LEO: The First Business Computer
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Peter Bird joined Lyons when, as he says, ‘the pioneering years of computing were no more than folk history.’ Nonetheless, through his ‘talking with old-timers’ and delving through the Lyons archives, he has made an important contribution to the LEO Computers story. Of particular value are the appendices which, inter alia, give details of the instruction codes, speeds, capacities and deliveries of the different models. ISBN-13: 978-0952165101 Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches The first book to tell the story of J. Lyons' pioneering work in moving computers out of the laboratory and into the office. This illustrated history gives the background of how the company was founded as well as details of the development of Leos I, II & III, with many technical appendices giving various features of the machines.
The British LEO I (Lyons Electronic Office I) was the first computer used for commercial business applications. Designed by Oliver Standingford and Raymond Thompson of J. Lyons and Co., and modelled closely on the Cambridge EDSAC, LEO I ran its first business application in 1951. In 1954 Lyons formed LEO Computers Ltd to market LEO I and its successors LEO II and LEO III to other companies. LEO Computers eventually became part of English Electric Company (EELM) and then International Computers Limited (ICL). LEO series computers were still in use until 1981. Brief biographical sketches of a number of Lyons and LEO people can be found in LEO, the First Business Computer; P. Bird, Hasler Publishing, 1994, pages 200-212.
The following people – in alphabetical order - are noted:
Tony Barnes, Daniel Broido, David Caminer, Mary Coombs, Leo Fantl, Isidore Gluckstein, Montague Gluckstein, Samuel Gluckstein, John Gosden, John Grover, Derek Hemy, Ernest Kaye, Frank Land, Ernest Lenaerts, Joseph Lyons, John Pinkerton, Anthony Salmon, Ray Shaw, John Simmons, Oliver Standingford, Thomas Raymond Thompson, David Wheeler, Maurice Wilkes, Peter Wood.
This book is in pristine condition and is signed inside by Peter J Bird and states "To Tony Priest with very best wishes".
Tony Priest worked on the Leo for many years and kindly donated this book.
ISBN : 0952165104 Publisher : Hasler Publishing Author : Peter J Bird Format : Hardback: 272 pages This exhibit has a reference ID of CH6993. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History. |
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