Re: [Fsfe-uk] Compiling history of free software in the UK

[Andrew M.A. Cater]

On Sun, Nov 16, 2003 at 04:42:26PM +0000, David Tannenbaum wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I am a doctoral student in Economic & Social History, and am writing my 
> dissertation on the history of free software.
> 
Don't forget MCC Interim Linux - basically the first Linux distribution.
This predates SLS and Slackware.  It also endearingly had the warning
not to install it and, latterly, full instructions for how to convert to
Debian GNU/Linux :)  Owen LeBlanc is still around - I think he's a 
leading light in the UK Unix Users Group, who may also be worth talking 
to.

<Historical OT>
Colossus ran free software that was readily shared between Britain and 
America - but did have a very limited customer base :)
The Baby in the 1950's at Manchester was essentially using free software 
for academic use.  Britain didn't have a commercial computer, after all,
until Joe Lyons of Lyons Corner Coffee Houses, invested huge sums of 
business money in ?? the Leo ?? which was doing business accounting and
inventory controls in the late 50's.
</OT>

> I am currently compiling a history of free software use and development 
> in the UK, particularly in higher education, for a separate project. 
> However, I can't seem to find any central repository that already 
> exists, so I'm thinking that I might as well publish what I eventually 
> compile somewhere on the web.
> 
> Could folks suggest events or areas of interest that I should include? I 
> am particularly interested in free software use and development in 
> higher education, but would like to include everything that's important.

The earliest CD-ROMS I knew of were virtually hand crafted by Lasermoon.
Ian Nandhra, who later founded Insignix, may have some insight into how
Free/Libre/Open Source software was perceived around 1994/1995.

You might also want to ask on the debian-uk mailing lists.
> 
> Many thanks,
> David
> 
> 
> 
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