Hilary Louis Doyle

This testimony begins in the ‘Ireland’s first computers 1956-69’ archive. Click here to view.

By 1972 I had five years’ experience of programming and selling Olivetti’s technical computers and electronic accounting systems at Bryan S Ryan. But it was becoming apparent that Olivetti, possibly because it had sold its mainframe computer division to General Electric, was no longer interested in developing the next level of computer systems that would be required in an ever-growing computer market.

Maurice O’Grady headed Bryan S Ryan’s accounting systems division. We agreed that, if we were to maintain our careers in the “computer” business, the time had come to consider alternatives. We decided to resign from Bryan S Ryan and establish our own computer company. In preparation for this venture we attended the 1972 Hannover Fair to review the alternative systems on offer.

Nixdorf Computer, which was not represented in Ireland, impressed us greatly. Nixdorf already offered a comprehensive range of hardware for accounting systems. The Nixdorf 820, introduced in 1970, had a state of the art CPU, compiler programming, and core memory data storage. The hardware was modular with each component packaged in robust dismountable modules, allowing for expansion and simplifying on-site repair. The range of peripherals was extensive for 1972 and included readers for magnetic stripe ledger cards, magnetic reel and magnetic cassette tapes, punch card readers, punched tape and high-speed needle printers.

The Nixdorf Software Development Centre in Holland had developed business application packages that could be quickly adapted to the requirement of each industry by changing parameters. The large programmes of basic routines were accommodated by wiring them onto relatively inexpensive core memory boards thus saving expensive main memory. These parameter driven applications were the genesis of the later COMET software.

Nixdorf also had a range of data collection systems that seemed very interesting when most mainframes were still fed by punch cards. These were already selling well especially in the United States. Building on these technologies Nixdorf were developing remote terminals for use in bank branch applications and had secured an order for 1000 banking terminals in Sweden.

Maurice O’Grady and I approached Nixdorf Computer with our business proposals. In the Spring of 1973 we were summoned to Paderborn, Germany, to meet the company founder Heinz Nixdorf.

At our meeting, he indicated that while he was prepared to appoint our proposed company as the distributor for Ireland, but he asked that we retire to lunch and consider an offer to work directly for Nixdorf Computer. He pointed out that the level of investment to build the market in Ireland, and to introduce forthcoming products, would be very high and his preference was for selling directly.

The Nixdorf argument had strong resonance with our experiences of underinvestment by Olivetti. We took the choice of working for Nixdorf. Maurice was appointed country manager while I accepted the role of software manager.

In June 1973 we launched Nixdorf Computer in Ireland. Nixdorf insisted that we find modern office space for our permanent base, a difficult demand in 1973. While searching for such premises we occupied several rooms in what was then called Jury’s Hotel in Ballsbridge. In due course Canada House, on the corner of Earlsfort Terrace and St. Stephens Green, became the Nixdorf headquarters for the next ten years. On opening our staff consisted of seven: Bob Lidwell and Michael Franklin from Bryan S Ryan joined me in software, Gerry Devitt, ex-NCR, was our salesman, Brendan Madden our engineer, and Eleanor O’Connor our secretary.

My small software department immediately set about adapting the Nixdorf business applications for the Irish market and writing a payroll application. The first months proved very difficult because of the oil crisis but eventually sales started.

Our first Nixdorf 820 customer was the Wexford Farmers’ Co-Operative in Enniscorthy. Given the fuel shortage it was lucky that they were accessible by rail. On one occasion, I got a call for urgent assistance, I only had sufficient fuel to get to Enniscorthy but the customer guaranteed a fill for my return to Dublin. Other early customers were Flahavan and Sons, which ran an oat mill in Kilmacthomas, and the Monaghan Co-Operative.

A significant contract was secured from Allied Irish Banks for 50 Nixdorf 840 data collection systems. This was a preliminary order as a Nixdorf 840 was eventually to be installed in each AIB branch. Initially, the data was recorded on to a floppy disk, an innovation at that time, and physically returned to the bank’s computer centre each evening. The plan was to upgrade the Nixdorf 840 to data transmission once a network was in place.

