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James Pelkey's History of Computer Communications, 1968-1988
by Andrew Russell 07 Jan '14

07 Jan '14

Colleagues - I invite you to take a look at Jim Pelkey's website/book, "Entrepreneurial Capitalism and Innovation: A History of Computer Communications, 1968-1988," available from http://www.historyofcomputercommunications.info/. Many chapters of this book have been online for a few years, but the final chapter is now posted and the narrative of the book is complete. In my view, there are a few aspects of Pelkey's work that set it apart from other accounts of computer communications and networking in these crucial decades. First, and most striking, Pelkey's narrative stops in 1988 - a time when the future of internetworking was far from settled. Because his account does not end with the explosion of the Internet, the dot-com boom in the 1990s, etc., it invites readers to ponder "what if" questions and to think more deeply about why the Internet emerged victorious from its competition with OSI. Second, the book's sources and units of analysis are different from existing accounts of computer networking (including my own work). As an investor in the 1980s, Pelkey was able to interview many protagonists of computer communications, collect market research, and focus on these events from a market perspective to explain what companies were making networking and internetworking equipment, what their customers wanted to do with it, and why there was so much churn in the industry. Readers can explore Pelkey's material through various market sectors (http://www.historyofcomputercommunications.info/MarketSectors/ExploreByMark…) or through different types of organizations (http://www.historyofcomputercommunications.info/Organizations/Organizations…) Third, the book honors the non-linear, hypertext spirit of the web. As Pelkey writes in his introduction, "To recreate a sense of the uncertainty each person or organization faced, as well as to give the reader the freedom to explore the history as fit one’s interest, the reconstruction assumed the form of a series of overlapping hypertext blocks organized within time. While this format provides a rich context for reader exploration, it does not lend itself to being published as a traditional book. Thus this website. I invite you to explore and come to your own conclusions as to what happened and why." There is much more to be said about this impressive body of research and writing - not to mention the historical events that it documents! - but I'll stop here. The 80 interviews that Pelkey conducted, most of them in 1988, are now at the Computer History Museum. So far there are transcripts of 10 interviews available on the website (including interviews with Licklider, Donald Davies, Bernard Strassberg, and Bob Metcalfe); it is my understanding that more transcripts will be available soon. The CHM (through Marc Weber, curator of its Internet History Program) has agreed to maintain the book permanently from the "Special Projects" menu at its website, http://www.computerhistory.org/explore/. For now, you can access it directly from http://www.historyofcomputercommunications.info/. Enjoy, and I am sure that Jim would be very happy to read your comments - his email appears above in the cc line. Cheers, Andy

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Fwd: 25-years-internet-netherlands
by Bernardo Batiz-Lazo 07 Jan '14

07 Jan '14

This might be of interest > http://waag.org/en/news/25-years-internet-netherlands > best wishes Bernardo (Bangor University, Wales)

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Lecture: The Martian's Daughter (Marina von Neumann) Whitman
by Dag Spicer 01 Jan '14

01 Jan '14

Dear SIGCIS Friends, Happy New Year! CHM has a recent lecture of potential interest to SIGCIS members: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzHBOJYeOWI It is based around the new book by Marina von Neumann Whitman, The Martian’s Daughter: A Memoir. "How did a young Hungarian immigrant and his daughter both become leading advisors to Presidents of the United States? This richly detailed book not only illuminates Marina von Neumann Whitman's ground-breaking life, but sheds long-awaited new light on her father, bringing us as close as we may ever get to the autobiography that John von Neumann never had the chance to write." —George Dyson, author of Darwin Among the Machines, Project Orion, and Turing's Cathedral One of the five Hungarian scientific geniuses dubbed "the Martians" by their colleagues, John von Neumann is often hailed as the greatest mathematician of the twentieth century and even as the greatest scientist after Einstein. He was a key figure in the Manhattan Project; the inventor of game theory; the pioneer developer of the modern stored-program electronic computer; and an adviser to the top echelons of the American military establishment. In The Martian's Daughter, Marina von Neumann Whitman reveals intimate details about the famed scientist and explores how the cosmopolitan environment in which she was immersed, the demanding expectations of her parents, and her own struggles to emerge from the shadow of a larger-than-life parent shaped her life and work. Join Museum CEO John Hollar as he moderates a conversation with Whitman about her life with her father and her remarkable rise to become the first or highest-ranking woman in a variety of areas he unfortunately did not live to see. Have a great 2014! -- 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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Fellowship opportunity at Manchester
by M. Hicks 26 Dec '13

