Early British Computers

This document, titled Early British Computers: The Story of Vintage Computers and the People Who Built Them, chronicles the formative decade of the British computer industry, from 1945 to 1955. The author, Simon Lavington, details the transition from wartime special-purpose machines, such as the COLOSSUS, to the emergence of universal, stored-program digital computers. The book covers:

• Technological Evolution: The development of storage technologies, including mercury delay lines, Williams tubes, and magnetic drums, as well as the transition from thermionic valves to transistors.
• Key Institutions & Projects: The roles of the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Manchester University (Mark I, MEG, ATLAS), Cambridge University (EDSAC), and companies like Elliott Brothers, English Electric, Ferranti, and Lyons.
• Industry Pioneers: The contributions of individuals like Alan Turing, F.C. Williams, Maurice Wilkes, and others.
• The Business Perspective: The eventual move toward commercial computer manufacturing, the role of the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), and the subsequent industry mergers leading to the formation of ICL.
• Technical Context: Includes appendices on early programming techniques (machine code, autocode), technical specifications for various British and American computers, and a guide to computer terminology.