Tulip Computers NV was a Dutch

computer manufacturer Current notable computer hardware manufacturers: Cases List of computer case manufacturers: * Aigo * Antec * AOpen * ASRock * Asus * be quiet! * CaseLabs (defunct) * Chassis Plans * Cooler Master * Corsair * Deepcool * DFI * ECS ...

that manufactured PC clones.

History

It was founded in 1979 as ''Compudata'', as an importer of American

microcomputer A microcomputer is a small, relatively inexpensive computer having a central processing unit (CPU) made out of a microprocessor. The computer also includes memory and input/output (I/O) circuitry together mounted on a printed circuit board (P ...

s. Compudata was the distributor for Europe for the

Exidy Sorcerer The Sorcerer is a home computer system released in 1978 by the video game company Exidy, of Sunnyvale, California, and later marketed as a small business computer system under their Exidy Systems subsidiary. Based on the Zilog Z80 and the general ...

, a

Zilog Z80 The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog that played an important role in the evolution of early personal computing. Launched in 1976, it was designed to be Backward compatibility, software-compatible with the ...

-based

home computer Home computers were a class of microcomputers that entered the market in 1977 and became common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a s ...

. When Exidy gave up on the Sorcerer in 1979, Compudata licensed the design and manufactured them locally for several years. In 1983 it launched its own PC, the Tulip PC. To achieve 100% compatibility it simply copied the

IBM PC The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the List of IBM Personal Computer models, IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible ''de facto'' standard. Released on ...

, including the

BIOS In computing, BIOS (, ; Basic Input/Output System, also known as the System BIOS, ROM BIOS, BIOS ROM or PC BIOS) is a type of firmware used to provide runtime services for operating systems and programs and to perform hardware initialization d ...

. IBM sued, and after years of litigation, Tulip and IBM settled out of court for an undisclosed amount in 1989. It was listed on the

Amsterdam Stock Exchange Euronext Amsterdam is a stock exchange based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Formerly known as the Amsterdam Stock Exchange (), it merged on 22 September 2000 with the Brussels Stock Exchange and the Paris Stock Exchange to form Euronext. The ...

in 1984. In 1987, Compudata changed its name to Tulip Computers. Tulip ATK 03

Tulip made headlines among

Commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (India), in India ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ' ...

computer enthusiasts when it acquired the Commodore brand name in September 1997, and made headlines again in 2003 and 2004, when it tried to grab a share of the games and entertainment markets with Commodore-branded products. In 2000, the

Government of Bangladesh The government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh () is the central government of Bangladesh. The government was constituted by the Constitution of Bangladesh comprising the executive (the president, prime minister and cabinet), the ...

cancelled a contract, funded by the

Dutch government The Netherlands is a parliamentary representative democracy. A constitutional monarchy, the country is organised as a decentralised unitary state.''Civil service systems in Western Europe'' edited by A. J. G. M. Bekke, Frits M. Meer, Edward E ...

, with Tulip Computers to supply computers. The Bangladesh government reported the price for the computers was too high. Tulip computers sued the Government of Bangladesh in a court in

The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

and secured a verdict that awarded Tulip computer compensation. After supposedly making some headway in the market, it sold the Commodore name to Yeahronimo Media Ventures for €22 million. Negotiations began in the end of 2004; the transaction was completed in March 2005. On 27 September 2007, Tulip announced it wanted to buy back the Commodore brand for one dollar per share. Tulip thought it could make more profit by buying it again, due to the new activities of Commodore on other markets. On 26 June 2008, Tulip changed its name to Nedfield NV. Nedfield faced serious problems due to the

recession In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction that occurs when there is a period of broad decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be tr ...

, and filed for suspension of payment after several of its subsidiaries went bankrupt. Nedfield NV itself was pronounced bankrupt by the district court of

Utrecht Utrecht ( ; ; ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city of the Netherlands, as well as the capital and the most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The ...

on 3 September 2009 and was

liquidated Liquidation is the process in accounting by which a company is brought to an end. The assets and property of the business are redistributed. When a firm has been liquidated, it is sometimes referred to as wound-up or dissolved, although di ...

Sponsorships

Tulip sponsored

Crystal Palace Football Club Crystal Palace Football Club, commonly referred to as Crystal Palace or simply Palace, is a professional football club based in Selhurst, South London, England, which competes in the Premier League, the top-tier of English football. The club ...

between 1991 and 1993 and eponymous professional cycling teams based in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

(1989–1990) and

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

(1990–1992), Tulip Computers.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Nedfield.nl on Archive.org
Home computer hardware companies Computer companies of the Netherlands Defunct computer hardware companies Defunct computer systems companies Defunct companies of the Netherlands Dutch companies established in 1979 Dutch companies disestablished in 2009 Computer companies established in 1979 Computer companies disestablished in 2009 Companies based in Utrecht (province) Amersfoort

History

Sponsorships

See also

References

External links