Eighteen years ago, when the CCS was formed, special working groups were set up to restore particular computer systems for eventual public display, and a set of operating methods was defined and agreed among those groups.

Now several of these groups are quite different from their inception, some of those groups may close, and we now have the opportunity to form several new working groups. It is important that these groups, supported directly or indirectly by the CCS, work to a common set of standards and practices agreed by the committee of the Computer Conservation Society.

It is also thought to be an opportune time to review the 'state of the art' in computer preservation and restoration, and to that end both museum curators and practising engineers are welcome.

Another outcome of this workshop is to produce a formal set of documents detailing the role and responsibilities of CCS Working Groups, and to provide best practice guidelines for all people tasked with the maintenance of old computer systems.