October 2009 - Members - lists.sigcis.org

Vacuum Tube Development Committee
by Evan Koblentz 09 Sep '10

09 Sep '10

Last week I visited Harvard's archives of the Radio Research Lab, and found some meeting minutes of the Vacuum Tube Development Committee (1943-1945 timeframe) .... I can't find much online that nicely summarizes this committee and its activity / purpose. Can someone here point me to a good overview?

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Two good recent TV programmes on the history of computing that are worth viewing.
by Bernardo Batiz-Lazo 07 Feb '10

07 Feb '10

A heads up to Ken Tennet's Blog (he is part of the Business History Unit at the London School of Economics): http://kdtennent.blogspot.com/2009/10/recent-business-history-on-bbc.html He comments on two recent tv programs on the history of computing. Not sure if everyone will be able to download and play.But at least you can get an idea from Ken and if really keen, then ask for a copy for your uni's library. You can keep up with Ken via Facebook. Best, Bernardo University of Leicester

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Semi-rare John Mauchly document
by evan＠snarc.net 01 Feb '10

01 Feb '10

Hi all. I received this document from Bill Mauchly today. I asked him if it's okay to share freely; he said yes. File is attached. Bill added: "In 1979, just a few months before he died, John Mauchly had a letter published in DATAMATION. Examples of his writing are rare, but here he clearly wanted to have his say. In it he laid out very clearly how he and Eckert, in the wee hours of 1944, worked out the stored-program architecture of EDVAC, the successor to ENIAC. Later they told von Neumann, and he published it as his own work. He also talks about BINAC. This was at the time that Burks and Goldstine were trying to drain as much credit away from Eckert and Mauchly and towards von Neumann as they could.I've attached a copy of the letter; it a good read if you like this sort of thing. This short essay does not seem to be available on the web. I typed it in from a copy I had that was among my mother's things, apparently a draft from his TRS-80 word processor, on the prompting of Jean Bartik. Enjoy.Bill Mauchly"

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IEEE Annals CFP-Theme issue on labor history of computing
by Jeff Yost 15 Dec '09

15 Dec '09

Dear SIGCIS members, Please find below (and attached) a call for papers for an upcoming (32:4 October 2010) thematic/special issue of IEEE Annals of the History of Computing on the labor history of computing. Please note the deadline for submission for this issue is January 15, 2010. Best, Jeff Jeffrey Yost Associate Director, Charles Babbage Institute Editor in Chief, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing University of Minnesota 222 21st Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455 612 624 5050 612 625 8054 (Fax) Call for Papers Thematic Issue: Labor History of Computing IEEE Annals of the History of Computing// IEEE Annals of the History of Computing invites article manuscript submissions for a thematic/special issue on the history of labor and computing. Manuscripts that connect to the broader literature on labor history are particularly encouraged. Submissions can address labor issues, practices, or structures within a wide range of settings including computer, software, networking, or semiconductor/components companies throughout the world; user organizations (corporations, government, universities, hospitals, etc.); peer production projects (open source); trade organizations; professional associations; etc. Possible themes and approaches include, but are not limited to, the history of work practices, work culture, shop floor dynamics, labor organization, legislation/lobbying, professionalization, automation and labor displacement, offshoring, gender/race/ethnicity and IT work, safety and risk in the workplace, etc. The deadline for submission to this thematic issue is January 15, 2010. Manuscripts will go through IEEE Annals of the History of Computing’s standard peer review process. If there are more accepted manuscripts than slots for the issue, editors will decide which articles to include based on quality, coverage, and synergies between manuscripts. If there are accepted manuscripts not included in the issue, they will be added to the general publication queue and published in a later issue of IEEE Annals of the History of Computing. All articles must be between 5,000 and 8,000 words, including citations/endnotes. To submit your manuscript go to http://www2.computer.org/portal/web/annals/home Select “Write for Us” tab at the top and follow instructions (including selecting the Labor History thematic/special issue). If you have any questions or would like feedback on ideas/manuscripts prior to submission, please contact IEEE Annals of the History of Computing Editor in Chief Jeffrey Yost (yostx003(a)umn.edu <mailto:yostx003@umn.edu> or 612 624 5050)

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conference on "open source innovation beyond software" at U of Strasbourg, France, Feb 25-26 2010
by Meyer, Peter - BLS 31 Oct '09

31 Oct '09

I believe historical work will be welcomed at this conference. Historical cases per se are relevant, as are comparisons of them to recent open source phenomena. Links between science and industry are relevant. Many attendees will be from business schools. Details are here: http://www.dime-eu.org/open-source-innovation I know one of the organizers and you can ask me or them. -- Peter B. Meyer Research economist 202-691-5678 Office of Productivity and Technology, U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Another question - "Giant Brains"
by Evan Koblentz 31 Oct '09

31 Oct '09

Was the term "Giant Brains" already popular when Edmund Berkeley used it in his 1949 book title, or should he get credit for popularizing it? I'm mentioning the term in a footnote and want to be sure credit goes to the right source.

