History at "Computing Conversations"
Greetings, SIGCIS members. I'm not sure how many on this list are aware of the historical content presented by the University of Michigan's Charles Severance in his "Computing Conversations" for IEEE's *Computer* magazine and web site: http://www.computer.org/portal/web/computingnow/computing-conversations Severance frequently includes historical content, even for relatively modern technologies. At the above site you'll find a link to a very well done video on Bletchley Park and some other topics that might be of interest. His column in the November *Computer* on the origins of PHP seems not to be linked yet on the site above, but can be read or heard at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olqMW78GVcs http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/tocresult.jsp?isnumber=6353438&punumber=2 Nothing Earth-shaking about these presentations, but I find it interesting to see how history is presented to practicing computing professionals and what they seem to be interested in. - Bill
Maybe you’ve seen this resource before, but here is a video about what computing was like at AT&T in the early 1970s. Believe it or not, sometimes I actually miss those days! [Warning: there is an inappropriate photo pasted to the console at 5:40. I do not recall such things, but I do remember a very large print-out of “Snoopy” across several sheets of fan-fold paper]. http://techchannel.att.com/play-video.cfm/2012/11/28/AT&T-Archives-Holmdel-Computer-Center-Part-1. Paul E. Ceruzzi Chair, Division of Space History National Air & Space Museum MRC 311; PO Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 202-633-2414 <http://www.nasm.si.edu/staffDetail.cfm?staffID=24>
What a great video. Thanks for sharing it, Paul. I love how it goes through the process step-by-step, and explains the tools. I think it will be very useful to show to my history of computing class. Regarding the "inappropriate picture" I wonder if that was actually put there specifically for the video, as it has such a prominent place in the film? Certainly adds some interest to the 370, but it's pretty distracting! Would the culture of that installation have allowed such a picture to be there long term, do you think? Best, Marie ______________________ Marie Hicks, Ph.D. Asst. Professor, History of Technology Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL USA mariehicks.net | mhicks1@iit.edu | @histoftech On Nov 30, 2012, at 10:54, "Ceruzzi, Paul" <CeruzziP@si.edu> wrote:
Maybe you’ve seen this resource before, but here is a video about what computing was like at AT&T in the early 1970s. Believe it or not, sometimes I actually miss those days! [Warning: there is an inappropriate photo pasted to the console at 5:40. I do not recall such things, but I do remember a very large print-out of “Snoopy” across several sheets of fan-fold paper].
http://techchannel.att.com/play-video.cfm/2012/11/28/AT&T-Archives-Holmdel-Computer-Center-Part-1.
Paul E. Ceruzzi Chair, Division of Space History National Air & Space Museum MRC 311; PO Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 202-633-2414 <http://www.nasm.si.edu/staffDetail.cfm?staffID=24>
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members@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
I'd not seen that before, thanks for posting it. The soundtrack definitely puts you back in the '70s! I agree that the pinup photo, if not actually staged for the film, must have been deliberate. Maybe they were trying to wake up the viewers from a synthesizer-induced haze. Janet On Nov 30, 2012, at 12:36 PM, M. Hicks wrote:
What a great video. Thanks for sharing it, Paul. I love how it goes through the process step-by-step, and explains the tools. I think it will be very useful to show to my history of computing class.
Regarding the "inappropriate picture" I wonder if that was actually put there specifically for the video, as it has such a prominent place in the film? Certainly adds some interest to the 370, but it's pretty distracting! Would the culture of that installation have allowed such a picture to be there long term, do you think?
Best,
Marie
______________________ Marie Hicks, Ph.D. Asst. Professor, History of Technology Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL USA mariehicks.net | mhicks1@iit.edu | @histoftech
On Nov 30, 2012, at 10:54, "Ceruzzi, Paul" <CeruzziP@si.edu> wrote:
Maybe you’ve seen this resource before, but here is a video about what computing was like at AT&T in the early 1970s. Believe it or not, sometimes I actually miss those days! [Warning: there is an inappropriate photo pasted to the console at 5:40. I do not recall such things, but I do remember a very large print-out of “Snoopy” across several sheets of fan-fold paper].
http://techchannel.att.com/play-video.cfm/2012/11/28/AT&T-Archives-Holmdel-Computer-Center-Part-1.
Paul E. Ceruzzi Chair, Division of Space History National Air & Space Museum MRC 311; PO Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 202-633-2414 <http://www.nasm.si.edu/staffDetail.cfm?staffID=24>
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members@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
This email is relayed from members@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
Dr. Janet Abbate Associate Professor Science & Technology in Society Virginia Tech
If I am not mistaken, the main difference between the System/360 and the 370 (other than the color of the console) was that the 370 used semiconductor (IBM called it "monolithic") memory instead of core. One consequence of that change was that the memory now was volatile, so in order to initiate the system, you had to load code from an external memory device. IBM invented the floppy disk for that purpose. As Paul Harvey used to say, "that's the rest of the story." The other thing I noticed about the video was the absence of long hair -- this was the early 1970s after all. Thompson & Ritchie were in another AT&T site, and maybe kept off-camera. Paul ________________________________________ From: members-bounces@sigcis.org [members-bounces@sigcis.org] On Behalf Of Janet Abbate [abbate@vt.edu] Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 5:29 PM To: sigcis Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] IBM Mainframes at AT&T I'd not seen that before, thanks for posting it. The soundtrack definitely puts you back in the '70s! I agree that the pinup photo, if not actually staged for the film, must have been deliberate. Maybe they were trying to wake up the viewers from a synthesizer-induced haze. Janet On Nov 30, 2012, at 12:36 PM, M. Hicks wrote:
What a great video. Thanks for sharing it, Paul. I love how it goes through the process step-by-step, and explains the tools. I think it will be very useful to show to my history of computing class.
