The GEC 4080 did not come with all the baggage that the Prime 400 did. The software for accessing the 360/195 was already available so it was possible to concentrate on implementing the Coloured Book protocols and use SRC's X25 network immediately to connect the 4080s.
Dave Toll and Paul Bryant also decided to support the operating system software for the set of GEC Systems from Chilton downloading new versions of the operating system over night.
Due to the delay in systems arriving, it was possible to get the communications software finished in time before the Bristol system arrived. All new software, including the operating system, was delivered via the network. Transfers were usually done at week-ends and on Monday morning the systems were checked. This was probably the first occasion when computers were managed via the network.