This motley crew, standing on the steps of the Guildhall in Portsmouth, is the 1988 Portsmouth Polytechnic Computer Science degree course. If I remember correctly it was an "unofficial" official photo but I can’t remember who went to the trouble of organising it. I found this on Ian Webber’s web site. Ian is (I think) on the third row from the back and has posted a couple of comments on the blog recently. Ian posed the question did I know where Emma (Browning) was? This got me thinking that not only do I not know where Emma is but I also don’t know where 90% of the rest of the people on the photo are. Even worse I can hardly remember who many of them are.

I find it really sad that people you spend a very intensive period of your life with then get scattered across the world never to be seen or heard of again. However, all is not lost, as once again it is the Internet to the rescue. Dirk, with whom I shared a number of places over the years, is still in touch, principally via the blog. Dirk now lives and works in the US and keeps a blog that is very entertaining and a cut above the rest. Andy, our other house, mate is in touch sporadically via email and I see Steve Payne and Pete Balchin on a regular basis. Through these I know the whereabouts of a few others such as Paul & Martin and Kimberley.

So, what about the rest? I have no idea but now would seem like as good a time as any to try and find out. I suspect that through a principle similar to the six degrees of separation approach those I am in touch with will be in touch with others who will be in touch with others etc. that will uncover a few more. Unfortunately, like many groups of people, cliques formed and this may prevent this spreading out of your own clique. So if you are on this photo or know someone that is then get in touch, contact details are here.

Oh, and can you spot a young looking Thompson in the photo?

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