robert M. Hayes (information scientist)|Robert M. Hayes]] and others.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/30370716/?terms=electrada%2B%22advanced%2Binformation%2Bsystems%22 |title= UCLA Offers Short Courses for Engineers |newspaper=Valley News |___location=Van Nuys, California |date=August 3, 1961 |page=29-A |via=Newspapers.com}} </ref>

In April 1963, Advanced Information Systems was purchased from Electrada by [[Hughes Dynamics]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/74589265/?terms=electrada%2B%22advanced%2Binformation%2Bsystems%22 |title=Buys Data Firm |newspaper=The Cumberland News |___location=Cumberland, Maryland |agency=United Press International |date=April 30, 1963 |page=17 |via=Newspapers.com}} </ref>

an early 1960s subsidiary of the [[Hughes Tool Company]]

that provided computerized management and information services.<ref>Barlett and Steele, ''Empire'', p. 401.</ref>

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==Computing Technology Company subsidiary==

In 1968, Informatics announced it was acquiring a New Jersey firm, Computing Technology Inc.,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www-.newspapers-.com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/the-los-angeles-times/139228963/ | title=Acquisition Approved | newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date=August 30, 1968 | page=15 (Part III) | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> a transaction that closed during 1969.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www-.newspapers-.com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/the-los-angeles-times/139229016/ | title=Informatics Expands on East Coast | newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date=April 10, 1969 | page=19 (Part III) | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> This became the Informatics Inc. Computing Technology Company, a wholly-owned operating unit of Informatics that was located in [[River Edge, New Jersey]]. <ref>{{cite news | url=https://www-.newspapers-.com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/valley-news/139229070/ | title=Albert S. Kaplan Named Executive of Informatics Inc. | newspaper=The Valley News | ___location=Van Nuys, California | date=June 29, 1973 | page=2-A | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

Within this subsidiary was the Communication Systems Division, and it developed a communications system for the [[Federal Reserve Bank of New York]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www-.newspapers-.com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/the-record/139229250/ | title=People in Business | newspaper=The Record | ___location=Hackensack, New Jersey | date=September 12, 1973 | page=B-9 | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> This was one of several large contracts the River Edge division had with Wall Street firms for joint development of [[bank transfer]] systems and related services, with those other firms including [[Dun & Bradstreet]] and [[Dean Witter]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www-.newspapers-.com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/los-angeles-evening-citizen-news/139229409/ | title=Business Briefs | newspaper=Citizen News | date=May 21, 1970 | page=17 | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

The Federal Reserve Bank effort had begun in 1968 and involved using advanced techniques for [[store-and-forward]]-based [[message switching]] and similar needs.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www-.newspapers-.com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/valley-times/139229780/ | title=N.Y. Bank Engages Valley Firm | newspaper=The Valley Times | ___location=San Fernando Valley, California | date=June 26, 1969 | page=6 | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The implementation was based around the [[SDS Sigma 5]] computer from [[Scientific Data Systems]], a computer line which had been acquired by [[Xerox Corporation]].<ref name="lat-pact"/> The Sigma 5 had a Communication Input/Output Processor that handled up to 128 communication lines at speed from 110 to 9600 baud.<ref>{{cite conference | first1 = Paul| last1 = Day| last2=Hines| first2=John| title= Argos: An Operating System for a Computer Utility Supporting Interactive Instrument Control | conference=SOSP '73: Proceedings of the fourth ACM symposium on Operating system principles | doi=10.1145/800009.808046| pages=28&ndash;37| publisher =Association for Computing Machinery| date = January 1973 |url=https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/800009.808046}}</ref> The communications system was a success and Informatics and Xerox made a joint agreement to market it to other customers,<ref name="lat-pact">{{cite news | url=https://www-.newspapers-.com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/the-los-angeles-times/139230666/ | title=Xerox Joins Informatics in Marketing Pact | newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date=October 19, 1969 | page=7 (Section I) | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> with the Informatics product being named the ICS IV/500.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.bitsavers.org/magazines/Datamation/197208.pdf | title=Communications Processors | first=D. J. | last=Theis | magazine=Datamation | date=August 1972 | pages=31&ndash;44}}</ref>

