Moving Targets

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.

From the reviews:“Moving Targets details the history of Elliott Brothers in 1947 through to the last vestige of those families of Elliott’s computers in GEC Computers in the 1990s. The title of the book Moving Targets is surely a reference to the recurring technical and marketing themes described by the book. … there is no doubt that the whole book is exceptionally well researched to a superb accuracy. … the book contains many interesting pictures.” (Roger Newey, Resurrection - The Bulletin of the Computer Conservation Society, Issue 55, Summer, 2011)“This book focuses on making the history of computing more accessible to a wider audience by linking it to broader historical changes. … The text’s excellent tables, charts, and photos enhance the discussion of technological, economic, and political change. … the author is to be congratulated for a highly readable, wide-ranging account that shows the virtue of broad-based histories of computing that do not take the limits of a specific industry or field of applications as their own.” (Marie Hicks, Technology and Culture, Vol. 53, July, 2012)“In his latest book, Lavington scrutinizes the extensive work carried out by the employees of this company, and, thanks to his extensive efforts … . The book comprises 14 chapters and 11 appendices. … It is supported by extensive references, cited at the end of each chapter. … this erudite book should appeal to a wide readership, and Lavington should be highly commended for the sterling work that he has carried out in its preparation.” (Barry Blundell, ACM Computing Reviews, November, 2011)