October 2013 - Members - lists.sigcis.org

Archiving Workshop on ACM History (21-22 May 2014) ---> Call for Participation deadline 15 Jan. 2014
by Thomas J. Misa 30 Oct '13

30 Oct '13

Hi all, The ACM History Committee will be sponsoring an ARCHIVE-centered workshop at CBI during 21-22 May 2014. It is aimed at ACM members and others in the computer-history community who are *creating* archives --- not at historians using archives to do research. Please apply **if** you have an archiving project, paper and/or digital, that would benefit from some discussion and visibility at this workshop. (Last year, ACM HC anticipated holding a *research* oriented workshop in 2014 . . . but this has been pushed forward a year to 2015. ACM HC awardees from this past year can look forward, then, to an invitation to a spring/summer 2015 research workshop sponsored by ACM-HC. There will _not_ be a research workshop in 2014.) =================================== The Association for Computing Machinery's History Committee is sponsoring a two-day archiving workshop to help diffuse knowledge of professional archival practices into ACM's membership and others with an active interest in preserving our computer heritage. Applications are invited to a two-day archiving workshop, to be held 21-22 May 2014 at the Charles Babbage Institute (CBI) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For each successful application, one person's expenses for workshop travel, lodging, and meals will be paid by the ACM History Committee. Project proposals are due by 15 January 2014. Who should attend? ACM members and others who are planning or actually doing archival projects. The audience is people who are creating archives, or thinking about doing so; this workshop is not focused on researchers who are mainly using archives. The workshop should be of special interest to ACM officers and staff, SIG leaders, historically minded ACM members, and others working on computer history archiving projects. Priority will be given to ACM members and members of other national computer societies affiliated to the ACM, but sufficient places have been reserved for non-affiliated individuals who are actively engaged in preserving computer history. Workshop activities include: [a] presentations on basic archiving processes and principles (paper and digital), including identification, priorities, assessment, and processing; privacy and legal issues; preparation and use of finding guides; archival file formats; archival use and project goals; and preparing for public deposit; [b] hands-on individual exploration of CBI holdings, including ACM records; [c] short presentations on each attendee's archiving project/plans, with group discussion; [d] CBI archival cavern tour; [e] ample networking time, including lunches and workshop dinner. Participants will leave with a "tool kit" of practical, useful procedures as well as insight into professional archiving practices. Small workshop format to permit maximum hands-on character and personal interaction: 20-25 maximum attendees. The ACM History Committee will fund one person per accepted project (including travel, hotel, meals). Applicants should send a 2-page CV as well as a 250-word project description that [a] explains the significance of the proposed archiving project and its importance; [b] describes the archiving project's raw materials including types of images, documents, reports, publications (including format of digital materials); and [c] affirms your willingness to make a short presentation to the workshop and participate fully in its two-day agenda. Project proposals are due by 15 January 2014. Proposals should be submitted as a single pdf-format document to history-webmaster(a)acm.org. Notification of project acceptance will be made within eight weeks. Questions about the workshop or requests for clarification may be directed, at any time, to history-webmaster(a)acm.org. The announcement of this call for papers is also available in pdf-format <http://history.acm.org/public/public_documents/ACM-HC_2014.pdf>.

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Charles Babbage Institute Norberg Travel Fund --> deadline 15 Jan. 2014
by Thomas J. Misa 30 Oct '13

30 Oct '13

Again, please see the web announcement <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/research/ntravelfund.html> and list of past recipients <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/research/ntfrecipients.html>. 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 or more $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. 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. 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. Please direct questions about the Arthur Norberg Travel Fund to Jeffrey Yost, CBI Associate Director, yostx003(a)umn.edu, 612.624.5050. For additional information, see www.cbi.umn.edu. Materials must be submitted by email to cbi(a)umn.edu or postmarked no later than January 15, 2014. Charles Babbage Institute: Norberg Travel Grant 211 Andersen Library University of Minnesota 222 - 21st Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455 ===================================

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Charles Babbage Institute Tomash Fellowship in the History of Information Technology --> deadline 15 Jan. 2014
by Thomas J. Misa 30 Oct '13

30 Oct '13

Hello all, Please see the web announcement <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/research/tfellowship.html>, with link to list of past winners <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/research/tomashrecipients.html>. Best, Tom M =============================== The Charles Babbage Institute is accepting applications for the 2014-2015 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. 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, 2014. 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, 612.624.5050 ================================

