Explore the remarkable and often overlooked history of LEO, the world's first computer designed specifically for commercial applications. We'll examine the unique rationale behind J. Lyons & Co.'s decision to develop an electronic programmable computer between 1949 and 1951.
The talk will trace the influence of wartime computing breakthroughs, including Colossus and ENIAC, and John von Neumann's revolutionary computer architecture. Learn how these developments led to EDSAC at Cambridge University and ultimately to the creation of LEO I, initially used to streamline J. Lyons & Co.'s business operations, and later offered via bureau services to companies like Ford of Britain.
We'll then follow LEO's progression through LEO II, LEO III, and LEO 326, highlighting key customers and applications throughout the 1960s and 70s. Finally, we'll discuss the mergers with English Electric and ICL, the eventual end of the LEO line, and its enduring legacy in systems analysis and design, including the lesser-known LEO DME project for Post Office Telephone Billing.
