Information Processing Laboratory

Infelor had two missions: one market-oriented and one IT-oriented.

1. Already at the beginning of the development of Hungarian computing, it became clear that the world of computing tasks could not be clearly divided into parts according to the existing, centralized main authority boundaries of the planned state administration system. These aspects justified the creation of an institution that could attract the best specialists in the application of computing technology (who were primarily professionals in computing and not in the field of a particular ministry) and that could undertake tasks from all sectors of the economy without regard to main authority boundaries. In the spirit of the new economic mechanism, Infelor was the first computer organization institute that was authorized to acquire its customers from companies belonging to any ministry, in accordance with market interests, and to stimulate market-oriented corporate operations.
2. The Central Statistical Office, the main governing authority responsible for computer applications, needed an intellectual potential that, due to its international preparedness, could show direction in new areas of computer development and application. Infelor played the role of an incubator in the classical sense – and, we might add, a software house over time. Many new ideas, thoughts and systems came from the enthusiastic, highly qualified and constantly self-developing team that formed there, catalyzing the creative work of other institutions and workshops. In this sense, Infelor became one of the intellectual cradles of Hungarian computer technology.

It had a wide portfolio: software development, hardware and software sales, design and implementation, and educational services.

He played a leading role in the organization coordinating ESZR software development and in the Hungarian activities of AIR APCS IMCS.

As the first software house in Hungary, it participated in the development of the system software of the EMG, VIDEOTON, Minsk 2, Minsk 22 machines.

He developed an operating system (VIDOS), compilers (e.g. CDL), simulators, TAF systems, and a portable software development environment (ANSWER).

He conducted research on programming theory and introduced the issue of software technology to Hungary.

He was among the first to develop expert systems (e.g. in the field of medicine).

Initiated and launched Hungarian software export (e.g. FACOM project, SAAB project). Delivery of complex VIDEOTON systems as a subcontractor to the Soviet railways, the Tyumen oil fields, and the Black Sea oil exploration.

Development of corporate governance software packages (e.g. MM, FORS).

Corporate data processing on order for large companies (e.g. Chinoin, IKARUS, May 1 Clothing Factory, Csepel Car Factory, Csepel Iron Works, EGYT, MÁV, Budapest Furniture Industry Company, OGV, etc.).

Production management (e.g. National Rubber Company, VIDEOTON).

Computer-controlled NC systems.

State administrative records to order.

Custom technical-engineering calculations, PCB design, development of the C1 target machine architecture by HTI in collaboration with Vilati.

Operations research tasks (e.g. finding optimum mail delivery and collection for the Postal Directorate, delivery tasks for the Grain Industry Trust, etc.), optimization, application of program packages.

Econometric modeling (e.g. for the Materials and Prices Office, Planning Office, Ministry of Finance, MNB).

Preparation of the ACS project and machine, machine selection, personnel training and handover, training of ACS users.

Strategic plan for the computerization of the Aluminum Industry Trust in 1970.

Initially, preparing the NUMBERS instructors and curriculum, and hiring lecturers.

1965. February 1. As its base institute for computer applications, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) founded the Information Processing Laboratory, known as Infelor, which was initially a department within the Central Statistical Office (KSH) organization, but soon began to operate as an independent company. Ferenc Rabár was invited to establish the Laboratory, who brought the founding core of the Laboratory with him from the KGM ISSZI (Sándor Frivaldszky, Márton Krajcsovits, Tamás Lampl, János Stahl ).

In 1966, the Laboratory became an independent business entity with revenue obligations. For example: it signed a contract with OGV.

1968. The GRKCS institution founded in 1964 was merged into Infelor. This is how they transferred, for example: Miklós Ács, László Edelényi, Pál Németh, István Síklaky, Tamás Ujlaky. Pál Németh and his group, who helped to establish SZKI, were soon transferred to SZKI.

From January 1, 1969, the institution becomes a company and receives a new name. The new name is: “INFELOR” Systems Technology Company.

