The Life and computers of Ray Briddock.
The Life and computers of Ray Briddock.
Even now I guess that just having a web page of some sort marks me out as
someone with nerdish tendencies.
I will not buck the obvious trend by claiming to know nothing.
I got my first computer, a Sinclair ZX81 in November 1981. We got the Acorn 'BBC Micro'
as soon as it became available.
Teaching myself to program using these machines, I bluffed my way onto a TOPS course
in computing in 1982.
After failing the TOPS course I started work as a trainee programmer at
Seeboard in Worthing, Sussex.
Here I learned the arcane skills of mainframe programming using
COBOL, JCL, DL/1, IMS and all manner of other accronyms.
I spent three years there then moved on to (many) other pastures.
I am currently employed in a LARGE global corporation where I am helping to run a programme office, (Those who don't know what one of those is... just be thankfull !), responsible for identifying and making the changes for the introduction of the Euro currency in January 1999. I could witter on for ages about the Euro, but suffice it to say that the EU commisars will be the first against the wall......
At Home where I am able to choose what computers I use, I have an
Acorn RISC PC 600,
now fitted with a Strongarm processor running at 200MHZ and 150(ish) MIPS.
To misquote a well known advertisment " Probably the best computer in the world "
Amazingly, Acorn have decided in September 1998 to stop making progress with thier
workstation division. While they will still make the current Risc PC range, they have
cancelled the new machine due to have been launched under the name of Phoebe.
Having watched the rescue attempts over the last few weeeks, I have decided to dip mu toe into the UNIX waters.
I will be trying out Linux as a platform, to see if it can replace Acorn and RiscOS for my purposes.
I have decided to document this journey of exploration so that others who may decide to follow,
do not have to make what I am sure will be some painfull errors.
Linux will be my chosen route.
The page is here
I am so immensely sad that I work with computers in my daytime job but think nothing of coming home in the evening to ...
