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Workshop: Paths to “Informatik”: Values, Machines, Sciences 23–25 October 2025 Deutsches Museum, Munich
by Helena Durnová 12 May '25

12 May '25

Dear colleagues, you are coridally invited to the workshop Paths to “Informatik”: Values, Machines, Sciences to be held 23–25 October 2025 at Deutsches Museum, Munich The Research Institute for the History of Science and Technology Seminar room “Forschung 1” Application deadline (title and abstract): 30 June 2025 URL: http://www.deutsches-museum.de/forschung/aktuelles/tagungen/2025/wege-in-di… informatik E-mail: wege-in-die-informatik(a)deutsches-museum.de Organisation: Ulf Hashagen (Deutsches Museum / LMU München) Rudolf Seising (Deutsches Museum / LMU München) Andrea Reichenberger (TU München) Helena Durnová, (Masaryk University, Brno) Call for Papers: The 1950s and 1960s saw the birth of the new discipline “Informatik” in the German- speaking scientific landscape. It emerged as a direct challenge to and in contrast to “Computer Science”, which was evolving simultaneously in the American scientific system. The historical roots of this new scientific discipline can be found in Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Logic, and to a lesser extent also in other disciplines such as Philosophy, Brain Research and Psychology. As is often the case in the early stages of a new discipline, there was a clash of values, which resulted in disputes between representatives of different scientific milieus. These controversies have since been largely forgotten in the sciences as well as in the collective memory of our society due to the great success that “Informatik” (and Computer Science) enjoyed as a new “leading science” in the 20th century. The main objective of the conference is to facilitate critical reflection on these pasts in all their complexity, and to investigate whether disciplinary value competitions and newly emerging value formation processes had an influence on the genesis of “Informatik” in the 1950s and 1960s. Furthermore, the conference aims to ascertain the extent to which these developments were specific to the German-speaking world in comparison to other European countries. By analysing these transformation processes of value systems in the emerging field of “Informatik” as well as their feedback effects on classical scientific disciplines, in particular Mathematics, Physics and Electrical Engineering, we hope to contribute to the questioning and shedding of new light on the scientific self-image and value system of “Informatik” in the 21st century. The conference will trace the different paths that either led to the development of “Informatik” in the 1950s and 1960s or remained in their original disciplines. Methodologically, these approaches can be examined in a biographical context, in terms of institutional history, the history of ideas or analytically, to name just a few examples. The underlying assumption of the conference discussion is that the advent of the “computer” as a new artefact has precipitated profound shifts in the prevailing value systems within the scientific disciplines that have given rise to “Informatik”, namely Mathematics, Physics, Electrical Engineering and Logic. Concurrently, it has also engendered the establishment of a novel disciplinary canon of values within the very subject of “Informatik” itself in the German scientific system, which is largely shaped by Mathematics. Furthermore, the extent to which this development was specific to the German-speaking world and how this was the case in other European countries will be discussed. Finally, the workshop will cover the question of how some of the “Informatiker/Informatikerinnen” (computer scientists) who were active in the 1960s developed historical narratives and interpretations for their own discipline’s history, and also used narratives of digital objects and implemented some of these in museum exhibitions. One theory is that historical artefacts served to define a scientific discipline of “Informatik” that is increasingly operating in a media-digital environment. The main language of the workshop will be German, but contributions in English are also welcome. Discussions, in particular, can be held in either language. A subsidy towards travel and accommodation costs can be granted on application. Please send presentation proposals to: wege-in-die-informatik(a)deutsches-museum.de

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Fwd: article of interest
by Jonathan Coopersmith 06 May '25

06 May '25

Jim, A belated thanks to you and Patryk Babirack for your Chronicle piece on the ROI of a college education -- Arthur Daemmrich and I cited it in our recent piece: “The Road Not (Yet) Taken. Historians As Policy Professionals*,” AHA Perspectives* May 2025, 18-20 https://www.historians.org/perspectives-article/the-road-not-yet-taken/ Stay sane, Jonathan Jonathan Coopersmith Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science Professor Emeritus Department of History Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-4236 979.739.4708 (cell) with Arthur Daemmrich, “The Road Not (Yet) Taken. Historians As Policy Professionals*,” AHA Perspectives* May 2025, 18-20. "'What Were We Thinking?' Space Commercialization, 1960-1990," in Brian C. Odom, ed., *The Rise of the Commercial Space Industry. Early Space Age to Present* (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024). ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Jonathan Coopersmith <j-coopersmith(a)tamu.edu> Date: Sun, May 4, 2025 at 11:43 PM Subject: article of interest To: Michael Geselowitz <m.geselowitz(a)ieee.org> Or at least I hope it's of interest to you. Jonathan Coopersmith and Arthur Daemmrich, “The Road Not (Yet) Taken. Historians As Policy Professionals*,” AHA Perspectives* May 2025, 18-20 https://www.historians.org/perspectives-article/the-road-not-yet-taken/ Stay sane, Jonathan Jonathan Coopersmith Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science Professor Emeritus Department of History Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-4236 979.739.4708 (cell) with Arthur Daemmrich, “The Road Not (Yet) Taken. Historians As Policy Professionals*,” AHA Perspectives* May 2025, 18-20. "'What Were We Thinking?' Space Commercialization, 1960-1990," in Brian C. Odom, ed., *The Rise of the Commercial Space Industry. Early Space Age to Present* (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024).