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Val Schorre
by Dave Walden 30 Oct '09

30 Oct '09

Hi, I have in mind a small history project relating to Meta II developed by Val Schorre. Does anyone have contact information for him, or know if he has passed on? He wrote a now classic paper: http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=808896 Thanks, Dave -- home address: 12 Linden Rd., E. Sandwich, MA 02537; ph/fax=508-888-7655/4168 email address: dave(a)walden-family.com; website(s): http://www.walden-family.com/

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mellon postdoctoral fellowship
by Medina, Eden 29 Oct '09

29 Oct '09

Postdoctoral Fellowship Andrew W. Mellon Sawyer Postdoctoral Fellowship at Indiana University Call for 2010-11 Mellon Sawyer Fellowship - Rupture and Flow: The Circulation of Technoscientific Facts and Objects Receipt deadline: March 1, 2010 The Sawyer Seminar and the Institute of Advanced Study at Indiana University will award one Andrew W. Mellon Sawyer Postdoctoral Fellowships for a one-year appointment beginning July 1, 2010. The Fellow will receive a stipend of $40,000 per year, as well as health insurance and an allowance for relocation. This Sawyer Seminar is based in science and technology studies and focuses specifically on how facts and technologies circulate among diverse communities of producers and consumers, acquiring or losing credibility and utility as they move. We will explore questions including: How has the treatment of failure and errors changed the practice of science across disciplines and over time? How and why do cultural, social and material forces interrupt or thwart the circulation of technoscientific knowledge and objects, and with what consequences for what kinds of communities? How do social, cultural, political, and legal barriers influence technological change historically and geographically? How is the increasing use of lay-produced science shifting what is acknowledged and implemented in scientific practice and policy? Applicants for this postdoctoral fellowship must have research projects that speak to the concerns raised by the circulation of technoscientific knowledge and objects, and the possibilities and consequences of interrupting, reorienting, or preventing this circulation. Besides pursuing his or her own research, the fellowship recipient will play an active role in the intellectual life of the Sawyer Seminar by helping to organize an ongoing seminar series and four workshops. There will be no teaching responsibilities. Selection Process Each proposal will be evaluated by the conveners of the Sawyer Seminar, an interdisciplinary group of IU faculty. The primary evaluation criteria will be intellectual fit with the core ideas of the Seminar, and the promise of the proposed research project, including prospects for publication and significant advances in tangible research. We strongly recommend applicants read the full proposal, available at http://sawyer.indiana.edu<http://sawyer.indiana.edu/> before beginning their application. Applicants will be notified of fellowship decisions in May 2010. Requirements Applicants should have completed the Ph.D. in STS, Sociology, Informatics, Geography, History, English, Anthropology, Philosophy, Comparative Literature, or other related fields no earlier than June 30, 2005 and no later than August 1, 2010. We require proof that the fellow has received a Ph.D. degree before taking up residence. Applicants are welcome to send paper copies by mail or delivery to - Ivona Hedin, Institute for Advanced Study, Poplars 335, 400 E. 7th Street , Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47405 The application should include: * 1000-word research project proposal and one-page bibliography, in language appropriate for a multi- disciplinary panel. Please double-space and use 12-point type. * 250-word statement of the project's potential contribution to Indiana University's Sawyer seminar * Curriculum vitae * Three letters of recommendation Fellowship recipients cannot currently hold a tenure-track position. Indiana University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. Scholars who are members of traditionally under-represented groups are encouraged to apply. There is no citizenship requirement or restriction for this fellowship. Non-U.S. nationals are welcome to apply. Employment eligibility verifications requested upon hire. -- Eden Medina Assistant Professor of Informatics Adjunct Assistant Professor of History School of Informatics and Computing Indiana University, Bloomington edenm(a)indiana.edu<mailto:edenm@indiana.edu> http://www.informatics.indiana.edu/edenm

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CBI Tomash Fellowship and Norberg Travel Grants
by Jeff Yost 29 Oct '09

