REPORT

FALL I 1982 CONTENTS THE COMPUTER MUSEUM BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Computer Museum is a non-profit, public, charitable foundation dedicated to Kenneth H. Olsen, Chairman 1 The Director's Letter preserving and exhibiting an industry-wide, Digital Equipment Corporation 2 The Apollo Guidance Computer broad-based collection of the history of in­ formation processing. Computer history is Charles Bachman A Designer's View - interpreted through exhibits, publications, Cullinane Associates Eldon Hall videotapes, lectures, educational programs, C. Gordon Bell and other programs. The Museum archives Digital Equipment Corporation A User's View - David Scott both artifacts and documentation and makes the materials available for Gwen Bell Comments- scholarly use. The Computer Museum Dr. Charles S. Draper The Computer Museum is open to the public Harvey D. Cragon Sunday through Friday from 1:00 to 6:00 pm. Texas Instruments 8 Whirlwind Before Core There is no charge for admission. The Jack Gilmore Museum's lecture hall and reception Robert Everett facilities are available for rent on a The Mitre Corporation 9 Portrait of a Board Member prearranged basis. For information call C. Lester Hogan 617-467-4443. C . Lester Hogan Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation 10 Museum News Museum membership is available to individuals and non-profit organizations Theodore G . Johnson Opening Celebration for $25 annually and to businesses for $125 Digital Equipment Corporation Archives and Library annually. Members receive the quarterly Report. invitations to all lectures and spe­ Andrew C. Knowles, III Intern Program Digital Equipment Corporation Summer Gallery Talks cial programs, new posters, and a ten percent discount in the Museum store. Members' Association John Lacey A Founders program is in effect during the Control Data Corporation New Founders initial two-year period of the Museum, until June 10, 1984. During this period individuals Pat McGovern 13 The Computer Historian's ComputerWorld Bookshelf and non-profit organizations may become Founders for $250 and businesses and chari­ George Michael 17 Future Museum Lectures table Foundations may become Founders for Lawrence Livermore Laboratories $2500. Founders receive all benefits of mem­ bership and recognition for their important Robert N. Noyce role in establishing the Museum. Intel Brian Randell Universi ty of Newcastle-upon-Tyne THE COMPUTER MUSEUM REPORT Edward A. Schwartz The Computer Museum Report is published Digital Equipment Corporation quarterly by The Computer Museum, One Iron Way, Marlboro, MA 01752. Annual sub­ Michael Spock scription is part of the membership of the The Children's Museum of Boston Museum ($25 per year for individuals and nonprofit organizations and $125 Erwin O. Tomash for corporations). Dataproducts (re tired) The purpose is to report on the programs The Honorable Paul E. Tsongas and exhibitions of the Museum. The con­ U.S. Senator from Massachusetts tents of The Computer Museum Report may not be reproduced without written consent. The Museum Staff is responsible for the con­ tents of the Report. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of The STAFF Computer Museum or its Board of Directors. The design and production of the Report Gwen Bell is done by Benson and Clemons. Director Jamie Parker Exhibit Coordinator Christine Rudomin Program Coordinator Gregor 'IIinkaus-Randall Archivist Jay McLeman Computer Technician John McKenzie TX-O Technician Beth Parkhurst Research Assistant Sue Hunt Photo Credits: pp. 4, 13, 17 (top and bottom), Administrative Assistant David Bromfield; pp. I. 2, 7, 9, 10, II, 14, Charles Collins; pp. 4, 5, 6, C. S. Draper Laboratory; Back cover, Data General Corporation; p. 8, Mitre Corporation.

