Oliver H. Bailey

Oliver H. Bailey is one of the early pioneers of the personal computer industry. He began his career designing machine tool controls for second generation CNC machines. While developing 6800 based controllers for operator input, he answered a bind ad for an operating systems designer and utilities author. He shifted his focus from machine controllers to working on commercial operating systems for the TRS-80 Models I, III, and IV in 1976. From 1976 to 1981 he worked on numerous projects for the TRS-80, Apple II, Commodore 2000, Commodore 64, and in the summer of 1981 was given a prototype of the IBM 5150, released in October 1981 as the IBM PC. He continued working on operating systems through the end of 1981 when he was hired as the lead developer for Plus Computer Technology. Taking ill and almost dying at the end of 1981, he took almost six months to recover from life threatening surgery. In the summer of 1982 he was recruited to replace 8000 IBM 5280 mini-computers with IBM PC's and Apple III's. That project carried him through mid 1983 when he once again worked on operating system drivers for the first PC encryption board designed and sold in the United States. In 1984 he was recruited for an new online system being developed to bring personal computing into the home and business through a telephone line and TV set. That project was owned by a major telephone company, field enterprises of Chicago, and Honeywell computers. When the telephone industry was jolted by divestiture of the Bell Operating Companies.

Working up through the industry to a senior executive position, Mr. Bailey struck out on his own to develop commercial, embedded, and communications products through his own company. From 1986 through 2007, he worked on hundreds of products and projects from machine tool controllers, printing press controllers, aerospace products, communications systems, encryption, and touch screen devices. From 1981-2008 he authored 8 technical books on topics ranging from embedded communications, communication protocols, robotics, cross-platform single source programming and design, micro controllers, FPGA devices, and mixed signal programmable logic. In 2007 he took leave to care for his wife Susan, who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, bone marrow cancer. Susan succumbed to that disease December 29th, 2008. In the past several years he has been working on a series of books on mixed signal programming, new communications protocols, renewable energy in embedded systems, wireless protocols, and three books on loss, and life. He is also working on a book and tour to bring the history of the personal computer to audiences all over America from the people who worked behind the scenes from the start, who contributed to the success of the personal computer through their ideas, products, and character that built an industry that will endure for decades to come.

Now in his 60's Oliver H. Bailey is in his 42nd year of designing new products, and is still one of the leading authorities on Windows internals, Device Drivers, and building Linux systems from scratch for many architectures including Intel, AMD, and ARM, just to name a few. A new series on mastering advanced development techniques should be released in 2018. Mr. Bailey hopes to retire from the industry in 2020 with 45 years of development service to the personal computer industry. He will always be involved with the personal computer through his professional photography and CNC woodworking machines and cad systems.