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History of technology: The Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) suppresses a falsification scandal for years
by herbert.bruderer＠bluewin.ch 05 May '25

05 May '25

Dear colleagues: For years, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung has been trying by all means to cover up an extremely embarrassing, frightening forgery scandal, including threats. This is about the history of technology. The work was financially supported by well-known donors, and well-known university professors contributed as authors. Detailed information can be found on the publication platform Zenodo of CERN (Geneva). Bruderer, H. (2025). The Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) suppresses a falsification scandal for years. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15273691 Bruderer, H. (2025). Die Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) vertuscht seit Jahren einen Fälschungsskandal (Version 2). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15273812 Best wishes, Herbert Bruderer Bruderer Informatik Seehaldenstraße 26 Postfach 47 CH-9401 Rorschach Schweiz/Switzerland Telefon +41 71 855 77 11

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Looking for info on Bell Labs "Special Systems" team
by Cassius Adair 01 May '25

01 May '25

Hi all, I'm looking for any additional information about a team at Bell Labs called "Special Systems Exploratory Development" or sometimes just "Special Systems Development." Team was definitely in operation in the mid-1950s, but maybe lasted into the 1970s. I have a few documents from the *Bell Laboratories Record *that mention it, but I can't work out what its actual scope / mission is, and the archivist at Nokia Bell Labs said they "don't have more to add." Anyone heard of this team, or teams with titles like this from this era? Any clue if this mystery indicates important Cold War secrecy or just boring corporate vagueness? Cheers, Cass Adair -- Cassius Adair Assistant Professor of Media Studies The New School

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SHOT Kranzberg Dissertation Fellowship deadline May 15
by Michelle Spektor 01 May '25

01 May '25

Dear all, I'm sure many on this list are up to date with the SHOT prize deadlines, but I wanted to send out a quick reminder in case you, or any of your students, colleagues, and peers, might be interested in submitting an application for the Kranzberg Fellowship. The fellowship awards 4000 USD annually to a doctoral student preparing a dissertation on the history of technology, broadly defined. The deadline is coming up soon on May 15th. Please see the call copied below and feel free to reach out to me with any questions. Many thanks, Michelle Spektor (2025 Kranzberg Committee) spektor(a)mit.edu ---- Melvin Kranzberg Dissertation Fellowship <https://www.historyoftechnology.org/about-us/awards-prizes-and-grants/the-k…> The deadline for applications is *May 15th, 2025*. The Melvin Kranzberg Dissertation Fellowship is presented annually to a doctoral student engaged in the preparation of a dissertation on the history of technology, broadly defined. This award is in memory of the co-founder of the Society and honors Melvin Kranzberg’s many contributions to developing the history of technology as a field of scholarly endeavor and SHOT as a professional organization. The $4,000 award is unrestricted and may be used in any way that the winner chooses to advance the research and writing of his or her dissertation. Possible uses include underwriting the costs of travel to archival collections; photocopying or microfilming; translation of documents; and so on. The award may not be used for university tuition or fees. Students from institutions of higher learning anywhere in the world who are working on projects in the history of technology are eligible to apply; doctoral candidates from outside the United States are especially encouraged to submit application materials. Applicants must have completed all requirements for their doctorate except for the dissertation by September 1 of the year the award is made. (Students from outside the United States, whose programs of study may follow a different pattern, are encouraged to contact the committee chair to review their standing and discuss their eligibility for the Kranzberg Fellowship.) The Kranzberg Fellowship will be announced annually during the Awards Event at the SHOT Annual Meeting. An application <https://www.historyoftechnology.org/about-us/awards-prizes-and-grants/the-k…> should include the following 1. A curriculum vitae. 2. A 3-5 page (750-1250 word) summary or abstract of the proposed dissertation. In this summary, applicants should describe how their research contributes to the history of technology. 3. A 1-2 page (250-500 word) description of how the applicant intends to use the funds. 4. A letter of recommendation from the student’s dissertation director. This letter should also attest that the student is currently enrolled and in good standing at a recognized university graduate program, and will complete all requirements for the doctorate except the dissertation by 1 September. (It is possible to submit the letter of recommendation separately, see below.) Submission Guidelines - Please submit your application via our online submission form <https://www.historyoftechnology.org/about-us/awards-prizes-and-grants/the-k…> . - If preferred the required letter of recommendation of the dissertation director may also be submitted separately. - Please note that all applications should be in English

