IT Timeline

Elgin College of Further Education and Aberdeen College of Commerce 1982-1985

Based at Altens in Aberdeen, Bill's first professional IT job as Programmer and System Administrator in a small IT team.  In Aberdeen, Hunting Oilfield Services provides products and services for the development of offshore installations.  In 1985 the IT services was based around DEC VAX mini-computer machines still using removable disc platters storage technology in strictly air conditioned environments, standalone modem communications, and dumb desktop terminals.

Memories:-

• Only 1 early PC model (IBM) in the team with 5.25 inch Floppy Disc technology
• Maintenance and enhancement of file-based (pre-database) stock control and accounting systems on DEC VAX
• COBOL and BASIC program languages, with VMS control language on VAX

People:-

• Paul Mansbacher, team manager.  From South Africa (Durban?).
• Virginia Mackie from Kirkintilloch

The Queen's College, now subsumed under Glasgow Caledonian University, is situated on Park Drive off Woodlands Road, Glasgow.  Commonly still known to some as 'the dough school' , in the early days it was a college where students studied Domestic Science, but nowadays has a comprehensive range of degree level courses.  Click here if interested in historic information about the college.

Memories:-

• Programming and DEC VAX systems' administration, mainly servicing the College business administration function but involved in educational software development also 
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People:-

• Ian Jones, Head of IT and IT lecturer in the College.  Ian's main IT background was at IBM, with whom he worked for a considerable time in the USA
• Harry Rose, College Secretary and Treasurer
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Software Developer (systems analyst /programmer) contracted to develop business software for a wide range of business disciplines, mostly onsite on client premises, sometimes inhouse at Fraser Williams' offices in Glasgow.  

Memories:-

• Wide range of hardware platforms running various micro- and  mini-computer systems, and the larger main-frame systems including Honeywell, IBM, and DEC
• Wide Range of large Client projects including:-
  • The Scottish Rugby Union offices in Edinburgh
  • Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in Ayr
  • United Distillers in Alloa
  • Tennents Brewery in Glasgow
  • Clydesdale Bank, Glasgow
  • Generic Payroll
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People:-

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Software Developer (senior systems analyst /programmer) to Team Lead level, switching to Software Test Coordinator and Team Lead, exclusively on mobile telephone billing systems development.  Kingston SCL was a subsidiary of the larger and still existing Kingston Communications company based in Hull.

Memories:-

• Started in small subsidiary office in Port Glasgow, transferred to SCL headquarters in Clerwood, Edinburgh
• Client work carried out at locations in Dublin and Hong Kong
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People:-

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Non-functional (software performance) tester and Test Lead on business critical financial systems 

Memories:-

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People:-

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Following redundancy at Standard Life due to restructuring and project closures, immediately setup as self-employed IT consultant working on global shipping business systems on behalf of and located with Maersk Data in Copenhagen which was taken over by IBM late 2004,

Memories:-

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People:-

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Initially Software Test Analyst/Lead becoming Test Lead/Manager (functional and non-functional) at Dundas Street in Edinburgh, including a major project as Software Test Manager spending time commuting between Amsterdam and Edinburgh to bring back IT capability to Edinburgh from Amsterdam following the so-called economic crash of 2008.

Memories:-

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People:-

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Software Test Lead working on Financial Payroll, Pensions and Savings systems under development at Braehead in Glasgow, primarily managing team(s) based offshore in Mauritius.

Memories:-

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People:-

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Software Test Lead/Manager working on Financial Payroll, Pensions and Savings systems.  Agile as well as traditional software systems testing working with teams in Edinburgh, Bath in Somerset, and remotely with teams in Australia.

Memories:-

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People:-

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Dropping the baton rather than handing it over - IT has become an industry where youth and education on paper matter more than age and experience in some quarters!  Having said that our personal and corporate financial health is reasonably safe in the hands of some of the best brains in Britain (requiring enlarged doorways for ease of entry and exit - a joke folks), supported by offshore workers beavering away in the background.