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Fwd: [CDCinfo] a question for computer historians regarding Netscape
by Jan Müggenburg 17 Jan '21

17 Jan '21

Dear everyone, here’s an interesting question concerning the history of Netscape from my dear colleague Andreas Bernard. How did Andreessen and Clark (and probably Perkins?) celebrate the foundation of Mosaic Communications Corporation on April 4th 1994? Can someone help? ---jan Prof. Dr. Jan Müggenburg Assistant Professor for Media History and History of Science Leuphana University of Lueneburg Institute for Culture and Aesthetics of Digital Media Universitätsallee 1, C5.324 Fon: 0049 4131 6771647 21335 Lueneburg E-Mail: jan.mueggenburg(a)leuphana.de > Anfang der weitergeleiteten Nachricht: > > Von: "Andreas Bernard" <CDCinfo(a)leuphana.de> > Betreff: [CDCinfo] a question for computer historians > Datum: 14. Januar 2021 um 10:34:56 MEZ > Antwort an: "Andreas Bernard" <bernard(a)leuphana.de> > > Dear all, > I have a little question concerning a certain day in recent computer history. Has anybody done some research or does anybody know a source about April 4 1994, the day Andreessen and Clark founded Netscape? I would need some precise information on the circumstances of that day: when and where did they release the foundation, how did they celebrate it, what did they do in the evening of April 4 (e.g. a festive dinner, a big party)? > It would be so great if somebody among us knew a source? I have researched the Net for hours and all I found was only some very general articles about the foundation, without any specific information. > Thank you so much for your help. > Best regards, Andreas > > > Prof. Dr. Andreas Bernard > Leuphana Universität Lüneburg > Centre for Digital Cultures > Am Sande 5 > 21335 Lüneburg > > Tel.: 04131 2192622 > cdc.leuphana.com > > >

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Gravitational Waves Event
by Brian Berg 16 Jan '21

16 Jan '21

Hello, all, This is a bit off-topic for this list, but I thought you would still be interested in this Feb. 3 IEEE Milestone dedication to honor 3 Gravitational-Wave Antennas, in Washington State and Louisiana, USA, along with one near Pisa, Italy. This summarizes the event in 140 characters: *An international event recognizing how massive antennas in the US and Italy confirmed Einstein's 1916 prediction about the nature of gravity* I have embellished this website with lots of background information: www.GWAMilestone.com It includes some fascinating videos - the ones of the three 2017 Nobel Laureates in Physics are priceless, and this event will feature them in an enchanting conversation about - the Universe. Register for this event on that website - it will be available internationally as an online event. Here is an image related to the event: [image: GW.jpg] Best wishes. ________________________ Brian A. Berg / bberg(a)StanfordAlumni.org Berg Software Design - LinkedIn Profile <https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianaberg/> 14500 Big Basin Way, Suite F, Saratoga, CA 95070 USA Voice: 408.741.5010 / Cell: 408.568.2505 Consulting: Flash Memory/USB/Storage/Patents visit the Storage Cornucopia: www.bswd.com FMS Technical Chair: www.FlashMemorySummit.com IEEE Milestone <http://www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/Milestones:List_of_IEEE_Milestones> Coordinator & History Chair for Region 6 <http://www.ieee-region6.org/> IEEE History Committee <https://www.ieee.org/about/history-center/history-committee.html> Member IEEE SCV Section <http://www.ieee.org/scv/> Past Chair / IEEE-CNSV <http://www.CaliforniaConsultants.org> Board Director IEEE Silicon Valley Tech History Committee <http://www.SiliconValleyHistory.com/> Chair

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Call for proposals: A New AI Lexicon
by Dr. Joy Lisi Rankin 16 Jan '21

