This section contains Quarterly Progress Reports that were issued by the Graphics Section at the Atlas Computer Laboratory in the period 1970 to 1971, the Basic Software Group (that included the Graphics Section) during the period 1971 to 1976 and the Applications Software Group for the year 1975 (does anybody have the earlier ones?).
This period was probably the most prolific in terms of computer graphics developments. It covers the trials and tribulations arising from getting the ICL 1906A up and working with the untried GEORGE 4 Operating System. There were also considerable developments in the area of Communications.
In April, 1976 the Groups ceased to exist when the Atlas Computer laboratory was merged with the Rutherford Laboratory. Some of the staff soon left, others continued to work on the 1906A and FR80 until they were closed down by the Rutherford Laboratory. The 1906A did not provide sufficient computing capacity to warrant the expenditure of effort. The FR80 was closed down on the basis that it was uneconomic despite it being the highest quality output device available in the UK at the time.
This section also contains Paper Series generated by the Basic Software Group such as the FR80 Technical Papers. Where complete sets have been found, they have been added.
Most of the Basic Software Group moved to work on the Engineering Board of SRC's Interactive Computing Facility as part of the newly formed Atlas Computing Division. Some of The Applications Software Group eventually moved to Daresbury.