Editing Datanetics (section)

==History==
Founded in 1967, the original business plan was the manufacture of CRTs for the emerging terminal market. By December 1969 they decided to focus instead on keyboard manufacture, with diaphragm-based switch technology. In 1971, with rising sales, they were chosen by [[Monroe]] to build the keyboards for the Monroe 1200, the calculator company's first electronic printing calculator.

In 1972, with only two major customers (Monroe and [[Computer Design Corporation]]), Datanetics decided to broaden their customer base with a discrete keyswitch design. This became [[Datanetics DC-50 series|DC-50 series]], fully introduced in 1973. [[Datanetics DC-60 series|DC-60 series]], of low-profile, lower-cost switches designed specifically for high-end calculators, was also introduced in 1972. In the same year, the diaphragm switching technology was licensed to [[Futaba]], which might have formed the origin of [[Futaba complicated linear]] with its sealed contact assembly.

Datanetics first shipped keyboards to Apple in 1976. Somewhere around 1978, Datanetics designer and general manager Michael Muller left to form [[The Keyboard Company (manufacturer)|The Keyboard Company]], which later became the Apple Accessory Products Division, itself later bought by [[Alps Electric]].<ref name="TKC" />

Datanetics was bought by [[ITT]]; according to Michael Muller, this occurred around 1976 (prior to his departure),<ref name="TKC" /> but based on Meryl Miller's notes, this occurred in 1979.

In 1982, [[TEC Incorporated]] bought Datanetics from ITT.<ref name="TEC" />