January 2010 - 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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CBI exhibit: ACM and the History of Computing, 1947 - 2010
by tmisa＠umn.edu 27 Jan '10

27 Jan '10

Hi all, Anyone who is up this way the next two months should try to stop by and see this exhibit we've put together on ACM's history. It's an accompaniment to the ACM HQ archives, now organized and accessible, and draws on CBI's other ACM-related notables, too. Best, Tom Association for Computing Machinery Records (CBI 205) http://purl.umn.edu/51982 ===================================== http://ecommunication.umn.edu/t/151065/13409501/65831/0/ The Machine That Changed the World: ACM and the History of Computing, 1947 - 2010 One of the two largest computing societies in the world, the Association for Computing Machinery has been dedicated to the advancement of computing as a profession since its founding in 1947. This exhibit will explore the impact and importance of the ACM in an arena that has had a profound impact on modern life and society. Exhibit open now through Friday, March 5, 2010 Elmer L. Andersen Library Gallery 222 21st Ave. South Minneapolis MN 55455 Visitor information: exhibit hours, directions to Andersen Library, and parking map: http://ecommunication.umn.edu/t/151065/13409501/8499/0/ For disability accommodations, or to receive this information in alternative formats, contact Stephanie H. Crowe at 612-625-9053 or horow021(a)umn.edu. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. Copyright 2010 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota.

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Conference on the Austrian Computer Pioneer Heinz Zemanek at the Deutsches Museum in Munich (Germany), 22. February 2010
by Ulf Hashagen 27 Jan '10

27 Jan '10

Dear Colleagues, on 22. February 2010 a conference on the Austrian Computer Pioneer Heinz Zemanek will be held at the Deutsches Museum in Munich (Germany). Please find attached the conference programI would be pleased to welcome you at this occasion in Munich. If you would like to attend the conference, please contact bei Mrs. Natascha Jelen at the Deutsches Museum (E-Mail: <mailto:n.jelen@deutsches-museum.de> n.jelen(a)deutsches-museum.de) Best, Ulf Hashagen --------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Ulf Hashagen Deutsches Museum Forschungsinstitut für Technik- und Wissenschaftsgeschichte Museumsinsel 1 80538 München Germany Tel.: +49 (0)89-2179-453 Fax.: +49 (0)89-2179-239 Email: u.hashagen(a)deutsches-museum.de ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Maschinen mit Phantasie: Festsymposium zum 90. Geburtstag von Heinz Zemanek Deutsches Museum 22. Februar 2010 9.30 19.00 Uhr Eröffnung und Grußworte (9.30 10.15 Uhr) Prof. Dr. Wolfgang M. Heckl (Deutsches Museum) Prof. Dr. Arndt Bode (TU München) Prof. Dr. Ernst Denert (Gesellschaft für Informatik) Prof. Dr. Klaus Brunnstein (IFIP/Universität Hamburg) Einführung (10.15 11.00 Uhr) Dr. Ulf Hashagen (Deutsches Museum) & PD Dr. Rudolf Seising (LMU München) Sitzung 1 (11.00 12.30 Uhr) Moderation: Dr. Ulf Hashagen (Deutsches Museum) 11.00 Uhr Dr. Hartmut Petzold (Berlin): Heinz Zemaneks Weg zum Mailüfterl und zur Weltmacht Computer 11.45 Uhr Prof. Dr. Roland Vollmar (Universität Karlsruhe): Heinz Zemanek als theoretischer Informatiker 12.30 Uhr Mittagessen im Europäischen Patentamt Sitzung 2 (14.00 15.30 Uhr) Moderation: PD Dr. Rudolf Seising (LMU München) 14.00 Uhr Prof. Dr. Claus Pias (Universität Wien): Von Wieners Kybernetik zur Wiener Kybernetik 14.45 Uhr Prof. Dr. Robert Trappl (Medizinische Universität Wien): Von der kybernetischen Maschine zum emotionalen und sozialen Roboter 15.30 Uhr Kaffeepause Sitzung 3 (16.00 17.30 Uhr) Moderation: Prof. Dr. Joachim Fischer (Ernst von Siemens Kunststiftung München) 16.00 Uhr Prof. Dr. Hans Dieter Hellige (Universität Bremen): Der Turmbau-zu-Babel als Leitmotiv in der Informatik und Informationstechnik 16.45 Uhr Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Coy (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin): Das geistige Umfeld der globalen Informationsgesellschaft 17.30 Uhr Kaffeepause Sitzung 4 (18.00 19.00 Uhr) Moderation: Dr. Wilhelm Füßl (Deutsches Museum) 18.00 Uhr Prof. Dr. Heinz Zemanek (Technische Universität Wien): Vom Computer-Pionier zum Informatik-Historiker: Erinnerungen Prof. Dr. Helmuth Trischler (Deutsches Museum): Schlusswort 20.00 Uhr Abendessen in der Kleinen Schmausefalle Veranstaltungsort: Deutsches Museum, Ehrensaal Anmeldung: Bitte per E-Mail anmelden bei Frau Natascha Jelen mit dem Hinweis: O Für das Kolloquium O Für das Abendessen E-Mail-Adresse: n.jelen(a)deutsches-museum.de Tel.: 089-2179220 Organisation: Deutsches Museum (Dr. Wilhelm Füßl, Dr. Marilyn Gleyzes, Dr. Ulf Hashagen) in Verbindung mit dem Lehrstuhl für Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (PD Dr. Rudolf Seising) und mit der GI- Fachgruppe Informatik- und Computergeschichte der Gesellschaft für Informatik (Prof. Dr. Hans-Dieter Hellige, Universität Bremen)