29 Oct '09

Dear SIGCIS members, Please find below the 2010-2011 Erwin and Adelle Tomash Fellowship Announcement (for doctoral students only) and the Arthur L. Norberg Travel Fund Announcement (open to all researchers). If you have any questions on either, please contact me. The application deadline (for both the Tomash Fellowship and Norberg Travel Fund) is January 15, 2010. Jeff Jeffrey R. Yost Associate Director, Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota Editor in Chief, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing ********************************************************* The Adelle and Erwin Tomash Fellowship in the History of Information Technology The Charles Babbage Institute is accepting applications for the 2010-2011 Adelle and Erwin Tomash Graduate Fellowship. The fellowship will be awarded to a graduate student for doctoral dissertation research in the history of computing. The fellowship may be held at the recipient's home academic institution, the Charles Babbage Institute, or any other location with appropriate research facilities. The stipend is $14,000. It is intended for students who have completed all requirements for the doctoral degree except the research and writing of the dissertation. Preference will be given to applicants indicating a need to use CBI materials, planning research in residence at CBI, and willing to make a brief presentation of their research findings to CBI staff. Questions pertaining to collection content and access can be directed to R. Arvid Nelsen, CBI Archivist, at nels0307(a)umn.edu <mailto:nels0307@umn.edu>. Tomash Fellowship recipients must remain students in good standing throughout the term of their fellowship, but there is no restriction on holding other fellowships, scholarships, or awards concurrent to the Tomash Fellowship. To Apply: Applicants should send to CBI a curriculum vitae and a five-page (single-spaced) statement and justification of the research project including a discussion of methods, research materials, evidence of faculty support for the project, and bibliography (bibliography does not count toward page count). Applicants should also arrange for three letters of reference and certified copies of graduate school transcripts to be sent directly to CBI. Materials must be postmarked no later than January 15, 2010. Charles Babbage Institute: Tomash Fellowship 211 Andersen Library University of Minnesota 222 - 21st Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455 Please direct questions about the Tomash Fellowship to Jeffrey Yost, CBI Associate Director, yostx003(a)umn.edu <mailto:yostx003@umn.edu>, 612.624.5050 ****************************************************** Arthur L. Norberg Travel Fund The Arthur L. Norberg Travel Fund provides short-term grants-in-aid to help scholars with travel expenses to use archival collections at the Charles Babbage Institute. Each year we plan to award two $750 grants. The Charles Babbage Institute (CBI) is an internationally recognized research center and archives focused on the history of information technology. CBI conducts major research projects; publishes books and articles; and collects, processes, and provides open public access to the most diverse and extensive collection of archival materials on computing, software, and networking in the world. CBI collections include the records of corporations, technical and trade associations, personal papers, industry publications, oral histories, photographs, film/video, and an extensive reference library. The Norberg Travel Fund is named for CBI’s founding director, Arthur L. Norberg, and is funded by generous gifts from his friends and colleagues <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/research/ntravelfundcontributors.html>. To Apply: Applicants should send a 2-page CV as well as a 500-word project description that describes the overall research project, identifies the importance of specific CBI collections, and discusses the projected outcome (journal article, book chapter, museum exhibit, etc.). Applicants are strongly encouraged to examine the extensive on-line finding guides to CBI’s 200-plus archival collections at www.cbi.umn.edu/collections/archmss.html <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/collections/archmss.html>. Applicants should estimate how many days they plan to use CBI collections during their visit (travel should generally be in the calendar year of the award). To be eligible, scholars will reside outside the Twin Cities metropolitan region. Notification of awards will be made within four weeks, and travel can commence directly thereafter. Questions pertaining to collection content and access can be directed to R. Arvid Nelsen, CBI Archivist, at nels0307(a)umn.edu <mailto:nels0307@umn.edu>. Please direct questions about the Arthur Norberg Travel Fund to Jeffrey Yost, CBI Associate Director, yostx003(a)umn.edu <mailto:yostx003@umn.edu>, 612.624.5050. For additional information, see www.cbi.umn.edu <http://www.cbi.umn.edu>. Materials must be submitted by email to cbi(a)umn.edu <mailto:cbi@umn.edu> or postmarked no later than January 15, 2010. Charles Babbage Institute: Norberg Travel Fund 211 Andersen Library University of Minnesota 222 - 21st Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455

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An event commemorating a bit of computer history...
by Dave Walden 25 Oct '09

25 Oct '09

...See http://www.tug.org/tug2010/ and "Guests of Honor" at http://www.tug.org/tug2010/program.html Because it will be the 2**5 (32nd) anniversary of TeX, Donald Knuth and other members of the Stanford team that originally developed TeX are planning to participate, on June 30, 2010, in the TeX Users Group 2010 annual conference (June 28-30). -- home address: 12 Linden Rd., E. Sandwich, MA 02537; ph/fax=508-888-7655/4168 email address: dave(a)walden-family.com; website(s): http://www.walden-family.com/

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