Cover photo of vacuum-tube power driver The Computer Museum of the first core memory of Whirlwind, 1953, One Iron Way and integrated circuit module prototype, Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752 Apollo Guidance Computer, 1965 by Clint 617-467-4036 Clemens. The photo is available as a full color poster (20 x 30 inches) $4.00. © 1982/THE COMPUTER MUSEUM BITS AND BITES 3 PM SUNDAY AFTERNOONS

September 19 October 24 Roy Zingg- Ron Smart and Gordon Bell - THE SYMBOL MACHINE TRUMPING THE DEUCE This unique machine-built Ron and Gordon will replay their by Fairchild. used at Iowa State 1957 roles as Director of the Com­ University. and now retired to puter Center and Fulbright Schol­ The Computer Museum-will ar at the University of New South be described. Wales using the DEUCE. English Electric's version of Alan Turing's designed Pilot ACE. September 26 Dick Clippinger - ANECDOTES OF AN ENIAC October 31 USER Bill Smith- As a mathematician who figured LIVE ON TV: PREDICTING THE out how not to use plugboards 1956 ELECTION for programming. Dick Clippinger Using the pin-board programmed will recount how ENIAC went Burroughs E-lOl. Bill will recount through its paces at Aberdeen the pre-election and election night Proving Ground. happenings at WJBK Detroit.

October 3 November 7 Danny Hillis. Brian Silverman. Otto Laske and Curt Roads - and friends - COMPUTER MUSIC: THE TINKER TOY COMPUTER INSIGHTS AND SELECTIONS The originators and builders of Based on the theory that if you the tinker toy computer will talk understand what's happening you about why any group. being of can appreciate it. the directors sound minds and bodies. would of NEWCOMP will describe the ever build such a machine. evolution of computer music and play examples to demonstrate its development. October 10 Closed for Columbus Day Weekend

October 17 'fracy Kidder and Tom West­ Bits and Bites will take a mid­ INSIDE THE SOUL OF a NEW winter hiatus and resume in the MaCHINE spring. Ideas for topics and speakers are welcome. Please The myths and misconceptions contact Chris Rudomin created by the book will be 617-467-7570. dispelled by the authorities­ the author of the book and the The talks will be audio-taped designer of the Eagle. for archival purposes.

BITS 01 computer history that might otherwise be lost and BITES 01 good lood. THE DIRECTOR'S LETTER 1

Since computer history is only tions characteristic of each period. now being written, the policy of the After he saw the exhibition, Lester Museum is to develop evolving ex­ Hogan, one of the members of the hibitions. Thus, our galleries repre­ Museum's Board of Directors, wrote sent working drafts, allowing a long letter with the following visitors to see the collections while suggestions: we continue to supplement and "I was particularly pleased with revise them. the handling of the history of 'the The Pioneer Computer Timeline chip' by starting at Bell Labs and was opened in October 1981. After it then mentioning the contributions opened, artifacts that no one knew of Dummer, Kilby and Noyce. I do, existed were unearthed. For exam­ however, think it is important to ple, Toby Harper, who worked on emphasize the fact that dozens of code-breaking at Bletchley Park, researchers recognized that saw the Colossus photographs and semiconductors offered the possi­ remembered that he had one of the bility of many transistors on a pieces from its tape feeding mechan­ single chip and there was much ism. He was going to use it as a more activity going on in various telescope base that was never made. labs trying to find a really good method of building such a device than most people realize. In 1953, when a patent was issued to Syd Darlington, the general attitude at Bell Labs was that Syd was right and that this would happen some­ day but that it had to wait until we had a better way to make transis­ tors. The alloy junction was in­ deed a better way and when it became a reality, Harwick Johnson at RCA Princeton took the concept even further and built a phase shift oscillator. Again, the general response was, 'Well, this is a lot better but it still isn't right.' Then Kilby took the concept of the dif­ fused base mesa transistor even further. I remember my reaction was, 'Well, it's closer, but it still won't fly.' Then came Bob Noyce's suggestion using the planar pro­ cess and we all ran very fast to bring that one process to reality." The exhibition will be changed to reflect this evolutionary development. Our display of Super Computers is especially dynamic. The collec­ As each exhibition nears stabil­ tion of early machines is continuing, ity, catalogs, slide sets, and other while we keep in mind today's com­ materials useful for reference and puters that will be retired in the teaching will be produced to better future. George Michael of Lawrence serve our far-flung audience. Livermore Laboratory, responsible for the donation of the CDC 6600 # 1, Gwen Bell is shown with Jamie Parker, Exhibit Director Coordinator, discussing the Cray I and future plans for the Super Com­ puter exhibit. The newest gallery, the Four Computer Generations, is organized to show the new inventions, first machines, new corporations, repre­ sentative languages and applica- 2

