The 'rebel' engineers who accidentally built the modern personal computer
In short: In 1975, An Wang sidelined two engineers by assigning them to write a manual for a word processor as a way to push them out. They viewed the task as mere busywork, yet their persistence created an instant success that transformed the company into a dominant computing powerhouse.
In 1975, Harold Koplow and David Moros were assigned to 'Long Range Planning'—a move An Wang intended as a way to sideline them after they were kicked out of marketing. The engineers perceived this as being effectively fired and viewed the task of designing a word processing machine as mere busywork. However, they proceeded with the project regardless.
Their persistence resulted in the Wang 1200 WPS, introduced in June 1976. This machine was an instant success and served as the precursor to the Wang Office Information System (OIS). The OIS became a landmark in computing history, featuring a multi-user system where each workstation contained its own Intel 8080 microprocessor (later Z80) and 64 KB of RAM, connected via high-speed dual coaxial cable.
The success of these products helped Wang Laboratories become a dominant force during the 'Massachusetts Miracle,' reaching annual revenues of US$3 billion and employing over 33,000 people at its peak in the 1980s. While An Wang was an "indispensable leader" who set the company's strategy until his death in 1990, it was this specific pivot into word processing—born from a 'relegated' task—that defined the company's trajectory.
The legacy of these machines persists today. For example, the BASIC-2 language developed for the Wang 2200 series was later ported to run on non-Wang hardware by companies like Niakwa Inc and Kerridge Computer. These compiled solutions allowed many original software applications to continue functioning on modern systems like Windows and Unix, decades after the original hardware became obsolete.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Wang Laboratories
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