[SIGCIS-Members] FW: History of Computing conference at the Science Museum 2013

[Petri Paju]

Hello all,
I hope this isn't repetitive to too many sigcis members.
Best,
Petri



CFP from Arthur Tatnall

[mailto:Arthur.Tatnall at vu.edu.au]<mailto:[mailto:Arthur.Tatnall at vu.edu.au]>, as Chair, IFIP WG9.7 - History of Computing


Making the History of Computing Relevant
IFIP WG9.7 and Computer Conservation Society
History of Computing Conference
Science Museum, 17th - 18th June 2013

Displaying and examining the remains of old mainframe and mini computers is of considerable interest to those who were involved in building or using them. For many other people, however, displays or descriptions of this technology are of little relevance and of little interest. For a start they have trouble appreciating where we have come from in electronic digital computing over the last 70 years when they understand (or care) little about details of the configurations of these machines and how they differ from modern computers. So what if a Ferranti Mk 1 stored 20-bit word as a single line of dots on a Williams Tube, with its  eight tubes, each storing one a page of 64 words? This information needs to be turned into a form that people today can understand and appreciate.

The aim of this conference is to discuss what needs to be done to make the history of computing relevant and interesting to the general public today. Would shifting the emphasis from the technology itself to how it was used make a difference? What about stories about the designers and builders of these computers? Would the use of replicas and simulations make this history more interesting? The conference aims to consider some of these issues.

It is hoped that the conference will be of interest to academic historians of computing, museum curators involved in displaying the history of computing, members of IFIP Working Group 9.7 (History of Computing), members of the British Computer Conservation Society, and others with a concern to make this history more relevant to people of today.
Possible topics for discussion include (but are not restricted to):

*         Relating details of the uses of early (or more recent) computers, and what difference they made to business, industry, education, government and people's lives

*         Sharing stories about the inventors and builders of these computers

*         Using simulations and replicas to illustrate the history of computing.

*         How distinct national perspectives embody different histories of computing and communities of practice

*         Displays of computing history as representing narrative or technical histories of computing

*         How museums around the world are handling the issue of better presenting the history of computing as well as conserving it

*         The importance of education in making history of computing relevant

It is our intention to publish presentations and papers in the form of a book to be published by Springer, and possibly in a history of computing journal. If, however, you do not feel like writing a paper your contribution will still be very welcome.
Pre/post conference activities will include an excursion to Bletchley Park.
Papers and expressions of interest in participation are requested by 1st February 2013.




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