Mohawk Data Sciences Corporation (MDS)

MDS was formed by several engineers that left Univac. Their first product was the Data Recorder. Launched in 1964, it was designed as a data entry system that replaced the standard keypunch and punched cards with a device that recorded data directly to magnetic tape.

It proved very successful and the resulting infusion of cash allowed the company to acquire a number of other firms, one of which was Atron Corporation that had developed a minicomputer known as the Atron 501. MDS used the 501 as the basis for expanding their equipment to control a line printer and later to emulate popular IBM, Burroughs, Univac and Control Data Corporation (CDC) remote batch entry systems. This machine was later used as part of their popular 2400 system.

The MDS firm ran into financial troubles in the late 1970s and was eventually folded into other firms.