They were called the BUNCH, five computer outfits that seriously challenged IBM in the nascent computer age. Here is what happened to the bunch that Big Blue crunched:Burroughs: The adding-machine company built advanced computers but had primitive marketing skills. It merged in 1986 with Sperry Rand to form Unisys, primarily selling computer services. Univac built the first commercial computer, which was to data processors what Kleenex is to tissues. But mismanagement caused this Sperry Rand division to blow its big lead. NCR: The cash-register maker spent years struggling with computers. AT&T bought the company in 1991 only to divest itself of it five years later. Now NCRÕs major products are atms and retail scanners. Control Data: The former king of supercomputers recast itself in 1992 as Ceridian, an information-services provider. Ceridian spun off Control Data Systems, which now makes software. Honeywell bought General ElectricÕs computer division in the 1970s with hopes of challenging IBM. But when that proved to be no contest, Honeywell got out of the business in 1991.
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