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Call for Papers - HaPoC 2025 - History and Philosophy of Computing - 17-19 December 2025, RWTH Aachen
by Elisabetta Mori 22 Apr '25

22 Apr '25

Submissions are open for the 8th edition of the History and Philosophy of Computing (HaPoC) Conference that will take place on December 17-19 2025 at RWTH Aachen University (Germany) on behalf of the DHST/DLMPST Commission for the History and Philosophy of Computing (HaPoC). Important dates: - Submission deadline: May 25, 2025 - Notification of acceptance/rejection: July 31, 2025 - Conference: December 17-19, 2025 Conference website: https://khk.rwth-aachen.de/event/hapoc-2025-conference HaPoC website (with links to past conferences): https://hapoc.org About the conference: Since 2011, the biennial History and Philosophy of Computing (HaPoC) conference series has contributed to building an interdisciplinary community and environment to address the various facets of computing and computing technology. HaPoC aims to bring together scholars from a broad range of disciplines to discuss the past and present cultures, practices and images of computing. We welcome contributions from researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds, such as history, philosophy, sociology, computer science and software engineering, cultural and media studies, computational sciences, design and art. We invite contributors to share their expertise in respective areas and openly engage in interdisciplinary discussions. Topics include, but are not limited to: - Historical and philosophical dimensions of computing practices - Social and cultural aspects of computing - Computing and the arts - New forms of computing, such as neuromorphic computing - Ethical and legal aspects of computing - Reflecting and historicizing AI We look forward to submissions by scholars from all career stages and aim at diversity of participants in terms of demographics that include gender, career stage/track, geographical location, and institutional affiliation. Submission procedure: Please submit to hapoc2025(a)khk.rwth-aachen.de a 2-page proposal in PDF format containing: - an anonymized abstract (1 page, ca. 700 words) for double-blind review - a max. 1-page statement of your name, affiliation, research focus, academic activities and optionally publications (max. 5). Acceptance notifications will be sent by July 31, 2025. There are no conference fees and travel grants will be offered to early career scholars, further information will follow. We look forward to meeting you at HaPoC-8 in Aachen! Confirmed Keynote Speakers: Robin K. Hill, University of Wyoming, US Alexandre Hocquet, Université de Lorraine, France Confirmed Members of the Program Committee: Arianna Borrelli, TU Berlin and RWTH Aachen, Germany Jianqing Chen, Washington University at Saint Louis, US Jack Copeland, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, NZ Beatrice Fazi, University of Sussex, UK Gabriele Gramelsberger, RWTH Aachen, Germany Thomas Haigh, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, US Andrei Korbut, CAIS Center for Advanced Internet Studies Bochum, Germany Alfred Nordmann, TU Darmstadt, Germany Ben Peters, University of Tulsa, US Mate Szabo, University of Southern California, US Local Organising Committee at RWTH Aachen University: Gabriele Gramelsberger (philosophy of science) Stefan Böschen (sociology of science) Dawid Kasprowicz (philosophy of science) Phillip Roth (science and technology studies) Saskia Nagel (ethics of science) Torsten Voigt (science and technology studies)

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REMINDER: Participate in the "AI for Access" Survey by April 14, 2025
by Jen Litwin 14 Apr '25

14 Apr '25

Hello, This is a reminder to please consider completing the “AI for Access” Survey, which closes on April 14, 2025 <https://berkeley.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6DKVbuk6lFO12tw>. We are looking for (approximately) another 160 completed responses to meet our project’s completion goal. We welcome responses from any archival worker who has not yet completed our survey, regardless of whether or not you currently use artificial intelligence or machine learning. However, to ensure we have collected responses from a variety of different archival workers, we are especially interested in responses from the following: - Younger and early career archival professionals. - Archival workers from the American South and Midwest. - Archival workers from historically underrepresented groups. - Archival workers employed in galleries or museums. - Self-employed archivists as well as community archivists. As always, participating in this study is completely voluntary. Even if you decide to participate now, you may change your mind and stop anytime. Please also feel free to forward this survey to colleagues who may also be interested. In an effort to limit bot responses, we ask you to not post this survey link to social media at this time. I have also copied our original message below, which provides context about this project. Thank you for your time and contribution, especially for those who have already submitted responses! —----------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- AI for Access is a new project funded by the Society of American Archivists Foundation (SAAF) sponsored by the CLIR/DLF Born-Digital Access Working Group (BDAWG) <https://www.diglib.org/groups/bdawg/>. Our research team is investigating how the archival community is using artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) tools to enhance and facilitate access to digital archival materials. As AI technologies evolve and digital collections grow exponentially, understanding their impact and potential in archival settings is more crucial than ever. We invite you to participate in our survey, which aims to gather insights on current and planned AI/ML use in archives, as well as perceptions of these tools. Your input will help shape recommendations for the archival community, contribute to AI-related advocacy efforts, and inform work with the Society of American Archivists (SAA) to refine key AI/ML terminology. We are seeking input from all viewpoints including those who do not currently or are not planning to use AI tools to get a sense of the current state of adoption as well as those excited by the new technology. Survey Link: https://berkeley.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6DKVbuk6lFO12tw Estimated Time to Complete: 20-30 minutes Deadline: April 14, 2025 Your participation is invaluable in helping to demystify AI in archives and advocate for ethics and other considerations around its adoption. -- Jen Litwin

