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First uses of the term "Software Engineering"
by Brian Randell 03 Feb '12

03 Feb '12

Hi: Prompted by a query from Professor Jochen Ludwig, I am seeking to find early uses of the term "software engineering". Back in 1978, when I was writing my ICSE-4 paper "Software Engineering in 1968", I tried to find the first use. My recollection is that I found several that pre-dated the 1968 NATO Conference on Software Engineering, but unfortunately the only one I mentioned in my 1978 paper, and can now recall, was that by J.P. Eckert in the 1965 Fall Joint Computer Conference. (Computer programming 'would only be manageable,' he [Eckert] claimed, 'when we could refer to it as 'software engineering'.' - Nathan Ensmerger: The computer boys take over (MIT 2010).) There is little dispute that the 1968 NATO Conference brought the hitherto virtually unknown term into vogue, though many now fail to appreciate that the conference organisers, led by Prof Fritz Bauer, chose the term in order to express a need, rather than to claim the existence of a reality. (I do not know whether they were aware of any prior use.) To quote the 1968 Report: "The phrase ‘software engineering’ was deliberately chosen as being provocative, in implying the need for software manufacture to be based on the types of theoretical foundations and practical disciplines, that are traditional in the established branches of engineering." The question of when software engineering became a real discipline worthy of the name - if indeed it has - is a separate issue. My query merely concerns the term, not the alleged reality, and I would be grateful for citations of any other occurrences that preceded the NATO Software Engineering Conference (7-11 October 1968). Cheers Brian Randell -- School of Computing Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK EMAIL = Brian.Randell(a)ncl.ac.uk PHONE = +44 191 222 7923 FAX = +44 191 222 8232 URL = http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/people/brian.randell

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CFP deadline March 18: 4S / EASST Copenhagen, October 17-20, 2012
by Thomas Haigh 02 Feb '12

02 Feb '12

See below for the 4S call for papers. Oddly this year’s meeting is occurring the same city as SHOT but separated in time by a couple of weeks. 4S is a lively, sociable, relatively youthful conference with a massive number of simultaneous sessions, time slots of about 10 minutes for each speaker, and a very high acceptance rate. The focus is primarily on present-day social/cultural/ethical issues around science and technology rather than history, although a number of SIGCIS members are often to be found on the program. The conference is broad in terms of methods and topics, with a lot of attention to biomedical issues. SIGCIS has previously organized sessions for several 4S meetings, so anyone who is interested should feel free to “reply to all” with possible topics to see if others are have matching interests. Tom From: webmaster(a)4sonline.org [mailto:webmaster@4sonline.org] Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 8:34 PM To: thaigh(a)computer.org Subject: CFP: 4S / EASST Copenhagen, October 17-20, 2012 <https://netforum.avectra.com/public/EmailTrack.aspx?cli=SSSS&img=b50de7b7-5…> Annual Meeting of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) October 17-20, 2012, Copenhagen Business School, Frederiksberg, Denmark Held jointly with European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST <http://www.easst.net/> ) CALL FOR PAPERS: “Design and displacement – social studies of science and technology” The quadrennial joint conference of The Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) and European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST) will take place October 17-20, 2012 in Copenhagen, Denmark. For the conference we invite papers that address the dynamics and interrelationships between science, technology and society. Papers which address the conference’s theme ‘Design and Displacement’ are especially relevant, but papers on any topic in STS are welcome. ‘Design’ has become a key concept across a multitude of disciplinary domains and social spheres. In addition to its traditional ‘aesthetic’ associations, it is now a key term in multiple scientific domains and in diverse technological practices. One can even think of societies and social arrangements being ‘designed’. In science and technology, ‘design’ implies the re-arrangement of materials and ideas for innovative purposes. When newly designed scientific and technical objects enter the world, however, their initial purposes are often displaced. For decades, STS researchers have been following the practical and political dimensions of science and technology. By focusing on concepts and practices of scientific and technological design at their sites of construction and on their multiple displacements, the 2012 conference continues this tradition. By bringing together ‘design’ and ‘displacement’ we want to highlight how scientific and technological design engages with existing socio-technical arrangements in both planned and unplanned ways, facilitating both collaborations and contestations, and generating both order and disorder. The conference encourages analytic, critical, and practical engagement with design and displacement in several ways. First, it points to the need for investigating the relation between design intentions and their displacements, for example as catalysts for change and conflict. It also highlights the importance of investigating design controversies. It locates design practices in broader political contexts, and focuses attention on how design facilitates or hinders social inclusion, locally and globally. The theme ‘Design and Displacement’ invites careful analyses of the way design practices take part in shaping worlds. However, ‘Design and Displacement’ also raises questions around STS as design work and practice-based interventions. In this sense design becomes simultaneously topic and outcome, a situation that raises new questions concerning the role of STS research. New this year, individual papers may be submitted to one or more “Open Panels”. The call for open panel themes received enthusiastic response from the community. 106 panels are available, which have been grouped into 10 subject clusters. View the full descriptions at http://www.4sonline.org/files/open_panels_12.pdf. Submit Paper and Session proposals now. All details at http://4sonline.org/meeting Signe Vikkelsø Scientific Program Chair meeting(a)4sonline.org This e-mail was sent from Society For Social Studies Of Science (webmaster(a)4sonline.org) to thaigh(a)computer.org. <https://netforum.avectra.com/public/EmailTrack.aspx?msm=2dd7c1e6-dc98-4c0f-…> To unsubscribe, please click on this link and follow the instructions: Unsubscribe <https://netforum.avectra.com/public/EmailUnsubscribe.aspx?msm=2dd7c1e6-dc98…> Society For Social Studies Of Science,126 Stubbs Hall Louisiana State University, Dept. Of Sociology Baton Rouge LA 70803-0100, Phone Number:(703) 241-7432, Fax Number: , Email Address: srcoffee(a)chaosabatement.com, Website : http://www.4sonline.org/