26 Dec '13

Passed along from James Sumner--deadline soon. See below. 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 > > > Cheers > James > > +++++ > > SIGCIS list members may be interested in this opportunity for a three-year research fellowship, given that the Library Special Collections referred to now include the UK National Archive for the History of Computing holdings (details at http://www.chstm.manchester.ac.uk/research/nahc/contents/) > > I'm not involved with managing this call or with the selection process, but would be happy to advise if anyone has questions about the Archive. > > Please note the imminent deadline of Monday 13 January for preliminary applications. > > All best > James > > LEVERHULME EARLY CAREER FELLOWSHIPS > > THE SCHOOL OF ARTS, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES > > UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER > > > > The John Rylands Research Institute is pleased to announce that it intends to sponsor two Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships beginning in 2014. Potential applicants are invited to submit preliminary applications by Monday 13 January 2014. Projects must demonstrate a strong connection to the University of Manchester Library’s Special Collections (see below). Interested candidates should contact the John Rylands Research Institute administrator, Silke Schaeper (silke.schaeper(a)manchester.ac.uk) as soon as possible. The Institute’s director, Professor Peter E. Pormann, and grant writer, Dr Stevie Spiegl, as well as the curatorial staff of the Library may assist the candidate in formulating a viable research proposal that is based on a detailed study of items in the Special Collections. > > > > Preliminary applications must be submitted to the SALC Research Support Manager via email (jonathan.starbrook(a)manchester.ac.uk) as a single PDF file. > > > > We require (i) a one-page CV, and (ii) details of the proposal, including: > > > > Project title > > > > 100-word abstract. > > > > Brief statement explaining how the project links to the Library’s Special Collections. > > > > Project description (max. 2 sides of A4). > > > > To quote the Leverhulme guidelines about the project description: > > > > “This should include aims, objectives, methodology and outcome (e.g. publication plans). It should enable the Committee and your referees to form an estimate of the scope and importance of your proposal. The methodology should be clear and explicit, comprehensible to a non-expert. Include any bibliographic references in full, including page numbers where relevant. This statement and the bibliographic references may not exceed two sides of A4. Please add your name at the top of the first page.” > > > > The John Rylands Research Institute aims to uncover, explore, unravel and reveal hidden ideas and knowledge contained within our world-leading Special Collections. We are creating an international community of scholars and researchers across many disciplines, to support research and to bring this information to the wider public in exciting and innovative ways. > > > > Our Special Collections have huge research potential across a wide range of disciplines. Manuscripts span 4,000 years and over fifty languages, from Gilgamesh to Gaskell. There are hundreds of archives, with particular strengths in modern literature, nonconformity, and British economic, social and political history. Rare books range from the peaks of European printing, such as Gutenberg and Caxton, and one of the world’s great collections of early Italian printing, to examples of street literature and counter-cultures. There are also collections of art and visual culture, including tens of thousands of photographs which date from the inception of photography to contemporary photographic books. In addition, we hold the largest collections of maps in the North West which offer an extensive range of topographic and thematic mapping for the UK, as well as wide-ranging coverage for the rest of the world. > > > > More information about the Special Collections and the John Rylands Research Institute can be found here: http://www.library.manchester.ac.uk/jrri/. > > > > Note: The John Rylands Research Institute will sponsor up to a maximum of two applications. > >

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FW: Call for Papers, Joint Meeting of ESOCITE and 4S, Buenos Aires, August 20 – 23, 2014
by Thomas Haigh 22 Dec '13

