[SIGCIS-Members] First information explosion in history

[Ian S. King]

A few years ago I visited the old IBM facility in Sindelfingen where they
had built a very nice museum (since moved to the research facility at
Böblingen, where it is far less accessible). I was treated to a
presentation about the role of German companies, in particular DEHOMAG, in
the foundation of what would become IBM.  By their account, the
technological contributions of DEHOMAG were significant - they stopped just
short of claiming that IBM was originally more a German company than an
American one.

Richard, I will be presenting at the Vintage Computer Festival - Berlin
this weekend.  If you happen to be in attendance it would be a pleasure to
make your acquaintance.  Regards -- Ian King

On Thu, Oct 5, 2017 at 12:43 AM, Richard Vahrenkamp <vahrenkamp2 at gmx.de>
wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> 60 years ago the German sociologist Theo Pirker made the assertion that
> machinization of information leads to rapid expansion of information volume
> and to broadening the stream of information. I used this approach in my
> paper on punch card technology in Germany in the recent issue of the German
> journal Technikgeschichte. I showed how the introduction of punched cards
> induced the first information explosion in history. Further I raised some
> doubts on the current view that the industry in the United States were
> leading in the application of punched cards based control systems. I showed
> that in Germany the industry reached the same level of punched cards based
> control systems as in the United States. On your demand I can provide an
> English translation of my paper as a working paper 1/2017.
>
>
>
> With kind regards
>
> Richard Vahrenkamp
>
> ********************************************
> Prof. Dr. Richard Vahrenkamp
> Logistik Consulting Berlin
> Phone 0177- 628 3325
> E-Mail: Vahrenkamp2016 at gmx.de
> Web: www.vahrenkamp.org
> Trendelenburgstr. 16
> 14057 Berlin
>
> *********************************************
>
>
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-- 
Ian S. King, MSIS, MSCS, Ph.D. Candidate
The Information School <http://ischool.uw.edu>
Dissertation: "Why the Conversation Mattered: Constructing a Sociotechnical
Narrative Through a Design Lens

Principal Investigator, "Reflections on Early Computing and Social Change",
UW IRB #42619

Archivist, Voices From the Rwanda Tribunal <http://tribunalvoices.org>
Value Sensitive Design Research Lab <http://vsdesign.org>

University of Washington

There is an old Vulcan saying: "Only Nixon could go to China."
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