16 Jan '21

Hello SIGCIS, I'm excited to share that my colleagues at AI Now, Noopur Raval and Amba Kak, have launched the project: A New AI Lexicon: Responses and Challenges to the Critical AI Discourse. The projects aims to expand and revise critical AI thinking by attending to global racial histories, diverse queer movements, struggles of caste and tribe communities, and their specific place-based demands especially outside of the West. We need a more expansive stocktaking of race and gender relations as well as the variegated forms of marginalization globally. As part of this project, we are inviting short essays that address or challenge a dominant concept, metaphor, or keyword along which critical AI thinking is currently undertaken (like Fairness, Transparency, Accountability, Bias, Auditing, Ghost Labor, Explainability, Social Good etc.). Or identify new terms or formulations currently missing from the discourse. We encourage academics, activists, journalists and others, especially early career or junior colleagues researching global AI histories, materialities and futures to apply. We are able to offer financial support to a limited number of contributors, and the submission guidelines are available here: https://medium.com/a-new-ai-lexicon/a-new-ai-lexicon-responses-and-challeng… If you have any questions, or know someone who would be a good fit for this project, please feel free to reach out to me, Noopur (noopur(a)ainowinstitute.org) or Amba (amba(a)ainowinstitute.org) Thanks very much, Joy Joy Lisi Rankin | she/her/hers Research Lead for the Gender, Race, and Power in AI Program AI Now Institute @ NYU Author: A People's History of Computing in the US Recently: "Bodies into Bits" and "Whitewashing Tech"

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New prize announcement from the Computer History Museum
by David C. Brock 14 Jan '21

14 Jan '21

Dear All, I’d like to direct your attention to a new prize from the Computer Museum and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation. Two $50,000 prizes will recognize individuals whose efforts — including those from historical and STS perspectives — address digital technology’s role in addressing major challenges facing humanity. The application is online, and is due on March 28th, 2021. The website for the prize can be found here, including a link to the application: https://computerhistory.org/mcgovern-prize/ <https://computerhistory.org/mcgovern-prize/> A press release about the prize can be found here: https://computerhistory.org/press-releases/chm-launches-patrick-j-mcgovern-… <https://computerhistory.org/press-releases/chm-launches-patrick-j-mcgovern-…> Best wishes, David +++++++++++++++ David C. Brock dcb(a)dcbrock.net 40 Russell Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 Mobile: 413-522-3578 Skype: dcbrock Twitter: @dcbrock Pronouns: he, him, his

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Reminder deadline for Tomash Fellowship and Norberg Travel Grants this friday (1/15/2021)
by Jeffrey Yost 12 Jan '21

12 Jan '21

Dear Colleagues, Happy new year to all! Just wanted to send a quick reminder that the *DEADLINE* for both the *CBI Tomash Fellowship* (including supporting material), and applications for *CBI Norberg Grants* are due midnight (Central Time Zone/Minneapolis) *this Friday 1/15/2021*. As I wrote prior, the Norberg Grant parameters/mechanism is being changed this year to foster/support remote usage (not a travel reimbursement this year given the pandemic and closed reading room at our library). This will mean more grants, and a lesser amount ($400) for remote use of our collections (essentially a scanning reimbursement allowance). This can be a great way to augment an existing research project with one or a number of our 300 plus collections on computing/software/networking and social, cultural, political, institutional contexts, or launch a new project idea (grants must be used in calendar 2021, scanning orders in place by Oct. 31). Along with discussion of your project in your Norberg Grant application, all competitive applications will have clearly identified CBI collections of interest based on reviewing CBI finding aids (database of our finding aids is at Charles Babbage Institute Archives · University of Minnesota Libraries (umn.edu) <https://www.lib.umn.edu/cbia>. On a collection page in the database/Archives Space, clicking the "print" icon yields the full PDF of a finding aid for the collection (finding aids range between several pages for small collections, and well over a hundred pages for our largest collections). ABD students in any discipline doing a historical based study of computing/information technology are eligible to apply for the Tomash Dissertation Fellowship. Norberg grants support interdisciplinary research also. While eligible to all ranks (and to nonacademics), most grants generally are awarded to graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty/equivalent. Information and requirements: Tomash Fellowship CBI Research Program: Tomash Fellowship (umn.edu) <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/research/tfellowship.html> Norberg Grants CBI Research Program: Norberg Travel Fund (umn.edu) <http://www.cbi.umn.edu/research/ntravelfund.html> Thank you to those of you who have applied to either or both, we expect to send notifications regarding these two competitions by mid-February. Best, Jeff *"Injustice wears the same harsh face wherever it shows itself."*-Ralph Ellison Jeffrey R. Yost, Ph.D. Director, Charles Babbage Institute Research Professor, Program in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine 222 21st Avenue South University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN 55455 612 624 5050 Phone 612 625 8054 Fax