22 Dec '13

The 2014 4S CFP below may well be of interest to the SIGCIS community. In the past I organized a number of SIGCIS panels for 4S meetings. I will probably not be able to attend this time, but anyone interested in organizing a panel on some aspect of IT history should feel free to use this list to find like-minded participants. 4S tends to get bigger and bigger every year, which may be connected to its traditional practice of accepting more or less everything. It’s a fun, lively, sometimes chaotic gathering. The good news is that this year there are no scheduling problems involved with attending both 4S and SHOT. Best wishes, Tom From: webmaster(a)4sonline.org [mailto:webmaster@4sonline.org] Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2013 3:39 PM To: thaigh(a)computer.org Subject: Call for Papers, Joint Meeting of ESOCITE and 4S, Buenos Aires, August 20 – 23, 2014 English <> Español <> Portugués <> Joint Meeting Sociedad Latinoamericana de Estudios Sociales de la Ciencia y la Tecnología (ESOCITE) and Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) August 20 – 23, 2014 | Buenos Aires, Argentina Intercontinental Hotel Call for Submissions March 3, 2014: Deadline for Submissions of Individual Papers, Movies, and Session Proposals The 2014 ESOCITE/4S joint conference will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The general theme of the conference is “Science in context(s): Souths and Norths”, which refers to the opportunity for STS scholars to meet colleagues (and research traditions) from other parts of the world, giving rise to new dialogues and exchanges. Individual abstracts and proposals for sessions should emphasize how they will make original and timely contributions to any theme relevant to science and technology studies (STS). The Joint Meeting welcomes papers, session proposals, and events that are innovative in their delivery, organization, range of topics, and type of public, and which bring new resources to the STS community to explore these new relations and themes. Apart from traditional research papers, the Joint Meeting conference also welcomes proposals for sessions and papers using ‘new media’ or other forms of new presentation. This year, we plan to hold special sessions in which presentations are in the form of a movie or video. Movie and video submissions should be related to STS. At this stage, a brief description of the movie/video (up to 250 words) and length will suffice. Due to the ever-increasing number of submissions and the desire to be as inclusive as possible, each participant will be limited to only one paper presentation or movie and one other activity (such as session chair or discussant but not a second paper) for a maximum of two appearances. Individual submission abstracts should be up to 250 words. They should include the main arguments, methodology, and their contribution to the STS literature. Paper titles should not exceed 10 words. Please list five key words to assist the program chair to group individual papers into a session. You may choose to submit your abstract to an open panel where you would prefer your paper to be included, or you can leave panel selection to the program chairs. The call for open panels was issued on November 3rd and received enthusiastic responses from both the ESOCITE and 4S communities (around 100 panels have been accepted). View the full descriptions at http://www.4sonline.org/open_sessions. Session proposal abstracts should have a maximum of 250 words. Each session proposal should contain a summary and rationale, including a brief discussion of its contribution to STS. Session proposals should be designed to fit two-hour time slots. A typical session will contain six papers or five papers with a discussant. A minimum of three paper abstracts conforming to the above criteria for abstracts must be submitted for a proposed session. The program chairs may assign additional papers to proposed sessions to meet the typical session composition. Each presenter in the session must have a user account in the submission system that includes name, affiliation, and contact information. Session organizers can create user accounts on behalf of their authors, if necessary. Submission Process Submit paper/movie abstracts and session proposals now at http://convention2.allacademic.com/one/ssss/4s14/. Please note, the submission site uses a separate database from the 4S membership/registration systems. All presenters, including those included in session proposals, must have a user accounts with the submission system. Submitters can create accounts on behalf of their co-authors and session participants, if necessary. Anyone who has participated in a 4S meeting in the last six years should already have a user account. Please avoid creating duplicate accounts. Important Dates * December 18, 2013: Submission opens for individual papers, session proposals and movies/videos. * March 3, 2014: Deadline for submissions of individual papers, session proposals, and movies/videos. * April 1, 2014: Acceptance notification. * April 1 – May 1, 2014: Early registration. * May 12, 2014: Preliminary program posted. * July 1, 2014: All presenters must register to be included in the final program. For papers with more than one author, one presenter must register to be included in the final program. * July 21, 2014: Final program posted. Contact Info For information on conference and program practices, contact the Program Chairs, Pablo Kreimer and Leandro Rodriguez Medina < jointmeeting2014(a)yahoo.com> For technical assistance with the submission or registration process, contact the 4S Webmaster <mailto:webmaster@4sonline.org> . More information in Portuguese, Spanish and English can be found on the Joint Meeting home page: http://4sonline.org/meeting <https://webmail.unm.edu/Redirect/4sonline.org/meeting> Thi

