[emblem text] Stories From Our History

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Nano Systems

I did a complete design and lead the programming and instalation of all software systems for
North West Life Assurance Company on a Microdata minicomputer.

As I recall, I sat in meetings with all the departments involved, for a solid week. 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
except for the last day - Friday ended at noon. I would go back to my apartment every night feeling
like my head was full. I took notes during the meetings, and wrote down more stuff at night.
Mostly I took notes and listened.

And then I sat home for a week or so, thinking about it all, and sketcching out the data structure.
And, when I thought I had it all, I slept on it, letting my subconscience find what I had missed,
what links needed to be added, etc. I have come to trust in this process.

Then I led a team of talented programmers to implement the design.

In 1980, as the system was up and running, I noticed that I was misled - they said that business
would double in 5 years. Wrong. It doubled in a year and a half, and it was looking like it
would double again in another two years or so. I suggested that they needed to look for
larger hardware compatible with the software.

I stopped by a couple of years later. The system had grown as I predicted. And they had taken
my advice - new hardware, software compatible, was due to arrive in a month or so.

Nano Systems disolved in late 1978, as did my first marriage.

Some things last for a short time, some for a long time. Forever, well,....

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Send Mail to: bobmckeever@mac.com