Blog posts tagged "computing-history"

1. 08 Jul 2026 Computing memories

   Some brief thoughts on history and how we used to have to make things work, sometimes in painstaking detail.

2. 04 Apr 2021 Mainframes, SDSF and GitHub Actions

   The combination of GitHub Actions workflows, mainframes and SDSF that I cannot get out of my head.

3. 08 Nov 2020 The myriad meanings of pwd in Unix systems

   Exploring the myriad meanings of pwd in Unix and Linux systems based on a Twitter poll with varied results.

4. 03 Nov 2020 Computer Unit 1979

   A transcription of an article about the arrival of the Computer Unit, a PDP-11/34, at my school in 1979 which became the early focus of a fascination with computing that has never left me.

5. 11 Oct 2020 MID$ and shell parameter expansion

   The rich and varied abilities in Bash for accessing and manipulating values in variables through shell parameter expansion.

6. 16 Aug 2020 Why we have /bin/ and /usr/bin/

   The simple historic reason why Unix systems have both /bin/ and /usr/bin/ directories.

7. 06 Aug 2018 Monday morning thoughts: mainframes and message documentation

   I think about mainframes and a message documentation aspect from the mainframe world that, while originally proprietary, is a big plus for operators and developers alike and something I'd love to see return.

8. 07 May 2018 Monday morning thoughts: containers and silence

   On the silence of workstations and what that represents to me, and the new ability to look at maintaining software and services in a completely different way - via containers.

9. 17 Jan 2018 Coming Home

   On joining SAP as a Developer Advocate.

10. 02 Jan 2015 DNA is still in our DNA

    Reflecting on how SAP's DNA of innovation persists even as technologies like Internet Explorer fade away.

11. 14 Feb 2013 Our computational future

    Making the case for teaching computational thinking and coding skills to the next generation in the UK.

12. 15 Jul 2012 Serial interest in the Raspberry Pi

    Attending the Manchester Raspberry Jam and connecting a vintage Wyse terminal to a Raspberry Pi.

13. 09 Sep 2009 Mainframes and the cloud - everything old is new again

    Drawing parallels between mainframe computing and the cloud, noting how everything old is new again.

14. 26 Nov 2005 Acorn Atom and my start in computing

    Reminiscing about how I got into computing, starting with the Acorn Atom.

15. 30 May 2005 Turnkey MVS 3.8J on Hercules S/370 Screenshot

    Big iron and retrocomputing.

16. 01 Jun 2002 Extreme Computing 2002

    Going to the Festival of Inappropriate Technology.

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