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Cogar’s proprietary base has been established, based on a fundamental conviction concerning the importance of data processing technologies to the growth of industry and commerce. This conviction, coupled with the vision to recognize the more important potential areas of contribution, created the COGAR SYSTEM 4. Available today, COGAR SYSTEMS are by competitive standards, far ahead of their time, but are immediately applicable to existing teleprocess-ing networks and those under development. The COGAR SYSTEM 4 is not simply a machine nor a new concept. It is the practical implementation of the solution to the more important problem areas in the development of large and sophisticated teleprocessing networks. However, being uniquely capable in this area of application does not limit its applicability to other areas. The SYSTEM 4 is a total data processing system, capable of applications ranging from conventional data entry to a full stand-alone data processing system adequate to meet the needs of small and medium sized installations.
COGAR INFORMATION SYSTEMS INC.
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AT WORK AT THE NEW ENGLAND MEDICAL CENTER HOSPITALS, BOSTON, MASS.
The COGAR SYSTEM 4 is now at work (many have been for more than a year) at installations both in Europe and the United States. Applications range from standard data entry to intelligent terminals in teleprocessing networks to free-standing data process-ing systems for general accounting and production control! Tne COGAR SYSTEM stands alone in its price performance class. Why? First, the product has outstanding advanced features and technology. It is simple for even the most unskilled operator to use. Its ability to handle input and output operations is unparalleled. Its internal power equals or exceeds many large EDP systems, yet it has built-in CRT and keyboard features that make it a truly self-contained data processing device. Second, it is extremely flexible to apply, making it a suitable building block in almost every type of system. Including source data entry systems, communications terminals, small programmable pro-cessors, off-line printing stations, multi-function data stations, and as a full stand-alone EDP installation with full peripheral complement. Third, it possesses highly proprietary features. The magnetic tape, fast memory, logic circuitry and packaging design of the COGAR SYSTEM 4 are well ahead of their time. In fact, we believe that no other product is as superbly designed for reliability and functionality. Fourth, it is priced for mass usage. At its price, the COGAR SYSTEM 4 offers a level of power that we think makes it practical for application to numerous EDP functions where low cost of installation and use are critical factors. Fifth, it has long-term growth potential. The System’s design flexibility, technology and simplicity insure its staying power as a cost-effective tool for many years in all types of applications.
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Cogar products are developed and manufactured in a modern 38,000 square foot facility located in the suburbs of Utica, New York. This central location in upstate New York provides easy access to the many highly qualified vendors located in the Northeastern United States. The area provides excellent transportation and skilled manpower is readily available.
Cogar conducts all of its product development internally, including special-ized manufacturing — tooling and test equipment, but does no component level manufacturing. Instead, the Company utilizes the know-how and resources of vendors specializing in the manufacture of specific component categories. This provides excellent insurance, through multiple sourcing, of predictable and timely availability of Cogar products. Cogar has concentrated its internal manu-facturing resources toward efficient and economical assembly and test, including an objective and effective quality assur-ance capability.
This method of operation is con-sidered in the planning, design and devel-opment of all products and results in systems which are economically manu-facturable in medium and large volume. It is in concert with the requirement necess-ary to insure product serviceability. Pro-duct designs are implemented to provide for functional sub-assemblies which permit simple fault diagnosis and replace-ment. Functional sub-assemblies also permit more extensive in-process quality checks, enhancing the overall integrity .. and reliability of the total system.
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The versatility of the SYSTEM 4 is based on a unique blend of packaging, technology and pro-prietary design that makes it easy to use and easy to buy. The desk top system functions as a full scale data processing system with performance specifications equivalent to computers costing many times more than the SYSTEM 4. Its advanced architecture, designed specifically for the efficient processing of graphics data, incorporates a high performance byte oriented processor, and a flexible modularly expandable I/O system. The COGAR SYSTEM 4 offers performance equivalent to computers priced at several times its modest cost. Included among the more significant features are: 1. System transparency — The control of keyboard, display, cartridge drives and serial I/O are by software. All interaction points with the operator are treated as transparent I/O channels to provide total flexibility in application design. 2. Fast flexible display — The display has direct memory access with specifically assigned time slots to preclude impact on instruction execution times. Memory areas displayed are program selectable from any one of 16 memory pages (256 bytes per page), with provision for selective interlace of half — pages. Provisions for cursor or underscore with selective blanking and an alternate graphic set which permits utilization of 128 unique graphics. 3. Program selectable graphic set — Utilizing a 5 x 8 dot matrix with each graphic representation resi-dent in memory, the SYSTEM allows total flexibility in the selection of graphics, all under program control. 4. Programmable keyboard configurator — The key-board is capable of generating the full range of a 28 bit code which is then treatable by the software according to the desired application. This provides for easy adaptation to particular keyboard config-urations such as keypunch, typewriter, or teletype. The inherent provision for N-key roll and an