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History of Nordic Computing - 2nd Call for Contributions
by Per Lundin 21 Jan '10

21 Jan '10

Dear Colleague, Please consider submitting a contribution to HiNC3 - 3rd IFIP WG9.7 Working Conference on History of Nordic Computing. The conference takes place in Stockholm 18 - 20 October 2010. Final submission date is February 28. Accepted papers will be published by Springer. Detailed information about solicited contributions and submission procedure is to be found at http://dsv.su.se/hinc3/. Please further this call to all those you think might be interested. Per Lundin and Benkt Wangler Program co-chairs ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ Per Lundin Div. of History of Science and Technology Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) SE-100 44 Stockholm Sweden Phone: +46 8 790 87 41 Fax: +46 8 24 62 63 http://www.teknikhistoria.se ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

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IT History Society News
by Jeffery Stein 19 Jan '10

19 Jan '10

IT History Society January 19, 2010 12 days are left until the contest ends for the creation of an international database of IT archival and historical sites. Please go to the following link to learn more about the contest rules, rewards, and site entry forms - http://ithistory.org/resources/contest.php Create as many entries as you can and you could win some very nice prizes. Have your students or your assistants help you out with the entries. The IT History Society maintains the ONLY master calendar of upcoming international IT historical and archival events. If you or an associate knows of any forthcoming IT archival or historical conferences or meetings, could you please submit information of the event using the form on the IT History Society website located at http://ithistory.org/events/events-form.php The IT Historical Society board of directors is pleased to announce that Leslie Berlin of the Stanford Silicon Valley Archives has joined the board. Leslie is the author of The Man Behind the Microchip: Robert Noyce and the Invention of Silicon Valley, a biography of Intel co-founder and microchip co-inventor Robert Noyce. She also contributed the "Prototype" column on innovation to The New York Times from September 2008 to August 2009. She serves on the advisory committee to the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The Board is pleased about this news of her joining the board and feel that Leslie will no doubt add further strength in archiving the goals of expanding IT archival and historical activities. Best regards, Jeffery D. Stein Chairman (415) 435-7464 Tel (415) 435-6115 Fax http://www.ithistory.org IT History Society One Blackfield Drive Suite 331 Tiburon, CA 94920 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Email that means Business, Every email, Every day! - LetterClick BrandMail(TM) found only at www.letterclick.net

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[Fwd: CFP: From Automation to Computerized Design: Industrial Engineering, Machine Tools, and Digital Frontiers, 1930s-1980s]
by Petri Paju 14 Jan '10

