Network Computing Devices

{{Infobox company

| name = Network Computing Devices

| logo = Network Computing Devices logo.svg

| type =

| industry = Computers

| founded = {{Start date and age|1987}} in Mountain View, California, United States

| founders = {{ubl|Mike Harrigan|Doug Klein|Dave Cornelius|Ed Basart|Martin Eberhard|Kevin Martin}}

| defunct = {{End date|2004}}

| hq_location_city = Beaverton, Oregon

| hq_location_country = United States

| products = Thin clients

| num_employees =

| num_employees_year =

}}

File:Network Computing Devices NCD-88k X terminal.jpg

Network Computing Devices (NCD) was a company founded in 1987 to produce a new class of products now known as a thin client. It was founded in Mountain View, CA, and when it closed it was headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon.

The corporate founders were Mike Harrigan, Doug Klein, Dave Cornelius, Ed Basart, Martin Eberhard, and Kevin Martin.

At that time these devices were known as network terminals or X Terminals. Judith Estrin and William Carrico joined the company about 6 months after its founding as its new CEO and executive vice president, and led the company through its IPO in 1992. The products were some of the earliest examples of a thin client and providing remote access to data in something other than ASCII as was common with traditional terminals of the time.

The X Protocol provided a way to show high-resolution images of data and graphics over a network connection. NCD supported a range of network protocols including TCP/IP, Token Ring, DECnet and others.

NCD also developed network-transparent audio system called the Network Audio System (nas) to play, record and manipulate audio over a network.manual page to nas(1)

Acquisitions

NCD purchased PCXware, which made an X Window System for Microsoft Windows.{{cite news

| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MKyWnw1bumwC&pg=PA59

| newspaper=Computerworld

| title=NCD beefs up X software for Windows

| author=Joanie M. Wexler

| date=May 10, 1993

| pages=59

| access-date=February 21, 2017

}}

NCD purchased Z-Code Software in 1994. Z-Code made Z-Mail, a cross platform open standards email client. Z-Mail was later sold by NCD to Netmanage.

NCD purchased TekXPress X-terminals line from Tektronix.{{cite news

| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VB4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA12

| newspaper=Network World

| date=November 23, 1998

| pages=12

| title=NCD's thin clients get a multimedia boost in buyout

| author=John Cox

| access-date=February 21, 2017

}}

NCD ceased operations in 2004. However, a few of the company's employees have set up a new company, ThinPATH Systems,{{Cite web|url=https://www.tp-sys.com/|title=ThinPATH Systems Inc.|date=March 1, 2020}} to provide former NCD customers and others with service, support and products.

References

External links

[http://www.ncd-x.com Welcome to NCD – The Thin Client Experts!]
[http://tldp.org/HOWTO/NCD-X-Terminal.html NCD X-Terminal HOWTO]
[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2000_Nov_14/ai_66923057 National Semiconductor & NCD to Jointly Develop Information Appliances] Business Wire, Nov 14, 2000
[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2001_March_28/ai_72392842 Network Computing Devices – NCD – Acknowledged by Australian Government Technology Productivity Award] Business Wire, March 28, 2001
[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_March_27/ai_84204225 Network Computing Devices, Inc. Introduces NCD ThinPATH PC; New Software Manages PCs as Thin Clients, Reducing the Total Cost of Ownership of the Desktop] Business Wire, March 27, 2002
[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2002_August_13/ai_90327895 NCD is Finalist in The Computing Industry Awards 2002; Newly Launched ThinPATH PC is Selected as a Finalist in the Computing Industry Awards] Business Wire, August 13, 2002

Category:1987 establishments in California

Category:2004 disestablishments in Oregon

Category:American companies established in 1987

Category:American companies disestablished in 2004

Category:Companies based in Mountain View, California

Category:Companies based in Portland, Oregon

Category:Computer companies established in 1987

Category:Computer companies disestablished in 2004

Category:Defunct companies based in Oregon

Category:Defunct companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area

Category:Defunct computer companies of the United States

Category:Defunct computer hardware companies