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Article: the history of the Elan Enterprise 128 microcomputer
by Tony Smith 28 Oct '13

28 Oct '13

Hi, all Anyone with an interest in the early 1980s UK home computer boom may like to take a look at my history of one of the machines of the period, the DCP/Samurai/Oscar/Elan/Flan/Enterprise 128. Yes, the micro with six names... http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/10/24/elan_flan_enterprise_micro_is_30_ye… Tony Smith The Register http://www.theregister.co.uk

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Maurice Daumas Prize 2014
by Andrew Butrica 27 Oct '13

27 Oct '13

The International Committee for the History of Technology, ICOHTEC, welcomes submissions for the Maurice Daumas Prize, which aims to encourage innovative scholarship in the history of technology. ICOHTEC is interested in the history of technological development as well as its relationship to science, society, economy, culture and the environment. The history of technology covers all periods of human history. There is no limitation as to theoretical or methodological approaches. The Maurice Daumas Prize will be awarded to the author of the best article submitted on the history of technology and published in a journal or edited volume in 2012 or 2013. Submissions are welcomed from scholars of any country, and their focus can be the technological past of any period or part of the world. Eligible for the prize are original articles published in any of the official ICOHTEC languages (English, French, German, Russian or Spanish). If the language of publication is not English, applicants must include a three-page English summary. For the Maurice Daumas Prize 2014, please send your submission to each of the five Prize Committee members no later than 5 January 2014. Electronic submissions are preferred. The winner will be contacted in late May 2014. The prize will be awarded at our 41st Symposium, to be held 29 July 2 August 2014 in Brasov, Romania. The winner will receive a cash prize of Euro 500 as well as a travel grant of Euro 300 (if needed) to attend the ICOHTEC Symposium of 2014. Additionally, the ICOHTEC Symposium will feature a special panel organized around the winning article. Susan Schmidt Horning, Prof., Chair St. John's University Queens, NY 11439 USA Email: <mailto:schmidts@stjohns.edu>schmidts(a)stjohns.edu Andrew Butrica, Dr., Research Historians Group Bethesda, MD USA Email: <mailto:abutrica@earthlink.net>abutrica(a)earthlink.net Hermione Giffard, Dr. Independent Scholar The Netherlands Email: <mailto:hgiffard@gmail.com>hgiffard(a)gmail.com Pierre Lamard, Prof. LUniversité de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard (UTBM) France Email: <mailto:pierre.lamard@utbm.fr>pierre.lamard(a)utbm.fr Patrice Bret, Dr. Centre Alexandre Koyré/CNRS-EHESS-MNHN Paris, France Email: <mailto:patrice.bret@yahoo.fr>patrice.bret(a)yahoo.fr Andrew J. Butrica, Ph.D. Research Historian Sent from my Xylo Phone

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SIGCIS 2013 report -- includes pictures and CHM Prize winner
by Thomas Haigh 25 Oct '13