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Recruitment for Software Preservation Network working groups
by Andrew Berger 12 Jan '21

12 Jan '21

Hi all, This may be of interest to those in the SIGCIS community who also have an interest in software preservation: The Software Preservation Network (SPN) is an organization established to advance software preservation through collective action. The membership consists mainly of archivists, librarians, and museum professionals, but participants from adjacent fields are welcome. Currently, SPN is recruiting new working group participants. You could work with SPN on community outreach, law and policy, metadata, infrastructure, or education. There are opportunities available to plan events with allied organizations, participate in petitions for exemptions to the DMCA to support software preservation, develop metadata guidelines for software, analyze technical infrastructure available for providing access to software, and develop educational materials for those interested in supporting software preservation. No matter what aspect of software preservation motivates you, there is an opportunity to be involved with SPN. Learn more about all of the working groups here <https://www.softwarepreservationnetwork.org/join-a-spn-wg-2021/>and express your interest bycompleting the nomination form <https://airtable.com/shrmNVuWVvO5Os5Bq>by January 22, 2021. Best, Andrew ---- Andrew Berger Digital Repository Manager Stanford University Libraries

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PROGRAM: 25 Years of Innovative Lives: with Lonnie Johnson, Tiffany Kelley, Mike Augspurger, and Tim Pula (Jan 13)
by Hintz, Eric 11 Jan '21

11 Jan '21

**Hi SIGCIS subscribers - we hope you can join us for our upcoming Zoom program featuring a diverse collection of inventors, including healthcare app develop Tiffany Kelley! Eric Hintz 25 Years of Innovative Lives: with Lonnie Johnson, Tiffany Kelley, Mike Augspurger, and Tim Pula (Jan 13) On Wednesday January 13, join the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation<https://invention.si.edu/> for a very special online 25th Year Anniversary Innovative Lives panel discussion with inventor alumni from past Innovative Lives programs. Have you ever had an idea for an invention that you believed could be successful if only you had more space, more time, more creativity, or more money? Environmental factors, individual abilities, resource limitations, and so much more contribute to each person's inventive process, but constraints often help rather than hinder creativity by fostering a culture of problem solving. With moderator Monica M. Smith, inventors Lonnie Johnson, Tiffany Kelley, Mike Augspurger, and Tim Pula will explore how inventing within constraints can often be the best pathway to solutions. Title: 25 Years of Innovative Lives Who: Inventors Lonnie Johnson, Tiffany Kelley, Mike Augspurger, Tim Pula; moderator: Monica M. Smith Date: Wednesday, January 13, 2021 Time: 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET Registration Link: https://25yearsofinnovativelives.eventbrite.com Panelists: Lonnie Johnson - Beyond his wildly-popular invention, the Super Soaker water gun, and his work on high-performance Nerf dart guns, Dr. Lonnie Johnson has devoted his life to solving some of the world's most complex technological problems. He has received more than 100 patents, many of which are related to clean energy. Tiffany Kelley - Tiffany Kelley is a nurse who saw her colleagues writing details about patients on scraps of paper and even paper towels throughout their shifts. The nurses would then verbally relay this vital information at shift changes, introducing an unnecessary risk of forgetting a detail or misreading a scribbled, smudged note. She decided to bridge this communication gap with a nurse-focused app called Know My Patient. Mike Augspurger - After starting his own bicycle company, Mike Augspurger wanted to explore the possibilities of an off-road handcycle for wheelchair athletes. He designed his One-Off handcycle to let riders pedal with their arms and steer with their chests, while experiencing high performance and the smoothest ride possible over rough terrain. In 17 years, Augspurger built nearly 200 handcycles. Tim Pula - The Interpretive Exhibits Inventor for the Lemelson Center's Spark!Lab, Pula specializes in creating activities that encourage museum visitors to explore and engage in the history and process of invention. Some examples of Tim's hands-on activities include: Tweak a Prosthetic Hand; Invent a Piece of Protective Gear; Create a Multi-Use Space; and Produce Great Sounding Beats. Moderated by: Monica M. Smith, Head of Exhibitions and Interpretation, Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. About Innovative Lives: Now in its 25th year, the Lemelson Center's Innovative Lives program series<https://invention.si.edu/tags/innovative-lives-program> gives participants the opportunity to engage in a public conversation with diverse inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs about their pioneering work and careers. Accessibility: The National Museum of American History welcomes visitors of all ages and abilities. CART captioning will be available for this program. Additional accommodations are available upon request; please email nmahprograms(a)si.edu<mailto:nmahprograms@si.edu>. _________________ Eric S. Hintz, PhD (he/him), Historian, Lemelson Center Office +1 202-633-3734 | Mobile +1 610-717-7134 |Fax +1 202-633-4593 Email hintze(a)si.edu<mailto:hintze@si.edu> | americanhistory.si.edu<http://www.americanhistory.si.edu/> | invention.si.edu<http://www.invention.si.edu/> Author, American Independent Inventors in an Era of Corporate R&D<https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/american-independent-inventors-era-corporate…> (MIT Press, 2021) Co-editor, Does America Need More Innovators?<https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/does-america-need-more-innovators> (MIT Press, 2019)