associated software keyboard queue allows key-board response to be totally independent of other system considerations. 5. High reliability, high performance tape drives —The COGAR SYSTEM 4 incorporates a unique tape system, developed by Cogar, which provides the convenience and simplicity of a “snap-in” self-loading cartridge with the standards of relia-bility and guaranteed data integrity of the most advanced industry compatible tape drives. Utili-zing the same basic design principles proven in the designs of industry compatible tape drives, Cogar’s cartridge drives utilize: • Servo controlled capstan drive, providing pre-cise control of tape acceleration and deceler-ation, thus, insuring long tape life. • Reel-to-reel tape control with independently controlled tension drives. • Precision tape guiding, independent of car-tridge characteristics and precluding contact with the oxide side of the tape. • Snap-in load and automatic threading. • Full interlocks to insure against operator error: a. File protection sensing. b. Cartridge in place. c. Cartridge in use interlock. d. Tape rewound, providing for rewind with or without interlock. e. End of tape detection. • High density, self-clocking write and read recovery, providing maximum reliability and guarantee of drive-to-drive compatibility plus the inherent self-checking afforded by phase modulation recording. • Large file capacity. Each tape cartridge can contain up to 900, 128 byte records providing adequate file capacity for the majority of batch applications. • Bi-direction read with peak transfer rate of 2000 bytes per second. High speed search record feature. • Full read after write check. • In addition to the inherent advantages of a self,clocking read system, the Cogar Tape System is further complemented by the auto-matic compensation for apparent speed chan-ges which can occur from physical changes to the tape itself. • System expandability — up to eight cartridge drives can be configured with a single System 4, permitting high performance sort and file ‘merge operations. 6. Advanced packaging techniques — The COGAR SYSTEM 4 is packaged utilizing modular, easily replaceable sub-assemblies. The electronic pack-aging utilizes high density, multi-layer printed circuit boards, minimizing the number of manual-ly implemented interconnects. The casework and internal structures are molded of light weight, high impact-resistant plastic, vacuum coated with metal to provide maximum safeguard from elec-trical interferences.
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Cogar maintains a continuing effort in Software Development for both enhance-. ment of the System 4 Language Base and in specific application areas. The design of effective Systems depends on a proper balance of hardware and software archi-tecture which are achieved only through an intimate and continuous dialogue between the two disciplines. Cogar’s soft-ware, hardware and systems development teams are headed by managers with many years experience in both hardware and software disciplines.
The language base for the COGAR SYSTEM 4 is flexible, easy to learn and use, yet permits the programmer to take full advantage of the SYSTEM 4’s power. The COGAR Language Base is comprised of a comprehensive set of “Pre-packaged” functions to facilitate modular program construction. The Cogar Assembler pro-vides linkage between these functions and the specialized routines necessary to a given application.
Programs are written and assembled in symbolic notation, with the final stage of the assembly effecting a merge of the specialized routines and the pre-packaged background functions. This method of assembly allows easy and rapid modifica-tion or correction of programs or the re-configuration of a program to accomo-date different peripheral devices or the selection of a new or modified graphic set, or keyboard configuration. All features of the COGAR Assembler are operable on a 4K System. Capitalizing on the high performance of the SYSTEM 4 Tape Drives, an average program can be assembled in less than 12 minutes. The packaged functions are available to the programmer from a Library Tape which provides for automatic retrieval and filing of specific functions. The library contains a standard set of sub-routines for:
• Controlling the various peripheral • Keyboard supervision • Display graphics • String oriented macros including signed arithmetic • Communications
The programmer has complete free-dom in the inter-mixing of machine language statements and macro-functions, with linkages provided by the assembler.
The Cogar Software includes a power-ful tape sort/merge operable with either three or four tapes and the option of utilizing one or more maxi-tapes. For the sorting of limited files, as in the case of labels for a source language program, a two tape sort is available which is exe-cutable on a basic SYSTEM 4. Among the utilities provided with the Cogar Software is a Program Trace. This aids in program debugging by allowing the programmer to specify pre-deter-mined stopping points in his program, and to display and to alter registers and memory contents. Also included is an extensive library of hardware diagnostics. Cogar’s customers are kept informed of the latest developments in Software by Cogar’s “Software Control Center.” This center also provides quick response to customer inquiries.
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MAINTAINABILITY
The superior reliability of the SYSTEM 4 is the result of a modular packaging concept that eliminates internal wiring and complex interconnections that are the major cause of failures. Maintenance of any of the major components is simple. Four bolts are all that is required to remove and replace every major component. Each major sub-assembly is a functional entity permitting simple and rapid fault diagnosis and replacement. Cogar provides their customers a full capability in tech-nical and systems support including training in field engineer-ing and systems programming. Additionally, Cogar provides base level spare parts depots and repair services.
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THE COGAR SYSTEM 4
A BIG COMPUTER IN A SMALL PACKAGE
A data processing system, self-con-tained and fully functional, with a comprehensive set of peripheral devices which can be configured to mee’I the most demanding application require-ments.
georgecogar 