[SIGCIS-Members] Jim Cortada's "Inside IBM"

[James Cortada]

The use of specialized data processing language actually began in the last
quarter of the 19th century with the "office appliances," such as
typewriters, adding machines, etc. created by firms that in time also made
computers, most notably IBM.  Paul just kicked up a huge topic.
Unfortunately, I do not feel qualified to take it on.  Jim Cortada

On Tue, Feb 20, 2024 at 2:23 PM Koblentz, Evan via Members <
members at lists.sigcis.org> wrote:

> >> Where did it all begin?
> Do you mean, where did the non-serious names begin?
>
> Apple, in 76, and Altair, in 75, both come to mind.
>
> Engelbart called it the "mouse" in 1968.
>
> RAND had the Johnniac in 1954.
>
> Although, there was Edmund Berkeley's "Simon" in 1950.
>
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 20, 2024 at 3:11 PM Ceruzzi, Paul via Members <
> members at lists.sigcis.org> wrote:
>
>> I finally had a chance to look at the summary of Jim's book from CBI, and
>> I thoroughly enjoyed it. I always found IBM's control over nomenclature
>> noteworthy: "Electronic Data Processing," not "Computer"; "Diskette"
>> I finally had a chance to look at the summary of Jim's book from CBI, and
>> I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I always found IBM's control over nomenclature
>> noteworthy: "Electronic Data Processing," not "Computer"; "Diskette" not
>> "floppy"; "pointing Device" not "mouse." And others. I remember being
>> shocked – shocked! when IBM called its OS2 operating system "Warp." So out
>> of place, but the world, and IBM, moved on.
>>
>> Now we see the proliferation of what I consider inappropriate names for
>> software and services that have a serious place in society: Google, Twitch,
>> Slack, Yahoo! When Tom Haigh & I were writing our Third Edition, we had a
>> discussion about whether to include the exclamation point in Yahoo. We left
>> it off. And when I suggested to my office mates at the Smithsonian that we
>> adopt Slack, they thought I was joking. I'm glad we didn't adopt it,
>> regardless of how useful it isd or isn't.  Could you imagine President
>> Eisenhower issuing a Tweet? (General Eisenhower once said, in response to a
>> RAND Corporation report, "There will be no software in this man's army!"
>>
>> Where did it all begin? Maybe from a programmer named Tom Pittman, author
>> of Tiny Basic. He called his service "Itty Bitty Computers." This was
>> around 1976 or so. Anyone have better information?
>>
>> Paul Ceruzzi
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>
>
> --
>
> *Evan Koblentz*
>
>
> - Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing
>
> - Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing
>
> - Advisor, NJIT Lego Club
>
>
> evank at njit.edu <evan.a.koblentz at njit.edu>
>
> (973) 596-3065 <9735963065>
>
> https://web.njit.edu/~evank/
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-- 
James W. Cortada
Senior Research Fellow
Charles Babbage Institute
University of Minnesota
jcortada at umn.edu
608-274-6382
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