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Siegen workshop "Exploring the Early Digital" Jan 12-14
by Thomas Haigh 02 Jan '17

02 Jan '17

Dear SIGCIS, Those of you in easy reach of NW Germany might be interested in an event we're holding at Siegen University in just under two weeks (Jan 12-14). There's no registration charge. If you need overnight accommodation the Ramada is the best bet. The workshop is primarily intended to lay the framework for a book, working title "Exploring the Early Digital" that will probably be a mix of new chapters (accessible and argument-driven) with reprints/excerpts of some previously published work. We're trying to broaden from "computers" to "the digital" and so engage with some aspects of media studies, engineering practice, etc. Most of the time will be spent discussing early drafts, but we do have public talks by Paul Ceruzzi and William Aspray. I'm also excited by a panel discussion on structuring overview narratives of computing/the digital with Aspray, Ceruzzi, and Martin Cambell-Kelly. Other participants from beyond Siegen include Gerard Alberts, Maarten Bullynck, Edgar Daylight, Liesbeth De Mol, Ron Kline (via Skype), Pierre Mounier Kuhn, David Link, David Nofre, Mark Priestley, Doron Swade, and Ksenia Tatarchenko. The draft program, which I'll be updating as more details are filled in, is at www.socialstudiesof.info/earlydigital <http://www.socialstudiesof.info/earlydigital> . Or, for those who like shorter URLs, socstud.info/earlydigital. Best wishes, Tom

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Information culture in 2017: recommendations for student readings/other lit?
by James Sumner 02 Jan '17

02 Jan '17

Dear SIGCIS Happy New Year, and best wishes for more than usually unsettled times. I'm writing with a request for suggested sources which arises from my annual attempt to update my introductory survey course for undergrads, The Information Age – a task that always leaves me hugely envious of the local early-modern and medieval historians, who can usually get by with rolling the course content forward from one year to the next without any seismic geopolitical events leaving their priorities and interpretations wildly outdated. The Spring 2016 version, for what it's worth, is in the Syllabus Repository at http://www.sigcis.org/files/2015-2016%20HSTM%2020282%20Information%20Age%20… I'm looking both for straightforward, accessible material that can be used directly by a mixed group of STEM (mostly computer science) and humanities (mostly history) students, a few of whom will have little background in any branch of the field, and for more complex literature I could digest for lecture content. Like others – see in particular Lee Vinsel's howl of frustration at https://twitter.com/STS_News/status/807580040116445184 – I'm wondering how best to use the recent rise of public concern about online information and the social cultures formed around it, given that the analytical discourse over the past 25 years has been strongly shaped by optimistic, sometimes utopian techno-determinist accounts, and that the more nuanced and seemingly level-headed accounts that have so far opposed this trend are now starting to look overly optimistic themselves, giving too little agency to the nature of the platforms that dominate info consumption. On a related note, I'm also keen to give more specific coverage to the workings and influence of digital formalisations and automated processing in everyday information culture, particularly bearing in mind the mixture of disciplinary backgrounds of these students. One of my concerns is obviously to wean CS students away from the common IT-solutionist mindset that presents technical answers to social problems and expects them to work in defiance of every single lesson of recorded history – but I see a corresponding problem on the humanities side, in that many students don't have a working familiarity with algorithmic processing, and will routinely size up blind and bulk processes in terms of intentions and individualisations that may not be there. I usually open these areas up for group discussion with questions like the classic "What do you do if your identity doesn't match any of the boxes on the form?", or why supermarkets (at least in the UK) occasionally display posters for special offers that are obviously poorer value than the regular price. I notice that Tarleton Gillespie and Nick Seaver have put together a very detailed reading list of "Critical algorithm studies": https://socialmediacollective.org/reading-lists/critical-algorithm-studies/ and also that there's a new collection titled /Algorithmic Cultures/ edited by Robert Seyfert and Jonathan Roberge, so there are plenty of promising leads in the academic literature – but I'm also looking for good journalism. All recommendations gratefully received! Best James