25 Oct '13

Hello SIGCIS members, This is just a short note following the SIGCIS workshop earlier this month. You may remember my earlier message covering the SIGCIS-sponsored sessions and other related material on the main program. http://sigcis.org/pipermail/members/2013-October/942792.html According to SHOT's recent strategic study group, history of computing and information technology is now the largest single area for SHOT presentations and they covered a diverse range of topics. The SIGCIS Lunch on Friday, the first full day of SHOT, was attended by about 45 people including a good crop of new members. Pictures from the lunch and several of the SIGCIS sponsored sessions are available at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.590645560999090.1073741829.1749879 95898184 <https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.590645560999090.1073741829.174987 995898184&type=1&l=9090ff3189> &type=1&l=9090ff3189. This is on Facebook but no login or account is needed to see them. SIGCIS raised $1,520 during the lunch, which I think is a record. This money is used primarily to fund partial travel grants for graduate students. This year we made awards totaling $2,600 to six students. Thanks to the generosity of our members. In particular to MIT Press and Jim Cortada for donating books for the auction and to Prof. Emeritus Richard Tedlow of the Harvard Business School for funding two travel awards in the name of the Computer History Museum. We began the launch of Phase II of our Mahoney Fund campaign http://www.sigcis.org/mahoney with the objective of increasing the balance from the current $14,000 or so to at least $20,000. This would allow the fund to effectively endow a new $500 annual prize for an outstanding article in the history of computing, as well as its current role in supporting awards for graduate student travel. As Mahoney made his contribution to our field through articles this will be a particularly fitting way to remember him. Look for more news on this front next month. I also reminded everyone that the clock was now running on our transition to chair-elect Andrew Russell, who will take over during the Friday lunch at the 2014 SHOT meeting in Dearborn, Michigan. We have plans to make the 2014 workshop a little different, and are trying to engage with the various communities studying coding, platforms, video games, etc. Planning is still at a very early stage, but let me know if you would like to be involved in this effort. On Sunday, after the end of the main conference, we held our full day workshop on "Old Ideas: Recomputing the History of Technology." www.sigcis.org/workshop13. The opening plenary attracted more than 40 people, with others coming and going during the course of the day. Bill Aspray's opening keynote on the "Many Histories of Information" was well received, as was the closing plenary panel "An Ancient Continent as a New Frontier: Discovering that Computing has a History in Asia". Pictures from the workshop events are online (no login required) at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.590598204337159.1073741828.1749879 95898184 <https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.590598204337159.1073741828.174987 995898184&type=1&l=c859c6a734> &type=1&l=c859c6a734. If you are a Facebook user then please "Like" our pictures and other material, as this provides an important kind of publicity. We would also welcome your help in tagging those you recognize on the pictures - I made a start on this but did not get everyone. We presented the 2013 Computer History Museum Prize for an outstanding book on the history of computing to Joseph November for his book Biomedical Computing. http://www.sigcis.org/chmprize. According to the prize jury In the mid-twentieth century, digital computers began to transform biomedicine. In Biomedical Computing, Joseph November presents an original and compelling account of the processes by which diverse communities in biology and medicine came to embrace digital methods and machines. Furthermore, while historians have demonstrated the influence of physical sciences on early computing, November also demonstrates the forgotten ways in which the demands of biomedical communities shaped computing. In addition to bringing an often neglected scientific community into clear view for historians of computing, Biomedical Computing establishes an important dialogue with the history of science. While historians of technology and business have found ample reason to study computing, Biomedical Computing makes the computer--and thus the history of computing--relevant for science and medicine audiences in general. We expect it to enjoy a broad readership, and to inspire new kinds of computer history. SIGCIS participants ate well in Portland. The IEEE History Committee and the IEEE History Center kindly sponsored lunch for participants in the SIGCIS workshop and other Sunday events, during which we had a chance to discuss topics of interest around the history of engineering and engineering education. After the workshop, a group of 22 historians headed out for our relaxing dinner at nearby Local 188. This is always one of the highlights of the meeting for me, as it gives a chance to chat with colleagues new and old in a relaxed environment after my official duties have been discharged. Thanks to all of you for your various contributions over the past few years to the success of SIGCIS as most active SHOT interest group and an important resource for historians of information technology around the world. I look forward to welcoming you to Dearborn at our lunch next year. and then placing you in Andy's capable hands for the rest of the meeting. Best wishes, Tom

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NAE Video Contest Announcement
by Medina, Eden 24 Oct '13

24 Oct '13

Perhaps of interest to the SIGCIS community. >From: wepan-l-bounces(a)lists.purdue.edu >[mailto:wepan-l-bounces@lists.purdue.edu] On Behalf Of Cady, Beth >Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2013 4:04 PM >To: wepan-l(a)purdue.edu >Subject: [WEPAN] NAE Video Contest Announcement > >Colleagues, > >My apologies for any duplicate invitations you receive, but the NAE is >opening a video contest with a $25,000 prize as well as several smaller >prizes. The contest is open to students of all ages as well as faculty >members and the general public. Please share this announcement with your >colleagues and students. > >To celebrate its 50th Anniversary, the National Academy of Engineering >(NAE) is offering a $25,000 prize for the most inspiring one-to-two >minute video focused anywhere in the time period from 1964-2064 showing >how engineering innovations advance human welfare and address societal >needs. So, rev up your creativity, pull out your camera, phone or >anything else that records video, and get started! >www.e4uvideocontest.org<http://www.e4uvideocontest.org>. > >If you have any questions about the video contest, please email >E4Uvideocontest(a)nae.edu. > >Beth Cady > > >_____________________________

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Fwd: feminism and social media research workshop
by M. Hicks 23 Oct '13

