Experiences in the Operation of a Forensic Science Computer Time-sharing System

The Spring of 1980 marked the beginning of a new era in computing in the Home Office Forensic Science Service initiated by the arrival at the Central Research Establishment of a Prime 550 computer. This paper describes the development of a time-sharing computer system based on the Prime 550, for use by a national forensic science system. Experiences with the running of the service, the applications developed and the difficulties encountered are given. Possible new avenues of applicability of general purpose computers to forensic science in the 1980s are explored.