Our History: 1979 to Today

Building computer systems since 1979: from Navy-ruggedized microcomputers to AI-assisted systems.

Quasar Data Products

In 1979 Brian A. Catalucci, a Kent State graduate in Aerospace Technology, and Dave L. Kelley founded Quasar Data Products in North Olmsted, Ohio, near Cleveland. Brian was a United Airlines pilot at the time. Between 1980 and 1982 the company was renamed QDP Computer Systems, and it was later based on Brecksville Road in Cleveland.

QDP started as personal computers were moving from hobbyist kits to business machines. The Altair 8800 of 1975 had made the S-100 bus a common standard, so boards and peripherals from different makers could work together. QDP built S-100 systems for business and government use rather than for the home, alongside makers such as Cromemco and Processor Technology, while consumer machines like the Apple II and TRS-80 took a different path.

QDP, 1979 to 1989
1979QDP-100: a Z80 CP/M desktop on the S-100 bus, with 64 KB of RAM, two 8-inch floppy drives and a built-in PROM programmer. Popular with the Navy for its reliability.
1980QDP-8100: one of the early 16-bit desktops (Zilog Z8000), running Z80 software by emulation.
1982QDP-300, “The Peace of Mind Computer”: ruggedized for the Navy, with an overheat alarm, a cache-memory disk system, 128 KB of RAM and dual voltage for use worldwide. QDP-200: a slimline version of the QDP-100.
1983InfoWorld reports U.S. Navy adoption, including four QDP units aboard USS Lexington and one aboard USS Stump.
1984QDP-400: a multi-user, multiprocessor system (TurboDOS, a 6 MHz Z80B plus Z80A co-processors, a 55 MB hard drive, 12 serial ports). QDP-500: a four-terminal system (CP/M, with MP/M optional).
1986QDP moves into high-specification graphics cards for CAD on IBM PCs and compatibles, with mostly positive reviews in PC Magazine. The company was dissolved in 1989.
QDP advertisement for the QDP-300, The Peace of Mind Computer, showing the computer with its dual 8-inch floppy drives

QDP’s advertisement for the QDP-300, “The Peace of Mind Computer.”

Flying and study

Brian flew as an Iowa Air National Guard fighter pilot, in the U.S. Air Force (Active Duty and Reserves), and with United Airlines, where he was a pilot and a Captain for over 36 years. He completed a Master’s degree and thesis in Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Colorado, and a PhD in Creation Science at Scofield Biblical Institute, where he is on the faculty.

BLC Technologies today

Today BLC Technologies, Inc. builds and looks after WordPress and PageMotor websites, servers, email and security for clients, and now AI-assisted systems: a direct AI connection for running a PageMotor site, an AI pattern-analysis engine for Rick’s Picks, and AI-driven site operations.

See BLC’s work →

Sources: Wikipedia and Grokipedia, “Quasar Data Products,” and their references (InfoWorld, Computerworld, PC Magazine, Byte, The Plain Dealer); QDP-300 advertisement, Byte, January 1983.

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