The Apollo Guidance Computer A Designer's View-

Eldon Hall Designer, Apollo Guidance Computer

In the early sixties the so responsibility for the design of the the guidance and control computa­ called mini-computer had not computers used in the Polaris, tions. The computer occupied about emerged and there was no com­ Poseidon, and Apollo programs. four-tenths of a cubic foot. weighed mercial computer suitable for use The lab's first significant ven­ 26 pounds, and consumed 80 watts. in the Apollo mission. Most of the ture into the field of digital comput­ Even before this first guided flight technologies that were eventually ing was for Polaris, a very small designs were being explored which used in the Apollo computer were ballistic missile launched from a would reduce the size and improve just emerging from research and submarine. A special purpose digi­ the maintainability of the system. development efforts. The design tal computer was designed to solve The new design, eventually desig­ was mainly a task of fitting the the specific equations required for nated Mark 2, repeated the ar­ components together in order to the guidance and control system chitecture and logic design with meet the mission requirements based on analog techniques origi­ improvements in circuits and for computational capacity and nally developed by the Navy. With packaging. miniaturization. the need for increased accuracy In August 1961. when NASA the Navy decided to use digital contracted the laboratory to devel­ From Polaris to Apollo techniques for the Polaris program, op the Apollo guidance, naviga­ Previous aerospace computers resulting in the construction of a tion, and control system, the mis­ greatly influenced the development wired-program special purpose sion and its hardware was defined of the Apollo Guidance Computer. computer to solve the guidance and in only very broad terms. A general . The demands that were placed on control equations. In 1959 the first purpose digital computer would be these computers provided the moti­ version of this system, called the required to handle the data and vation to miniaturize and develop Mark 1. flew in a Polaris missile. computational needs of the space­ semiconductors. The MIT Instru­ It was the first guided flight of a craft. Therefore a special arrange­ mentation Lab, now called Charles ballistic missile flown with an on ment of display and controls would Stark Draper Laboratory, had the board digital computer providing be necessary for in-flight operations.

Eldon Hall pointing to one of the many diagrams shown during his illustrated lecture. 3

Major units of the CM Guidance, Navigation and Control System.

