Founded in 1978 by Roger Valentine and Jean Hartopp as V&H Accountancy Services, our clients included Rank Leisure Services, General Electric Co and Simpsons of Piccadilly.
In 1979 we became V&H Computerised Accountancy Services, with the purchase of our first computer, a Commodore PET.
In 1980, sparing no expense, we added a Sinclair ZX80 and became V&H Computer Services.
To pass the time whilst commuting between our office in Staines and clients in London, Roger used to write programs for the ZX80, soon accumulating enough to fill a book.
A book! Now there's an idea....
The ZX80 programs remained in manuscript form, but we published our first title, What Can I Do With 1K? (40 Programs for the Sinclair ZX81) in 1981. In the same year our V&H Payroll program was published by Personal Computer World. This was intended (by us) as a cheap publicity gimmick to help sell our books, but the payroll program, originally written for the Commodore PET and intended for our own in-house use, became a runaway success, selling hundreds of copies in a matter of weeks.
The payroll program is currently available in PC format, and is marketed by Micro Aid. Sadly the Commodore PET version is no longer available, although we can supply copies of the PCW article, including full program listing, if anybody is still interested. The Commodore 64 version is still available, see the Payroll Book below.
The first six of our books have remained continuously in print for over 20 years, and continue to sell, even enjoying the occasional boom now and again due to the popularity of 'retro-computing'. ("What do you mean 'retro'? Don't tell me the Spectrum out-of date now?" - Roger).
Current computer books:
| Comb-bound A4 book | As Word document on CD | |
| Create your own Webpages with HTML | £5.95 |
£2.00
|
| Introduction to Dreamweaver |
£5.95
|
£2.00
|
| Introduction to Flash |
£5.95 Available 2004
|
£2.00 Available 2004
|
| Image Processing & Digital Photography Book 1 |
£6.95
|
£2.00
|
| Image Processing & Digital Photography Book 2 |
£6.95
|
£2.00
|
| An Introduction to Mail Merge using Microsoft Word |
£4.95
|
£2.00
|
|
Post and packing (please contact V&H for details of bulk ordering) |
£1.00per book |
£0.50 per cd |
(Click the buttons above to order by credit card or PayPal. Alternatively, email V&H for details of payment by cash, cheque etc,)
Our latest publication is the epic story of 84 years in the life of Barbara Bamford.
Ere Life Has Flown - Barbara Bamford
Retro-computing: books still available:
What Can I Do With 1K? (Sinclair ZX81)
What Can I Do With 16K? (Sinclair ZX81)
Spectrum Spectacular (Sinclair Spectrum)
Dragon Extravaganza (Dragon 32)