Moving Targets

The Navy Comes to Borehamwood.- A Glint on the Horizon.- The Secret Digit.- Analogue Expertise.- NRDC and the Market.- Process Control and Automation: the Bagrit Vision.- Automation: the Machines and the Applications.- Software and Applications at Borehamwood.- NCR, the 405 and Commercial Data Processing.- Evolution of Elliott Computer Architectures.- EARS and Aerials: Elliott's Radar Achievements.- Airborne Computing System Developments at Elliott-Automation, 1958 - 1988.- Mergers, Take-overs and Dispersals.- The End of the Line.

From the reviews:

"Moving Targets details the history of Elliott Brothers in 1947 through to the last vestige of those families of Elliott's computers in GEC Computers in the 1990s. The title of the book Moving Targets is surely a reference to the recurring technical and marketing themes described by the book. ... there is no doubt that the whole book is exceptionally well researched to a superb accuracy. ... the book contains many interesting pictures." (Roger Newey, Resurrection - The Bulletin of the Computer Conservation Society, Issue 55, Summer, 2011)

"This book focuses on making the history of computing more accessible to a wider audience by linking it to broader historical changes. ... The text's excellent tables, charts, and photos enhance the discussion of technological, economic, and political change. ... the author is to be congratulated for a highly readable, wide-ranging account that shows the virtue of broad-based histories of computing that do not take the limitsof a specific industry or field of applications as their own." (Marie Hicks, Technology and Culture, Vol. 53, July, 2012)

"In his latest book, Lavington scrutinizes the extensive work carried out by the employees of this company, and, thanks to his extensive efforts ... . The book comprises 14 chapters and 11 appendices. ... It is supported by extensive references, cited at the end of each chapter. ... this erudite book should appeal to a wide readership, and Lavington should be highly commended for the sterling work that he has carried out in its preparation." (Barry Blundell, ACM Computing Reviews, November, 2011)