Welcome to my website about SmallShow, a computer program that helps manage competitive entries in a small community show, accumulating prize money and collating points for the award of cups and trophies.
On this page, you will learn about the author and the product’s background. I hope to whet your appetite for more information.
Table of contents
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Who am I?
My name is John Cooke, and I am a blogger. My wife and I live in a village on the outskirts of Greater Manchester. We have a married son who lives nearby but a few miles away from us. I have spent most of my working life programming computers in a technological environment.
Education
Born to middle-aged, working-class parents in October 1948, I attended the local village primary school, passed the 11-plus examination, and went to Moseley Hall Grammar School for Boys in Cheadle to complete my secondary education. After taking my GCE O-levels and A-levels, I gained a place at the University of Manchester and graduated with a BSc (Hons) degree in chemistry in 1970.
Further qualifications include an MSc in chemistry from the University of Salford and a Postgraduate Certificate in Software Engineering from the University of Liverpool, awarded in 1978 and 1995, respectively.
Early working life
I began my working life as a teacher of O-level mathematics in a school but left to be a process chemist at ICL in Manchester. Until 2002, ICL was a large and significant British manufacturer of computer hardware and software and supplier of computer services with many customers overseas.
Later, I seized an opportunity to train as a technical computer programmer. It was my job to support the design and manufacture of multi-layered printed circuit boards and VLSI chips.
Work Experience
Since those early days, I have programmed using many computer languages, working on large systems in the engineering, chemical, telecommunications, and financial services industrial sectors.
Also, I am enthusiastic about designing and writing smaller applications to help users in other areas, particularly where there is little commercial interest and no financial gain.
Flower Shows
I became involved with show software in 2002/3 when my son worked in the IT department of a local school as part of the industrial experience for his degree. He wrote a program to manage competitive entries in the horticultural section of Wilmslow Show.
The organisers found the software helpful for their show, but my son did not want to maintain or enhance it long-term, so I took it over. I rewrote it to extend its capabilities and have continued to support it since then, making it available to other shows throughout Britain and, to a limited extent, to New Zealand and Australia.
However, my more general version had a fundamental flaw: configuring the software required more work. Each show had its bespoke version, making the product impossible to sell. Therefore, shows had a free copy in return for evaluation and feedback.
I always intended to write a better, user-friendly configuration module. But I left it too late to deploy it repeatedly the following year, so I didn’t bother.
Many years later, I decided to modernise and rewrite the software for sale for a modest fee since my users esteem it. The consensus is that it’s too good to waste. However, I failed for this year’s shows.
I aim to have the new software ready for the 2025 season.
Writing and computer programming
Writing computer software is like writing a book. There are things in common. Books usually begin with simple ideas woven together to produce a complicated structure. Unlike a book, which remains static, a computer program can react to user input to perform tasks. The result gives me great satisfaction.
Acknowledgements
I am indebted to Elizabeth Myers, the former secretary of the Wilmslow Horticultural Show until it closed in 2019. Since 2004, I have worked with Elizabeth annually to manage the show’s exhibits and prizes. Graciously, she has agreed to help me produce the new software. I value her contribution and perspective as a show organiser, which I am sure will lead to a more durable and user-friendly product than I would manage independently.
Over time, I shall include images, illustrations, photographs, figures, diagrams, charts, graphs, and infographics on this website.
Some will come from external sources; others I shall produce myself.
I acknowledge the copyright of the owners. Where necessary, I have sought and been given permission.
Sources include:
Revision date: 22 August 2024