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Workshop on History of Information Science
by Thomas Haigh 02 Feb '12

02 Feb '12

See below. Note that while the American Society for Information Science added "& Technology" to its name some years ago the focus of its history group is very much on the history of information science rather than the history of computing. However there are some significant areas of crossover between the two areas. Tom From: sighfis-l-bounces(a)asis.org [mailto:sighfis-l-bounces@asis.org] On Behalf Of WILLIAMS, ROBERT Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 12:18 PM To: asis-l; sighfis-l; 'jesse(a)listserv.utk.edu' Subject: [Sighfis-l] Revised CFP: History Pre-Conference Pre-Conference on the History of ASIST and Information Science and Technology Worldwide Call for Papers (Revised 1/27/2012) The 75th Anniversary Task Force of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST) announces a call for papers for the 2012 Pre-Conference on the history of ASIST and the history of information science and technology worldwide. The Pre-Conference will be held immediately prior to the 2012 Annual Meeting of ASIST, Oct. 26-31, 2012, in Baltimore, Maryland. This conference will explore the 75 year history of ASIST and the longer history of information science and technology worldwide. Abstracts of papers (maximum 1,000 words) not previously published or submitted elsewhere should be submitted by March 1, 2012 and authors of tentatively accepted papers will be promptly notified. Full acceptance of papers will be based on receipt of the complete paper, which should be received no later than June 1, 2012. Alternative presentations, such as videos, posters, exhibits, and demonstration of historical information technologies, are also encouraged. All submissions will be refereed by a panel of experts and all accepted papers will be published as a Web-based publication prior to the conference. Submissions by students and authors outside the U.S. are particularly encouraged. Specific topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: --The development of the foundational ideas and theories of information science and its earlier name, documentation. --What forces contributed to shaping the research agenda and scope of the field of information science worldwide over the past 75 years and how will they evolve over the next 75 years. --The major researchers and developers of the ideas, practices, and theories in information science and closely related fields of study. --The evolution of the multifaceted and multiple-named field referred to as information science with a focus on what the past says about the future of information science research and development. --Treatment of the origin and evolution of information science ideas and practices specific to an individual country. --The historical contexts of major technological innovations and the impacts they have had on societies, organizations, governments, or individuals worldwide. --The development of ASIST (and its predecessors, the American Documentation Institute, the American Society for Information Science) as a professional organization and scholarly society in context with its times, relationships with competing or affiliated organizations, major contributions and influences on the study of information science worldwide, forces shaping the research agenda and scope of the field, roles and contributions of specific individuals or groups within and outside of ASIST, and related issues. --The role of government (nationally or internationally) in influencing the development of information science and technology, with particular attention to the support of research and development of information policies. -- The development of information science education and its relationships with other fields of study, such as Library Science, Informatics, Archival Science, Museum Studies, and related specializations (such as information ethics, information architecture, geographic information systems or medical informatics). For more information and questions about this call for papers contact Robert V. Williams at bobwill(a)sc.edu or call 803-777-2324. Submit abstract (maximum of 1,000 words) electronically to the following site, completing the required contact information: http://www.softconf.com/asist2/Hist_Pre_Con/

