Computers and Semiconductors

The British Computer and Semi-Conductors industry was once again up with the leaders in the fifties. However, sheer American clout meant that we could never maintain a lead. American government both supported American computer companies and bought only their products reducing scope for British exports.

I tell of the roles played by Marconi, Ferranti, Elliott Automation, Plessey, GEC and Vickers.

Another ‘might have been’ was semiconductors where we could have been a mass producer like China and Taiwan. In the event we still make more specialist semiconductors. The British computer industry has moved out of hardware into software with companies like ARM designing devices used in billions of products worldwide. Vodaphone was born out of the British computer industry. The inspiring Raspberry Pi, also a child of Cambridge, offers inexpensive devices to encourage an understanding of computers.

The image is of the Ferranti computer in the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester

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From gypsum to granite

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