From 1970, the company's organization changed due to growth. There were departments and independent divisions under 3 deputy directors (Dömölki, Nyíry, Pádár).

1975. The company's founding director, Ferenc Rabár, was invited to the IIASA international research institute in Laxenburg, and a new director was appointed to INFELOR: Mátyás Arató.

From January 1, 1976, the Laboratory was classified as a research institute and given a new name: Computer Applications Research Institute (Computer), while maintaining its staff and activities. At that time, the institute moved into the newly built headquarters, which was designed and built by Infelor. The reclassification of the Company into a research institute was initiated by the Company's management itself, considering the more favorable funding opportunities of Research and Development Institutions.

In the spirit of the new economic mechanism, Infelor was the first computer engineering organization institute that was authorized to acquire its customers from companies belonging to any portfolio, in accordance with market interests. (See its first advertisement from 1969: here.) In the spirit of this mandate, Infelor already advertised its services on the Hungarian market in 1969. The cradle of Hungarian software development, the initiator of Hungarian software export (1970).

1971. Infelor signs a contract to develop certain software elements for the Japanese FACOM R machine. As the next step in foreign expansion, programmers were exported to foreign projects, and as a result, Hungarian software exports began. This activity was organized by Tibor Szentiványi, then Iván Földvári

The 2nd issue of Információ, Elektronika 1978 was entirely dedicated to the 10th anniversary of Infelor. All the articles were written by former Infelor members.

Interesting facts about the scattered locations:

1. Some people remember the early days of its founding, when the first employees huddled in one of the offices of the Central Statistical Office building.
2. This was followed by a military facility on Erzsébet Szilágyi Avenue, which was a ground-floor building separated from the area of the Military Technology Institute (HTI) on Erzsébet Szilágyi Avenue (at the Nagyajtai út tram stop, II. Szilágyi E. Avenue 20/a, still visible today).
3. As this grew, some departments (e.g. the Programming Systems Department) were housed in a villa on Rhédey Street, at the upper corner of Vasas Pálya in Pasarét.
4. In the early seventies, the headquarters were located for a long time in a villa at 130 Vörös Hadsereg út (now Hűvösvölgyi út), the owner of which was Zsuzsi Fábián, who worked as a secretary at Infelor.
5. Then we went to Tárogató út 110, where Infelor got a villa owned by the Central Statistical Office, in the garden of which a fairly large wooden barrack was built, providing cultured office accommodation. The interesting thing about this was that instead of cutting down a nice large tree in the garden, we managed to install it in one of the rooms, which we proudly showed to our visitors as an interesting environmental solution. The famous case was written by Kornélia Dolecskó in the 27th issue of Esti Hírlap in 1971.
6. At the next stop, on Virányos Street ( Virányos Street 8 ), most of the Infelor was housed in three wooden barracks. Here we returned to the starting point, because these wooden houses were also located on a plot separated from the Military Engineering Institute (and still are today).
7. In addition to the above, there were several smaller sites, each with a separate department. These were, without claiming to be complete:

— the May 1 Clothing Factory, next to Nagyvárad Square, where the operators of a Minsk 22 machine worked,

— several business premises on Újpest Quay, some of which had to be handed over to the then-forming SZKI in 1969,

— a new building on Vadaskerti Street for those working on the population registration project, which later became the property of the district council,

— the list could go on: there are faint memories of a rented apartment on Benyovszki Street, Budakeszi Street, or a rented apartment in Óbuda (Frankel Leó Street 105-107), etc.

8. After all this, it was a great joy when the Csalogány Street headquarters ( Csalogány Street 30-32 ) was built in 1976, where (almost) the entire INFELOR (which was already called SZÁMKI by then) could fit. Currently, this is the headquarters of Szerencsejáték Rt.

Photos of the site of Infelor and its successor institutions can be found at the end of this video (13:30-14:12).