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New book: Turing's Cathedral (March 6)
by Dag Spicer 01 Feb '12

01 Feb '12

New book coming out: Turing's Cathedral by George Dyson. I have read an advance copy and can *highly* recommend this book to SIGCIS members. It focuses on JVN and the IAS work, in particular the applications that were run (which seems a welcome insight given that most history seems to focus on hardware). Read more: http://www.amazon.com/Turings-Cathedral-Origins-Digital-Universe/dp/0375422… (to br released March 6). Also, CHM will be hosting Dyson for a conversation about Turing's Cathedral on March 7, at the Museum's Hahn Auditorium. Read more:http://www.computerhistory.org/events/#turings-cathedral-author-george… The event will be videotaped and I will send out a link to the recording as soon as it becomes available. Warm regards, Dag -- Dag Spicer | Senior Curator | Computer History Museum Editorial Board | Annals of the History of Computing 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd. | Mountain View CA 94043 Tel: +1 650 810 1035 | Fax: +1 650 810 1055 Revolution: The First 2000 Years of Computing Visit in person or online! http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/ Twitter: @ComputerHistory FB: facebook.com/computerhistory

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Re: [SIGCIS-Members] New book on the history of computing/Turing conference in Zurich
by Bruderer Herbert 01 Feb '12

01 Feb '12

Dear Peter, Thank you very much for your message. The title of my book seems to be misleading. The book contains a detailed survey on over 20 historic computers (with many comparative tables), including the machines from Atanasoff, Stibitz, Aiken, Mauchly/Eckert, Flowers (Colossus), Turing, von Neumann, Zuse as well as the devices of the universities of Cambridge, Manchester, MIT, IBM, Remington, US Bureau of Standards, etc. Moreover, many other relay and electronic machines are mentioned. The computer was independently invented in three countries (USA, Britain, Germany). Therefore there are at least three inventors... Best wishes, Herbert Bruderer ________________________________ Von: PeterEckstein(a)comcast.net [PeterEckstein(a)comcast.net] Gesendet: Dienstag, 31. Januar 2012 17:07 Bis: Bruderer Herbert Cc: members(a)SIGCIS.org; secretary(a)sigcis.org Betreff: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] New book on the history of computing/Turing conference in Zurich One should not judge a book by its cover, or by its cover email, but I can't help noting the omission from the list of those the book "deals with" of the names of John Mauchly and J. Preper Eckert, who conceived and led in the development of the ENIAC. Zuse did brilliant work for his time, but it had little impact on the mainstream of computer development after WW II. ________________________________ From: "Bruderer Herbert" <herbert.bruderer(a)inf.ethz.ch> To: secretary(a)sigcis.org Cc: members(a)SIGCIS.org Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 5:37:39 PM Subject: [SIGCIS-Members] New book on the history of computing/Turing conference in Zurich Dear colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to a new book on the history of computing. It deals with Konrad Zuse, Charles Babbage, Alan Turing and John von Neumann, and includes a world-wide survey on the early computers (mainly USA, Britain, Germany, Switzerland). The world-wide bibliography mentions over 500 publications. A comprehensive chapter treats the question: "Who invented the computer?" Two recently (re)discovered historical computers are described (M9 from Zuse, Cora from Contraves). Please send this announcement to other people who might be interested in this book. Neuerscheinung im Oldenbourg-Verlag, München (in German) Buchhinweis Herbert Bruderer: Konrad Zuse und die Schweiz. Wer hat den Computer erfunden? Charles Babbage, Alan Turing und John von Neumann. Frühgeschichte der Informatik. Bibliografie zur weltweiten Informatikgeschichte. Relaisrechner Zuse Z4 an der ETH Zürich. Zuse-Rechenlocher M9 für die Schweizer Remington Rand. Zeitzeugenbericht zur Z4. Verzeichnis der Zeitzeugen und der Arbeiten mit der Z4. Röhrenrechner ERMETH und Transistorrechner Cora, Oldenbourg-Verlag, München 2012, rund 250 Seiten http://www.oldenbourg-verlag.de/wissenschaftsverlag/konrad-zuse-und-schweiz… Das Buch umfasst u.a. eine weltweite Bibliografie von über 500 Einträgen. Es enthält ein ausführliches Kapitel zum Thema "Die Maschinen von Charles Babbage, Alan Turing und John von Neumann", ferner einen sehr umfangreichen weltweiten Überblick über die Frühgeschichte der Rechentechnik (mit Schwerpunkt USA, England, Deutschland und Schweiz) und eine Antwort zur Frage: "Wer hat den Computer erfunden?" Zur Sprache kommen auch zwei wieder entdeckte historische Computer, die Zusemaschine M9 und der erste in der Schweiz entwickelte Transistorrechner Cora. Vorankündigung Turing-Konferenz an der ETH Zürich http://www.sslps.unibe.ch/meetings.html Am 26./27. Oktober 2012 führen wir an der ETH Zürich eine Turing-Gedenktagung durch. International führende Turing-Fachleute werden Referate halten, u.a. Barry Cooper, England (weltweiter Koordinator und Organisator des Turing-Jahrs), Jack Copeland, Neuseeland (Direktor des Turing-Archivs für die Geschichte der Informatik), der amerikanische Logiker Martin Davis (Berkeley) usw. All the best, Herbert Bruderer ________________________________ ETH Zürich Departement Informatik Professur für Informationstechnologie und Ausbildung Ausbildungs- und Beratungszentrum für Informatikunterricht (ABZ) CAB F 15.2 Universitätsstrasse 6 CH-8092 Zürich Switzerland Telefon +41 44 632 73 83 oder +41 71 855 77 11 ________________________________ _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members(a)sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://sigcis.org/pipermail/members/ and you can change your subscription options at http://sigcis.org/mailman/listinfo/members

