June 2025 - Members - lists.sigcis.org

available now for pre-order: Other Networks / A Radical Technology Sourcebook
by Lori Emerson 21 Nov '25

21 Nov '25

Dear all, At long last, my beloved book, Other Networks:A Radical Technology Sourcebook, is officially available from Anthology Editions for pre-order here<https://shop.mexicansummer.com/merch/495898-lori-emerson-other-networks-a-r…>! Sadly, despite publishing many beautifully designed art books, the publisher won’t be around for much longer which means there are only 1000 copies available of Other Networks. If you think you’d like a copy, consider pre-ordering as soon as you can manage it. With deep gratitude to my editor Mark Iosifescu<https://iosifescu.biz/>, book cover designer Robert Beatty<https://robertbeattyart.com/>, and interior book designer Ella Gold<https://ellagold.com/>, Other Networks catalogs 80+ networks that preceded or existed outside of the internet. It is also an educational project that comes out of my belief that we are all capable both of understanding networks from the past and of building alternative networks for the future; a love letter to experimental art and technology; and a liberatory guide for escaping the corporate present. The design brilliantly both recalls the long history of telecommunications networks (exemplified by late 19th century/early 20th century telegraph and telephone manuals) and rewrites that same history to have a more global perspective and to include more women; Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; and artist experiments with/on these pre-internet networks. Below is the table of contents. I have also posted on my blog excerpts from or expanded versions of entries on microbroadcasting<https://loriemerson.net/2024/09/21/the-history-of-microbroadcasting-and-how…>, barbed wire fence phones<https://loriemerson.net/2024/08/31/a-brief-history-of-barbed-wire-fence-tel…>, and imaginary networks<https://loriemerson.net/2025/01/04/brief-notes-toward-activating-the-potent…>. Sincerely, Lori (Emerson) *** Chronological List of Networks<https://loriemerson.net/2024/03/15/chronological-list-of-networks-in-other-…> Chronological List of Network Experiments<https://loriemerson.net/2024/03/15/chronological-list-of-network-experiment…> Acknowledgements Foreword Introduction Wireless Networks: Sound Networks [1] Drums [2] Whistling Air Networks [3] Fire or Smoke Signals [4] Pneumatic Tubes [5] Skywriting Water Networks [6] Hydraulic Semaphore Optical Networks [7] Flag Signaling [8] Optical Telegraph [9] Infrared Communication [10] Signal Lamp [11] Heliograph [12] Photophone [13] Ultraviolet Communication [14] Laser Communication [15] Visible Light Communication Radio Networks [16] Amateur Radio [16.1] Radiotelegraphy [16.2] Radioteletype [16.3] Amateur Television [16.4] Hellschreiber [16.5] Earth-Moon-Earth Communication [16.6] Amateur Radio Satellite [16.7] Amateur Packet Radio [17] Radio Broadcast [18] Pirate Radio [19] Radiofax [20] Two-Way Radio [21] Pager [22] Meteor Burst Communication [23] Slow Scan Television [24] Project West Ford [25] Pirate Television [26] Packet Radio Network [27] Microbroadcast [28] Software Defined Radio [29] Wi-Fi [30] Bluetooth Microwave Networks [31] Microwave Radio-Relay [32] Communications Satellite Wired Networks: Electrical Wire Networks [33] Electrical telegraph [33.1] Electrical Printing Telegraph [33.2] Image Telegraph [33.3] Fire Alarm Telegraph [33.4] Pantelegraph [33.5] Telephonic Telegraph [34] Telephone [35] Wired Radio [36] Telautograph [37] Telefacsimile [38] Videophone [39] Telex Barbed Wire Networks [40] Barbed Wire Telegraph [41] Fence Phones Hybrid Networks: [42] Library [43] Book [44] Postal System [44.1] Pigeon Post [44.2] Projectile Post [44.3] Balloon Mail [44.4] Pony Express [44.5] Airgraph and V-Mail [44.6] Email Letter [45] Sneakernet [46] Radio Broadcast Network [47] Broadcast Television [48] Cable Television [48.1] NABU [49] Cellular Network [50] Time-Sharing Network [51] Teletext [52] Videotex Imaginary Networks: [53] Necromancy [54] Pasilalinic-Sympathetic Compass [55] Telephonoscope [56] Telepathy [57] Ley Lines [58] Mundaneum [59] World Brain [60] Memex [61] Faster-Than-Light Communication Networks [62] Project Xanadu [63] Metaverse [64] The Clacks [65] Pandoran Neural Network [66] Cosmic Internet -- “I use technology in order to hate it properly.” — Nam June Paik Lori Emerson | KF0LCB | she/her/they/them Associate Professor | Associate Chair Graduate Studies | Director, Media Archaeology Lab Media Studies Department | University Colorado Boulder Traditional territories of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations Other Networks: A Radical Technology Sourcebook<https://shop.mexicansummer.com/merch/495898-lori-emerson-other-networks-a-r…> Mastodon<https://post.lurk.org/@loriemerson> | Bluesky<https://bsky.app/profile/loriemerson.net> | loriemerson.net<http://loriemerson.net/> | mediaarchaeologylab.com<http://mediaarchaeologylab.com/>

