Withdrawal from IBM-compatible mainframe market
In 1989, Nixdorf decided to pull out of the IBM-compatible mainframe market, in order to focus on Unix. It transferred its Nixdorf 8890 line of clone IBM mainframes to Comparex Informationssysteme GmbH. However, while Comparex was willing to take over the hardware business, it did not want the responsibility of maintaining Nixdorf's Edos operating system (a fork of IBM's DOS/VS operating system), preferring that its customers purchase mainframe operating systems from IBM instead. Nixdorf decided to cancel all work on the next release of its Edos, since they did not want to commit to maintain any new version in the years to come.
Products
Selected system families:
System Family 620 (1974-1984): Based on technologies from the American computer manufacturer Entrex.
Nixdorf 820 (1968-1979): Built with semiconductor technology, it used early silicon transistors, paired with IBM-sourced type ball terminals. A variety of models were available for different markets.
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Nixdorf 8811 (1975-1979): The Datatel "data telephone" system, equipped with dialpad and LED display, allowed direct access to a computer over the telephone line. Intended for office workers, information could be requested and then shown on the display or printed on a quiet spark printer. Because it was unable to gain approval from the Deutsche Bundespost to be connected to the phone network, it could only be used on internal phone systems, limiting its market success.
Nixdorf 8818 (1982): ISDN PBX. Nixdorf was the first German company to offer such a system, and was the first approved by the Bundespost. Models 80-600 supported 30-3000 terminals and allowed up to 246 concurrent calls, including 6-participant conference calls. Multiple physically separate PBXs could be joined into a single logical system. Compatible successors were sold until 2006.
Nixdorf 8862 and 8812 (1976): The 8812 was a computerized point of sale system for retail and hospitality. When connected to an 8862, complete inventory management.
Nixdorf 8870 (1980): Niros OS, Business Basic, Tamos, Comet. For ERP.
Nixdorf 8890 (1985): A rebadged IBM System/370 and System/390 compatible system from Hitachi.
Software:
Edos: an operating system for low-end IBM (and compatible) mainframes, a fork of IBM's DOS/VS operating system (unrelated to DOS for PCs). Acquired in 1980 when Nixdorf purchased its US-based vendor, TCSC (The Computer Software Company), which then became Nixdorf's NCSC (Nixdorf Computer Software Company) subsidiary.
PWS/VSE-AF (1983): full name Programmer Work Station/VSE-Advanced Functions, a Unix compatibility subsystem for low-end IBM mainframes, based on the Coherent Unix clone developed by Mark Williams Company; it ran under their own Edos/VS and Edos/VSE operating systems, and also IBM's DOS/VS and DOS/VSE.
