Date   : Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:49:18 +0100
From   : robert@... (Rob)
Subject: Teletext / Viewdata / Prestel people

British Rail had their own viewdata system available via a gateway
from Prestel with train times and whatnot on it.  I have a few
screenshots of a couple of timetables..  (I even had a space on there
for a bit running a message board!)  Off the top of my head, I /think/
my contact in the BR videotext office was Ian Sargeant.  I can dig out
the paperwork if needed to clarify, maybe get some other names.
Obviously BR no longer exists in the same form, the viewdata system
will be long gone, and I have no idea what happened to the people
involved..

At some point I had an account on Viatel too (Austrailan version of
Prestel).  I don't think I have anthing in digital form, but I should
still have all the info packs on becoming an Information Provider
there.  (I should still have all those for Prestel itself, too,
incidentally.)

BT ran EYP (Electronic Yellow Pages) on it's own dial-up service in
both teletype and viewdata formats.  You had to sign up to use it
(still got my membership card for that).  EYP eventually found it's
way onto the internet, and www.eyp.co.uk now gives you Yell.

Ignoring for the moment the BBS scene, there are, of course, the
dozens of various companies and people that ran services on Prestel.
Noteworthy examples from memory would be the Bank of Scotland (first
online banking) Littlewoods Index (online catalogue shopping) Club 403
(birmingham newspaper based thing that sent a membership card giving
discounts around the city - still got mine despite expiring in 1985!)
 Plus lots of Travel industry stuff of course.

Then there's Micronet 800 and all the others catering for the same
people, of course..  I can point you at Paul Needs (M'net Editor)  and
Steve Gold (Micromouse, Duke of Edinburgh "hack") whom I've been in
contact with recently..  ClubSpot 810 was for the hobbyist side, and
can point at some names involved in that.  Viewfax 258 was another big
player, and I'm sure I know who was behind that, but the brain cells
need a bit more stiring. Bob Clark (MicroGnome) is sadly no longer
with us...

Hardware wise, Ummmm...  Tandata made terminals,... Prestel ran on
Primes.... I can offer a working Autognomic Systems (TG at H software)
viewdata system (got it fired up for the first time in 20+ years at
Byte Back) if it would help...  Must test out some modems on it
though... Reminds me, I might still have a CommunITel modem somewhere;
I know I've got the software. That was what a lot of schools used.

Oh, and I worked at Micronet for a bit, albeit in Technical Help ...

HTH

Rob

On 15/06/2009, Jules Richardson <jules.richardson99@...> wrote:
>
> Anyone know any useful names of individuals / companies to contact who might
> be interested in involvement in a display about Teletext / Prestel /
> Viewdata
> services (either contributing experiences or software / hardware)?
>
> I think it should be possible to find someone to talk to at the BBC, and at
> BT, but who else were big in these areas back in the day? (doing something
> *before* all the analogue services vanish within the next few years seemed
> like an idea with merit)
>
> cheers
>
> Jules
>
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