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Twentieth Century Computer Product Proposals: A Wealth of Information About Information Technologies and Their Uses
by Brian Randell 26 Jun '25

26 Jun '25

Hi Jim: I’ve just received the latest issues of the Annals, and have read with great interest your excellent article "Twentieth Century Computer Product Proposals: A Wealth of Information About Information Technologies and Their Uses”. You make a very persuasive case regarding the historical value of such Product Proposals. Your admirably succinct Abstract is worth repeating: "This article introduces the contents of information technology (IT) vendor sales proposals and argues that they represent a large body of useful, if hidden, information about computing. It describes IBM’s proposals since the firm dominated the sale of data processing equipment for the bulk of the twentieth century. These documents are a rare form of gray corporate literature that needs to be preserved and understood. The article concludes with several recommendations for next steps.” I do hope your article gets the attention it deserves, and indeed leads to a growth in the location, preservation, accessibility and detailed study of Computer Product Proposals, ideally not just those from IBM. Cheers Brian Randell -- School of Computing, Newcastle University, 1 Science Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5TG EMAIL = Brian.Randell(a)ncl.ac.uk<mailto:Brian.Randell@ncl.ac.uk> PHONE = +44 (0)786 7805578 URL = https://www.ncl.ac.uk/computing/staff/profile/brianrandell.html

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CfA Funding for Research Sabbaticals (Fellowships) and Working Groups
by Esther Laufer 26 Jun '25

26 Jun '25

The Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) funds innovative research on the societal impact of digital transformation. We support individual researchers (fellows) and collaborative projects (working groups). Fellowships: Time and Space for Focus and Inspiration A fellowship at CAIS provides the freedom to dedicate yourself to your research and the opportunity to become part of a vibrant interdisciplinary community. Step away from daily work routines to gain new perspectives and build lasting connections. As a fellow, you can spend either six or three months in Bochum, Germany. During this time, we will cover your sabbatical leave from work through financial compensation (e.g. for a teaching substitute) or provide grants of up to 2.000 € per month. In addition, we will provide a fully furnished apartment free of charge. You can invite guests for collaboration and receive financial support for research expenses. Private offices and meeting rooms with modern facilities offer optimal working conditions. You can apply for our regular open call, or for our special call “Creating a Human-Centered Future: Exploring the Promise of Industry 5.0”. Find out more: https://www.cais-research.de/en/cais-college/fellowships/ Working Groups: Boost Your Research Collaboration A working group at CAIS enables you to assemble your own team of experts from different locations to collaborate in a stimulating environment. We provide modern meeting facilities and catering for groups of up to ten members. In addition, we will cover travel and accommodation expenses. You can spend up to three weeks in Bochum or get together for several shorter meetings. Find out more: https://www.cais-research.de/en/cais-college/working-groups/ Application The next deadline for applications is 31 July 2025. You can currently apply for a fellowship taking place between October 2026 and March 2027, or for working group meetings taking place from March 2026 onwards. Please use the application forms provided on our website. The funding program is open to excellent scholars and practitioners at all career stages and from all disciplines. Both fundamental research and applied projects are welcome. Questions? Please contact esther.laufer(a)cais-research.de mailto:esther.laufer@cais-research.de.

