Sycor

Sycor, Inc., originally known as Systronics, Inc., was an American computer company founded in 1967 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company operated during the formative years of the minicomputer and intelligent-terminal industries, developing systems that combined a keyboard, display, processor, local program execution, and removable storage in a desktop-oriented unit. Its products occupied a position between conventional remote terminals, which depended heavily on a host computer, and standalone small computers. This design made Sycor's equipment useful for organizations that needed terminals capable of local programming, data handling, and emulation of different communications devices. The company attracted attention with the Systronics Key-Cassette terminal, announced in 1968. The system integrated a CRT display, keyboard, processor, and two cassette tape drives. One cassette could hold data while the other stored an application or instructional program. Sycor marketed this software concept as Teachware, presenting it as a way for inexperienced operators to learn terminal procedures and become productive quickly. The associated Video Terminal offered a similar architecture without standard cassette drives and was intended to replace simpler terminals or teletype equipment such as the ASR-33. Sycor expanded the product line in 1969 with the Sycor 301 and 302 programmable data terminals. These systems were promoted as compact minicomputer-like terminals that could be custom programmed for particular applications. Their program-storage approach also allowed them to emulate other terminal types without requiring a hardware redesign. A specialized Securities Terminal, using a broker-oriented keyboard layout and omitting the standard cassette drives, was marketed for financial-market applications and was reported to have been used at both the New York Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange by the end of 1969. The Sycor 340, introduced in 1971, became the company's most important product. By that model's generation, Sycor had formalized its terminal programming environment under the name TAL, or Terminal Application Language. The 340 remained in production into at least the late 1970s and was offered in several configurations, including the cassette-oriented 340E, the floppy-disk-equipped 340D, and the more advanced Sycor 350 introduced in 1975. Printer-equipped versions extended the systems into transaction-processing and office-output applications. By 1978, approximately half of the 40,000 Sycor systems installed were reported to be 340 models, illustrating the importance of the platform to the company's installed base. Sycor was acquired by Northern Telecom in 1978. After the acquisition, Sycor became associated with Northern Telecom's broader data-terminal activities, alongside related businesses such as Data 100. The transaction marked the end of Sycor as an independent computer company. Its historical importance rests on its early development of programmable intelligent terminals, its use of cassette and later floppy storage for local applications, and its contribution to the transition from passive terminals toward distributed desktop computing.

Sycor emerged in 1967 as Systronics, Inc., an Ann Arbor, Michigan computer company focused on the emerging market for intelligent terminals. At the time, many data terminals were largely passive devices that transmitted keystrokes to a central computer and displayed returned text. Sycor pursued a more capable model: a terminal could contain its own processor, execute application logic locally, store programs and data, and be adapted to different host environments. The company's first major system was the Systronics Key-Cassette terminal, announced in July 1968. It combined a keyboard, CRT display, processor, and two cassette drives in a desktop unit. The dual-drive arrangement separated program storage from data storage and supported Sycor's Teachware concept, in which instructional or application programs could be supplied on cassette. This approach was intended to reduce the training burden associated with computer terminals and allow operators with limited prior experience to use the equipment. Systronics also offered a related Video Terminal, which retained much of the same architecture but was designed to replace a conventional teletype or basic terminal; cassette drives could be added as an option. In 1969, after adopting the Sycor name, the company introduced the Sycor 301 and 302. These products were marketed as programmable data terminals containing a compact computer that could be customized for its intended application. Their stored programs could also provide terminal emulation, allowing a system to imitate different terminal types without changing the physical equipment. The 301 used one cassette drive, while the 302 provided two and represented the higher-capability version. Sycor additionally promoted a Securities Terminal with a specialized keyboard and no standard cassette drives for brokerage and securities-market work. Contemporary accounts associated the terminal with installations at the New York Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange. Sycor's next major phase began with the Sycor 340, announced in 1971. By then, the company had named its terminal programming language TAL, short for Terminal Application Language. The 340 retained the visual and functional character of earlier Sycor systems while serving as a more mature platform for business applications and data processing. Its variants included the 340D with floppy storage and the 340E with expanded cassette capability. The platform continued to be produced into at least the late 1970s and became the company's dominant installed product. A later model, the Sycor 350, was introduced in June 1975 as an upgraded system. Printer-equipped versions offered different output capabilities, extending the terminals beyond display and communications functions into transaction and office-processing use. By 1978, Sycor systems reportedly numbered about 40,000 installed units, with the 340 accounting for roughly half of that base. The company was then acquired by Northern Telecom. The acquisition connected Sycor with a larger telecommunications and data-equipment organization and placed it alongside related operations, including Data 100. Sycor's independent identity consequently faded, but its products remain historically notable for anticipating several features later associated with personal computers and distributed computing: integrated desktop hardware, local processing, removable program storage, application-specific programming, and terminal emulation.

