Syntrex

Syntrex Incorporated was a publicly traded manufacturer of text and data processing systems in the 1980s .

Product history

The manufacturer based in Eatontown, New Jersey named its systems after the zodiac signs . Libra was one of the first systems to combine a terminal and an electronic typewriter . Followed by Aquarius, these systems were sold worldwide and also built under license by other manufacturers.

With the Gemini file servers and later Virgo, Syntrex entered medium-sized data technology and implemented functionalities with the technical possibilities of that time, as can be found in IT systems today. Including functions such as keyword index, a software-based, database-supported indexing of all files on the file servers, which gave the user the opportunity to quickly find documents with certain text content. As a basis for the operating systems were Unix in a Berkeley used version, which was heavily adapted as Syntrex Operating System (SOS) and sold as a proprietary network software. The systems could be connected to up to 15 file servers in a cluster . The applications were word processing or data processing - called Document Builder (with functions similar to XML today), electronic mail or file and database conversion from and to DOS-based computer systems (e.g. from Document Builder to dBASE ).

Syntrex had also implemented a technology in its terminals (based on Intel 8086 , 16-bit), which was called "soft scrolling". The lines for the screen layout were sent through two 6116 memory modules connected one behind the other in order to create a flicker-free and smooth scrolling of the letters on the monitor. The applications consisted of many sub-modules, which were then loaded into the terminal's memory (initially 128 KB), which significantly increased the working speed compared to conventional terminal processing.

An unusual idea at the time was the (from today's perspective, logical) link with the electronic type wheel typewriter ( Brother , IBM -Wheelwriter, Olivetti ). This convenient combination of keyboard, monitor and printer (the Teletype terminal) enjoyed great popularity in offices with a lot of paperwork, especially in law firms.

In the mid-1980s, Syntrex turned to virtual file systems and created file systems for DOS and CP / M on their file servers . With these virtual partitions and file systems, users were able to integrate their personal computers into such a computer network (cluster) and to use shared databases - all using electronic typewriters as the input and output system.

The Syntrex systems were sold by Olivetti under the names ETS 1010 and ETS 2010. Instead of electronic typewriters, dot matrix printers and independent, specially adapted keyboards could also be used.

One of the slogans of Syntrex was: "Syntrex - for the automated office", which was largely achieved with these well thought-out device combinations for the time.

Company history

Syntrex as a startup was interesting for various investors. On October 3, 1979 the company became Syntrex incorporated, u. a. through share purchases in Ing. C. Olivetti & CSpA, Italy, combined with further agreements (which are not described in more detail in the annual reports), which ended on October 31, 1983 (Olivetti still held 19% shares according to the 1983 annual report). In 1986 Syntrex concluded a contract with U-Bix International GmbH (part of Konishiroku Photo Ind.Co.Ltd [later Konica Corporation] and Mitsubishi Corporation) based in Hamburg for the sale of the complete system series. U-Bix was renamed Konica Business Machines International GmbH in 1987 (as part of the standardization of the product and brand names).

With the increasing market penetration of DOS-based systems, Syntrex was forced to realign itself strategically. The "Syntrex PC Connection" was presented to the shareholders at the beginning of 1986 as an important element of this "Syntrex's PC product strategy". A special plug-in card for the ISA PC slot enabled the SOS (Syntrex Operating System) to run on intel CPU 8088-based personal computers.

Syntrex had its heyday in the mid-1980s and had meanwhile set up the complete production of the hardware (from the housing to the assembly and assembly) with up to 900 employees at the Eatontown location. With the expiry of the existing license agreements with Olivetti and the suspension of European marketing by Konica Business Machines International GmbH, there was a dramatic drop in sales, as the most important customer, the American government agencies, were also unsettled and no longer placed any orders. In 1990 Syntrex tried to make up for the losses by converting it into a network integration company . At that time, the company still had 40 branches throughout the USA. In May 1991 Syntrex reduced its employees from 900 to 550 employees and was anxious to find a buyer (the stock was dated 50 cents at this point). In January 1992, Syntrex was under Chapter 11 custody and disappeared completely from the market after partial sales (including to Phoenix Technologies Inc. of Valley Forge, Pa.).