Tom Lean
@reggitsti.bsky.social
Curator of misc, historian of tech, author of Electronic Dreams (Bloomsbury2016), Welshman in Mancunia, listener to old scientists, 8-bit geek, views own
RIP Steve. One of the most extraordinary people I have ever spoken with. Her refugee to tech entrepreneur philanthropist life story is amazing, but it's her sense of decency that sticks most in my memory, deciding to live "a life that had been worth saving" www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Dame Stephanie Shirley obituary
Pioneering computer scientist, founder of her own software company, philanthropist and determined autism campaigner
www.theguardian.com
August 12, 2025 at 8:25 AM
RIP Steve. One of the most extraordinary people I have ever spoken with. Her refugee to tech entrepreneur philanthropist life story is amazing, but it's her sense of decency that sticks most in my memory, deciding to live "a life that had been worth saving" www.theguardian.com/education/20...
I cannot recall a game of Arkham when I have rolled this hilariously and consistently badly.
June 7, 2025 at 7:18 PM
I cannot recall a game of Arkham when I have rolled this hilariously and consistently badly.
Reposted by Tom Lean
why in The Last of Us do they go on a first date to hunt zombies in the horrible supermarket, when they could instead hold hands at their local rural history museum?
April 16, 2025 at 8:52 AM
why in The Last of Us do they go on a first date to hunt zombies in the horrible supermarket, when they could instead hold hands at their local rural history museum?
In the queue for A Knight's Tale, one of our party has genuinely only just realised this isn't actually a faithful performance of Chaucer in the original Middle English
April 11, 2025 at 6:18 PM
In the queue for A Knight's Tale, one of our party has genuinely only just realised this isn't actually a faithful performance of Chaucer in the original Middle English
Reposted by Tom Lean
Not the best day for a walk
March 29, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Not the best day for a walk
This is all going a bit wrong....
March 21, 2025 at 11:56 PM
This is all going a bit wrong....
You can use a ZX Spectrum to "do everything from run a business to study your biorhythms you can brush up your history, even land a plane!" A more innocent time for IT perhaps.
1983: Software and Hardware from Sinclair Research
(+VU-CALC; Geography; The Hobbit; Space Raiders; Planetoids; Chess; Backgammon; and ZX Spectrum)
(+VU-CALC; Geography; The Hobbit; Space Raiders; Planetoids; Chess; Backgammon; and ZX Spectrum)
March 17, 2025 at 5:45 PM
You can use a ZX Spectrum to "do everything from run a business to study your biorhythms you can brush up your history, even land a plane!" A more innocent time for IT perhaps.
Reposted by Tom Lean
Historian from the future, readinge thrugh the March 2025 posts on thys site, Ich hope wyth all myne hearte that yower tyme ys bettir than these dayes we now endure.
March 5, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Historian from the future, readinge thrugh the March 2025 posts on thys site, Ich hope wyth all myne hearte that yower tyme ys bettir than these dayes we now endure.
Had a grand day out learning about the awesome work of the Avro Heritage Centre in sunny Stockport. Amazing to stand in the cockpit of a cold war era Vulcan bomber built to deter the USSR. Thank goodness those dark days of history are behind us.
March 5, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Had a grand day out learning about the awesome work of the Avro Heritage Centre in sunny Stockport. Amazing to stand in the cockpit of a cold war era Vulcan bomber built to deter the USSR. Thank goodness those dark days of history are behind us.
When was the last time when Britain wasn't in crisis?
I have a vague feeling there might have been a few months in the late 1990s, but that could just be nostalgia, otherwise it just seems like muddling through crisis (economic, social (real or imagined), the odd world war) seems to be the default?
I have a vague feeling there might have been a few months in the late 1990s, but that could just be nostalgia, otherwise it just seems like muddling through crisis (economic, social (real or imagined), the odd world war) seems to be the default?
February 6, 2025 at 10:36 AM
When was the last time when Britain wasn't in crisis?
I have a vague feeling there might have been a few months in the late 1990s, but that could just be nostalgia, otherwise it just seems like muddling through crisis (economic, social (real or imagined), the odd world war) seems to be the default?
I have a vague feeling there might have been a few months in the late 1990s, but that could just be nostalgia, otherwise it just seems like muddling through crisis (economic, social (real or imagined), the odd world war) seems to be the default?
