Compudata is a Dutch company founded by Franz Hetzenauer and Rob Romein in 1979. It changed it’s name to Tulip Computers in early 1980s. See Tulip for more information.

TELEAC Course, first televised TV-course for computers

In the autumn of 1978, the TELEAC foundation started broadcasting the Microprocessors 1 course. A course that included the option of taking a computer into your home. After a strict selection, the choice fell on the DAI computer.

There was an expectation of several thousand registrations, but in the first week there were already 1000 registrations, which has subsequently risen to over 10,000! However, it turned out that there were delivery problems with the DAI computer, as a result of which TELEAC no longer sold the computer. In 1979, shortly after the introduction of Microprocessors 2, the best course choice was determined on the Exidy Sorcerer. These have already been imported by Compudata. Compudata received the license from Exidy to manufacture and rename these machines themselves, this was the Compudata Sorcerer with a slightly modified mainboard making it an Exidy Sorcerer II.

Microprocessors 1 consisted of 20 episodes which aired between October 3, 1978 and March 13, 1979. Microprocessors II also contained 20 episodes which aired between October 30, 1979 and March 25, 1980.

After TELEAC

In 1983, the first self-developed machine, the Compudata Tulip System 1, was launched and the company was renamed Tulip Computers.