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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello SIGCIS,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Robert A. Saunders, one of the contributors to the original Spacewar(!) game has given permission to share his response to yesterday’s post. According to Levy (p. 43), “In the later stages of programming, Saunders helped Slug Russell out, and they hacked a few intense six-to-eight hour sessions.” Levy also credits Saunders as co-constructor of the first computer joysticks (p.45).<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Asked by Arthur Daemmrich whether “you have information / evidence that the exclamation mark was an integral part of the name of the program, Spacewar!?” Saunders replied “I do not recall that anyone made a point of distinction of this at the time. However, the exclamation point usage seems to have become common, and I suppose that it could continue to do so. But, in view of the comment below, it is plausible (and perhaps sensible) to eliminate the exclamation point - which I think I would prefer.”<o:p></o:p></p><p>Meanwhile, the Talk page for the Wikipedia article references this page for support of what I think the hackers would probably have called the “pointful” position: <a href="https://www.crummy.com/2013/02/02/0">https://www.crummy.com/2013/02/02/0</a>. It reports on an event at the Museum of the Moving Image in 2013. “I asked Russell the question that's been burning in my mind for years: why does Spacewar! have an exclamation mark in its name? His answer: "Once I got it working, I thought it deserved an exclamation point!" I also asked Russell if he considered any other names for the game. "Nope."”<o:p></o:p></p><p>So the Spacewar(!) creators themselves to not appear to be of one mind on this point, but if you believe that creators have a moral right to name things that’s sufficiently strong to set aside previously widespread usage (which appears to be the logic behind general adoption of Spacewar! over the past fifteen years) then you might reasonably conclude because Russell created more of the game his wishes should predominate.<o:p></o:p></p><p>Best wishes,<o:p></o:p></p><p>Tom<o:p></o:p></p><p><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>