computer science

John Bentley Stringer

John Bentley Stringer is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand John Bentley Stringer rather than just read about it. In short: John Bentley Stringer (17 February 1928 – 4 May 1979) was a British computer pioneer. At Cambridge Maths Lab he worked with Maurice Wilkes creating the concept of microcode.

Key takeaways

John Bentley Stringer belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect John Bentley Stringer to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of John Bentley Stringer from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

John Bentley Stringer (17 February 1928 – 4 May 1979) was a British computer pioneer. At Cambridge Maths Lab he worked with Maurice Wilkes creating the concept of microcode. He then became a civil servant firstly at the National Physical Laboratory then at the Government Communications Headquarters.

Publications Wilkes, M. V.; Stringer, J. B. (April 1953). "Microprogramming and the Design of the Control Circuits in an Electronic Digital Computer". Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. 49 (2): 230–238. Bibcode:1953PCPS...49..230W. doi:10.1017/S0305004100028322. Blake, P. K.; Clayden, D. O.; Davies, D. W.; Page, L. J.; Stringer, J. B. (May 1957). Some features of the ACE computer (Report). National Physical Laboratory. p. 40. Stringer, J. B. (1961). "The Place of Character Recognition, Data Transmission and Document Handling in A.D.P. Systems". The Computer Journal. 4 (2): 161–167. doi:10.1093/comjnl/4.2.161. Bennett, R. O.; Stringer, J. B. (1961). "Acceptance Trials of Computer Systems for Government Use". The Computer Journal. 4 (3): 185–196. doi:10.1093/comjnl/4.3.185. Stringer, J. B. (1964). "Book Review: Redundancy Techniques for Computing Systems, by Richard H. Wilcox and William C. Mann". The Computer Journal. 6 (4): 303–304. doi:10.1093/comjnl/6.4.303.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with John Bentley Stringer

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what John Bentley Stringer claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to John Bentley Stringer before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about John Bentley Stringer ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of John Bentley Stringer

In research: John Bentley Stringer appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses John Bentley Stringer in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: John Bentley Stringer is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1928 births, 1979 deaths, British computer scientists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for John Bentley Stringer outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study John Bentley Stringer in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what John Bentley Stringer means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain John Bentley Stringer out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is John Bentley Stringer in simple terms?

John Bentley Stringer (17 February 1928 – 4 May 1979) was a British computer pioneer. At Cambridge Maths Lab he worked with Maurice Wilkes creating the concept of microcode.

Why does John Bentley Stringer matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study John Bentley Stringer?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on John Bentley Stringer.