Typewriter

Although it survived – and, perhaps, survives – well into the era of computer-mediated communication, almost all documents related to the programme were typed. It was judged that ensuring the security of paper documents was far easier than of electronic ones: a view which seems eerily prescient today. Photocopiers were not allowed to prevent the uncontrollable and untraceable replication of information: once a document existed it existed in fixed numbers, and once that number had been destroyed it no longer existed.

Towards the end of the formal existence of the programme some laxity seems to have taken hold: the computational systems, previously only used for numerical calculations, may have been used for what was known as 'computer post': a system apparently independently invented within the programme. Indeed it is possible it predates the official origins of electronic mail.

Curiously the insistence on paper for security has benefited historical researchers: almost no tapes from the computing systems remain readable while a considerable number of paper records survived the abrupt and unexpected termination of the programme: so abrupt, it seems, that there was not time to destroy it all.

This typewriter, in its case and so still in good condition, may have belonged to one of the secretaries to the programme board.