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EDM on Alan Turin
by Bernardo Batiz-Lazo 31 Jan '12

31 Jan '12

Members might be interested in an EDM signed today by 6 MPs - http://www.edms.org.uk/2010-12/2660.htm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=t… Alan Turing EDM number 2660 in 2010-12, proposed by John Leech on 30/01/2012. That this House notes the vital contribution made by Alan Turing to Britain's war effort by inventing the machine that broke the Enigma code; regrets that following his years of national service he received a criminal conviction for having a sexual relationship with another man; further regrets that he was forced to take oestrogen therapy or be sent to prison if he did not comply; further regrets that he went on to take his own life on 8 June 1954 at the age of just 41 years; further notes that so far over 21,000 people have signed the e-petition on the 10 Downing Street website calling for Alan Turing to be pardoned; and supports these calls, and acknowledges the huge and unnecessary suffering that he and so many other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people have had to endure. PS 1) Early Day Motions (EDMs) are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. However, very few are actually debated. EDMs allow MPs to draw attention to an event or cause. MPs register their support by signing individual motions. 2) e-petition http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/23526 -- Bangor University (Wales) ================== Twitter @BatizLazo Technological Innovation in Retail Finance: International Historical Perspectives Edited by Bernardo Batiz-Lazo, J. Carles Maixé-Altés, Paul Thomes http://www.taylorandfrancis.com/books/details/9780415880671 Home page: http://www.bangor.ac.uk/business/staff/bernardo_batiz-lazo.en.php Working papers: http://ideas.repec.org/e/pba14.html

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Symposium on the History and Philosophy of Programming: EXTENDED DEADLINE (March 2, 2012)
by Liesbeth De Mol 31 Jan '12