MAl N PA NEL DISPLAY

OPTICS SCANNING TELESCOPE & SEXTANT I SCT & SXl l learned that the human animaL confined in a spacecraft for a week or so, was not as clean as might be expected from observations on

~~~~ __ AGC DS KY Earth. This additional constraint had a rather interesting and far­ reaching impact on the mechani­ cal design of the computers and other hardware. All electrical connections and metallic surfaces had to be corrosive resistant and even though the computer was de­ signed to have pluggable modules, everything had to be hermetically sealed. M.I.T. CHARLES STARK DRAPER LABORATORY • Cambddg., Mauachu ••'" • 22930-1 • 9170 The Suppliers By the end of 1962, NASA se­ The boost phase of the mission, was clear. The design constraints in­ lected three contractors: General which was the Saturn system, had cluded very limited size, weight. and Motors' AC Sparkplug Division for its own internal guidance system to power consumption. If the designers the inertial systems and system put the command and service mod­ had known then what they learned la­ integration; Raytheon, Sudbury ule in trans lunar trajectory, Then ter, or had a complete set of specifica­ Division, for the computer and com­ the Apollo system took over to tions been available as might be ex­ puter testing equipment; Kollsman guide the mission to the moon. pected in today's environment. they Instrument for the optical systems; would probably have concluded that North American Aviation for the In effect. navigating in space there was no solution with the tech­ command and service module; and is the same as navigating on Earth. nology of the early sixties. Grumman Aircraft for the Lunar One might take a star sighting with Excursion Module. a sextant. That information is put Establishing interface require­ In late 1959 and 1960 the lab into the computer and from it the ments was a monumental task. began evaluating semiconductors, state vector, i.e. the position and The astronaut interface was one of purchased at $1, 000 each from velocity of the missile at any point these. In 1962, computers were not Texas Instruments. Reliability, pow­ of time, is computed. The computer considered user friendly. Heated er consumption, noise generation, orients the missile such that the debates arose over the nature of and noise susceptibility were the change in velocity will cause the the computer displays. One faction, prime subjects of concern in the use state vector to be updated so the which usually included the astro­ missile will free-fall into the tar­ nauts, argued that meters and dials of integrated circuits in the AGC. geted point. While it is thrusting, were necessary. Logically, the pres­ The performance of these units under evaluation was sufficient to the guidance system must control sure for digital displays won most the attitude of the vehicle, the mag­ of the arguments because of their justify their exclusive use in place of the core transistor logic proposed nitude of the thrust in the case of greater flexibility in the limited initially for the Apollo project de­ the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM), area allowed for a control panel. and the direction of the thrust in the In late 1963, as the requirements sign. The micrologic version of the Apollo computer was constructed case of the Command and Service for the LEM were being firmed up, and tested in mid 1962 to discover module. NASA decided to use identical the problems that the circuits might guidance computers in both the exhibit when used in large num­ Design Constraints command module and the LEM. Initially, the need for a very bers. Finally, in 1964 Philco-Ford reliable computer with significant In the early manned orbital was chosen to supply the inte­ computational capacity and speed missions before Apollo, NASA grated circuits used in the proto- 4

type computer that operated in the first mission program require­ verbs were display, monitor, load, February 1965. These cost ap­ ments had been conceived and and proceed. Examples of nouns proximately $25 each. documented, there was increas­ were time, gimbal angles, error in­ ing concern about the possible dications, and star identifications. Specilications insufficiency of the memory. This Commands and requests were Approximately one cubic foot prompted a further expansion to made in a form of sentences, each had been allocated in the com­ 36,000 words. with a noun and a verb, such as mand module for the computer. The display velocity or load desired first prototype was operating in the Design and Use angle. To command the computer spring of 1964 and utilized the wire 01 the Console the operator pressed the Verb key wrap and modular welded cord­ A display and keyboard was followed by a two digit code. This wood construction which had been developed for the astronauts and entered the desired verb into the produced for the Polaris program. had the designation DSKY (pro­ computer. The operator then It was designed to have pluggable nounced "Diskey"). Functionally, the pressed the Noun key and a cor­ trays with room for spare trays. DSKY was an integral part of the responding code. When the enter Since the clock in the computer computer, and two were mounted key was pressed, the computer was the prime source of time, it had remotely and operated through the carried out the operation that had to be accurate to within a few parts discrete interface circuits. One was been commanded. The computer per million. The data and instruc­ for a sitting position and another requested action from the operator tion words in the memory were 15 one near the