LEO editor

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Thoughts, lessons and anecdotes from over fifty years as a 
database teacher, writer, and researcher
Chris Date LCS member and LEO Computers Employee in 1962
 
Zoom forum June 18th 2025 at 17.00 BST
 
Hosted by the LEO Computers Society, and with the invitation extended to anyone interested in the history of Information Technology

About Chris Date:

Chris is an independent author, lecturer, researcher, and consultant specialising in relational database systems.  He was one of the first persons anywhere to recognise the fundamental importance of Ted Codd’s pioneering work on the relational model.  He was also involved in technical planning for the IBM products SQL/DS and DB2 at the IBM Santa Teresa Laboratory in San Jose, California. 
 
He is best known for his books, in particular An Introduction to Database Systems, 8th Edition (Addison-Wesley, 2004), the standard text in the field, which has sold around a million copies worldwide.  He enjoys a reputation that is second to none for his ability to explain complex technical material in a clear and understandable fashion.

The LEO Computer Society  is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Chris Date
Time: Jun 18, 2025 05:00 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84166245503?pwd=mKSgTtWRSEV7ls89pk2ZHvkEHgAuxZ.1

Meeting ID: 841 6624 5503
Passcode: 240727

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc4lPMoFqn

Chris Date -Zoom forum June 18th 2025 at 17.00 BST Read More »

At the Queen’s Head May 2025
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Neville Lyons and companion

Neville Lyons and companion

Neville again

Neville again

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Mike Tyzack

Mike Tyzack

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Frank Land Speaks about his twin brother Ralph

Frank Land Speaks about his twin brother Ralph

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Peter Byford Presents

Peter Byford Presents

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Simon Allen and Anna Ruyten of Big Yellow Storage

Simon Allen and Anna Ruyten of Big Yellow Storage

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Big Yellow on 66 Hammersmith Road development

Big Yellow on 66 Hammersmith Road development

Anna Ruyen Presents

Anna Ruyen Presents

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Kerry Lemon's mural for 66 Hammersmith Road

Kerry Lemon's mural for 66 Hammersmith Road

More Detail of the Mural

More Detail of the Mural

The paper tape has the date of the 1st business programs run in binary

The paper tape has the date of the 1st business programs run in binary

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Queen’s Head 2025 meeting Read More »

Books
We have three books about LEO available for you to buy directly from us – all proceeds go towards supporting the Society’s ongoing work. Once you request a book we will work out the postage costs for you based on delivery address. 
1.   Peter Bird’s hardback ‘LEO, The first Business Computer’ was published in 1994 and gives a very thorough history of the origins and development of LEO. £10. I would like to discount this down to £5 as copies are now showing signs of their age!
2.   Georgina Ferry’s paperback ‘A computer called LEO’, first published 2003, is a less technical account of the history of LEO set in its social context. £8.
3.   ‘LEO Remembered – by the people who worked on the world’s first business computer.’  This is an anthology of over 80 reminiscences by LEO people illustrated with contemporary photographs. We launched our new edition in September 2022 and are delighted that it received excellent reviews. £8.

Books about LEO available for Sale Read More »

We are delighted to be able to announce that we have appointed Kate Stockwell to this new position. Kate impressed the selection panel of Lisa McGerty, Peter Byford and Hilary Caminer and is scheduled to take up her post on Wednesday, 12th March.

Kate will be working on the LEO archive at CCH – following on the excellent work carried out as part of the NLHF project by Jude Brimmer and Luke Thorne. This new post has been generously funded by the AIT Trust and is named in honour of Frank and Ralph Land, key figures in the development and marketing of LEO from its earliest days. Kate will be working three days a week, Wednesday to Friday for two years. 

Kate shows enormous enthusiasm for archiving work, and has recent highly-praised experience in projects at several Cambridge colleges on a variety of themes. We will ask her to introduce herself to you all in the near future.

In the meantime, we feel it is great news that work on the LEO archive can now resume.

Kate Stockwell appointed as Land Archivist Read More »

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