Regarding the "inappropriate picture" I wonder if that was actually put there specifically for the video, as it has such a prominent place in the film? Certainly adds some interest to the 370, but it's pretty distracting! Would the culture of that installation have allowed such a picture to be there long term, do you think?
Best,
Marie
______________________ Marie Hicks, Ph.D. Asst. Professor, History of Technology Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL USA mariehicks.net | mhicks1@iit.edu | @histoftech
On Nov 30, 2012, at 10:54, "Ceruzzi, Paul" <CeruzziP@si.edu> wrote:
Maybe you’ve seen this resource before, but here is a video about what computing was like at AT&T in the early 1970s. Believe it or not, sometimes I actually miss those days! [Warning: there is an inappropriate photo pasted to the console at 5:40. I do not recall such things, but I do remember a very large print-out of “Snoopy” across several sheets of fan-fold paper].
http://techchannel.att.com/play-video.cfm/2012/11/28/AT&T-Archives-Holmdel-Computer-Center-Part-1.
Paul E. Ceruzzi Chair, Division of Space History National Air & Space Museum MRC 311; PO Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 202-633-2414 <http://www.nasm.si.edu/staffDetail.cfm?staffID=24>
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members@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
This email is relayed from members@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
Dr. Janet Abbate Associate Professor Science & Technology in Society Virginia Tech _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members@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
What a great video. Thanks for sharing it, Paul. I love how it goes
Yes, BUT the most significant difference was the introduction commercially of virtual memory which was a big change for IBM. Their first attempt as I can remember was at MIT with the 360/67. IT History Society One Blackfield Drive Suite 331 Tiburon, CA 94920 (415) 435-2263 info@ITHistory.org www.ITHistory.org Ensuring the Future by Preserving the Past -----Original Message----- From: members-bounces@sigcis.org [mailto:members-bounces@sigcis.org] On Behalf Of Ceruzzi, Paul Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2012 2:51 PM To: sigcis Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] IBM Mainframes at AT&T If I am not mistaken, the main difference between the System/360 and the 370 (other than the color of the console) was that the 370 used semiconductor (IBM called it "monolithic") memory instead of core. One consequence of that change was that the memory now was volatile, so in order to initiate the system, you had to load code from an external memory device. IBM invented the floppy disk for that purpose. As Paul Harvey used to say, "that's the rest of the story." The other thing I noticed about the video was the absence of long hair -- this was the early 1970s after all. Thompson & Ritchie were in another AT&T site, and maybe kept off-camera. Paul ________________________________________ From: members-bounces@sigcis.org [members-bounces@sigcis.org] On Behalf Of Janet Abbate [abbate@vt.edu] Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 5:29 PM To: sigcis Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] IBM Mainframes at AT&T I'd not seen that before, thanks for posting it. The soundtrack definitely puts you back in the '70s! I agree that the pinup photo, if not actually staged for the film, must have been deliberate. Maybe they were trying to wake up the viewers from a synthesizer-induced haze. Janet On Nov 30, 2012, at 12:36 PM, M. Hicks wrote: through the process step-by-step, and explains the tools. I think it will be very useful to show to my history of computing class.
Regarding the "inappropriate picture" I wonder if that was actually put
there specifically for the video, as it has such a prominent place in the film? Certainly adds some interest to the 370, but it's pretty distracting! Would the culture of that installation have allowed such a picture to be there long term, do you think?
Best,
Marie
______________________ Marie Hicks, Ph.D. Asst. Professor, History of Technology Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, IL USA mariehicks.net | mhicks1@iit.edu | @histoftech
On Nov 30, 2012, at 10:54, "Ceruzzi, Paul" <CeruzziP@si.edu> wrote:
Maybe youve seen this resource before, but here is a video about what
computing was like at AT&T in the early 1970s. Believe it or not, sometimes I actually miss those days! [Warning: there is an inappropriate photo pasted to the console at 5:40. I do not recall such things, but I do remember a very large print-out of Snoopy across several sheets of fan-fold paper].
http://techchannel.att.com/play-video.cfm/2012/11/28/AT&T-Archives-Holmdel-C omputer-Center-Part-1.
Paul E. Ceruzzi Chair, Division of Space History National Air & Space Museum MRC 311; PO Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 202-633-2414 <http://www.nasm.si.edu/staffDetail.cfm?staffID=24>
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members@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
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members@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
Dr. Janet Abbate Associate Professor Science & Technology in Society Virginia Tech _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members@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 _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members@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
Here's another view of the mainframe era, as described by Ronald Reagan. Most of you know he was a spokesperson for General Electric. If you like, you can scroll down through the other salesmen's presentations as well. http://www.smecc.org/frontiers_of_progress_-_1961_sales_meeting.htm#reagan Cheers, Paul Ceruzzi
I was pleasantly surprised that GE’s analog history featured so prominently in these remarks. We recently put up a short clip from GE’s 1947 year in review that featured the UCLA differential analyzer: http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/analog-computers/3/143/2393 Another film of the machine is at http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/analog-computers/3/143/2394 Enjoy! — Alex Bochannek, Curator & Senior Manager Computer History Museum 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA 94043 Phone: +1 650 810 1894 Twitter: @awbchm On Jan 6, 2013, at 6:34 AM, Ceruzzi, Paul wrote:
Here's another view of the mainframe era, as described by Ronald Reagan. Most of you know he was a spokesperson for General Electric. If you like, you can scroll down through the other salesmen's presentations as well.
http://www.smecc.org/frontiers_of_progress_-_1961_sales_meeting.htm#reagan
Cheers,
Paul Ceruzzi _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members@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
participants (6)
-
Alex Bochannek -
Ceruzzi, Paul -
Info ＠ IT History Society -
Janet Abbate -
M. Hicks -
William McMillan