UniWare Computer GmbH’s report on the state of the East German computer market is now available. Entitled The Data Processing Landscape In The German Democratic Republic, it begins with an assessment of the types and numbers of systems installed across the country, including ESER mainframe machines. ESER – or Einheitliches System Elektronischer Rechentechnik der Sozialistischen Lander – is the rip-off of IBM 370 architecture and operating software to which most of the Comecon countries contributed, although only VEB Kombinat Robotron of Dresden and Leipzig succeeded in producing mainframe-performance models reliably. The study continues with a focus on the East German Unix market and includes a list of users, hardware and software manufacturers and products, together with an introduction to the EAG – Unix Entwickler und Anwendergemeinschaft – Unix users and developers group. It indicates which products are compatible with those from Western computer companies, and which they most closely resemble or are copied from. There is also a list of what East German-developed technology is currently being exported, and what hardware and software has been brought in. It has a profile of Robotron and examines what kinds of research is being done where and by whom, and the types of courses, training and literature available commercially and in education. The 65 page report is UKP500 from the West Berlin-based company.
