Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/04/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Kaypro Computers were made by Andy Kay and family in the San Diego ( Rancho Santa Fe, overlooking the Pacific) area. The first company they established was named Non Linear Systems ( NLS). NLS made their "fortune" by inventing and selling digital voltmeters. I sold a lot of parts to NLS in the years of the early to mid 70's. Very good at determining a need, designing to that need, and marketing to that need. Pure trivia... using mechanically chopper stabilized, high impedance vacuum tube and transistor, input amplifiers, that yes, I do remember using. NLS was further made famous by using early innovative management styles, including flex hours, buildings that were all 1 floor and laid out in a campus configuration on a hillside, and I think profit sharing. They were quite the HBR study for quite some time. Why did they die? Probably because the company was a life style company.... read descriptions above.... and in truth, they were badly managed by the family, that did not really know how to run a large company, nor was able to delegate management. You can read up on them if you are curious, but in truth, they were a very inventive and successful enterprise. Frank Filippone red735i@earthlink.net