Timeline of the Pick Operating System

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"Timeline of the Pick Operating System" on Knol, by Will Johnson
for Fast Forward Technologies fft2001@aol.com
URL: http://knol.google.com/k/will-johnson/timeline-of-the-pick-operating-system/4hmquk6fx4gu/723
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License

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Directory Project English Knol Project Computers Portal Computer Programming Portal Pick Operating System Portal Timeline of the Pick Operating System (you are here)

worked on implementation on the 68000-based machines - General Automation, Datamedia, Pertec, and Wycat (the 68000 implementation was not released until 1983)

[Edit]
1981
Pick Computer Works

[Edit]
1982-83
ADDS - A terminal manufacturer, brings out the first implementation on the 68000; Altos is not far behind

[Edit]
1983
Altos and David Jackson its President hard at work trying to implement Pick on their 68000
Open Architecture development begins
Revelation by Cosmos of Morton, WA comes out, and starts advertising heavily in InfoWorld

[Edit]
1984
Pick Systems of Irvine comes out with Pick on the IBM PC XT retailing for $495
Cosmos moves to Seattle, at this time a review of Revelation states that it comes with two loose-leaf binders, a User's Guide and a Technical Reference Guide, and that the six component pieces of Revelation, listing for $950 are now described as:

[Edit]
1983-89
Sometime in this period the Spectrum Manufacturers Association is formed.

[Edit]
1985
Douglas Tatelman
Will Johnson graduates with a degree in Computer Studies and Math from Northwestern University.  The entire world goes into shock.

[Edit]
1986
Eagle Computer of Garden Grove, California; brings out a Pick system, the Concorde. Richard Thunen
International Spectrum show held this year March 24th-26th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas
Fujitsu Microsystems brings out a Pick system, the System 2020 using Intel's 80286 and 80186 chip
Wayne Wahlenmeier (see 1980) is VP and General Manager of Fujitsu this year
General Automation starts shipping a Pick system, the Zebra 3820 and 5820 based on Intel's 68020 chip
Rexon Business Machines announces the Summit 4000 based on Intel's 80386 chip, running Pick OA
CIE announces the CIES 680/300 Pick system including Jet, Compusheet and Accu/Plot
Warren Blossom, VP of CIE
Pick Systems "pre-announcement" of a new 80386 version
    being tested on Compaq Deskpro 386 and Advanced Logic Access 386, retailing for $1900
    Hard drive can be partitioned to also run MS/DOS.  Compaq machine can talk to DEC VAX machine.
Frank Petyak - Director of Sales for Pick Systems
Fujitsu Microsystems of San Jose, announces a four-user version of Pick for their Micro 16S for $495

[Edit]
1987
TMS presents the three-day Expo IV conference Feb 18-20
    for Pick and Pick-like systems at Resorts International Hotel in Atlantic City
XMark Corp announces the Turboplex 80386-based PC AT
    allowing the simultaneous use of Pick and MS-DOS
Ed Hines - President of XMark Corp of Costa Mesa, California
Applied Digital Data Systems (ADDS) of Happauge, New York, a subsidiary of NCR
    announces the Mentor 6000 Model 2 retailing for $24,000, 68020 chip
    including Office Augmentor software set
CIE a subsidiary of C.Itoh announces 2, 6 and 9-user PC AT compatibles running Pick
International Spectrum show held this year in Las Vegas
Rexon Business Machines of Culver City, California announces first implementation of Pick Open Architecture
    on its Summit 1000 supermicro, $795 for 3 users, $2,000 for 16 users
Altos of San Jose, California 3068 Supermicro running Pick, to support up to 120 users with Multidrop cabling
Jeff Bork - Director of Systems Marketing at Altos
Art Thibodeau - Director of Pick sales at Altos
Rapid Software Systems, Doug Deitel, Dana Point, California
Ultimate brings out the 1400 series and the UltiVax II (MicroVax II)
    UltiVax costs $70K for 16 users, or $113K for 32 users.  The 1400 can support up to 64 users.
Fujitsu brings out the 2200/Model 50, which can support 32 users on a 80386 chip for $45K

[Edit]
1988
John S Cain named President of Alpha Microsystems

[Edit]
1989
Ian Sandler - publishes The Pick Perspective, part of The Pick Library, edited by Jonathan E Sisk
L N Mackenzie - Chairman of General Automation
John Howorth - Treasurer of SMA and VP Marketing and OEM Programs, McDonnell Douglas Computer
Barry Bycoff - VP Prime Information Business Group
Ted Sabarese
Clifton Myers - VP of Engineering, Pick Systems
John Treankler - Chairman, Pick Software Developers Association
Gus Giobbi - Publisher of International Spectrum Magazine