Have you ever heard of the Wang 2200? If not, let me tell you the fascinating history of this innovative minicomputer system from the 1970s and 1980s. Once hugely successfully selling over 65,000 units, the Wang 2200 ultimately faded into obscurity before the onslaught of modern PCs. By the end, this pioneer met a premature demise. Still, it left an impressive legacy that‘s worth understanding even today.
So whether you‘re a retro computing enthusiast or just appreciate learning about technology history, keep reading for the full inside scoop on the rise and fall of the mighty Wang 2200!
Overview: Introducing a Pioneering Word Processing Powerhouse
The Wang 2200 debuted in 1973 as one of the world‘s first desktop computers designed specifically for word processing and office automation tasks. Developed by Wang Laboratories, it included both integrated hardware and custom software far ahead of its time.
As the very first commercially successful "minicomputer," the Wang 2200 popularized computers for small business applications years before the IBM PC and Apple Macintosh arrived. Let‘s dive deeper into the story starting from Wang Labs‘ inception…
From Electronic Calculators to Computers
Wang Laboratories was the brainchild of Chinese-American inventor An Wang. A true technology visionary, Wang emigrated to the United States and earned a PhD in Physics from Harvard focused on computer memory systems.
In 1951, Wang used his expertise to found a startup selling magnetic-core memory technology. This quickly enabled Wang‘s company to become the king of desktop calculators in the 1960s. Their LOCI and 700-series devices became ubiquitous in financial industries worldwide.
Wang Laboratories Sales Figures
+----------+----------------+
| Year | Revenues |
+----------+----------------+
| 1964 | $1.2 million |
+----------+----------------+
| 1971 | $28 million |
+----------+----------------+
| 1976 | $230 million |
+----------+----------------+But An Wang knew calculators would stay a low-margin commodity business. So he ambitiously steered Wang Labs into general purpose computing to stay relevant. The Wang 2200 was their breakthrough product that realized this vision.
The 2200 Minicomputer: Custom Built for Business Users
Though personal computers didn‘t exist yet in the early 1970s, big IBM mainframes were far too expensive for small businesses. Existing minicomputers also primarily focused on scientific versus commercial applications.
An Wang had the radical idea to design an all-in-one desktop system with integrated monitor, keyboard, processor, and storage optimized specifically for office tasks. After almost 6 years of development, Wang Labs produced a computer that was truly revolutionary for its era.
Let‘s analyze some of the key hardware specs that made the Wang 2200 special:
Wang 2200 Technical Specifications
+----------------------+-------------------------+
| CPU | Proprietary 16-bit |
| | TTL-based |
+----------------------+-------------------------+
| Memory | 4KB RAM |
+----------------------+-------------------------+
| Display | 640x480 pixels |
| | 64x16 char CRT |
+----------------------+-------------------------+
| Storage | Cassette tape drives |
+----------------------+-------------------------+
| Input | Standard typewriter |
| | style keyboard |
+----------------------+-------------------------+
| Networking | Up to 16 CRT terminals |
| | per CPU |
+----------------------+-------------------------+Despite lacking microprocessors that later enabled PCs, the Wang designed everything including the data word size, memory architecture, and I/O subsystems itself in clever ways optimized for business programs.
They also developed the Wang BASIC programming language tailored for office automation. This allowed even non-programmers to automate workflows years before spreadsheet and database software existed.
Launching a Dominant Market Leader
When the Wang 2200 finally launched in May 1973 after years of development, it offered capabilities unmatched by any other affordable computer system.
The initial model with 4KB of memory started at $3,000. For savvy small businesses, this delivered astonishing ROI with its versatility versus hiring clerical staff.
Reviews quickly deemed the Wang 2200 a triumph. BYTE Magazine noted its outstanding video terminal with formats optimized for people not technology. The primary limitations critics highlighted were modest base memory and storage coupled with a proprietary system architecture.
Still, sales exceeded all expectations right from the start:
Wang 2200 Sales Figures
+-------------------+-----------------+
| Milestone | Date |
+-------------------+-----------------+
| First customer | May 1973 |
+-------------------+-----------------+
| 10,000+ sold | 1976 |
+-------------------+-----------------+
| 65,000+ sold | January 1992 |
+-------------------+-----------------+As a result, Wang Laboratories revenue skyrocketed from $1.2 million in 1964 to over $230 million annually by 1976! The Wang 2200 was rightfully called "the machine that made Wang‘s fortune."
Riding High: Iterations Keep Wang Dominant
Bolstered by its smash hit computer line, Wang Labs kept steadily refining and expanding the 2200‘s capabilities:
- 1976 – Upgraded CPU and significantly lower $3,500 starter price
- 1978 – Next-gen 2600 line adds Winchester HDD support
- 1980 – Multi-user models allow up to 16 simultaneous terminals
- 1983 – Networking and modern DB platforms added
- 1986 – Final VP-series gets contemporary 80386 processors
These regular improvements ensured the 2200 stayed one of the global best-selling computers through the early 1980s. Later models took advantage of bleeding edge storage devices, databases like dBASE II, and even GUI environments.
The Eventual Downfall of Wang Computers
So how did the Wang empire eventually crumble given its once insurmountable lead in office computing? The answers contain classic business lessons.
While Wang continuously updated the 2200 line, the underlying system architecture lagged modern practices by the mid-1980s. Contemporary IBM PCs running DOS and Macs with graphical interfaces outflanked even upgraded 2200 machines.
Critically, as third-party business software like Lotus 1-2-3 spread, the proprietary Wang platform became a liability rather than differentiator. Why be locked into arcane Wang BASIC instead of industry standard tools and languages?
Wang Labs panicking poured resources into backwards compatible PCs and UNIX minicomputers. But competing head-on against nimble startups like Sun Microsystems ultimately failed.
By the early 1990s, the Wang 2200 faded into history. Wang Laboratories itself descended into bankruptcy and foreign buyouts before being dissolved in the late 1990s. Few modern tech companies remember their pioneering legacy today.
Legacy: The Grandfather of Modern Desktop Computers
While no longer around, studying the Wang 2200 provides fascinating lessons for computing history.
Concepts we take for granted like multi-user systems, networked workgroups, WYSIWYG word processors, and versatile BASIC programming originated from the 2200 and its office-centric design.
So next time you use a PC, Mac, tablet, or smartphone for writing documents and emails give a quick thanks to this granddaddy of modern desktop computers! Though ahead of its time, we all inherited useful digital DNA from the incredible Wang 2200.
I hope you enjoyed exploring this story of technology innovation along with me. Let me know if want to hear about more unsung heroes from the early days of computing next!
