Apparently, Fujitsu bought up ICL, according to the News on the PO Scandal. Looking for a change in career, at 22, and having a vague, yet to be explored interest in computers, I happened upon one of ICL's tiny local offices, so decided to pop in and just ask how one went about getting into computers. Without any discussion at all, they said can you get down to London on Monday, I agreed I could, and was given a rail ticket and expenses to get there, but without much idea of what to expect once I got there.
Once at ICL's main office, the very same one pictured on the News, I found a small room full of candidates, each seated at desks, and I was expected to complete an exam paper on electronics, all much deeper stuff than I had come across before, so I had zero chance of tackling any of them. All I could do, was apologise, explain, and make my way back home. I thought I was there for a discussion and an interview, not to face an exam.
Only a few years later, I got well into building computers, and designing lots of hardware. Just a few years ago, I came across a book, written by someone reminiscing about his time at ICL, and the chaos inside the operation, plus the vast monies involved - no great surprise, that the chaos continued through to Fujitsu's operation in the UK.
Once at ICL's main office, the very same one pictured on the News, I found a small room full of candidates, each seated at desks, and I was expected to complete an exam paper on electronics, all much deeper stuff than I had come across before, so I had zero chance of tackling any of them. All I could do, was apologise, explain, and make my way back home. I thought I was there for a discussion and an interview, not to face an exam.
Only a few years later, I got well into building computers, and designing lots of hardware. Just a few years ago, I came across a book, written by someone reminiscing about his time at ICL, and the chaos inside the operation, plus the vast monies involved - no great surprise, that the chaos continued through to Fujitsu's operation in the UK.
