He is married (to Liz, a teacher of French) and has four children.[5]
Work
Brian Randell's main research interests are in the field of computer science, specifically on system dependability and fault tolerance. His interest in the history of computing was started by coming across the then almost unknown work of Percy Ludgate. This was over thirty years ago, when he was preparing an inaugural lecture, and led to his producing the book: "The Origins of Computers". This triggered his further investigation of the Colossus wartime code-breaking machines.[1]
Bletchley Park
In 1972, Randell wrote to Prime Minister Ted Heath regarding the wartime status of Bletchley Park, and obtained the first-ever admission of the existence of the wartime organisation, let alone its impact.[6][7][8] Subsequently, the role of Bletchley Park and its main outstation at Eastcote, in reducing the length of World War II, has been widely acknowledged, as is the pioneering role of the Colossus computer in the history of the development of computing.
Randell was researching the history of computer science in Britain for a conference on the history of computing held at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico on 10–15 June 1976, and got permission to present a paper on wartime development of the COLOSSI at the Post Office Research Station, Dollis Hill (in October 1975 the British Government released a series of captioned photographs from the Public Record Office). The interest in the "revelations" in his paper resulted in a special evening meeting when Randell and Allen Coombs answered further questions. In 1977, Randell published an article The First Electronic Computer in several journals. [a][9]
Starting in the 1970s, Randell "set up the project that initiated research into the possibility of software fault tolerance, and introduced the recovery block concept. Subsequent major developments included the Newcastle Connection,[10][11] and the prototype distributed Secure System".[12]
Northern Informatics Applications Agency
In the 1990s, Randell "became involved in a project to improve data networking provisions in the North of England, and to promote their effective use by all sectors of the community. This project resulted in the setting up of NiAA, the Northern Informatics Applications Agency". He wrote: "I served for several years as a member of NiAA's Management Group, until my attempts to delegate this to others bore fruit! NiAA existed, and worked to good effect, for seven years."[13]
Genealogy
Randell has for many years been one of the leading members of the team of volunteers responsible for GENUKI, the web portal for Genealogy in the United Kingdom and Ireland. He maintains the pages relating to the county of Devon, and has transcribed and made available online many documents of genealogical interest.
Notes
^The First Electronic Computer by B. Randell in the New Scientist, 10 February 1977 & IBM UK News, 4 March 1967
Randell, Brian (1972). Meltzer, B.; Michie, D. (eds.). "On Alan Turing and the Origins of Digital Computers". Machine Intelligence. 7. Edinburgh University Press: 3–20.
Randell, Brian (1979). "Software Engineering in 1968". Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Software Engineering. Munich: 1–10.
Randell, Brian (1982). "From Analytical Engine to Electronic Digital Computer: The Contributions of Ludgate, Torres and Bush". Annals of the History of Computing. 4 (4): 327–341, October. doi:10.1109/MAHC.1982.10042. S2CID1737953.
Randell, Brian (1998). "Memories of the NATO Software Engineering Conferences". IEEE Annals of the History of Computing. 20 (1): 51–54.
^COLOSSUS and the History of Computing: Dollis Hill's Important Contribution by A.W.M. Coombs in The Post Office Electrical Engineers' Journal (POEEJ; Volume70, 1977/78 part 2, July 1977, pages 108-110)