31 Jan '12

Dear all, the deadline for the Sympsium on the History and Philosophy of Programming has been extended (see below), very best wishes, Liesbeth. ---------------------------------------------------------------- EXTENDED DEADLINE March 2, 2012: Symposium on the History and Philosophy of Programming 5-6 July 2012 http://www.computing-conference.ugent.be/hapop12 as part of AISB/IACAP World Congress 2012 - Alan Turing 2012 2-6 July 2012 http://events.cs.bham.ac.uk/turing12/index.php IMPORTANT DATES: Paper submission deadline: March 2, 2012. Notification of acceptance: April 2, 2012. Camera ready version deadline: May 4, 2012. ------------------------------------------------------------------ OCCASION As part of the AISB/IACAP World Congress programme, the Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science at Ghent University organizes a one day Symposium on the History and Philosophy of Programming. On the Occasion of the Turing Centennial, from 2-6 July 2012, the AISB (The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour) and the IACAP (The International Association for Computing and Philosophy) merge their annual symposia/conferences to the AISB/IACAP World Congress. The Congress serves both as the year's AISB Convention and the year's IACAP conference. The Congress has been inspired by a desire to honour Alan Turing, and by the broad and deep significance of Turing's work to AI, to the philosophical ramifications of computing, and to philosophy and computing more generally. The Congress is one of the events forming the Alan Turing Year http://www.mathcomp.leeds.ac.uk/turing2012/ The intent of the Congress is to stimulate a particularly rich interchange between AI and Philosophy on any areas of mutual interest, whether directly addressing Turing's own research output or not. ------------------------------------------------------------------- SCOPE This Symposium follows the organization of the International Conference on History and Philosophy of Computing, held at the University of Ghent from 7 to 10 November 2011 www.computing-conference.ugent.be A historical awareness of the evolution of computing not only helps to clarify the complex structure of the computing sciences, but it also provides an insight in what computing was, is and maybe could be in the future. Philosophy, on the other hand, helps to tackle some of the fundamental problems of computing. The aim of this conference is to zoom into one fundamental aspect of computing, namely the foundational and the historical problems and developments related to the science of programming. Alan Turing himself was driven by the fundamental question of “what are the possible processes which can be carried out in computing a number” [Turing, 1936]. His answer today is well-known, and today we understand a program as a rather complex instance of what became known as the Turing Machine. What is less well-known, is that Turing also wrote one of the first programming manuals ever for the Ferranti Mark I, where one feels the symbolic machine hiding on the back of the Manchester hardware. This was only the beginning of a large research area that today involves logicians, programmers and engineers in the design, understanding and realization of programming languages. That a logico-mathematical-physical object called `program' is so controversial, even though its very nature is mostly hidden away, is rooted in the range of problems, processes and objects that can be solved, simulated, approximated and generated by way of its execution. Given its widespread impact on our lives, it becomes a responsibility of the philosopher and the historian to study the science of programming. ------------------------------------------------------------------- TOPICS The historical and philosophical reflection on the science of programming is the main topic at the core of this Symposium and we expect contributions about the following topics and their intersections: 1. The history of computational systems, machines and programs 2. Foundational issues and paradigms of programming (programming logics, semantics and proof-theories for distributed, secure, cloud, functional, object-oriented, etc.) Our wish is to bring forth to the scientific community a deep understanding and critical view of the problems related to the scientific paradigm represented by the science of programming. Possible and in no way exclusive questions that might be of relevance to this Symposium are: - What was and is the significance of hardware developments for the development of software (and vice versa)? - In how far can the analogue and special-purpose machines built before the 40s programs and what does this mean for our conception of “program” today? - How important has been the hands-off vs. the hands-on approach for the