Editing Data General (section)

===Late 1970s to late 1980s: crisis and a short term solution===
[[Image:Computer History Museum (469403548).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Data General Eclipse C/330]]
In 1974, the Nova was supplanted by their upscale 16-bit machine, the [[Data General Eclipse|Eclipse]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Data General
|url=http://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/da/Data_General}}</ref> Based on many of the same concepts as the Nova, it added support for [[virtual memory]] and [[computer multitasking|multitasking]] more suitable to the small office environment.

[[Image:Data General factory in Japan being built.png|thumb|right|Data General factory being built in Japan, c. 1979]]
Production problems with the Eclipse<ref name=ObitWest>{{cite web
|title=Data General's Tom West dies  |website=[[The Register]]
|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/24/tom_west_obit |date=May 24, 2011 |quote=The 16-bit Eclipse was a problem-strewn product}}</ref> led to a rash of lawsuits in the late 1970s. Newer versions of the machine were pre-ordered by many of DG's customers, which were never delivered. Many customers sued Data General after more than a year of waiting, charging the company with [[breach of contract]], while others simply canceled their orders and went elsewhere. The Eclipse was originally intended to replace the Nova outright, evidenced by the fact that the Nova 3 series, released at the same time and utilizing virtually the same internal architecture as the Eclipse, was phased out the next year. Strong demand continued for the Nova series, resulting in the Nova 4, perhaps as a result of the continuing problems with the Eclipse.