AbstractThe dust has settled back on St. Johns†and the Leys, the greenfly have retired to their winter quarters and enough time has elapsed to allow an objective look at the CCSO of 1979. What will mark 1979 in the long sequence of these highly successful conferences, what will cause us to say“Remember '79 that was the one…”? It may be the conference of the long walks for lunch with the blessedly fine weather which accompanied them to the frustration of the exhibHors, of the unfailing prologue which Ed Furmston provided for each session, or the smell of the midnight oil burning in the office of the 18 technical staff, of the dawning awareness of the explosive potential of mixing West Indians, Australians and others under the catalyst of a British Admiral. It may even be remembered as the Conference when it was finally realised that the sharp, and expensive, end of technology can be less important than getting the right people, in the right place, at the right time, to do a straightforward survey task. Few will forget the elfin (or elephantine) humour with which Rupe Southard emerged, and re-emerged, and re-emerged, culminating in that happy presentation at Lancaster House. It is the first Cambridge Conference which I have been able to attend in full. I understand the need for the UK delegation to be kept numerically in bounds, and that if tickets are shared around on a daily basis then more people are able to participate, but I confess that to be there all the time alters the whole tone, flavour and enjoyment of the gathering. No longer does one have to race to renew as many old acquaintances as possible while rushing through a list of essential questions. There is leisure and opportunity to make new friends as well as meet old, and to collect treasured personal memories of conversations and mental pictures.