development of programming? - What is the influence of models of computability like Church's lambda-calculus on the development of programming languages? - Which case studies from the history of programming can tell us today something about future directions? - Is programming a science or a technology? - In how far does it make sense to speak about programming paradigms in the sense of Kuhn? - What are the novel and most interesting approaches to the design of programs? - What are the most interesting formal properties of procedural semantics, typed systems, etc? - What is correctness for a program? Issues in Type-checking, Model-checking, etc. - What is the common structure of Proofs and Programs? Logic of Proofs and Curry-Howard Isomorphism. - What are the current logical issues in programming? - How do we understand programs as syntactical-semantical objects? - What is the nature of the relation between algorithms and programs? - What is a program? - Which problems are the most pressing ones and why are they relevant to more than just programmers? - How can epistemology profit from the understanding of programs' behavior and structure? - What legal and socio-economical issues are involved in the creation, patenting or free-distribution of programs? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SUBMISSION DETAILS: The programme will consists of 2 Invited Lectures and up to 8 Contributed Papers. It will takes place in the afternoon session of the 5th and the morning session of the 6th of July. We cordially invite researchers working in a field relevant to the main topics of the conference to submit an extended abstract of minimum 2 and maximum 5 pages to computing.conference(a)ugent.be Please mention "ABSTRACT HAPOP" in the subject line. Abstracts must be written in English. Please note that the format of submitted files must be .pdf or .rtf. Only unpublished material will be considered for presentation. IMPORTANT DATES: Submissions Deadline: 1 February 2012 Acceptance/rejection Decisions: 1 March 2012 Final versions of abstracts for inclusion in proceedings: 30 March 2012. Symposium: 5 July (afternoon) and 6 July (morning) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- INVITED SPEAKERS: Gerard Alberts (Universiteit van Amsterdam) Julian Rohrhuber (Robert Schumann Hochschule Duesseldorf) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZERS: Liesbeth De Mol and Giuseppe Primiero  PROGRAMME COMMITTEE:  S. Artemov (City Univeristy of New York) M. Bullynck (Universite' de Paris 8) L. de Mol (CLPS UGent) V. de Paiva (Reardem Commerce) H. Durnova (Masarykova Univerzita Brno) R. Kahle (Universidade Nova de Lisbona) B. Loewe (Universiteit van Amsterdam) F. Kamareddine (Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh) G. Primiero (CLPS UGent) R. Turner (University of Essex) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROCEEDINGS There will be a separate proceedings for each symposium, produced before the Congress. Each delegate at the Congress will receive, on arrival, a memory stick containing the proceedings of all symposia. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTACT AND INFORMATION: For further information please contact us at:  computing.conference(a)ugent.be or have a look at our website: http://www.computing-conference.ugent.be/hapop12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- RELATED EVENTS The Symposium on History and Philosophy of Programming will be followed by a Roundtable on topics in the Philosophy of Computer Science on the day after. Confirmed participants include: Raymond Turner, University of Essex, UK (MODERATOR) Rainhard Bengez, TU München, Germany Manfred Broy, TU München, Germany, Marcelo Dascal, University of Tel Aviv, Israel Ruth Hagengruber, University of Paderborn, Germany Giovanni Sartor, EUI – European University Institute, Florence, Italy Dov M. Gabbay, King's College, London, UK Jean-Gabriele Ganascia, University Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris, France Gilles Dowek, l'Ècole polytechnique, Paris, France Jan van Leeuwen, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands Lothar Philipps, University of Munich, Germany Giovanni Sartor, EUI – European University Institute, Florence, Italy Kevin Ashley, University of Pittsburgh, USA Hennry Prakken, Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands Erich Schweighofer, University of Vienna, Austria Yoshino Hajime, Meiji Gakuin University, Tokio, Japan Douglas Walton, University of Windsor, Canada Topics include: *Philosophical approaches to Computer Science *Just Counting Machines? From Leibniz via Lovecraft and Babbage to Turing, Zuse and von Neumann. *Which kinds of logic and mathematical concepts are suitable for machines and humans to understand machines? Everyone is cordially invited

