MAI Basic Four
Encyclopedia
MAI Basic Four refers to a variety of Business Basic
, the computers that ran it, and the company that sold them (its name given variously as MAI Basic Four Inc., MAI Basic Four Information Systems, and MAI Systems Corporation).
Basic/Four Corporation was created as a subsidiary of Management Assistance, Inc. in Irvine, California
. Basic/Four sold small business minicomputers that were assembled from Microdata Corporation CPUs.
MAI Basic Four Business Basic was one of the first commercially available business BASIC interpreters. MAI Basic Four (the company) originally sold minicomputer
s but later offered superminicomputers and microcomputer
s. The computers ran a proprietary operating system, with the BASIC interpreter integrated.
In 1988, Wall Street financier Bennett S. LeBow
, who had acquired a controlling interest
in the company, used it as a platform for an unsuccessful attempted hostile takeover of much larger Prime Computer
.
The Basic4 system was utilized by many small banks and credit unions. It was only when the system "ran out of dates," due to a design flaw in the operating system, that the company died.
Business Basic
Business Basic is the name given collectively to variants of the BASIC computer programming language which were specialised for business use on minicomputers in the 1970s and 1980s...
, the computers that ran it, and the company that sold them (its name given variously as MAI Basic Four Inc., MAI Basic Four Information Systems, and MAI Systems Corporation).
Basic/Four Corporation was created as a subsidiary of Management Assistance, Inc. in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
. Basic/Four sold small business minicomputers that were assembled from Microdata Corporation CPUs.
MAI Basic Four Business Basic was one of the first commercially available business BASIC interpreters. MAI Basic Four (the company) originally sold minicomputer
Minicomputer
A minicomputer is a class of multi-user computers that lies in the middle range of the computing spectrum, in between the largest multi-user systems and the smallest single-user systems...
s but later offered superminicomputers and microcomputer
Microcomputer
A microcomputer is a computer with a microprocessor as its central processing unit. They are physically small compared to mainframe and minicomputers...
s. The computers ran a proprietary operating system, with the BASIC interpreter integrated.
In 1988, Wall Street financier Bennett S. LeBow
Bennett S. LeBow
Bennett S. LeBow is a financier and corporate raider. He is also the former Chairman of the Board and CEO of Borders Group, an international bookseller based in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Chairman of the Board of Vector Group, a holding company primarily involved in the manufacturing of cigarette...
, who had acquired a controlling interest
Controlling interest
Controlling interest in a corporation means to have control of a large enough block of voting stock shares in a company such that no one stock holder or coalition of stock holders can successfully oppose a motion...
in the company, used it as a platform for an unsuccessful attempted hostile takeover of much larger Prime Computer
Prime Computer
Prime Computer, Inc. was a Natick, Massachusetts-based producer of minicomputers from 1972 until 1992. The alternative spellings "PR1ME" and "PR1ME Computer" were used as brand names or logos by the company.-Founders:...
.
The Basic4 system was utilized by many small banks and credit unions. It was only when the system "ran out of dates," due to a design flaw in the operating system, that the company died.