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'Lives of Data' Workshop, Sarai-CSDS, January 5-7, 2017
by Sandeep Mertia 31 Dec '16

31 Dec '16

The Sarai Programme, CSDS is organising the Lives of Data Workshop on 5th to 7th January, 2017. The workshop examines the historical and emergent conditions of data-driven knowledge production and circulation in India and South Asia. In the context of the Data Revolution, the workshop links emerging research on the history of statistics, new/old technological forms of inscription, digital infrastructures, and governance after Big Data in India and South Asia. The workshop brings together interdisciplinary researchers and practitioners with backgrounds in history of science, anthropology, media and technology studies, software engineering, data science, economics, and policy-making. It is a space to parse lateral connections and mine new ideas to explore the many lives of data, interrogating stable forms and tracking unexpected pathways. The schedule is available on our website - http://sarai.net/lives-of- data-workshop-january-5-7-2017/ Limited seats are available to attend the workshop. To register, please fill up the form available on the above link. We encourage you to use #LivesOfData to Post or Tweet about the workshop. Happy new year! Regards, Sandeep Mertia Research Associate Sarai-CSDS, Delhi

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Finally finished testing the the last SCELBI reproduction PCBs
by Mike Willegal 30 Dec '16

30 Dec '16

SCELBI produced 16 different printed circuit boards during the short time that they were selling computer hardware. I have finally finished producing working reproductions of all of their hardware products. I started to get serious about reproduction SCELBI boards back in early 2011, so this project has taken close to 6 years, and I’m still working on some aspects of the software. The final boards to be reproduced were the SCELBI oscilloscope boards which I have just finished testing. The hardware for this interface alone took me almost year to reproduce and test. The only original oscilloscope interface that I'm aware of, is in storage at the CHM. Note that there are NO operating original SCELBI oscilloscope interfaces known to exist. This made building a reproduction even harder than normal, since I could only work work off of schematics, a couple of photographs of the sole remaining original unit and a few references in literature to the interface. Existing original documentation is extremely fragmentary, consisting of the schematics, component placement diagrams, a few notes in marketing literature, some references in the SCELBI integrated development environment (MEA) and the software that interfaced to the drivers. Copies of the original drivers have not been found. Though I have tested the unit with software that I wrote, I'm currently working on creating new drivers using the fragmentary information that is available. Though writing working software for this interface isn’t rocket science, writing software that will work with SCELBI’s integrated development environment (MEA) is proving to be quite a challenge. I hope to visit at least a couple of vintage computer festivals and perhaps a maker faire in order to demonstrate these reproductions in action. Note that I now have reproduction PCBs for all the SCELBI hardware products available for sale. Check out my blog for more information. Mike's Hobby Blog <http://www.willegal.net/blog/ <http://www.willegal.net/blog/>> best regards and happy new year, Mike Willegal

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New CACM piece - Turing, Tutte and Flowers
by Thomas Haigh 22 Dec '16

22 Dec '16

Hello SIGCIS, My holiday gift to the world was just published online in CACM (out in the Jan edition on paper): http://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2017/1/211102-colossal-genius/fulltext. It's one of the articles chosen for open access so you don't need a subscription. In "Colossal Genius: Tutte, Flowers, and a Bad Imitation of Turing" I trash The Imitation Game and its treatment of Bletchley Park, which is neither a controversial thing to do nor particularly timely, but hopefully sets up a contrast with discussion of some aspects of the actual history. Then look at another side of Bletchley Park history: the work on the "Tunny" teleprinter code, starting with Bill Tutte's work to figure the thing out and then the contributions by Flowers and others to mechanize aspects of codebreaking. I make a careful but probably doomed attempt to explain without any equations how and why Tutte's attack worked, the job that Colossus was designed for, and how the different parts of the codebreaking process fitted together. As in my work on ENIAC there's a nod to labor issues and an examination of what kinds of work are celebrated and what kinds forgotten. I recommend reading the PDF version, as the web one hides at the very bottom two diagrams that help to make the encryption discussion more comprehensible. This is the first publication from my project with Mark Priestley on Colossus. The focus here is on codebreaking rather than Colossus itself, though I do share the perhaps controversial judgment that Colossus was neither a computer nor programmable. There will be a lot more detail on this side of things - we have in draft from a lengthy technical report on the Colossus family machines and their configuration methods and capabilities. Also two draft journal articles. The idea is not to dismiss Colossus as unimportant, but to better understand it as a digital communications and bitstream processing device rather than shoehorning it into the ill-fitting category of "computer." Festive greetings to you all, Tom