• 1978

  Acquired by Northern Telecom

  [1]Sycoren.wikipedia.org

  Northern Telecom acquired Sycor, bringing the company into its broader data-terminal operations.

• 1975

  Sycor 350 introduced

  [1]Sycoren.wikipedia.org

  Sycor launched the upgraded 350 series, including versions with integrated printers.

• 1971

  Sycor 340 introduced

  [1]Sycoren.wikipedia.org

  The 340 became the company's principal terminal family and used the TAL terminal application programming language.

• 1969

  Sycor 301 and 302 introduced

  [1]Sycoren.wikipedia.org

  Sycor expanded its range with lower-cost programmable data terminals and developed a securities-market configuration.

• 1968

  Key-Cassette terminal announced

  [1]Sycoren.wikipedia.org

  The company announced an integrated programmable terminal with a CRT, processor, keyboard, and two cassette drives.

• 1967

  Company founded as Systronics

  [1]Sycoren.wikipedia.org

  Systronics, Inc., the company later known as Sycor, was founded in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to develop computer and data-terminal systems.

Sycor positioned its systems as programmable data terminals that combined the accessibility of a desktop terminal with selected capabilities of a minicomputer. The brand emphasized local programmability, terminal emulation, removable program and data storage, and application-specific configurations rather than purely dependent host access.

• Programmable intelligent terminal · 1968

  Systronics Key-Cassette

  Announced in 1968, the Key-Cassette was a desktop terminal with an integrated keyboard, CRT display, processor, and two cassette tape drives. One drive could hold data while the other stored a program. Sycor promoted Teachware programs as a way to train operators and provide application functionality through removable media.

• Video terminal · 1968

  Systronics Video Terminal

  The Video Terminal shared the general design of the Key-Cassette but was intended primarily to replace a conventional dumb terminal or teletype. Its cassette drives were omitted from the standard configuration, although they could be added as an option.

• Programmable data terminal · 1969

  Sycor 301

  The 301 was the lower-cost member of Sycor's 1969 programmable-terminal generation. It used one cassette drive and was marketed as a compact computer-like terminal that could be custom programmed for a specific application or configured to emulate another terminal.

• Programmable data terminal · 1969

  Sycor 302

  Introduced in 1969, the 302 upgraded the earlier Key-Cassette concept with a two-cassette configuration and a programmable mini-computer architecture. It supported application customization and terminal emulation without requiring a change to the hardware.

• Financial data terminal · 1969

  Sycor Securities Terminal

  The Securities Terminal was a specialized Sycor configuration for brokers and securities-market users. It used a custom keyboard layout and omitted the standard cassette drives. Contemporary reporting linked the system to use at the New York Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange.

• Programmable intelligent terminal · 1971

  Sycor 340

  The 340 was Sycor's most successful terminal family. Introduced in 1971, it supported TAL, the company's Terminal Application Language, and remained in production into at least the late 1970s. The platform served as the base for several storage and output variants and represented about half of Sycor's reported installed systems by 1978.

• Floppy-disk data terminal

  Sycor 340D

  The 340D was a storage-oriented variant of the 340 equipped with floppy-disk capability. It extended the platform beyond cassette-based program and data handling while retaining the broader programmable-terminal architecture.

• Cassette data terminal

  Sycor 340E

  The 340E was a higher-capacity cassette variant of the 340 family. It addressed applications that required more cassette-based storage while preserving the model line's local programming and terminal-processing functions.

• Advanced programmable terminal · 1975

  Sycor 350

  Introduced in 1975, the 350 was an upgraded development of the 340 platform. Sycor offered versions with integrated printers, with output configurations ranging from relatively slow character printing to faster line-printing arrangements.

• 1978

  Northern Telecom acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Sycor had developed a substantial installed base of programmable intelligent terminals, particularly the 340 family, but operated in a capital-intensive and increasingly competitive computer and communications-equipment market.

  Action taken

  Northern Telecom acquired Sycor and incorporated it into its broader data-terminal activities.

  Aftermath

  Sycor ceased to operate as an independent computer company. Its activities became associated with Northern Telecom's terminal businesses and related operations such as Data 100.

  Source

1. 1Sycoren.wikipedia.org