Moving Targets, 2011 Elliott-Automation and the Dawn of the Computer Age in Britain, 1947 – 67 History of Computing Series

This book charts the take-up of IT in Britain, as seen through the eyes of one company. It examines how the dawn of the digital computer age in Britain took place for different applications, from early government-sponsored work on secret defence projects, to the growth of the market for Elliott computers for civil applications. Features: charts the establishment of Elliott?s Borehamwood Research Laboratories, and the roles played by John Coales and Leon Bagrit; examines early Elliott digital computers designed for classified military applications and for GCHQ; describes the analogue computers developed by Elliott-Automation; reviews the development of the first commercial Elliot computers and the growth of applications in industrial automation; includes a history of airborne computers by a former director of Elliott Flight Automation; discusses the computer architectures and systems software for Elliott computers; investigates the mergers, takeovers and eventual closure of the Borehamwood laboratories.

The Navy Comes to Borehamwood.- A Glint on the Horizon.- The Secret Digit.- Analogue Expertise.- NRDC and the Market.- Process Control and Automation: the Bagrit Vision.- Automation: the Machines and the Applications.- Software and Applications at Borehamwood.- NCR, the 405 and Commercial Data Processing.- Evolution of Elliott Computer Architectures.- EARS and Aerials: Elliott’s Radar Achievements.- Airborne Computing System Developments at Elliott-Automation, 1958 – 1988.- Mergers, Take-overs and Dispersals.- The End of the Line.

Charts the gradual take-up of information technology in Britain, as seen through the eyes of one innovative company Examines how the dawn of the digital computer age in Britain took place at various times for different applications Includes a history of airborne computers up to 1988, written by a former director of Elliott Flight Automation Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras