[SIGCIS-Members] First information explosion in history

[Ian S. King]

I believe my main connection at Sindelfingen/Böblingen is still among us,
at least as of a few months ago.  -- Ian

On Thu, Oct 5, 2017 at 1:24 PM, Chuck House <housec1839 at gmail.com> wrote:

> This will be anecdotal instead of ‘researched’, but I was involved
> intermittently from 1964 through 1991 with HP Böblingen, a few hundred
> meters from the IBM Sindelfingen plant.  I ran an HP division there from
> the states.  I also am the several-hour interviewer of Joel Birnbaum, the
> only Chief Engineer of both IBM and HP in history, for the Computer History
> Museum, and co-author of The HP Phenomenon.    I did not interview Joel re
> the German team, but could go back and do so.
>
>
>
> There was considerable discussion one evening in Böblingen with local HP
> execs and engineers about the origins of the IBM plant, which as I recall
> would support your findings.  My guess is that we could find living
> practitioners who could lend considerable insight if we hurry.
>
>
>
> Chuck House
>
>
>
> *From: *Members <members-bounces at lists.sigcis.org> on behalf of "Ian S.
> King" <isking at uw.edu>
> *Date: *Thursday, October 5, 2017 at 12:22 PM
> *To: *Richard Vahrenkamp <vahrenkamp2 at gmx.de>
> *Cc: *sigcis <members at sigcis.org>
> *Subject: *Re: [SIGCIS-Members] First information explosion in history
>
>
>
> 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
>
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>
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>
>
>
> *********************************************
>
>
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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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-- 
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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