old_codger
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spacecadetdave
old_codger
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Placid
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CBIT
I remember when the bloke who owned Systime got done for drink driving, so he went out and bought a chopper and flew into work.
old_codger
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heyho
Yeah I remember the Ruskis. System were DEC suppliers (PDP 11's maybe). Basically a middle man and I think because of this they coudl sell American (DEC) goods to the Ruskis for them 'cos teh Yanks didn't like doing it directly. LUFC bought a system for their ticket office.Managing Director was John Gow (I think). Lived out Hebden bridge away and I remember he would fly in on his helicopter (as mentioned). Ahh those were the days - no fucking White Rose centre.
Djpekingman
Systime actually built their own computers but with an architecture licenced from DEC. If I remember rightly the ruskies got hold of some of their hardware whether by fair means or foul, publicised it, so DEC pulled the plug on the Licence, and Systime went bust as they nothing of their own except a bunch of empty cases with Systime stamped on the front. There was a load of shit about whether a british firm had the right to sell british manufactured goods to the ruskies, but DEC under pressure from the US government (that lovely Mr Reagan) were having none of it and fucked them off.
spacecadetdave
Worked for an engineerign company around the same rtime as this. It was common practice for US firms to use UK firms to break trade embargos. We had one deal where we would buy in motorised gas valves from the US, take them out the box, put a rubber grommet on the end of it then araldite a plate on it saying "Made in the UK". They were then shipped out to Iran. The US/UK partnerships learnt the hard way that this wouldn't work with the USSR. They would buy maybe ten of what you were selling then no more orders. They'd just break apart and reverse engineer everything - they had no respect for trademark. Wouldn't suprise me if this is what happened and the DEC crew got pissed of with Systime for falling for it.
old_codger
You are all absolute fecking gents, thanks for all the info, it's spot on. Quite like the fact too that there were scenes of Edge of Darkness conspiracy thriller set in Systime building as it was then known :D
woof_woof
This is interesting as I used to work for them fixing stuff to in their repair department.As far as I understood what was going on it all hinged on Systime's habit of copying DEC products and selling them cheap. Again, as far as I know DEC were constantly trying to sue Systime and eventually managed to kill them off.I left just before it all folded but I was told that DEC came in and interviewed all the repair staff.They did make other things apart from DEC copies. They made their own computer range from small to bigger stuff (and I believe that at the time of the Falklands war a Systime 300 or maybe 500 variant was used as a part of the anti aircraft missile systems.) They also made printers, VDU's power supplies and oodles of stuff. I moved on to DPCE which was taken over by Granada Computer Services and met several ex Systime guys, I believe GCS now still operates as Synstar Computer Services.Getting back to Systime and dodgy deals, it was common knowledge or at least common rumour that stuff was finding it's way to Russia possibly via south Africa and AFAIK they were also selling to Syria which also may have been highly dodgy.
old_codger
Thanks for all that WW, intriguing and interesting :cool:
EdsonArantes
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old_codger
Thanks for that Edson, the book's done and dusted now but I appreciate your inpuit anyway :cool:
jjb57
OC .... what was the book? I worked for Systime and was involved in all the high profile cases (hardware and s/w copyright, re-export of protected US equipment) ... so if you need any follow up info let me know. Also, there is a strong active Systime Alumni site hosted on Ning, and there have been a numbver of recent reunions and proposals for a 40th anniversary book .... als for the record, John Gow (founder) is living in a little cottage in the dales and attended the first major reunion at the Blooming Rose in Beeston back in 2009 ......
old_codger
Hello JJB, the book isn't out yet, I'm hoping it will be out this October. It's called 'Scandal FC' and is about LUFC etc, it only features the Systime matter as the main character's wife worked in the same building for another company. I would be definitely interested in reading the true story of it all.Cheers
jjb57
We also enjoyed the hospitality facilities and access to the players lounge etcat Elland Rd during the Systime shirt sponsorship period .....
old_codger
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greenhey
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Harvest
Systime sponsorship reminds me of John Donnelly.