23 Oct '13

See below for details on a feminism and social media research workshop my colleague at Illinois Institute of Technology is co-organizing. Feel free to share with others who might be interested. Best, Marie ______________________ Marie Hicks, Ph.D. Asst. Professor, History of Technology Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL USA mariehicks.net | mhicks1(a)iit.edu | @histoftech >>> >>> Subject: feminism and social media research workshop >>> >>> Some colleagues and I are hosting a workshop on feminism and social media research at a conference in February. CSCW is the ACM Conference of Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Media. If you know anyone who might be interested, please share the call below. Thanks! >>> >>> -Libby >>> >>> ================ >>> >>> CFP: CSCW 2014 Workshop: Feminism and Social Media Research >>> >>> CSCW has begun to publish feminist studies and to host panels that specifically address feminist issues such as gender in peer production. Building on these renewed interests on gender and social computing, we present a workshop on feminist approaches to social media research. The goals of our workshop are to identify ways to improve social media research by leveraging feminist approaches and to provide an opportunity for researchers to reflect on their practices in order to advance research methods and outcomes. Additional information about the workshop is available at http://casmlab.org/join-us/feminism-and-social-media-research-workshop-cscw…. >>> >>> To apply to participate in this workshop, complete the form athttp://bit.ly/feminismatcscw by Nov 15. Selected participants will be notified in December. The workshop will be held Sunday, February 16. >>> >>> Organizers: >>> Libby Hemphill, Illinois Institute of Technology >>> Ingrid Erickson, Rutgers University >>> Ines Mergel, Syracuse University >>> David Ribes, Georgetown University >>> >>> For more info about other CSCW'14 workshops, visit http://cscw.acm.org/program_workshop.html

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CFP (updated): Born Digital and Cultural Heritage
by Melanie Swalwell 22 Oct '13

22 Oct '13

CFP: The Born Digital and Cultural Heritage, 19-20 June, 2014, Melbourne Online at http://playitagainproject.org/conference/call-for-papers/ (The CFP has recently been updated to include information on an optional technical proceedings, for people who would like to pursue this ahead of the conference. We are also excited to announce Henry Lowood as a confirmed keynote speaker. Read his speaker profile at playitagainproject.org/conference/call-for-papers/speaker-profile-dr-henry-…) Whilst many artefacts today are produced, distributed and consumed solely in digital form, this situation is not completely new. Artefacts from previous eras have also been 'born' digital. The advent of micro- or home computers in the mid-1970s and 80s, for instance, saw a range of digital artefacts produced, amongst them digital games, demos, and other early software. These objects are complex and interesting as are the preservation challenges they pose. To issues of hardware and software deterioration are added characteristics such as real-time responsiveness, highly-invested fan communities, and the earliness with which decisions about significance and preservation strategies must be arrived at. Games preservation is emerging as an experimental domain where some of the thorniest issues in born digital cultural heritage are confronted. No longer a niche endeavour limited to those who played titles 'back in the day', developments in games preservation and related fields are of relevance to many different cultural forms, their scholars and custodians. Playability also creates interest in and enlivens the preservation message, making it easier for non-specialists to grasp. We invite proposals for papers, panels, and workshops for an international conference on The Born Digital and Cultural Heritage, to be held at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne, 19-20 June, 2014. Recognising that born digital artefacts often require multiple sets of expertise, we are keen to receive proposals from researchers and practitioners in the range of disciplines, spheres of practice and institutional contexts concerned with born digital heritage. This includes libraries, archives, museums, galleries, moving image institutions, software repositories, universities, and more besides. Proposals might be theoretical, practical, policy, or otherwise oriented. Case studies of innovative practices, papers based on research with born digital artefacts, and new institutional approaches are equally welcome. Possible topics include: * Born digital histories * Born digital items as cultural heritage * Changing notions of the collection * Vernacular digitality * Selection, appraisal, deposit * Jurisdictions, overlaps, gaps * Resourcing, funding, partnerships * Archiving of media arts, architecture, broadcasting, etc * Relation of born digital preservation to digitisation programs * Inter-agency cooperation, federations and networks * Models of collaboration, outside experts, volunteers * Access and exhibition * Legal issues, intellectual property, orphaned works, legal deposit * Workforce, capacity building, training * New preservation and conservation techniques * Case Studies and Best Practices: Processes, Metadata, Systems, Services, Infrastructures We hope you will join us to engage with research and practice in those fields which underpin such critically important matters as the accessibility of born digital cultural heritage, now and into the future. This conference is organised by the Play It Again team, a games history and preservation research project focused on microcomputer games created in 1980s Australia and New Zealand. Play It Again is a multidisciplinary project involving scholars from Humanities, Computer Science, and Law from several Australian and New Zealand universities, working collaboratively with cultural heritage professionals at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the New Zealand Film Archive, and the Berlin Computerspiele Museum. Play It Again received 3 year project funding (2012-14) under the Australian Research Council's Linkage Projects scheme. There will be a separate cultural sector workshop on the 18th June at Melbourne University, at which the Play It Again team will be sharing some of the learning from the project. To propose a paper, please send an abstract of 300 words, plus keywords and references, and a brief author biography to playitagain(a)flinders.edu.au Abstracts are due 15 November, 2013. Publication: It is anticipated that there will be at least one publication following the conference. Authors who would like their full conference paper to be considered for publication in a proceedings before the conference - in the Conferences in Research and Practice in Information Technology series - must follow a separate set of timelines and processes during the Call for Papers period. Abstract submission deadline: 15 November 2013 Paper submission deadline: 29 November 2013 Author notification: 28 February 2014 Camera-ready paper due: 4 April 2014 Instructions for Authors (for the CRPIT Proceedings only): Papers should be no more than 10 pages in length, and conform to the formatting instructions for the Conferences in Research and Practice in Information Technology series. Resources for authors: http://crpit.com/AuthorsSubmitting.html Each paper will undergo double-blind review by at least two reviewers. Papers will be judged on originality, significance, technical quality, and relevance to the conference. Accepted papers will be included in the proceedings of "The Born Digital and Cultural Heritage conference", to be published by the Australian Computer Society in the Conferences in Research and Practice in Information Technology series http://crpit.com. Submission of a paper will be regarded as an undertaking that, should the paper be accepted, at least one author will attend the conference to present the work. The proceedings are included in the ACM digital library and indexed on Scopus and DBLP. -- Melanie Swalwell Associate Professor, Screen and Media, Flinders University GPO Box 2100 Adelaide SA 5001 Ph: +61 8 8201 2619 278 Humanities Bldg www.flinders.edu.au http://www.flinders.edu.au/people/melanie.swalwell Play It Again blog: http://blogs.flinders.edu.au/play-it-again/ Australasian Heritage Software Database: www.ourdigitalheritage.org CRICOS Provider: 00114A This email and any attachments may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please inform the sender by reply email and delete all copies of this message.