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CBI Tomash and Norberg fellowships (deadline 15 Jan. 2017)
by Thomas J. Misa 20 Dec '16

20 Dec '16

Hello all, Just a friendly reminder of the annual CBI fellowship/travel award deadline, coming up 15 January 2017. This is for both the CBI Tomash fellowship and the Arthur Norberg travel grants: Tomash Fellowship <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/research/tfellowship.html> Norberg Travel Grants <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/research/ntravelfund.html> (past recipients <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/research/ntfrecipients.html>) Best regards, Tom Misa =====================

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FW: [Sighfis-l] History of Information conference, Philadelphia, Feb 23-25, 2016
by Thomas Haigh 19 Dec '16

19 Dec '16

The event below looks interesting, particularly for those in the mid-Atlantic area. Information history in the information science sense rather than the information technology sense, but a nice mix of prominent historians with information school people. Scientific information, libraries, and intellectual property. Nothing on information in business though. Tom From: Sighfis-l [mailto:sighfis-l-bounces@asis.org] On Behalf Of Michael Buckland Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2016 4:20 PM To: sighfis-l(a)asis.org Subject: [Sighfis-l] History of Information conference, Philadelphia, Feb 23-25, 2016 In partnership with the Beckman Center for the History of Chemistry at the Chemical Heritage Foundation, the University of Pennsylvania Libraries announces: The Science of Information, 1870-1945: The Universalization of Knowledge in a Utopian Age February 23-25, 2017. Registration is free and open to the public. http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/lectures/science_of_information.html Michael Buckland -- Michael Buckland Emeritus Professor, School of Information, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-4600 http://people.ischool.berkeley.edu/~buckland/

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Charlie Bachman sends his greetings
by Ceruzzi, Paul 16 Dec '16

16 Dec '16

I received this holiday card from Charles Bachmann & thought I could share it. He received the National Medal of Technology from the President in 2012, and just turned 92 this week. As you can see from the card, he is in fine spirits. He has always been a supporter of the history of computing. Don't know if the Listserv software allows the image, but if so, you might enjoy the card. Paul E. Ceruzzi [cid:image003.jpg@01D2577C.91941D10]

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CFP: SIGCIS@CHM: Command Lines: Software, Power and Performance: Deadline December 30th, 2016
by David C. Brock 13 Dec '16