Programmes written by our software department could be compiled on the Nixdorf 820, but this was a slow process and tied up valuable hardware. The AIB Computer Centre provided an overnight compiling service, so each evening the programmers punched their work onto cards. Desk checking of programmes was a discipline rigidly followed to avoid programme bugs that would take a further 24 hours to recompile.

Sales of the Nixdorf 820 magnetic strip ledger card systems proved very successful. When compared to alternative products, the Nixdorf cards could store more data because of the innovation of sprocket holes on the cards to control reading and recording.

In Ireland, we developed special software packages for various vertical markets including credit unions. By this time programmes were being written in BOSS, a form of COBOL.

At the end of 1974 the government announced that PAYE for the Civil Service would be introduced from April 1975. Clearly there was a significant sales opportunity for computer suppliers that could complete the sales cycle yet meet the installation deadline. I was press-ganged in to sales to assist in this effort. However, the result was that Nixdorf won a significant proportion of contracts for the new payroll systems. Personally, I secured three contracts including one for two top-end 820 systems for the Paymaster General’s Office. This organisation processed a weekly and monthly payroll for 23,000 pensioners that was rather unique. With the sales achieved, the Nixdorf software department worked long hours to develop the special software required for the Paymaster General’s Office. I acted as the system designer and project manager.

By 1975 staff had risen to about 30. The sales team had been expanded to four, including Ray Naughton – later the Nixdorf Country Manager after Maurice O’Grady became Director General of the Irish Management Institute in 1987. Engineering under Martin McCarthy was expanded to 12, including some engineers based in the provinces. Software grew to about 12. Alan Nolan was responsible for operating systems and Robin Buick, later a famous sculptor, was our systems engineer.

Our faith in the ability of Nixdorf to innovate was rewarded by constant development of the existing products and introduction of new lines such as the 1974 Nixdorf 8835 standalone business computer. This used interchangeable 5 Mb hard disks. The Nixdorf 8835 provided statistical processing power and extended our potential customer base to firms that could not depend on magnetic stripe ledger cards.

In 1975 the Nixdorf range of modular network controllers was announced. These acted like minicomputers to control local peripherals, but also communicated securely over external telephone lines. Three different systems had special features. The Nixdorf 8860 was designed to control non-Nixdorf equipment, such as pumps, CNC machines and weighing systems in factories. The 8862 was a store controller for the Nixdorf’s retail point of sales checkout equipment. The 8864-banking communications controller had a range of special peripherals and workstations for use in bank branches. The first Nixdorf ATM cash dispensers were also released.

The Nixdorf 8870, based on the Data General 16-bit Nova minicomputer, was launched for the USA market in 1976. It provided an equivalent offering to the Digital PDP-11 and other emerging minicomputer systems.

Nixdorf redesigned the 8870 for its European launch in 1977, introducing typical Nixdorf modular hardware, peripherals and the modified operating system NIROS 3.3, while retaining the DG architecture. Business BASIC was the programming language. COMET software – a parameter driven package incorporating Nixdorf’s experience with business systems – was a significant part of the new 8870 offering.

There was a shortage of developers in Europe, so the Nixdorf Software Centre in Holland asked me to recruit six Irish programmers and analysts on their behalf. The centre needed extra resources to work on COMET. In subsequent years most of these highly skilled people returned to Ireland and made their name in the Irish computer business. For many years Tim Cahill was a senior account manager for Nixdorf in Ireland, before taking an international sales role with Kindle Banking Systems. Cian Kinsella was a co-founder of Kindle Banking Systems. Liam Scanlan, after supporting COMET world-wide, joined Microsoft in Seattle.

The software department expanded rapidly when I recruited a team senior business support analysts. Their task was to define the customer business requirements and set the parameters of COMET to meet those needs. Peter Byrne, Bill Nicholson and Jim Kerrigan, each with significant computer experience, were some of the first to join.

Based on the local knowledge gained from the Nixdorf 820 and Nixdorf 8835 systems, Nixdorf and its partners developed new vertical packages in Ireland, including applications for credit unions and motor dealers. Larry Goodman’s meat processing group introduced systems into many of its branches. Software houses such as System Dynamics, Intelligence Ireland and Venn Applications wrote applications and supported users. I hired people with experience in those industries where the Nixdorf 8870 was particularly successful. One of these was Muriel O’Neill, who had a background in the motor trade.