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Annals 47(2) now available
by Troy Astarte 24 Jun '25

24 Jun '25

Dear all, It brings me pleasure to report that the latest issue of IEEE Annals of the History of Computing is now available to read online! It is a regular issue with research articles and anecdotes. Find it on the Computer Society Digital Library<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/02> or IEEE Xplore<https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jsp?isnumber=11030766&punumber=85>. Table of contents with CSDL links below. I hope you find something to enjoy! [man20250200c1.jpeg] Research article Neat Versus Scruffy: How Early AI Researchers Classified Epistemic Cultures of Knowledge Representation<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/02/10817130/231p8C3UACc> by Lindsay Poirier<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Lindsay&…> Research article Operation Voder: AT&T, Bell Labs, and the Labor of Techno-Utopia at the 1939 New York World’s Fair<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/02/10841374/23vhv1NDNSM> by Sara M. B. Simon<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Sara%20M…> Research article Twentieth Century Computer Product Proposals: A Wealth of Information About Information Technologies and Their Uses<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/02/10818743/2382UfTrxfy> by James W. Cortada<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=James%20…> Research article Information Technology Pioneers of Aotearoa New Zealand<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/02/10916724/24TApjttqjS> by Brian E. Carpenter<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Brian%20…>, Sathiamoorthy Manoharan<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Sathiamo…> Department: Reviews Review of Konrad Zuse’s Early Computers: The Quest for the Computer in Germany, by Raúl Rojas<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/02/11030926/27sQExdVmUM> by Paul Ceruzzi<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Paul&sur…> Department: Events and Sightings The Engineering and Technology History Wiki<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/02/11030927/27sQFasPiLK> by Nathan Brewer<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Nathan&s…> Notes From the 2025 ECREA Communication History Workshop: Communication Networks Before and After the Web<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/02/11030925/27sQFMnpyU0> by Deborah Barcella<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Deborah&…>, Petra Mazzoni<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Petra&su…>, Martin Fomasi<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Martin&s…>, Gabriele Balbi<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Gabriele…> Department: Anecdotes ELIZA Reanimated: Restoring the Mother of All Chatbots to One of the World’s First Time-Sharing Systems<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/02/11030922/27sQDLuL7Uc> by Rupert Lane<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Rupert&s…>, Anthony Hay<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Anthony&…>, Arthur Schwarz<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Arthur&s…>, David M. Berry<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=David%20…>, Jeff Shrager<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Jeff&sur…> Best, Dr. Troy Kaighin Astarte (they/them / nhw) I often dictate messages due to motor disability; please forgive any oddities resulting. Lecturer, Computer Science / Darlithydd, Cyfrifiadureg Swansea University / Prifysgol Abertawe Editor-in-Chief / Prif Olygydd, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing For students: my drop in hours are on the Intranet<https://fse-intranet.swan.ac.uk/intranet/staff_officehours?selected_staff_i…> (office CoFo 407) I fyfyrwyr: mae fy oriau swyddfa ar y fewnrwyd. Meeting booking: via Office Booking<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/8e101a47e22e4af793d033901758d0e4…>. Zoom office: https://swanseauniversity.zoom.us/my/t.k.astarte Every email has a cost to the climate. Please think before sending short emails. Mae gan bob e-bost gost i’r hinsawdd. Meddyliwch cyn i chi anfon e-byst byr. Yes, I have switched my default message font. Do you like it?

