Adage, Inc., was a Boston-based electronics and computer manufacturer founded in 1957, first specializing in

analog-to-digital In electronics, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC, A/D, or A-to-D) is a system that converts an analog signal, such as a sound picked up by a microphone or light entering a digital camera, into a digital signal. An ADC may also provide ...

and digital-to-analog converters, and later in

computer graphics Computer graphics deals with generating images and art with the aid of computers. Computer graphics is a core technology in digital photography, film, video games, digital art, cell phone and computer displays, and many specialized applications. ...

systems. It was founded by James I. "Jim" Stockwell and two other MIT graduates in Boston in 1957, and later moved to Billerica. Starting in 1967, Adage focused on computer graphics systems. Its most advanced system in 1967 was the GS/300. In 1976, it introduced the GT/2250 Vector Graphics Workstation, which was

plug compatible Plug compatible refers to " hardware that is designed to perform exactly like another vendor's product." The term PCM was originally applied to manufacturers who made replacements for IBM peripherals. Later this term was used to refer to IBM-com ...

with the IBM 2250 Graphics Display Unit; it later created the Adage 4000 and, in 1985, the Adage 6000 series

workstation A workstation is a special computer designed for technical or computational science, scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by a single user, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating syste ...

. In 1989, Adage held merger talks with various potential partners, including Multiflow Computer and GBIC, but they were not consummated."Ever a bridesmaid", ''Computerworld'' August 21, 1989
p. 74
/ref> Adage was acquired by Systems & Computer Technology Corporation for

US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...

5 million in 1994.Jon Peddie, ''The History of Visual Magic in Computers: How Beautiful Images are Made in CAD, 3D, VR, and AR'', 2013, {{isbn, 1447149327, p. 315, 319

Bibliography

* Thomas G. Hagan, Richard J. Nixon, Luis J. Schaefer, "The Adage Graphics Terminal", ''Proceedings of the December 9-11, 1968, Fall Joint Computer Conference'' 1:747-755 ACM, 1968
full text
* Materials about Adage for the Computer and Image Exhibit, Computer History Museum

* A. van Dam, R.D. Bergeron, "Software Capabilities of the Adage Graphics Terminals" in R.D. Parslow, et al., ''Advanced Computer Graphics'', 197
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Notes

1957 establishments in Massachusetts 1994 disestablishments in Massachusetts American companies established in 1957 American companies disestablished in 1994 Companies based in Billerica, Massachusetts Computer companies established in 1957 Computer companies disestablished in 1994 Defunct computer companies based in Massachusetts Defunct computer companies of the United States Defunct computer hardware companies Defunct computer systems companies Graphics hardware companies