 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Nasdaq: ALTO | |
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Founder | David G. Jackson, Roger William Vass Sr. |
| Fate | Acquired by Acer in 1990 |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | ACS 8000, ACS 8600, ACS 68000 |
Altos Computer Systems was founded in 1977 by David G. Jackson and Roger William Vass Sr. It focused on small multi-user computers, starting with multi-user derivatives of CP/M, and later including Unix and Xenix-based machines. In its 1982 initial public offering on NASDAQ, the company raised $59M. Thereafter the company's stock was traded under the symbol ALTO.[1]
Coming under increasing pressure from competitors in the server market, such as Compaq and Sun Microsystems, Altos posted a $5M loss (its first ever) in the fiscal year ending in June, 1989.[2] In the aftermath, Altos was acquired by Acer in 1990 for $94M,[3] although mostly for its US distribution channels rather than its technology.[2][4] Shortly before this acquisition, there were about 128,000 Altos systems installed throughout the world.[2]
- ^ Sanchez, Mike (1988). "Altos Computer Systems". In Kent, Allen; Williams, James G. (eds.). Encyclopedia of Microcomputers. Vol. 1. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, Inc. pp. 66–73. ISBN 0-8247-2700-2.
- ^ a b c Lazzareschi, Carla (June 29, 1990). "Taiwanese May Acquire Altos Computer". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Paz Estrella Tolentino (2013). Multinational Corporations: Emergence and Evolution. Routledge. p. 239. ISBN 978-1-134-75905-7.
- ^ Henry Wai-Chung Yeung (2003). Chinese Capitalism in a Global Era: Towards a Hybrid Capitalism. Routledge. p. 113. ISBN 978-1-134-39050-2.