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expertise on the “state of the internet in about 2004” needed for court case
by Jonathan Coopersmith 24 Jun '25

24 Jun '25

Of possible interest? If so, please contact him directly. Jonathan ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Walsh, John <John.Walsh(a)coloradodefenders.us> Date: Mon, Jun 23, 2025 at 3:04 PM Subject: To: j-coopersmith(a)tamu.edu <j-coopersmith(a)tamu.edu> *This Message is From an External Sender* This message came from outside your organization Dr. Coopersmith, I apologize for reaching out out of the blue, but I’m having a really difficult time finding anyone who might be able to help. My name is John Walsh, and I coordinate the forensic litigation for the Colorado State Public Defender’s Office. In simpler terms, I help people find hard-to-find experts. I’m hoping that’s where you may be able to help. There is a criminal case in Colorado where one of the relevant issues is, for lack of a better term, the “state of the internet in about 2004.” In particular, the issues revolve around a person who potentially met another person on an online message board involving BDSM-like activities. There are lots of questions we’d need answered, for example, how prevalent internet meet-ups were, how such meet-ups would have been organized without things like Tinder, how sophisticated/regulated such things would be, etc. Basically, we’re looking for someone who would be able to inform a jury about the relative state of the internet nearly 20 years ago. I am hoping, based on some of your publicly-available work, that you may have some of this knowledge. In the alternative, I hope you may be able to point me to another person who might. So you know, I can provide any number of details about the case, but suffice it to say whoever testifies would be there to educate the jury only and would not be opining about the guilt or innocence of the accused. Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide, and, again, I do apologize for reaching out in this way. I can be reached most easily at my work email (this one), or also my work cell 720.654.5963. Respectfully, John Walsh (he/him) Director of Forensic Litigation Office of the Colorado State Public Defender

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New Book from CBI Research Fellow Prof. Gerardo Con Díaz --Everyone Breaks These Laws: How Copyright Made the Online World (AND Con was promoted to Full Prof. & became Chair!)
by Jeffrey Yost 22 Jun '25

22 Jun '25

Dear Colleagues, I want to share the tremendous news that CBI Research Fellow (& dear friend & close collaborator) Professor Gerardo Con Díaz has recently been promoted to Full Professor and just became the Chair of Science and Technology Studies at UC, Davis! Additionally, his new book Everyone Breaks These Laws: How Copyright Made the Online World <https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300251265/everyone-breaks-these-laws/> was just published (yesterday!) from Yale University Press. I had the pleasure of reading this fascinating and insightful book earlier this year, and the honor, along with distinguished colleagues Prof. Kevin Driscoll and Prof. Ken Alder, of contributing a blurb! Please join me in congratulating Con!!! Best, Jeff ** * * * * ** *Jeffrey Yost, Ph.D. * *Director, Charles Babbage Institute for Computing, Information & Culture* *Research Professor, University of Minnesota* *Just Code: Power, Inequality and the Political Economy of IT (Johns Hopkins U. Press out in Nov. 2025 co-edited w/ Gerardo Con Diaz) <https://press.jhu.edu/books/title/12804/just-code> * *Making IT Work: A History of the Computer Services Industry (MIT Press) <https://amzn.to/3gqe4R6>* *Studies in Computing and Culture book series, Johns Hopkins U. Press <https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/series/studies-computing-and-culture> *Co-Editor (w/ Con Diaz) *PI, NSF-funded CBI project "Mining a Useable Past: Perspectives, Paradoxes, and Possibilities with Security and Privacy."* *Blockchain & Society* <https://www.blockchainandsociety.com>* (crit. inq. essays & resources)* (Founder/Leader) *Interfaces: Essays and Reviews in Computing and Culture <https://cse.umn.edu/cbi/interfaces> *Co-Editor-in-Chief (w/ Amanda Wick)

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Internet Histories Volume 9, issue 1-2 is now online
by Asger Harlung 19 Jun '25

