Re your last 'throw-away' line, Murray, my sentiments exactly.

  

Jennifer Light gave a terrific talk at last fall's SIGCIS meeting, describing 'our world' as about 400 professional computer historians, arrayed in five non-intersecting (somewhat disdainful) circles whilst all about us the practitioners are dying and taking their wonderful unrecorded stories with them.

When you're in the fray, say writing GE 225 BASIC, and being fired, you're not focused on recording the story.  And you likely don't view it as having any historical significance.

The problem later on is "If not you, who?  And if not now, when?"

Practitioners, at the least, have to become more aware, more motivated, and more involved in 'our collective history' even if it is only their small spot in the sun.

Not easy to imagine

Best, Chuck