Dept of Computer Science and Information Systems
Birkbeck, University of London Malet Street London WC1E 7HX
1. Large scale Enterprise Computing including Transaction Processing, Middleware, and Database Management 2. Programming Language design, especially in the context of Application Programming for 1) 3. Advanced Database and Knowledge Management, especially using the Functional Data Model and Triple Stores
Chairman, BCS Advanced Programming SG
The reach, range, scope and user experience of enterprise computing is changing faster than ever before. Business applications are increasingly heterogeneous and may exploit a wide range of "middleware" technologies, including those of mobile communication, social networking, animation, games and public media. I study the impacts and opportunities for programming languages and technologies.
From 2007 to 2010 I created and taught Middleware, an optional module for 3rd/4th year undergraduates. The lectures include material based on industry practice in real organisations. Lecture notes and lab notes below were revised up to 2010. This module is now taught by Dr Keith Mannock.
Lecture slides, Lab notes and Exam papers
After gaining a B.Sc. and Ph.D in Particle Physics from Southampton University, I joined IBM and worked at the Hursley Software Development Laboratory in Hampshire, UK for 35 years before retiring in 2003. During that time I worked on the development of software for programming languages, operating systems, communications, database management and transaction processing, in a variety of techical and management positions involving frequent collaborations with other IBM Research and Development Labs. During my last decade, I worked on the highly successful CICS Transaction Server family of products, used by many large enterprises, becoming responsible for its technical direction and marketing strategy. This involved direct contact with senior customer executives, technical staff and industry journalists around the world.
I have always believed in partnership between business and academia and have collaborated with Birkbeck College on research and teaching since the 1980s.