Good to see my weekend's reading materials arrived before the storm hit
January 24, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Good to see my weekend's reading materials arrived before the storm hit
Reposted by Tom Lean
This is both an incredibly niche thing but I think it should be more of a thing. Caffè Nero subscribes to the British Newspaper Archive so it’s all free on their wifi. There. I said it.
January 15, 2025 at 9:54 AM
This is both an incredibly niche thing but I think it should be more of a thing. Caffè Nero subscribes to the British Newspaper Archive so it’s all free on their wifi. There. I said it.
Did not have "Former PhD supervisor in factual dispute with Trump, in national news" on my 2025 bingo card... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Trump claims Manchester atom split as US achievement - BBC News
Trump speech hailed the US feat, but New Zealander Sir Ernest Rutherford oversaw the trial in Manchester.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 22, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Did not have "Former PhD supervisor in factual dispute with Trump, in national news" on my 2025 bingo card... www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
What's the correct etiquette for when you kick someone's water bottle into the swimming pool, because, A:you're very short sighted, and B: it was in a silly place anyway? Am I right in thinking it's pretend it didn't happen and walk away to the showers without making eye contact with anyone? Right?
January 4, 2025 at 5:17 PM
What's the correct etiquette for when you kick someone's water bottle into the swimming pool, because, A:you're very short sighted, and B: it was in a silly place anyway? Am I right in thinking it's pretend it didn't happen and walk away to the showers without making eye contact with anyone? Right?
Christmas tradition achievement unlocked. 🔓 🎄
December 20, 2024 at 8:40 PM
Christmas tradition achievement unlocked. 🔓 🎄
Finally! My loves of cheese and worker placement games are brought together in one place.
December 10, 2024 at 9:31 PM
Finally! My loves of cheese and worker placement games are brought together in one place.
Guess who didn't read the book but went to bookgroup anyway...
November 28, 2024 at 10:02 PM
Guess who didn't read the book but went to bookgroup anyway...
Friday cat has had enough this week
November 15, 2024 at 2:27 PM
Friday cat has had enough this week
This is the sort of cat poop naval history crossover I joined this platform for
Someone tagged me into this as, in Drach's absence, the person on BlueSky most likely to know (without guessing) how navies handled cat poo. I am VERY offended.
But they're also right. 😆 Indeed Drach/Dr Alex and I were comparing notes on this back in November.
So thread: How cats shat on ships /1
But they're also right. 😆 Indeed Drach/Dr Alex and I were comparing notes on this back in November.
So thread: How cats shat on ships /1
Bad news: I wrote to the Museum of Maritime Pets in Maine to ask how cat poops and pee were handled on ships before litter was invented. They didn't know! But they're very curious, too, and want me to keep them updated. We can all make educated guesses but I want to see what actual records say.
November 12, 2024 at 4:00 PM
This is the sort of cat poop naval history crossover I joined this platform for
Have to love ̶M̶e̶d̶e̶a̶v̶a̶l̶ ̶M̶e̶d̶i̶a̶e̶v̶i̶l̶ Early Modern solutions for preventing book theft. Interesting morning at Chetham's delightfully atmospheric Library
November 7, 2024 at 9:28 PM
Have to love ̶M̶e̶d̶e̶a̶v̶a̶l̶ ̶M̶e̶d̶i̶a̶e̶v̶i̶l̶ Early Modern solutions for preventing book theft. Interesting morning at Chetham's delightfully atmospheric Library
Reposted by Tom Lean
This is HMS Fidelity. Built in Liverpool in 1920. Served as a Royal Navy commando and covert action ship during WW2.
I think Fidelity might be unique among WW2 Royal Navy combat vessels.
Her First Officer was a woman: the absolutely fascinating Lt Cdr (effective) Madeleine Barclay. /1
I think Fidelity might be unique among WW2 Royal Navy combat vessels.
Her First Officer was a woman: the absolutely fascinating Lt Cdr (effective) Madeleine Barclay. /1
October 24, 2024 at 12:53 PM
This is HMS Fidelity. Built in Liverpool in 1920. Served as a Royal Navy commando and covert action ship during WW2.
I think Fidelity might be unique among WW2 Royal Navy combat vessels.
Her First Officer was a woman: the absolutely fascinating Lt Cdr (effective) Madeleine Barclay. /1
I think Fidelity might be unique among WW2 Royal Navy combat vessels.
Her First Officer was a woman: the absolutely fascinating Lt Cdr (effective) Madeleine Barclay. /1
Huzzah, the absolute unit has arrived.
October 17, 2024 at 4:09 PM
Huzzah, the absolute unit has arrived.