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New sources in Russian/Soviet-era semiconductor history
by Dag Spicer 18 Oct '13

18 Oct '13

Dear SIGCIS Friends, I'm delighted to report that CHM has today published a series of oral histories of Soviet-era semiconductor pioneers. The interviews were conducted by CHM staff and have been translated from the Russian and transcribed for maximum usefulness. The people interviewed represent the cream of the Soviet semiconductor establishment and include a Nobel Prize winner and a Lenin Prize winner. Here is the series description: These oral histories of Russian pioneers in microelectronics and computing technology offer a unique and fascinating insight into the development of these fields behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War and later. You can understand the mindset and outlook of those who helped lead these fields. For those in the west, it provides tremendous insight into the operations of the Soviet technical establishment, including how they viewed the west, and the US in particular, their dedication and allegiance to the Soviet system, the problems and challenges they had to deal with, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the Soviet “top down” system, vs. the free market system in the U.S. Included in their interviews is an in-depth view of how decisions were made, how the scientists regarded the US, and how they viewed their own country. These men worked extremely hard, were dedicated to serving their country above their careers, and made tremendous, often unappreciated, contributions to technology. There are even direct and personal comments about their knowledge of, and relationship with, two American defectors in the 1950s, Joel Barr and Alfred Sarant, who were known as Joseph Berg and Philip Staros, respectively within Russia. Beyond the Cold War, the interviews tell the tale of the wrenching changes induced by the fall of the Soviet Union, the resulting impact on the personal lives and technology development in Russia, and how they have slowly adapted to a totally different market and political reality. Together, these interviews confirm some commonly held views of the Soviet system, while turning others on their head. A must read for anyone interested in the true story of how Russian technology developed and evolved over the past 70 years. To access these oral histories, go here: http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102746740 Best wishes, Dag -- Dag Spicer Senior Curator Computer History Museum 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd Mountain View, CA 94043 650.810.1035 direct 650.810.1055 fax Follow Us: CHM Blog I Facebook I Twitter I YouTube

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