I became interested in microelectronics and computers many years ago. I built a couple of (really) odd computers, including a Nascom 1, which taught me a lot. I was not doing this initially for work, just as a hobby, but as small business machines began to appear on people's desktops it became obvious that computing skills were going to be important in all sorts of places, so I started going on courses and reading books, until I could talk sensibly with the data-processing people.

At about this stage I became hooked on using computers for real-time work, and so I designed some computer-based test equipment - driving relays and things - for use in telephone exchanges. This sort of work got me a transfer into a real computer environment!

I then went on to full time programming in assemblers and Fortran, eventually to Pascal, Fortran and some C. This was producing interfaces between computers and telephone switching kit. It always proved difficult to find people who have both computing and switching skills! When I had the opportunity to recruit people into the team, the applicants would all seem to have been designing turbine blades for years, and think this was "real time" work.

When I was working, we used VAX computers for operational purposes, and I must admit that the VMS operating system was far better than DOS! I have a small VAXstation at home, as well as 2 PCs and lots of "odds and ends". The X-Windows on the VAXstation is really too much for the limited memory and disk, and things run much quicker without it. The machine has an external tape drive, but I am having difficulty in getting it to work properly - another job to do when I get around to it.

We used VAXs extensively (or do I mean expensively?) for real-time use, although VMS may not be the best O/S for it, but it allowed a common platform for all our software systems - a very useful attribute.

I have a number of microprocessor boards which I use for electronic projects and things; these are 8085 based running a crude scheduler to make them "multitasking". I also have a Sharp MZ80-A - yes, really! I am toying with the idea of teaching varying aspects of computing, using all this old hardware. I wonder if there is sufficient demand for 8-bit assembler tuition, these days?

Nowadays, of course, I have the ubiquitous PC on my desk - a P5-60 from Gateway, currently. When I bought this, it seemed pretty good, but it no longer meets the recommended minimum multi-media specification! I guess we are all doomed to be forever upgrading hardware and software. I have somewhat reluctantly succumbed to the temptation to upgrade to Windows 95 - last year's operating system - although I think Bill Gates is rich enough at the moment.

I guess Visual Basic or Delphi are the current hot languages, but I can't justify them for hobby use, so I have bought a copy of Watcom C/C++ and am working my way though various books and things, trying to become reasonably proficient at writing code in a GUI environment!

I would be interested to know what the future holds architecturally; I feel that progress is being held up by the need for backward compatability, although I detect a change with Win95 and NT; how long before earlier versions of Windows are totally useless (like CP/M!), I wonder? Perhaps I should spend time with hardware user groups and forums; although I would like to spend more time "on-line" I don't seem to be able to find the time.....

Copyright © 1996 Roger Yeates
Most recent revision 30 September 1996