19 Jun '25

To whom it may concern, The Editorial Staff of Internet Histories is pleased to announce that Internet Histories Volume 9, issue 1-2 is now online. Please notice: The entire issue has free access until the end of July. This is a special double issue: Gender in Internet and Web History Guest Editors: Leopoldina Fortunati, Autumn Edwards & Janet Abbate The full issue may be accessed here: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rint20/9/1-2 A list of the content is included below. If you have an interesting piece on web or Internet history, please submit @InternetHistor http://www.tandfonline.com/rint20, or email Managing Editor Niels Brügger nb(a)cc.au.dk With kind regards on behalf of the editorial team, Asger Harlung, editorial assistant, Internet Histories - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - List of articles in Vol. 9(1-2): Introduction: (re)writing gender in Internet histories Leopoldina Fortunati, Autumn Edwards & Janet Abbate Articles: “She does a good job for a woman” – the challenges for women enablers in the era of internet histories Jane Vincent Becoming Wikipedian women: a sociotechnical history of the Gender Gap Task Force (2013–2023) | Open Access Steve Jankowski Gendering of the “ideal user” in 1990s-era internet magazines Will Mari & Fanny Ramirez The politics of the digital transition: lessons from slash fan fiction communities at the turn of the millennium Anne Kustritz Digital pioneers: Mormon mommy bloggers and building the “Bloggernacle” Emily Lynell Edwards Streaming out of the spiral of silence. Women’s visibility in gaming community and on twitch Roberto Carradore & Tiziana Pirola Network breakdown: the queer anarchist politics at the heart of the ‘net from FidoNet to HOMOCORE Kat Brewster (Un)scaffolding gender: social media and the evolution of nonbinary identity Shell Avenant How have you modelled my gender? Reconstructing the history of gender representation in Wikidata | Open Access Beatrice Melis, Marta Fioravanti, Chiara Paolini & Daniele Metilli Doing LGBTQ internet histories justice: a queer web archive manifesto | Open Access Jesper Verhoef Dwelling with feminist media archives in the age of big data | Open Access Shana MacDonald, Brianna Wiens & Nick Ruest Roundtable: Researching gender in the history of the Internet and the Web. A roundtable at the SHOT 2023 conference Janet Abbate, Cassius Adair, Avery Dame-Griff, Autumn Edwards, Leopoldina Fortunati, Deena Larsen, Laine Nooney & Valérie Schafer

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A teachable moment for ChatGPT?
by Brian E Carpenter 18 Jun '25

18 Jun '25

Hello, I was thinking about LLM hallucinations the other day, and decided to ask ChatGPT about the topic. As you can see at https://cs.auckland.ac.nz/~brian/ChatGPT-Quetelet.pdf, it challenged me to "ask me a tricky question from computing history" (at the middle of page 3) and promptly produced a hallucination as the result. What I found interesting is its response to my correction. It would be even more interesting if somebody else could ask it the same question now, a few days later. In any case, this confirms that historians must be very wary about LLMs. Regards, Brian Carpenter

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RIP Bill Atkinson
by Elizabeth Petrick 17 Jun '25

17 Jun '25

I just read of Bill Atkinson's passing. John Markoff did a nice article on him for the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/07/technology/bill-atkinson-dead.html?unloc… Best, Liz _________________ Elizabeth Petrick Associate Professor Director of Graduate Studies Department of History Rice University

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Historical Conference Proceedings
by Eric Kaltman 12 Jun '25

12 Jun '25

Greetings all, The CS department at UAlberta is moving buildings and clearing out a lot of older texts. I found out rather late and am looking through their discards. I'm wondering if anyone can confirm / affirm that major conference proceedings are generally available? I'm looking at a near complete stack of proceedings (ACM SIGMOD, VLDB, etc.) and it appears that the official scans are missing front matter and such in some cases. Just wanted to get any thoughts on whether I should have any concern about the proceedings or try to keep them somewhere. Best, Eric -- Dr. Eric Kaltman, Assistant Professor Software History Futures and Technologies (SHFT) Group https://www.shft.group Media and Technology Studies / History University of Alberta

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