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Simon Buxton's 40 Years of IT Applications Development

I have written an article to record something about my IT career and describe some examples of good and bad computer applications development over the period 1964-2003. Despite enormous advances in hardware, software and communications in this time, there has been less change in the management and implementation of applications and the associated hardware. Successive generations of management fail to heed lessons of the past with incorrect decisions leading to the wrong choice of equipment, poor software acquisition processes, cost overruns and lack of benefit achievement. These mistakes were still being made up to my retirement in 2003.

The first part of the article describes the Morgan Crucible Company's pioneering use of the first commercial Hollerith HEC4 (later ICT 1201) and ICT's 1900 series (1901 & 1902) computers in the 1955-70 period. The next part, my experiences in Australia with a Morgan subsidiary and a promising computer bureau, IDAPS, and how it collapsed. Another section covers the introduction of common VAX based computer hardware and systems in the NSW hospital system in the 1980-1995 period showing the successes and failures. Finally some interesting applications within the NSW government health and safety organisation, WorkCover.

It should be of interest to all involved with IT applications development as well as those researching computer history, and includes my experience of consultants, tendering, outsourced or in house development and choice of hardware and software. I would be interested in receiving feedback on errors, omissions plus comments on the content. At this stage I am not ready to publish the article in full on the net, but anyone interested should email me for a copy (address on home page).


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Page maintained by Simon Buxton. Created: 10/03/07 Updated: 11/03/2007