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Final reminder Mahoney Prize nominations due by 15 April
by Janet Toland 13 Apr '25

13 Apr '25

Dear SIGCIS, A final reminder that nominations for the 2025 Mahoney Prize are due by 15th April. Articles published in 2022; 2023 & 2024 are eligible. If you submitted in a previous round and your article is still eligible, please note that you are welcome to resubmit. The Mahoney Prize recognizes an outstanding article in the history of computing and information technology, broadly conceived. The Mahoney Prize commemorates the late Princeton scholar Michael S. Mahoney, whose profound contributions to the history of computing came from his many articles and book chapters. The prize consists of a $500 award and a certificate. For the 2025 prize, articles published in the preceding three years (2022, 2023, and 2024) are eligible for nomination. The Mahoney Prize is awarded by the Special Interest Group in Computers, Information, and Society (SIGCIS). We plan to present the prize at the annual SIGCIS meeting. Please email copies of articles being nominated to the 2025 Prize Committee by April 15, 2025. Self-nominations are welcome, as are nominations from SIGCIS members. Information on previous winning essays may be found on the website: https://www.sigcis.org/mahoneyprize<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.sigcis.org/mahoneyprize__;!!BuQPrrm…> 2025 prize committee information: David Murphy (Chair) Senior Lecturer, Digital, Tech, Innovation & Business Staffordshire University david.murphy(a)staffs.ac.uk<mailto:david.murphy@staffs.ac.uk> Janet Toland Adjunct Professor School of Information Management Victoria University of Wellington janet.toland(a)vuw.ac.nz<mailto:janet.toland@vuw.ac.nz> Luke Stark Assistant Professor Faculty of Information and Media Studies University of Western Ontario cstark23(a)uwo.ca<mailto:cstark23@uwo.ca>

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[So-Hist-Info] Socio-History of Informatics Seminar 04/14/25 - Hardware and software bricolage on the periphery
by FICHEN Mathilde 02 Apr '25

02 Apr '25

Dear Colleagues, This message is to announce the fifth session of our socio-history of informatics seminar<https://sohistinfo.github.io/english/>, which will take place at the Cnam in Paris and online on Monday, April 14, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Paris time), with Jaroslav Švelch<http://svelch.com/> (Charles University, Prague). Kévin Limonier (Université Paris 8) is invited as a discussant. To attend the seminar, please register here.<https://framaforms.org/inscription-seminaire-de-socio-histoire-de-linformat…> The presentation will be in English. Power to the clones: Hardware and software bricolage on the periphery This talk will address the specifics of computing practices (both amateur and professional) in peripheral contexts. Its aim is to lift “clones”, “ports” and other “bastard” hardware and software artifacts from relative obscurity and derision up to the focus of the history of computing. I will approach the topic revisiting the classic concept of bricoleur, introduced by Lévi-Strauss as a counterpoint to engineer. Bricoleur makes do with the resources that are at hand, and that is one of the reasons why hobby computing and homebrew programming have played such important roles in peripheral contexts with limited access to resources and components, such as in the 1980s Soviet bloc. The chapter will use examples from 1980s Czechoslovakia, specifically the local efforts to design and build first mainframes and then microcomputers without using any unavailable Western-manufactured components, or the clones and conversions of Western games for domestic or domestically available hardware. I will argue that clones required considerable ingenuity and effort to make, and that they have made important contributions to the proliferation of computer technology and literacy in regions like Eastern Europe. The talk is based on Švelch’s chapter from the book Abstractions and Embodiments: New Histories of Computing and Society, edited by Janet Abbate and Stephanie Dick. --- The Socio-History of Informatics Seminar is a research seminar organized by the research center of the HT2S laboratory at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris. The goal of this seminar is to explore new narratives in the long-term history of informatics, emphasizing how computing and informatics intertwines with social, economic, political, and cultural issues. Every two months, we invite a researcher in history and/or anthropology and sociology (with a historical or diachronic perspective) of computing and informatics to present their work. Seminar website: https://sohistinfo.github.io/english/ We look forward to seeing you there. Best regards, Mathilde Fichen (PhD candidate, HT2S), Adrien Tournier (PhD candidate, HT2S), and Camille Paloque-Bergès (Researcher, HT2S), on behalf of the seminar organizers. Mathilde Fichen Ph.D Candidate CNAM - HT2S<https://technique-societe.cnam.fr/histoire-des-technosciences-en-societe-ht…> Personal page: mathfichen.github.io<https://mathfichen.github.io/>

