Editing Cognos (section)

==History==
Cognos was founded in 1969 by Alan Rushforth and Peter Glenister.<ref name="VoyerRyan1994">{{cite book|author1=Roger Voyer|author2=Patti Ryan|title=The new innovators: how Canadians are shaping the knowledge-based economy|url=https://archive.org/details/newinnovatorshow0000voye|url-access=registration|accessdate=15 September 2011|date=1 January 1994|publisher=James Lorimer & Company|isbn=978-1-55028-463-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/newinnovatorshow0000voye/page/151 151]}}</ref> Michael U. Potter joined Cognos in 1972, and was its chief executive officer from 1975 until 1995.<ref>{{cite web|title=Biography - Mr Michael U Potter|url=http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/article-template-biography.page?doc=mr-michael-u-potter/hlrp4hm6|publisher=Royal Canadian Air Force|accessdate=4 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221173427/http://rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/article-template-biography.page?doc=mr-michael-u-potter%2Fhlrp4hm6|archive-date=21 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> It began as a [[Consultant|consulting]] company for the Canadian federal government and offered its first software product, QUIZ, in 1979. During the Canadian recession in the 1980s, Cognos shifted its focus from consulting to software sales.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}}

Originally Quasar Systems Limited, it adopted the Cognos name in 1982. Cognos is a fragment scissored off the Latin word "cognosco," which means "knowledge from personal experience".<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/cognos-incorporated-usa#ixzz2FdFIn0jzOn Gale Directory of Company Histories]</ref> Cognos became a public company in August 1986 trading on the [[Toronto Stock Exchange]] as CSN and on the [[NASDAQ]] as COGN. Its independent existence ended on January 31, 2008, when Cognos was acquired by [[IBM]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080209125647/http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/23423.wss IBM Completes Acquisition of Cognos February 1, 2008]</ref>

In 1995, Ron Zambonini was named CEO and brought new marketing strategies. Cognos grew successful with its business intelligence products for [[local area network]]s (LAN), but new Internet technologies had come into the BI industry faster than the company had anticipated. After Cognos issued a notice informing shareholders of a slowdown in growth, many sold their shares, causing prices to fall quickly.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.answers.com/topic/cognos-incorporated-usa |title=Company History: Cognos, Inc. |website=[[Answers.com]] |accessdate=October 14, 2010}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=July 2016}}{{When|date=July 2016}}

This prompted Cognos to build its web technology through the [[takeover|acquisition]] of other companies rather than internal [[research and development]]. In September 2007, Cognos announced that it would be acquiring [[Applix]].<ref>[http://www.specialtypub.com/startit/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=6077&SECTION=2 Cognos Plans Acquisition ''Start-IT Magazine'' September 13, 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071122145344/http://www.specialtypub.com/startit/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=6077&SECTION=2 |date=November 22, 2007 }}</ref> It had previously acquired Right Information Systems ([[4Thought]]), Interweave (Impromptu Web Query), Relational Matters (DecisionStream), Scientific Time Sharing Corporation (LEX2000), NoticeCast, Adaytum, Frango, DataBeacon, and Celequest.

In January 2010, as part of a reorganization of IBM Software Group, software from Cognos and recently acquired [[SPSS]] were brought together to create the [[Business Analytics]] division.

On December 31, 2013,  UNICOM Systems, a division of [[UNICOM Global]]  acquired the [[PowerHouse (programming language)|PowerHouse product line]] including PowerHouse 4GL Server, Axiant® 4GL and PowerHouse Web®,<ref>{{cite news |last=Woodie |first=Alex |url=http://www.itjungle.com/fhs/fhs012114-story07.html |title=Unicom Adds HP3000 Biz with Cognos ADT Buy |work=Four Hundred Stuff |date=2014-01-21 |accessdate=2016-03-24 }}</ref> so Powerhouse products would no longer be part of the IBM product set.