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Computer Age in Hong Kong
by Bernardo Batiz-Lazo 22 Dec '13

22 Dec '13

Here is a book that could be of interest to some as the author was an IBM engineer for long time and was intimately involved in the computerisation of HSBC (thanks to Andrew Smith - University of Liverpool - for the heads up): O, Anthony (2013) “The Computer Age in Hong Kong”, Hong Kong: The Commercial Press You can order it directly from the Comercial Press (not the most friendly website but ultimately produces the goods): http://www.cp1897.com.hk/product_info.php?BookId=9789620728082&cl=english or through this book shop (which was recommended by a local): http://www.dymocks.com.hk/ Season’s greetings Bernardo (Bangor University - Wales)

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New blog and lecture on the Homebrew Computer Club
by Dag Spicer 17 Dec '13

17 Dec '13

Dear SIGCIS Friends, CHM is proud to announce a new blog today by CHM board chairman Len Shustek on the origins and impact of the Homebrew Computer Club. See: http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm/the-homebrew-computer-club-2013-reunio… The blog also contains an entertaining and insightful 1.5 hour video of the Homebrew Computer Club reunion held at the Computer History Museum on November 11, 2013, and featuring Len Shustek, Lee Felsenstein, Ted Nelson, Steve Wozniak, Bob Marsh and others. This video has many fascinating behind-the-scenes observations about this transformative period in computer history that won’t be found in any written document. Enjoy! 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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SIAM Oral Histories collection now at CHM!
by Dag Spicer 17 Dec '13

17 Dec '13

Dear SIGCIS Friends, I’m delighted to report that by special arrangement a unique series of high-quality interviews of applied mathematicians and computer science pioneers now have a permanent home at the Computer History Museum. These were conducted by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), which, if you haven’t heard of them before, have, since 1951, been a clearinghouse (via conferences, journals and publications) for technical information on computing, mathematics and the applications thereof. As they say in their mission statement: “Applied mathematics, in partnership with computational science, is essential in solving many real-world problems. Our mission is to build cooperation between mathematics and the worlds of science and technology through our publications, research, and community.” SIAM also likes to point out that it’s acronym can also mean: "Science and Industry Advance with Mathematics”. The 36 interviews are available at this permanent URL: http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102746778 Series Description: The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) oral histories collection contains thirty-six transcripts of applied mathematics and computer science pioneers conducted by SIAM as part of grant number DE-FG02-01ER25547, awarded by the US Department of Energy. These oral histories cover the modern history of numerical analysis and scientific computing, dealing specifically with topics of numerical linear algebra, numerical methods for differential and integral equations, methods of approximation of functions, mathematical software packages, and the impact of these developments on science and technology. And, there’s a special SIGCIS connection: Our very own Tom Haigh conducted 20 of the interviews and they are excellent! 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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2014-2015 Lemelson Center Fellowships - final call for applications
by Thomas Haigh 13 Dec '13