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The Hunting of the Babbages
by Brian E Carpenter 02 Apr '25

02 Apr '25

Colleagues, For the past month I have been delving into a box labelled “Babbage” left behind by the late Garry Tee. (The email subject refers to one of the many threads running through the box, i.e., claimed allusions to Babbage and Ada in “The Hunting of the Snark.”) Basically the box is the history of Garry's work on Babbage family and relics in New Zealand and Australia, but his correspondents range from a large number of people called Babbage, through Andrew Booth, Allan Bromley, Donald Davies, Benoit Mandelbrot, Donald Sadler and Dorothy Stein, to extensive communication with Maurice Wilkes. In total there are more than 200 correspondents. I've written up a summary of what I've found, which isn't a finished or publishable piece of work, but I have the family's OK to share it with any Babbage scholars who'd like to know more. The final destination of the archive box is unknown, but I'm anxious that it should not be a recycling bin. Regards Brian E. Carpenter Honorary Professor School of Computer Science The University of Auckland https://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~brian/ brian(a)cs.auckland.ac.nz

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Mahoney Prize Nominations due by April 15th
by Janet Toland 24 Mar '25

24 Mar '25

Dear SIGCIS, A reminder that nominations are now open for the 2025 Mahoney Prize. Articles published in 2022; 2023 & 2024 are eligible. If you submitted in a previous round and your article is still eligible, please note that you are welcome to resubmit. The Mahoney Prize recognizes an outstanding article in the history of computing and information technology, broadly conceived. The Mahoney Prize commemorates the late Princeton scholar Michael S. Mahoney, whose profound contributions to the history of computing came from his many articles and book chapters. The prize consists of a $500 award and a certificate. For the 2025 prize, articles published in the preceding three years (2022, 2023, and 2024) are eligible for nomination. The Mahoney Prize is awarded by the Special Interest Group in Computers, Information, and Society (SIGCIS). We plan to present the prize at the annual SIGCIS meeting. Please email copies of articles being nominated to the 2025 Prize Committee by April 15, 2025. Self-nominations are welcome, as are nominations from SIGCIS members. Information on previous winning essays may be found on the website: https://www.sigcis.org/mahoneyprize<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.sigcis.org/mahoneyprize__;!!BuQPrrm…> 2025 prize committee information: David Murphy (Chair) Senior Lecturer, Digital, Tech, Innovation & Business Staffordshire University david.murphy(a)staffs.ac.uk<mailto:david.murphy@staffs.ac.uk> Janet Toland Adjunct Professor School of Information Management Victoria University of Wellington janet.toland(a)vuw.ac.nz<mailto:janet.toland@vuw.ac.nz> Luke Stark Assistant Professor Faculty of Information and Media Studies University of Western Ontario cstark23(a)uwo.ca<mailto:cstark23@uwo.ca>

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[SHOT] Call for Submissions – Panel on Code Histories
by FICHEN Mathilde 22 Mar '25

22 Mar '25

Dear colleagues, We are organizing a panel on the social history of code creation and programming practices for the SHOT conference<https://www.historyoftechnology.org/annual-meeting/2025-shot-annual-meeting…>, and we invite you to submit proposals. While software history has gained traction, the cultural, social, and technical dimensions of coding remain underexplored. This panel seeks to address this gap, drawing on Critical Code Studies and related fields to examine how source code and programming practices shape and reflect broader historical contexts. The full proposal<https://www.historyoftechnology.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025_shot_ho…> can be found on the conference website. If you are interested, please submit a 150 word abstract as well as name, title, affiliation, and e-mail address before March 23. Please feel free to share this with interested colleagues. Best, Mathilde Organizers: Alexandre Hocquet (Université de Lorraine), Frédéric Wieber (Université de Lorraine), Titaÿna Kauffmann (University of Luxembourg), Mathilde Fichen (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers) Mathilde Fichen Ph.D Candidate CNAM - HT2S<https://technique-societe.cnam.fr/histoire-des-technosciences-en-societe-ht…> Personal page: mathfichen.github.io<https://mathfichen.github.io/>

