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From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: QM-1 or like machines???
Message-ID: <1978@kitty.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 3-Sep-87 01:08:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: kitty.1978
Posted: Thu Sep  3 01:08:01 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Sep-87 08:05:35 EDT
References: <63900006@convex> <43700020@uicsrd>
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 34
Summary: Nanodata Corp. Lives! (sort of...)

In article <43700020@uicsrd>, lawrie@uicsrd.csrd.uiuc.edu writes:
> 
> >> There was once a company named Nanodata which built a machine called the
> >> QM-1.  The QM-1 had two levels of "micro-code" (one called nano-code and
> >> the other call micro-code).  It was intended to be used to emulate
> >>> architectures.

	Actually, Nanodata Corp. is still alive and eeking out a bare
subsistence in Cheektowaga, NY.  From what I understand, all they do
now is maintain systems which they once built; I don't believe that
they still make the QM-1 or any successor.
	Nanodata Corp. filed bankruptcy about 5 years or so ago.  Most
of their assets along with "One Computer Place" in downtown Buffalo, NY
were sold to pay creditors.
	From what I understand, the thing that killed Nanodata Corp.
(besides spending too much money too fast) was their "QM-X", which was
a machine to compete with the IBM 360/370.  The QM-X had a number of
design problems, and Nanodata was just too small to compete in the
dog-eat-dog business computer world of the early 80's.  I don't believe
that any QM-X was ever sold, but they sure spent a lot of money trying...
	My organization did some subcontract work for Nanodata Corp.
around 1979/1980, so I got to know them.  The QM-1 (at the time) was
an impressive machine with some of the densest multi-layer PC boards
I have ever seen (at the time).  The QM-1 used a huge 5 volt @ 300 ampere
Lambda power supply to run a board set less than 2 feet on a side
(when viewed from the front).  That's a lot of power and a lot of
logic...
	Anyone have a QM-1?  If only Nanodata had prospered perhaps
today we would have QM-UNIX... :-)

<>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York
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