14 Jan '10

To: H-BUSINESS(a)H-NET.MSU.EDU [Submitted to the list by Carol Lockman <clockman(a)hagley.org> - ed.] Call for Papers: From Automation to Computerized Design: Industrial Engineering, Machine Tools, and Digital Frontiers, 1930s-1980s Paris, September 15-17, 2010 To honor the centenary of Pierre Bézier, the eminent French engineering designer (40 years at Renault after starting at a small design company), the University of Evry and its partners are convening a conference focused on post-1930 developments in areas to which Bézier made major contributions : machinery and industrial automation, controls and computation (Bézier curves), the creation of computer visualization for design, and the diffusion of mechanical/technical knowledge. (Bézier worked extensively with machine tools before moving on to computer innovations, virtual imagery, and technical education.) Key questions the conference will address include: - What significant innovations in machine tool design/capability/control were adopted in the industrial West, Japan, the Soviet Union and developing nations' industries across the half century after 1930? How was such innovation organized and undertaken by engineers, designers, computer specialists, foremen, skilled workers, managers, users, etc.? What political, enterprise, or competitive strategies impelled such advances? - What new sources and methodologies can be used to link standard visual and written discourses about machine tools and computers to artifacts and practices in use? - What discourses emerged about automation and digital processing, enthusiastic and critical, and how did they affect channels of communication and/or patterns of technical imitation and appropriation internationally? - How did ideas and ideologies about modernity and modernization and about machine tools' iconic status evolve across these decades ? What impact did such perspectives have on the industrialization process : policy, investment, organization, and competition in manufacturing? - Through what means and with what efficacy were the new knowledge and practices these innovations generated shared among firms, industries and nations? What consequences arose from differences in diffusion? - To what extent did computer-based innovations create problems even while solving other difficulties? How did enterprises and shop floor personnel manage the complexities that resulted? Proposals, in English or French, should be submitted to helene.marechal(a)univ-evry.fr<mailto:helene.marechal@univ-evry.fr> by 1 February 2010. Each proposal should be sent in two files. One file should describe the planned paper and be titled: "Proposition PB&MO" plus, in the title, a short identifying phrase, such as "Control Innovations". The paper proposal should not exceed 300 words. The second file should provide information about the author(s) and be titled: "Proposition PB&MO" plus the author(s) last name(s). This biographical information should not exceed 400 words. This two-file approach will assure that the review of proposals will be blinded, like much article refereeing for journals. An international committee of scholars will review all proposals and the conference co-chairs will contact authors to confirm the program by 1 March 2010. Among the 14 member review committee are : Patrick Fridenson (EHESS), David Edgerton (Imperial College, London), Anne-Françoise Garçon (Paris-1) ; Kazuo Wada (University of Tokyo), Philip Scranton (Rutgers), and Thomas Welskopp (Bielefeld). Funding for presenters' transportation and lodging will be provided. Following the two conference days, a group visit by bus to Renault's R&D division and to one of its main plants south of Paris will be offered. Also, the weekend following the conference features a national historic heritage festival. Those attending who wish to visit classic and modern sites will find many locations open to visitors that weekend which are not available at other times. Pu blication of a collection of edited papers is expected. Questions? Please contact Dr. Alain Michel: Alain.MICHEL(a)cite-sciences.fr -- Maki Umemura List editor, H-Business ----- End forwarded message ----- -- Susanna Fellman Professor(acting) Dept. of Social Science History PO BOx 54 FI-00014 University of Helsinki Email: susanna.fellman(a)helsinki.fi phone +358-9-19124934 -- Petri Paju, FT, tutkija, Turun yliopisto -- Ph.D. Researcher, Univ. of Turku http://users.utu.fi/petpaju/

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conference in Paris on Gilbert Simondon
by Bernard Geoghegan 08 Jan '10

08 Jan '10

hi members, CFP for a conference on the French philosophher Gilbert Simondon, a sort of French philosopher of informatics, as well as a commentator upon, and participant in, the cybernetics movement in France. Please contact me if you have any questions about the event. Bernard gilbert simondon: transduction, translation, transformation http://www.simondonconference.org/ A Two-Day International Conference at the American University of Paris May 27-28, 2010 Paris, France In recent years, the work of Gilbert Simondon has received greater attention both in France and internationally following the re-publication of his work over the past decade. The importance of Simondon’s thought to the work of French philosophers including Gilles Deleuze and Bernard Stiegler has become increasingly discussed and analysed both in France and in the English-speaking world. At the same time, Simondon’s work has been taken up on its own terms, recognized for the unique contributions that he made to the philosophy of technology, phenomenology and social philosophy. Forthcoming translations of his major works into English will surely instigate a long-overdue introduction of his work within a much broader international community of scholars. We are currently accepting submissions that examine how Simondon’s work has intersected with other projects in critical theory, cultural studies, contemporary social theory and beyond. Thus, in keeping with the theme of “transduction, translation and transformation,” we are not looking for papers that merely rehearse the writings of Simondon, but projects that transform and translate his concepts and thoughts into new areas of work and new forms of engagement. We equally invite participation from experts on Simondon's work, as well as those interested in discovering it for the first time. Confirmed Keynote: Mark Hansen (Duke University), Jean-Hugues Barthelemy (Brest) Possible presentations could engage with Simondon's work connected with various themes including: - Media, technology and technics; - Information, its history and futures; - Theories and practices of individuation and affect; - Bio-social ontologies; - Post-representational philosophy; - Phenomenology and materialism; - Systems Theory; - Simondon and other thinkers (Deleuze, Merleau-Ponty, Baudrillard, Stielger, Stengers...) The conference format will primarily consist of paper presentations, roundtable discussions and keynotes, but interested participants are welcome to propose alternative forms of involvement. Those interested in participating are asked to submit at 300 word abstract, outlining the subject of their contribution. Please send these abstracts to the attention of the conference organizers by January 30th, 2010 via email to the address, simondon.conference(a)gmail.com. Accepted proposals will be considered for inclusion in a future publication drawn from the conference proceedings. Conference Organizers: Bernard Geoghegan (Northwestern University, USA), Mark Hayward (American University of Paris, France), and Robert Mitchell (Duke University, USA)

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