13 Dec '16

Friends and Colleagues: Could you spread the word as you can of the impending deadline for the first meeting of SIGCIS outside of the SHOT annual meeting? The deadline is 12/30/16. The meeting is: Command Lines Software, Power and Performance March 18-19, 2017 Computer History Museum Mountain View, CA Call for Papers Deadline: Dec 30 <http://meetings.sigcis.org/call-for-papers.html> What is Command Lines? Command Lines: Software, Power, and Performance is a meeting that will draw together scholars from a variety of fields that study software. These fields include: the history of computing; science and technology studies; software studies; code studies; game studies; media studies; the study of women, gender and sexuality; studies of race, ethnicity and postcoloniality; network and internet histories; and computer science and engineering. Command Lines is collaboratively organized by SIGCIS <http://www.sigcis.org/>(Special Interest Group for Computing, Information and Society) and the Computer History Museum <http://www.computerhistory.org/softwarehistory>. The meeting will explore how software relates to social and technical constructs of power and performance. Attendees will discuss why connections between the creation and use of software are integral to understanding social and technical power in multiple senses. The call for papers is: Purpose and Theme The purpose of the meeting, Command Lines: Software, Power, and Performance, is to draw together scholars from a variety of fields that study software: the history of computing; science and technology studies; software studies; code studies; game studies; media studies; the study of women, gender and sexuality; studies of race, ethnicity and postcoloniality; network and internet histories; and computer science and engineering. The meeting hopes to explore the connections between the creation and use of software and “power” in multiple senses, and the connection between software and conceptions of technical and cultural “performance.” The SIGCIS organizing committee now seeks proposals for short papers (15-20 min.) to present new work at the conference. We welcome work that hinges on, links to, or reacts against the themes of the meeting. We also welcome submissions that may not connect specifically with the themes but have bearing on the larger project of SIGCIS--the study of computing and sociotechnical change. We especially encourage submissions from graduate students and early career scholars. Deadlines and Submission Protocol Proposals for papers are due by December 30th, 2016. Decisions will be made by January 16th, 2017. Proposals should include: a one-page abstract (maximum 400 words) addressing the paper's topic, approach, sources, and relationship to existing literatures a one-page CV Please email your proposal to SIGCIS organizing committee by midnight (Pacific time) on December 30th to Conference Assistant kera.allen(a)gatech.edu <file:///C:/Users/Laine/Desktop/Dropbox/Academia%20Otherwise/Pencil%20Pushing/CommandLines/kera.allen@gatech.edu>. Financial Support SIGCIS and the Museum will be able to provide partial financial support to graduate students to present at the meeting. Please note in your proposal if you would like to be considered for a travel award. Location and Logistics The meeting events will be held at CHM at 1401 North Shoreline Boulevard, Mountain View, CA 94043. During the event, attendees will have access to CHM’s most recent major exhibit on software and its implications, Make Software: Change the World! There will be no official meeting hotel or transportation. The meeting has a $40 registration fee, waived for graduate and undergraduate students as well as independent scholars. Presenters and attendees may register here <https://www.eventbrite.com/e/command-lines-software-power-and-performance-t…>. We encourage early registration, as attendance will be limited. And the website for the meeting is http://meetings.sigcis.org/ <http://meetings.sigcis.org/> Thanks in advance for your kind help. Best wishes, David ++++++++++++++ David C. Brock dcb(a)dcbrock.net Director Center for Software History Computer History Museum www.computerhistory.org 40 Russell Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 Mobile: 413-522-3578 Skype: dcbrock Twitter: @dcbrock

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Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Email Book
by Taylor-Smith, Ella 13 Dec '16

13 Dec '16

Hi Esther Steven Clift's work using email lists in the context of eDemocracy is worth looking at and well-documented http://stevenclift.com/ The email groups (local issues forums) are known as democracies online http://forums.e-democracy.org/projects/know/dowire/ And here's a useful paper on the early email incarnation Dahlberg, L. (2001). Extending the Public Sphere through Cyberspace: The Case of Minnesota E-Democracy. First Monday. 6 (3). http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/838/747 I hope this seems relevant to you -it's quite important in the history of democracy and eParticipation. -Ella Dr Ella Taylor-Smith School of Computing Edinburgh Napier University 10 Colinton Road Edinburgh, EH10 5DT Email: e.taylor-smith(a)napier.ac.uk http://www.iidi.napier.ac.uk/e.taylor-smith http://about.me/EllaTaylorSmith @EllaTasm This message and its attachment(s) are intended for the addressee(s) only and should not be read, copied, disclosed, forwarded or relied upon by any person other than the intended addressee(s) without the permission of the sender. If you are not the intended addressee you must not take any action based on this message and its attachment(s) nor must you copy or show them to anyone. Please respond to the sender and ensure that this message and its attachment(s) are deleted. It is your responsibility to ensure that this message and its attachment(s) are scanned for viruses or other defects. Edinburgh Napier University does not accept liability for any loss or damage which may result from this message or its attachment(s), or for errors or omissions arising after it was sent. Email is not a secure medium. Emails entering Edinburgh Napier University's system are subject to routine monitoring and filtering by Edinburgh Napier University. Edinburgh Napier University is a registered Scottish charity. Registration number SC018373

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