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Irene Dixon - Wren operator of Colossus Mk 1 - 1924–2021
by Brian Randell 11 Jan '21

11 Jan '21

Hi: The National Museum of Computing has issued a press release with the sad news of the death of Irene Dixon one of the very first operators of Colossus, aged 96. https://www.tnmoc.org/news-releases/2021/1/11/irene-dixon-1924-2021 Best wishes Brian Randell — School of Computing, Newcastle University, 1 Science Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5TG EMAIL = Brian.Randell(a)ncl.ac.uk PHONE = +44 191 208 7923 URL = http://www.ncl.ac.uk/computing/people/profile/brianrandell.html

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Bloomberg Xbox history oddly disses Microsoft staff as "historian-type" people
by thomas.haigh＠gmail.com 08 Jan '21

08 Jan '21

Hello SIGCIS, Any of you not currently too busy obsessing over the unravelling of American democracy might hope to find solace in Bloomberg's "oral history" composite story of the creation and launch of the original Xbox. It's an interesting article on a topic I haven't come across much previous writing about. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-01-06/xbox-the-oral-history-of- an-american-video-game-empire And yet. what should it contain but the following sentiment attributed to one of the Bungie guys whose Halo game became as the key Xbox title after the fledgling company was acquired by Microsoft: O'DONNELL In 2000, we all moved out here. We were in temporary quarters in Redmond, right next to the Expedia people. I can't even begin to describe the difference in personality between someone who would be a crazy game programmer or artist from Bungie and the super, straight-laced, programming, historian-type, Expedia people. We built our own space, and we said, "We're going to have electronic locks that only Bungie people can open." We didn't even let Ed have a key. That's right. Twenty years ago, Microsoft was staffed largely by "programming, historian-type, Expedia people". Undoubtedly the oddest phrase I've heard recently, despite tough competition from "a mob loyal to the President has occupied the Capitol building" on NPR yesterday. Best wishes, Tom

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New review article on the history of home computing
by Gleb J. Albert 04 Jan '21

04 Jan '21

Dear colleagues, Maybe this is of interest to some of you, even though the publication in question is in German. In the 2019 issue (which came out in mid-2020) of "Archiv für Sozialgeschichte", Germany's leading yearbook of social history, there is an extensive review article by me on recent developments in the history of home computing, taking into account the new trends and publications of the past 10-15 years, including parts of the thriving amateur historiography on the subject. Gleb J. Albert: Der vergessene “Brotkasten”. Neue Forschungen zur Sozial- und Kulturgeschichte des Heimcomputers [The Forgotten "Breadbin". New Research on the Social and Cultural History of the Home Computer]. In: Archiv für Sozialgeschichte 59 (2019), pp. 495–530 Recently, the AfS has put the article into open access, so you can download it free of charge at: https://www.fes.de/index.php?eID=dumpFile&t=f&f=58593&token=b9d378cd331c24b… Best wishes, Gleb -- Dr. Gleb J. Albert Historisches Seminar, Universität Zürich Forschergruppe "Medien und Mimesis" Universität Zürich Historisches Seminar Culmannstr. 1 CH-8006 Zürich Switzerland Tel. +41-446346187 <http://uzh.academia.edu/GlebJAlbert> <http://www.fg-mimesis.de> Review editor: H-Soz-Kult, review team "History of Knowledge" - <http://www.hsozkult.de>

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