Informatics had hopes for the ICS IV becoming a strategic product for them, and while it was sold to [[General Foods]] and [[Japanese National Railways]], it proved a very high-priced, low-volume market and there was an effort to find a less expensive alternative. Informatics was contracted by Bankers Trust to develop a version of the system that ran on the [[DEC PDP-11]] minicomputer with a Sigma 5 emulation unit. However, the project was not successful, and by the mid-1970s Informatics departed this communications space.<ref>See Forman internal history, pp. 8-10&ndash;8-12 and 11-16&ndash;11-19.</ref>

Subsequently, the Computing Technology Company subsidiary produced the Accounting IV package.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5xOPmHIkDI4C&pg=PA31&dq=%22informatics%22+%22computing+technology+company%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiM2r_1i-yDAxW1lIkEHQ9fBAoQ6AF6BAgGEAI#v=onepage&q=%22informatics%22%20%22computing%20technology%20company%22&f=false | title=Calendar | newspaper=Computerworld | date=October 9, 1974 | page=31}}</ref> This was a group of integrated financial applications for companies.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www-.newspapers-.com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/the-sydney-morning-herald/139233656/ | title=In Brief | newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=November 28, 1978 | page=17 | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

==Equitable Life Assurance Society relationship==

Beginning in 1970 the computer industry hit a downturn that lasted several years.<ref>Campbell-Kelly, ''From Airline Reservations to Sonic the Hedgehog'', pp. 82–86.</ref> Software houses of the time tended to suffer from unprofitable contracts, failed ventures, and slowing demand.<ref name="fishman-277">Fishman, ''The Computer Establishment'', pp. 277–278.</ref> Informatics' creation of a Data Services Division, and with it the acquisition of a number of [[computer service bureau]]s as a means of providing [[utility computing]], did not go well.<ref name="ck-85"/> In May 1970 Informatics announced a $4.2 million loss, its first since 1963.<ref name="ck-85">Campbell-Kelly, ''From Airline Reservations to Sonic the Hedgehog'', p. 85.</ref> But in a time when many software firms did not survive,<ref name="fishman-277"/> the more conservatively managed Informatics did.<ref>Campbell-Kelly, ''From Airline Reservations to Sonic the Hedgehog'', pp. 81, 85.</ref>

In 1971, Informatics and [[The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States]] announced a joint venture, Equimatics, Inc., headed by Werner Frank, that would develop and sell computer-related products for the insurance industry.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times/129474049/ | title=Informatics, Equitable in New Field | newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date=December 3, 1971 | page=13 (Part III) | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In particular, Equimatics, sought to establish a data services business that would provide such services to Equitable and others in the insurance industry.<ref name="frank-52"/>

While Informatics revenues did increase during this period<!-- By 1974, Informatics revenues were up to $33 million. -->,<ref name="cw-15yrs"/><!-- 1978 logo is taken from

https://books.google.com/books?id=azxRE2HtSRkC&pg=PA45

Computerworld ad March 27, 1978 --> in many respects choices about the direction of the business were forced by the inability of Informatics, in the economically gloomy early 1970s, to find investment capital.<ref name="ck-85"/>

Accordingly, in September 1973, it was announced that Informatics would be acquired by Equitable Life Assurance Society, for $7 per share in cash.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-sun/129475182/ | title=Informatics Being Acquired | newspaper=The Evening Sun | ___location =Baltimore | date=September 24, 1973 | page=C-13 | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The deal closed in March 1974.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-call/129475449/ | title=In Business: ... Equitable Life | newspaper=The Morning Call | ___location=Allentown, Pennsylvania | date=March 7, 1974 | page=61 | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Thus Informatics became a subsidiary of Equitable Life, with the goal of gaining the ability to grow organically and to acquire other businesses.<ref name="cw-15yrs"/>

[[Image:Financial Institutions, Ventura Blvd., Encino.JPG|thumb|left|260px|From the mid-1970s on, Informatics corporate headquarters was in an office building on Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills, similar to these structures along the same road]]