Ted told us he’d managed to avoid computers until he started work then it was a PC – a heavy laptop which he took home (possibly a Compaq) on which he used spreadsheets like Lotus 1-2-3.
Judith came across computers first when she started doing office work as a “temp” then later in the 60’s and 70’s she learnt how to use a word processor that led to her having an Amstrad PC at home eventually.
Phil told us his involvement with computers started in the mid-10980’s through the Micro-electronics Programme for Schools (MEP Cymru??). he went on courses; then got involved with using a BBC-B in school and we shared a laugh at the way it loaded programmes from Cassette tapes and how you could type-in programmes from magazines such as BeebUser. Two he remembered were Base Invaders and Flight Simulator.
Christine first encountered computers when she started working in a bank and saw a machine room; that persuaded her that this environment wasn’t for her and so she moved to a local authority computing and schools where, like Phil, she used a BBC-B.
Ann also used a BBC micro in the late 1980’s. She went on several courses, leant quite a few pieces of application software and then went on to learning more advanced computing topics such as Oracle Database, C++ programming and learning about computer security.
Marilyn didn’t use computers in work but did buy a Tiny PC fro a shop in town, She has been amazed at how much she has learnt from her use of computers including finding out that from a BBC website that there is a recording of Tennyson speaking his works online that was originally recorded to wax cylinder.
Stella attended a Beginner’s Course in Computing when she was living in London. She had an Amstrad PC 1512 and thinks she probably worked on an IBM machine as well at that time. She’s impressed (like Marilyn) in what she can find online and cited the Enigma Machine in the National Archives (at Kew) as being a great example of a resource.
Mike didn’t use the computer much in his work until it was necessary to complete MoT work (garage). His claim to fame is that he had three Sinclair ZXs and broke all three of them.
Thanks to you all, and of course the others who talked about what they’d written here …
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