13 Dec '13

Eric S. Hintz at the Lemelson Center has requested that this be forwarded to the list. There are many collections relevant to the history of IT at NMAH. Tom ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- The Lemelson Center Fellowship Program and Travel to Collections Award Program support projects that present creative approaches to the study of invention and innovation in American society. These include, but are not limited to, historical research and documentation projects resulting in publications, exhibitions, educational initiatives, documentary films, or other multimedia products. The programs provide access to the expertise of the Institution's research staff and the vast invention and technology collections of the National Museum of American History (NMAH). The NMAH Archives Center documents both individuals and firms across a range of time periods and subject areas. Representative collections include the Western Union Telegraph Company Records, ca. 1840-1994 and the Earl S. Tupper Papers, documenting Tupper, and his invention, Tupperware. In addition, the NMAH Library offers long runs of historical technology serials like Scientific American and American Machinist, and the American Trade Literature collection, which includes 300,000 catalogs, technical manuals, and advertising brochures for some 30,000 firms, primarily from 1880-1945. For a comprehensive catalog of objects, manuscripts, images and research materials available at the NMAH (and other Smithsonian units), see http://www.collections.si.edu/. The Lemelson Center invites applications covering a broad spectrum of research topics that resonate with its mission to foster a greater understanding of invention and innovation, broadly defined. However, the Center especially encourages project proposals that will illuminate the role of women inventors; inventors with disabilities; inventors from diverse backgrounds; or any inventions and technologies associated with groups that are traditionally under-represented in the historical record. Pertinent NMAH collections include the papers of Victor L. Ochoa, a Mexican-American aeronautical inventor; the papers of Dr. Patricia Bath, an African-American inventor of a patented cataracts treatment; the Safko International papers, documenting assistive technologies built for the physically disabled; and the HIV/AIDS and LGBT Reference Collections, which document innovative public health programs and associated technologies. The Lemelson Center Fellowship Program annually awards 2 to 3 fellowships to pre-doctoral graduate students, post-doctoral scholars, and other professionals who have completed advanced training. Fellows are expected to reside in the Washington, D.C. area, to participate in the Center's activities, and to make a presentation of their work to colleagues at the museum. Fellowship tenure is based upon the applicants' stated needs (and available funding) up to a maximum of ten weeks. Stipends for 2014-2015 will be $575/week for pre-doctoral fellows and $870/week for post-doctoral and professional fellows. Applications are due 15 January 2014. For application procedures and additional information, see http://invention.smithsonian.org/ resources/research_fellowships.aspx <http://invention.smithsonian.org/%20resources/research_fellowships.aspx> . Researchers are encouraged to consult with the fellowship coordinator before submitting a proposal - contact historian Eric S. Hintz, Ph.D. at +1 202-633-3734 or hintze(a)si.edu. The Lemelson Center Travel to Collections Award Program annually awards 2 to 3 short-term travel grants to encourage the use of its invention-related collections. Awards are $150 per day for a maximum of 10 business days and may be used to cover transportation, living, and reproduction expenses; they are intended only for applicants who reside or attend school beyond commuting distance of the NMAH. Applications are due 15 January 2014. See http://invention.smithsonian.org/resources/research_travel.aspx for application procedures and additional information. Researchers are encouraged to consult with the travel award coordinator before submitting a proposal - contact archivist Alison Oswald at +1 202-633-3726 or oswalda(a)si.edu. ====================== Eric S. Hintz, Ph.D. Historian, Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution MRC 604, P. O. Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 PHONE: 202-633-3734 FAX: 202-633-4593 hintze(a)si.edu http://invention.smithsonian.org <http://invention.smithsonian.org/>

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HP programmable calculators: economy of programmed cards?
by Michael McGovern 09 Dec '13

09 Dec '13

Hello all, I am an MPhil student at Cambridge in the HPS department working on our science museum’s calculator collection (the Francis Hookham Collection of Handheld Calculators) for a short essay. In working through the collection of calculators and associated ephemera, I have become very interested in HP’s programmable calculators, particularly the HP-65 and subsequent developments in which programs could be written stored on magnetic cards, sent to and ordered from a user library, and also purchased in packages from HP. Given the recent de-emphasis on computation as calculation, this is a fascinating instance in which calculation itself helped create a form of social organization; calculators were not about simply crunching numbers but sharing and writing programs. I was wondering if anyone on this list a) used these calculators and their magnetic cards or b) know of anyone who might be willing to discuss with me. I am trying to answer the following questions about the magnetic cards and these calculators: 1) How common were they to have? HPs were notoriously expensive and their being programmed in RPN may have led certain groups to turn to other companies like TI. I don’t know how much discussing RPN would figure into this account but I am interested in programming language entrenchment/preferences as well. 2) What was the incentive to enter programs into the HP user library? Was it financial? Did people code programs on spare cards and send them to each other? Was it enough to buy the various packs that HP marketed (Statistics, Flight, Medicine, etc.) or was this seen as facile/not trustworthy? 3) If you yourself worked with these HP calculators with magnetic card readers in the ‘70s and ‘80s, where were you working and to what extent was it desirable to shop for programs rather than simply writing them yourself? I am interested in how different calculators were used infrastructurally but also understand that it was often a source of personal satisfaction and intrigue, as can be seen in the case of Francis Hookham who collected so many calculators! Thanks so much for hearing me out and I hope to hear from some of you! Sincerely, Mikey McGovern

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