WANG filter for sale.

[Russian]

I got a new (still in plastic package) 2 WANG air filters. Anyone want to get one for historical purposes?

It’s 19.05 x 16.21 x 48.28 cm and weight at 1.73 kilos.

[funkedup]

That sounds like it would hurt to install.
Just use a condom.

[Octavius]

How the shreck did "wang" come about?   Someone shed some light on the origins of this slang.  "wang" has to be one of the best words in the english language... right up there with "fart"... I'm immature, I cant help but giggle like a schoolgirl when I hear someone use that word.  

hehe

[Tarmac]

It's not good if schoolgirls are giggling at you when you talk about the size of your wang.

[funkedup]

"Everybody Wang Chung Tonight"
Thank god for that song.

[gofaster]

Dr. an Wang was the name of the guy that started the company.  Seems he worked for IBM or NEC or one of the other computer giants and kept getting passed over for promotions (rumor was it was because he was short or because he was Oriental, or because of his name, which would hold some credence based on the comments in this thread so far) so he said "See ya, you losers!" and formed his own computer company based on electronic calculators and word processors.  The company did ok selling propriety mainframe computer systems to large corporations and became a playah in the tech industry . . . until Wang's health forced a change in the company's executive leadership, which led to a series of bad business decisions, which led to the company no longer selling its main product: hardware.  I guess that's what happens when a small man with big brains turns the ball over to big men with moderate-sized brains.

And so Wang's company filed bankruptcy in the early 1990s and the assets were bought out/merged with another tech playah in trouble - Olivetti, the long-time typewriter company who was losing ground to the PC market.

As a testament to just how good the 1980's Wang systems were, they are still out there and in use, even as the company is trying to resurrect itself as a network services provider in an already tough data networking market.

Everybody Wang Chung tonight.

[gofaster]

From http://www.dotpoint.com/xnumber/anwang.htm (emphasis mine).

It was September of 1949 when An Wang filed his patent application for a "Pulse Transfer Controlling Device." At that time Dr. Wang was not aware on the crucial importance of his invention to the development of digital computers.

His Pulse Transfer Controlling Devices were minuscule toroidal coils with a donut-shaped ferrite core magnetized in one of two possible directions: 0 or 1, the basic units of every bit of information that a computer or electronic calculator can handle. Its permanent but controllable nature made them the ideal substratum to hold the "memory" required by the emerging calculating electronic devices.

Six years later, in May 17, 1955, the Patent Office issued patent 2,708,722 to Dr. Wang. It took little time for IBM, a company with big stakes on the field, to catch interest on this invention, and after a bitter negotiation IBM bought the patent.

But this was just the beginning for Dr. Wang.  An immigrant from China who arrived to the US in 1945 after losing most of his family to the turbulent times of the Japanese invasion, Dr. Wang was a fighter and a free spirited soul who with the impetus of his 27 years, and the creativity of his brilliant mind, had the ideal combination of ingredients to become a perfect entrepreneur and follow the path of the American dream. He founded Wang Laboratories in June 22, 1951 with $600, and his company was officially incorporated in June 30,1955, few weeks after being awarded the first of his 44 patents.

...

By 1986, Wang Laboratories employed 30,000 people and with sales in the order of 3 billion dollars per year it was at the peak of its success. But its decline was clear at the beginning of the 90's. Part of it can be related to the Doctor's retirement of his active involvement in the company in 1982, and later with his death in 1990 after one year of fight against cancer.

Doctor Wang was also a philanthropist, he believed in sharing his success with social and educational organizations. His contribution to the development of the computer technology and improvement of society will always be remembered.

[Vulcan]

Wang is now known as Gen-I.

[funkedup]

Doctor Wang lol
That will be my Nom de Porn when I enter the business.

[gofaster]

Originally posted by funkedup
Doctor Wang lol
That will be my Nom de Porn when I enter the business.

LOL!

You know, I can almost see that working out pretty well, complete with a couple of nurses and an exam table...

[Biggles]

I had a Wang computer once...

what a dog it was

(yea, I only had to use it at work)

AlgyFT

[Raubvogel]

My WANG coulda used a filter years ago. Especially at 3 am.

[udet]

try ebay