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History of Linux hpc/supercomputing
by Koblentz, Evan 29 Apr '25

29 Apr '25

Hi all, It's been about 30 years since supercomputer designers started using Linux and off-the-shelf hardware. Does anyone study the history of that field? -- *Evan Koblentz* - Senior Writer, Office of Communications and Marketing - Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing - Advisor, NJIT Lego Club evank(a)njit.edu <evan.a.koblentz(a)njit.edu> (973) 596-3065 <9735963065> https://web.njit.edu/~evank/

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Introduction to Web Archives and Web Archiving
by Asger Harlung 29 Apr '25

29 Apr '25

To whom it may concern, This book is out: Asger Harlung: Web Archives and Web Archiving - Introduction for Scholars and Students 260 pages CDMM Publications, 2025 The book is meant for scholars and students who need an introduction to the methodology, traits and potentials of archived web, and web archiving. Based to a large extent on experience from PhD courses, this is - to the author's best knowledge - the first book to present the field at a completely introductory level. Since archived web is important for a wide range of contemporary studies it should therefore, hopefully, be helpful to scholars and their students alike. A free PDF edition is available. See more here: https://cc.au.dk/cdmm/cdmm-publications Please feel free to share and repost this news where relevant. Kind regards, Asger Harlung, Author, Digital Methods Consultant, Editorial assistant at Internet Histories

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Looking for a 1986 book review in ABACUS
by Brian E Carpenter 24 Apr '25

24 Apr '25

Dear colleagues, I'm trying to locate the text of book review that appeared in ABACUS. That's the ABACUS magazine about computing, published by Springer-Verlag from 1983, edited by Anthony Ralston at SUNY Buffalo. So far I have been unable to find an archive on line (and any search is confused by the large number of magazines of all sorts called Abacus). Specifically I am looking for a book review: V. R. Huskey and H. D. Huskey, “Dorothy Stein’s revolutionary view of Ada, Countess of Lovelace,” ABACUS, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 46–54, 1986. Does anyone have a clue where I might find this? Regards Brian Carpenter

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AAAS panel
by Jonathan Coopersmith 23 Apr '25

23 Apr '25

Colleagues, Thank you for the prompt responses -- I filled the third position on our "large AI models are cultural and social technologies" and had to reluctantly turn down several eminently qualified and stimulating people. The number of interested historians raises the issue of whether SIGCIS members should team up with computer scientists or other fields for future AAAS session submissions. The May 6 deadline is probably too close for action but think about the possibility for the 2027 AAAS and beyond. For information on what the AAAS seeks in proposals, see https://aaas.confex.com/aaas/2026/symp90/cfp.cgi#submit. Again, my thanks and appreciation to everyone who responded to my request. Stay sane, Jonathan Jonathan Coopersmith Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science Professor Emeritus Department of History Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-4236 979.739.4708 (cell) "'What Were We Thinking?' Space Commercialization, 1960-1990," in Brian C. Odom, ed., *The Rise of the Commercial Space Industry. Early Space Age to Present* (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024). Preserving space archives: https://www.toboldlypreserve.space/

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Looking for a commentator for a AAAS panel on large AI models
by Jonathan Coopersmith 23 Apr '25

23 Apr '25

For the annual meeting <https://aaas.confex.com/aaas/2026/symp90/cfp.cgi#submit> of the American Association for the Advancement of Science at Arizona State University next February, would anyone like to be a commenter in a panel discussing this *Science* paper, "Large AI models are cultural and social technologies" and the issues it raises? As usual, I'm doing this close to the proposal deadline of May 6 so please let me know soon if you are interested. Thank you. Stay sane, Jonathan Jonathan Coopersmith Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science Professor Emeritus Department of History Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-4236 979.739.4708 (cell) "'What Were We Thinking?' Space Commercialization, 1960-1990," in Brian C. Odom, ed., *The Rise of the Commercial Space Industry. Early Space Age to Present* (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024). Preserving space archives: https://www.toboldlypreserve.space/

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