Mathematica Inc. was a multi-faceted American software company and consulting group founded by Princeton University professors in 1968. The computer had three primary divisions: Mathematica Policy Research, which did consulting work, mostly "to develop mathematical models for marketing decision making"; Mathematica Products Group, best known for developing RAMIS; and MathTech, the company's technical and economic consulting group. The company was also a leading developer of state lottery systems. [1]
In early 1982, the company's stock was split 3-for-2. [2] Mathematica Products Group was soon spun off and purchased by Martin Marietta Corporation, in May 1983. [3] The division was then renamed Mathematica & Oxford Software. Marietta sold Mathematica & Oxford Software to On-Line Software International in 1986; [4] On-Line was in turn sold to Computer Associates, in 1991. [5] [6] Mathematica Policy Research and MathTech meanwhile were spun off, and in 1986 both independently became employee-owned companies. Mathematica Policy Research was eventually renamed to Mathematica Inc.; it is the only former unit still carrying the Mathematica name.
A quarter of a century after Mathematica's founding, it "was largely owned by a group of professors in Mathematics and Economics at Princeton University ... as this group aged, they opted to cash out by selling." The result was a 3-way split: two units became employee-owned companies and another was sold several times.
In 1982, Mathematica Products Group's RAMIS was described as "nonprocedural" and "bordering on artificial intelligence." [7] This unit of Mathematica was purchased by Martin Marietta Corporation in 1983 [8] and renamed to Mathematica & Oxford Software. [4] Marietta sold Mathematica & Oxford Software in 1986 to On-Line Software International, who merged the subsidiary into their own main operations; [4] On-Line was in turn sold to Computer Associates, in 1991. [9] [10]
The RAMIS product sold well, initially on mainframes, [11] subsequently on PCs.
The Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) unit's strength was in "social experiments and surveys." [1] In 1983 MPR reported "a major survey assignment for the American Medical Association."
In 1986, it became a separate, employee-owned company.
Like MPR, in 1986 MathTech became an employee-owned company. Known today as Mathtech, Inc., [12] it was described by The New York Times as "a Washington-area educational consulting firm [13]
Mathematica Inc. was a multi-faceted American software company and consulting group founded by Princeton University professors in 1968. The computer had three primary divisions: Mathematica Policy Research, which did consulting work, mostly "to develop mathematical models for marketing decision making"; Mathematica Products Group, best known for developing RAMIS; and MathTech, the company's technical and economic consulting group. The company was also a leading developer of state lottery systems. [1]
In early 1982, the company's stock was split 3-for-2. [2] Mathematica Products Group was soon spun off and purchased by Martin Marietta Corporation, in May 1983. [3] The division was then renamed Mathematica & Oxford Software. Marietta sold Mathematica & Oxford Software to On-Line Software International in 1986; [4] On-Line was in turn sold to Computer Associates, in 1991. [5] [6] Mathematica Policy Research and MathTech meanwhile were spun off, and in 1986 both independently became employee-owned companies. Mathematica Policy Research was eventually renamed to Mathematica Inc.; it is the only former unit still carrying the Mathematica name.
A quarter of a century after Mathematica's founding, it "was largely owned by a group of professors in Mathematics and Economics at Princeton University ... as this group aged, they opted to cash out by selling." The result was a 3-way split: two units became employee-owned companies and another was sold several times.
In 1982, Mathematica Products Group's RAMIS was described as "nonprocedural" and "bordering on artificial intelligence." [7] This unit of Mathematica was purchased by Martin Marietta Corporation in 1983 [8] and renamed to Mathematica & Oxford Software. [4] Marietta sold Mathematica & Oxford Software in 1986 to On-Line Software International, who merged the subsidiary into their own main operations; [4] On-Line was in turn sold to Computer Associates, in 1991. [9] [10]
The RAMIS product sold well, initially on mainframes, [11] subsequently on PCs.
The Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) unit's strength was in "social experiments and surveys." [1] In 1983 MPR reported "a major survey assignment for the American Medical Association."
In 1986, it became a separate, employee-owned company.
Like MPR, in 1986 MathTech became an employee-owned company. Known today as Mathtech, Inc., [12] it was described by The New York Times as "a Washington-area educational consulting firm [13]