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New book on the history of computing/Turing conference in Zurich
by Bruderer Herbert 30 Jan '12

30 Jan '12

Dear colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to a new book on the history of computing. It deals with Konrad Zuse, Charles Babbage, Alan Turing and John von Neumann, and includes a world-wide survey on the early computers (mainly USA, Britain, Germany, Switzerland). The world-wide bibliography mentions over 500 publications. A comprehensive chapter treats the question: "Who invented the computer?" Two recently (re)discovered historical computers are described (M9 from Zuse, Cora from Contraves). Please send this announcement to other people who might be interested in this book. Neuerscheinung im Oldenbourg-Verlag, München (in German) Buchhinweis Herbert Bruderer: Konrad Zuse und die Schweiz. Wer hat den Computer erfunden? Charles Babbage, Alan Turing und John von Neumann. Frühgeschichte der Informatik. Bibliografie zur weltweiten Informatikgeschichte. Relaisrechner Zuse Z4 an der ETH Zürich. Zuse-Rechenlocher M9 für die Schweizer Remington Rand. Zeitzeugenbericht zur Z4. Verzeichnis der Zeitzeugen und der Arbeiten mit der Z4. Röhrenrechner ERMETH und Transistorrechner Cora, Oldenbourg-Verlag, München 2012, rund 250 Seiten http://www.oldenbourg-verlag.de/wissenschaftsverlag/konrad-zuse-und-schweiz… Das Buch umfasst u.a. eine weltweite Bibliografie von über 500 Einträgen. Es enthält ein ausführliches Kapitel zum Thema "Die Maschinen von Charles Babbage, Alan Turing und John von Neumann", ferner einen sehr umfangreichen weltweiten Überblick über die Frühgeschichte der Rechentechnik (mit Schwerpunkt USA, England, Deutschland und Schweiz) und eine Antwort zur Frage: "Wer hat den Computer erfunden?" Zur Sprache kommen auch zwei wieder entdeckte historische Computer, die Zusemaschine M9 und der erste in der Schweiz entwickelte Transistorrechner Cora. Vorankündigung Turing-Konferenz an der ETH Zürich http://www.sslps.unibe.ch/meetings.html Am 26./27. Oktober 2012 führen wir an der ETH Zürich eine Turing-Gedenktagung durch. International führende Turing-Fachleute werden Referate halten, u.a. Barry Cooper, England (weltweiter Koordinator und Organisator des Turing-Jahrs), Jack Copeland, Neuseeland (Direktor des Turing-Archivs für die Geschichte der Informatik), der amerikanische Logiker Martin Davis (Berkeley) usw. All the best, Herbert Bruderer ________________________________ ETH Zürich Departement Informatik Professur für Informationstechnologie und Ausbildung Ausbildungs- und Beratungszentrum für Informatikunterricht (ABZ) CAB F 15.2 Universitätsstrasse 6 CH-8092 Zürich Switzerland Telefon +41 44 632 73 83 oder +41 71 855 77 11 ________________________________

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2012 ACM History Fellowship ---> deadline this Friday (Feb. 3)
by Thomas J. Misa 29 Jan '12

29 Jan '12

A reminder that . . . . "the ACM History Committee plans to make two types of awards. Travel grants of $2,500 support smaller projects, while a fellowship grant of $5,000 may support a larger or more demanding project. Projects should focus on ACM activities, including those of members, officers, and prize winners, or ACM's rich institutional history, including consideration of its organization, publications, SIG activities, and conferences. Successful candidates may be of any rank, from graduate students through senior researchers. . . . Proposals are due by 3 February 2012." See announcement: http://history.acm.org/public/public_documents/acm_history_fellowship_annou… Deadline for proposals is this Friday! Tom Misa

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CFP : ASIS&T History Fund Awards 2012
by Lai Ma 28 Jan '12

28 Jan '12

The ASIS&T History Fund Advisory Board announces the following two competitive awards for 2012: 1) The ASIS&T History Fund Research Award This award will be for a maximum of $1,000 and will be awarded for the best research support proposal submitted by May 1, 2012. All topics relevant to the history of information science and technology may be proposed. The proposal should state: the central topic or question to be researched, qualifications of the researcher (brief vita should be included), a budget, and how the funds will be expended. All funds must be expended by June 30, 2013. Submit proposal to http://www.softconf.com/asist/History_Fund/ (choose the "Research Award" category) by May 1, 2012. If an award is made for 2012, the winner will be notified by June 1, 2012. 2) The ASIS&T History Fund Best Paper Award This award will be for a maximum of $500 and will be awarded for the best paper submitted by May 1, 2012. All topics relevant to the history of information science and technology will be considered. The paper should not have been previously published or submitted to a journal. The paper should not exceed 30 pages double-spaced, including notes/references, using APA style manual. The ASIS&T History Advisory Board will review all submissions and decide if an award is to be made by June 1, 2012. If an award is made the winner will be expected to present the paper at the 2012 ASIS&T Annual Meeting pre-conference and give first rights of refusal for publication to the Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. Submit papers to http://www.softconf.com/asist/History_Fund/ (choose the "Research Award" category) by May 1, 2012. The ASIS&T History Fund was established by the ASIS&T Board of Directors in June, 2000 for the purposes of supporting and encouraging research and publication in the history of information science and technology. The Fund is supported by donations (including book royalties) from ASIS&T members and others with interest in the history of information science and technology. The Fund Advisory Board encourages further donations from anyone interested in supporting historical study of information science and technology. Members of the ASIS&T History Fund Advisory Board for 2012 are: Kathryn La Barre, Chair Sarah Buchanan, Chair-Elect Julian Warner, Past Chair Michael Buckland Samantha Hastings For further information on submitting a proposal for the grant award or the best paper award for 2012 please contact Lai Ma at lama(a)indiana.edu.

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