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Annals 47(1) now available
by Troy Astarte 20 Mar '25

20 Mar '25

Dear colleagues, I am happy to announce the latest issue of IEEE Annals of the History of Computing is now available online. Entitled ‘Communication and Commerce’, it is a regular issue comprising research articles and department pieces on a variety of topics. You can find the issue in the CDSL<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/01> or Xplore<https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jsp?isnumber=10927656&punumber=85>. Please find the table of contents below. [MAHC_47_1_cover.jpg] Research article Netnews: The Origin Story<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/01/10588955/1YpRfZQ8jS0> by Steven M. Bellovin<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Steven%2…> Research article A Compelling Image: The Tower of Babel and the Proliferation of Programming Languages During the 1960s<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/01/10662894/1ZUNFMzPPbO> by David Nofre<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=David&su…> Research article Mechanical Numeracy: Thinking With the Soroban Abacus in Modern Japan<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/01/10689568/20tjcM1lYOc> by Mark Yu-Shan Chen<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Mark%20Y…> Researcha article Presence of IBM Data Processing Equipment in Latin America, 1920s–1980s, and Insights for Historians<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/01/10805091/22KNV9YGmHK> by James W. Cortada<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=James%20…> Department: Anecdotes Big Baggy Shorts: Recovering Data From Canada’s Telidon System<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/01/10927689/2558cwd9Gwg> by John Durno<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=John&sur…>, John Aycock<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=John&sur…>, Alexandra Tenney<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Alexandr…> Department: Think Piece In Defense of Model-Makers: Adding a New Point to the Computer Conservation Continuum<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/01/10927679/2558c3tpz3i> by Guy Fedorkow<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Guy&surn…>, Jochen Viehoff<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=Jochen&s…>, David Woitkowski<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=David&su…> Department: Events And Sightings A Special Year at the Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum<https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/an/2025/01/10927608/2558cmiC7UA> by David Woitkowski<https://www.computer.org/csdl/search/default?type=author&givenName=David&su…> 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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Participate in the "AI for Access" Survey – Help Shape the Future of AI in Archives
by Jen Litwin 20 Mar '25

20 Mar '25

Dear Special Interest Group for Computing, Information, and Society, AI for Access is a new project funded by the Society of American Archivists Foundation (SAAF) sponsored by the CLIR/DLF Born-Digital Access Working Group (BDAWG) <https://www.diglib.org/groups/bdawg/>. Our research team is investigating how the archival community is using artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) tools to enhance and facilitate access to digital archival materials. As AI technologies evolve and digital collections grow exponentially, understanding their impact and potential in archival settings is more crucial than ever. We invite you to participate in our survey, which aims to gather insights on current and planned AI/ML use in archives, as well as perceptions of these tools. Your input will help shape recommendations for the archival community, contribute to AI-related advocacy efforts, and inform work with the Society of American Archivists (SAA) to refine key AI/ML terminology. We are seeking input from all viewpoints including those who do not currently or are not planning to use AI tools to get a sense of the current state of adoption as well as those excited by the new technology. Survey Link: https://berkeley.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6DKVbuk6lFO12tw Estimated Time to Complete: 20-30 minutes Deadline: April 14, 2025 Your participation is invaluable in helping to demystify AI in archives and advocate for ethics and other considerations around its adoption. Please feel free to forward this survey to colleagues who may also be interested. In an effort to limit bot responses, we ask you to not post this survey link to social media at this time. Thank you for your time and contribution! Sincerely, Jen Wachtel Litwin, CA "AI is for Access" Catalyst Grant (SAA) project of the Digital Library Federation Born-Digital Access Working Group

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SHOT and SIGCIS
by Ceruzzi, Paul 17 Mar '25

17 Mar '25

I mentioned earlier that I have moved my thoughts on the history of computing from SIGCIS to Substack. But I have to make an exception, after hearing the president of the United States exclaiming "Everything's computer!" He, perhaps unknowingly, expressed perfectly why SIGCIS, among all the SIGS in SHOT, has grown, while the other SIGS have either remained steady or declined. This, by the way, is also a central theme of Tom Haigh's and my book, the Third Edition of a History of Moden Computing. I know many of you are uncomfortable with anyone even mentioning the President Who Shall Not Be Named. But you gotta admit... Here is my Substack post: https://substack.com/home/post/p-149397209

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