CHRIS N FRENCH MA(Hons) PhD

[Chris carrying out colour test, 69Kbyte]

Early Life
Chris N (N is for Nothing as for G in Edward G Robinson. If you have searched the Web you would know how important it is to distinguish amongst the zillions of "Chris French's" out there!) French was born in the garden city of Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England in 1942 where his earliest memory used to be of sitting on an ants' nest but he has forgotten that. Now he can just remember leaving Letchworth soon after the war aged three with tears in his eyes as his family had typically not consulted him on the move. He spent his early years in the Borough of Southend-on-Sea (longest pleasure pier in the World), Essex. He was educated at Westcliff High School for Boys (learned how to avoid rugby and cold baths) and University College London (a year and half with "cement, sewers and surveying") before graduating with a Scottish MA in psychology and handling 5-hole computer tape on an Elliott 803 from Aberdeen University and a PhD in the psychology of learning theory and 8-hole paper tape from Exeter University.

He didn't go to school with any Prime Ministers, Nobel Laureats or Leaders of Industry...

From 1970 until 1993 he was a full time Lecturer in Optometry at UMIST teaching psychology, computing and statistics and published a little over 50 articles on subjects ranging from the need for visual health care, professional manpower planning, perception and art to computer software, while struggling with administration - selecting undergraduates, optimising computer facilities (from 80-column cards to networking) and you name it.

In 1971 he began using computers to measure visual performance culminating in the French Letters PC (DOS) software, launched commercially in 1993 as the UMIST Eye System and still in use today in optometry practices round the world on PCs from antiquarian 80286s to modern machines running Windows XP.

Present Life
In 1993 he took early retirement and became an Honorary Lecturer in order to gain more time to look after his three young children (Sky, Kit and Morgan), their three young pets (then Norman, Shelby and Zeus), half a dozen old computers, some computer programs including UES, and a house and small jungle - thus enabling his relatively young but long-suffering wife Sally to work even harder as an Optometrist in her own practice in Cheadle, Cheshire.

According to the family, his main hobby is finding other things to do rather than tackle any urgent domestic chores. He still has very little spare time but can sometimes be found relaxing in front of a computer or TV.

He used to be acting chairman of the local branch of the NAGC but gave it up to catch up on a number of dosmetic matters. Even when you are semi-retired shortage of time is a problem. You just have to run your finger along the top of the computer case to see this.

When he had time he used to write educational programmes for his children, but now in - association with his sister - indulges his passion for genealogy.

Had his prostate removed in 2004 by the brilliant Patrick O'Reilly and his hypertension sorted in 2006 by the superb Philip Lewis. Excellent web sites include Dr Catalan's in the US for prostates and the British Hypertension Society for hypertension.

Email Chris at FrenchFamily.info

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