The first 8870 customers included the Irish League of Credit Unions, J Garvey and Sons (wholesalers based in Drogheda), Keenans of Bagenalstown and Folens Publishers. Users of the Nixdorf 820, such as Kemek, which was part of Cement Roadstone Group, upgraded to the 8870 and COMET.

Obviously, with the growing user base, staffing levels grew rapidly. Although many Nixdorf engineers were working from home, it was necessary to re-locate the engineering central office and stores to premises in Ranelagh.

1978 Nixdorf Computer International opened a manufacturing plant in Bray. The manger, Willi Kreuz, came from the main plant in Paderborn. Eammon McGettigan was the production manager. The facility manufactured CPU units for the 8870, 8860, 8862 and 8864 systems and staff numbers quickly reached about 400.

In 1979 Bank of Ireland placed a major order for the 8864 network controllers – one for every branch throughout the island of Ireland and Great Britain. Front counter terminals and special peripherals added to this contract. Michael Franklin and Alan Nolan headed my software development team working with Bank of Ireland.

In 1980 Bank of Ireland selected Nixdorf as their ATM provider. Several hundred Nixdorf ATMs were installed, some of which were in service until 2015.

The engineering and software departments had to expand rapidly to meet customer demands. I moved the software department, which had grown to about 40, to a floor in the Jacobs building on the Merrion Road. Also, to develop the software necessary for the Bank of Ireland ATMs, I relocated a team of 15 under Michael Byrne to the Nixdorf Financial Software Development Centre in Frankfurt, where they could adapt the software working with the original developers.

To concentrate on core business in December 1980, the operating systems/network group in software was spun off as new company, Nixdorf Computer Software Limited, managed by Pat O’Reilly. Under Pat, and Michael Brady, NCSL contracted directly with the Nixdorf development centres in Germany for complex operating system and communications products. Eventually about 100 highly skilled Irish developers were engaged along with a translation department.

I was elected to the council of the Irish Computer Society (ICS) in 1981. I persuaded Nixdorf to provide rooms for ICS meetings for about 20 years until the society was able to afford its own premises.

1982 was significant in the growth of Nixdorf. All the Dublin-based activities were consolidated into a new 300 square meter headquarters at Leeson Close. A Northern Ireland office opened in Belfast under Robin Arbuthnot, formerly of Burroughs. A Cork office, under Peter Ainscough who was formerly with ICL, was responsible for Munster. Each branch was fully manned by local software, support and sales staff.

The Department of Agriculture placed a Nixdorf 8860 network controller in each of the veterinary offices. Hotels, such as Jury’s, installed the Nixdorf 8860 to handle their administration with links to terminals and, most importantly, a Nixdorf 8818 digital telephone exchange. Roches Stores was the first Irish customer for the 8862 controller and retail checkouts. The Northern Bank installed Nixdorf 8864s in all their bank branches in Northern Ireland and the Republic. Each of these projects involved large bespoke software developments.

Peter Byrne was now responsible for the COMET applications support. A dedicated telephone help-desk team was established with experienced COMET support staff and managed by Alison Hourihan. A novel feature for the time was “remote support” where a Nixdorf support person could access the customer computer remotely.

The power and connectability of the Nixdorf 8870 continually increased. The 8870 Quattro, with the capacity to run four CPUs and 24 workstations, was announced in 1987. By then the installed base of Nixdorf 8870 in Ireland was about 200 and the Nixdorf 886x series about 450.

In March 1986 Heinz Nixdorf collapsed at a company function during the Hannover Fair and died at the age of 60. Irish sculptor Robin Buick, who previously had been our systems engineer, was commissioned to create a bronze relief of Heinz Nixdorf. These reliefs were mounted in the foyers of Nixdorf offices in many parts of the world.

Nixdorf Computer became part of Siemens. I retired from the company in February 2003, under the terms of employment that I had agreed 30 years earlier with Heinz Nixdorf. For several years I undertook consultancy projects for Siemens Business Services and from 2005 to 2010 I was chairman of the software company PixAlert.

Last edit: July 2017

© Hilary Louis Doyle 2017