Network Computing Devices
Defunct Electronics Company
title: "Network Computing Devices" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1987-establishments-in-california", "2004-disestablishments-in-oregon", "american-companies-established-in-1987", "american-companies-disestablished-in-2004", "companies-based-in-mountain-view,-california", "companies-based-in-portland,-oregon", "computer-companies-established-in-1987", "computer-companies-disestablished-in-2004", "defunct-companies-based-in-oregon", "defunct-companies-based-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area", "defunct-computer-companies-of-the-united-states", "defunct-computer-hardware-companies", "defunct-computer-systems-companies", "technology-companies-based-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area", "technology-companies-established-in-1987", "technology-companies-disestablished-in-2004", "thin-clients", "x-window-system", "defunct-computer-companies-based-in-california"] description: "Defunct Electronics Company" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_Computing_Devices" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Defunct Electronics Company ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Network Computing Devices |
| logo | Network Computing Devices logo.svg |
| type | |
| industry | Computers |
| founded | in Mountain View, California, United States |
| founders | |
| defunct | |
| hq_location_city | Beaverton, Oregon |
| hq_location_country | United States |
| products | Thin clients |
| num_employees_year | |
| :: |
| name = Network Computing Devices | logo = Network Computing Devices logo.svg | type = | industry = Computers | founded = in Mountain View, California, United States | founders = | defunct = | hq_location_city = Beaverton, Oregon | hq_location_country = United States | products = Thin clients | num_employees = | num_employees_year = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Network_Computing_Devices_NCD-88k_X_terminal.jpg" caption="Network Computing Devices NCD-88k X terminal, front view"] ::
Network Computing Devices (NCD) was a company founded in 1987 to produce a new class of products now known as a thin client. It was founded in Mountain View, CA, and when it closed it was headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon.
The corporate founders were Mike Harrigan, Doug Klein, Dave Cornelius, Ed Basart, Martin Eberhard, and Kevin Martin.
At that time these devices were known as network terminals or X Terminals. Judith Estrin and William Carrico joined the company about 6 months after its founding as its new CEO and executive vice president, and led the company through its IPO in 1992. The products were some of the earliest examples of a thin client and providing remote access to data in something other than ASCII as was common with traditional terminals of the time.
The X Protocol provided a way to show high-resolution images of data and graphics over a network connection. NCD supported a range of network protocols including TCP/IP, Token Ring, DECnet and others. NCD also developed network-transparent audio system called the Network Audio System (nas) to play, record and manipulate audio over a network.
Acquisitions
NCD purchased PCXware, which made an X Window System for Microsoft Windows.{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MKyWnw1bumwC&pg=PA59 | newspaper=Computerworld | title=NCD beefs up X software for Windows | author=Joanie M. Wexler | date=May 10, 1993 | pages=59 | access-date=February 21, 2017
NCD purchased Z-Code Software in 1994. Z-Code made Z-Mail, a cross platform open standards email client. Z-Mail was later sold by NCD to Netmanage.
NCD purchased TekXPress X-terminals line from Tektronix.{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VB4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA12 | newspaper=Network World | date=November 23, 1998 | pages=12 | title=NCD's thin clients get a multimedia boost in buyout | author=John Cox | access-date=February 21, 2017
NCD ceased operations in 2004. However, a few of the company's employees have set up a new company, ThinPATH Systems, to provide former NCD customers and others with service, support and products.
References
References
- manual page to nas(1)
- (March 1, 2020). "ThinPATH Systems Inc.".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::