entry to the LEM, con­ by displaying a verb and noun in bits plus parity. Data was repre­ venient for a reclining position. flashing lights so as to attract the sented as 14-bit binary words plus The principle part of the DSKY astronauts' attention. the sign bit. Double precision oper­ display was a set of three numeric light registers. Each register con­ ations were provided to supply In-llight Use 28-bit computations. The instruc­ tained 5 decimal digits consisting tion word contained the address of segmented electroluminescent Shortly after liftoff of Apollo 12, and operation codes for the com­ lights. Five decimal digits were two lightning bolts struck the space­ puter operation. The memory used so that a computer word of craft. The current passed through the address field was extended by 15 bits could be displayed in either command module and induced tem­ organizing the memory in banks. decimal or octal. In addition, three porary power failure in the fuel cells two-digit numeric displays indicat­ supplying power to the AGC. During The AGC had 2,000 IS-bit ed the major program in progress, the incident the voltage fail circuits words of erasable core memory and the verb code and the noun code. in the computer detected a series of started with 12,000 words of read­ The verb/noun format permitted power trenches and triggered sev­ only memory, called rope memory. communication in a language eral restarts. The computer with­ It was quickly upgraded to 24,000 whose syntax was similar to that stood these without interruption of words. Then by mid-1964, when of spoken language. Examples of the mission programs or loss of data.

The module in the background is exactly the same as one in the foreground, but it has only been used on Earth. The Museum's prototype computer ran at Draper Labs and was used to test the routines for the in-flight machines. In space all of the components had to be totally "potted" to insure that all the parts would stay firmly in place and remain uncontaminated during space flight. 5

The Apollo Guidance Computer, shown on the left, was responsible for the guidance, navigation, and control computations in the Apollo space program. The AGC was the first computer to use an integrated circuit logic and occupied less than I cubic foot of the spacecraft. It stored data in 15 bit words plus a parity bit and had a memory cycle time of n.7 microseconds, utilizing 2,000 words of erasable core mem­ ory and 36,000 words of read-only memory. The frame is made of magnesium for lightness and de­ signed to hermetically seal the components. The interface with the astronauts was the DSKY, shown on the right. It used digital displays and com­ municated with the astronauts using the verb and noun buttons visible in the photograph and two digit operation and operand codes. The AGe rope memory A set of status and caution lights is shown in the top left corner of the DSKY. The read-only memory of the com­ The AGC and DSKYare on display puter consisted of six rope memory in the Four Generation Gallery. modules, each containing 6,000 words of memory. This special type of core memory depended on the patterns set at the time of manufac­ ture. Its sensing wires were woven into a set pattern information. It had five times the density and was far more reliable than the coincident current core memory used for eras­ able storage in the computer. Being unalterable, it also provided a greater incentive for error-free software development. The AGC rope memory is on dis­ play in the primary memory case.

The Apollo lliunar landing had wrong mode during the lunar land­ capacity. However, no commercial an anomaly which attracted public ing phase, wasting computer mem­ computer could claim to match the attention. The computer in the LEM ory cycles. The computer software power consumption and space signalled a restart alarm condition was responding to overloads as characteristics of the AGe. several times during a very critical designed. Excerpted from an Illustrated period prior to touchdown. This fact This incident triggered a news Lecture, June 10, 1982, by Ben Gold­ was broadcast to the public and brief in Datamation in October, 1969, berg. The video-tape is archived by those who knew its significance faulting the computer design for be­ The Computer Museum. were close to a state of panic. After ing too slow. It rightfully claimed analysis, it was determined that the that there were a number of mini­ alarms were an indication to the computers, including the PDP-ll, astronauts that the computer was that were at least an order of mag­ overloaded and was eliminating low nitude faster. In the eight years since priority tasks from the waitlist. the initiation of the Apollo program The overload resulted from the commercial technology had far sur­ rendezvous radar being set in the passed that of the Apollo design a n d 6

The Apollo Guidance Computer A Users Vie'W

David Scott Astronaut for the Gemini 8, Apollo 9, and Apollo 15 missions.

In 1963 when NASA was con­ return to Earth. Between 1963 and , I called up MIT and asked if they ducting the selection of the third 1969, with the flight of Apollo 9 this could program the computer to give group of astronauts for the U.S. was accomplished. I stayed in the the vehicle a satisfactory orbit rate. space program, I had just received spacecraft while Rusty Schweickart They answered, "Of course, which a graduate degree at MIT and fin­ and Jim McDivitt got in the lunar way do you want to go and how ished test pilots school. My inter­ module and went out about 60 fast?". In a matter of a couple of ests and the program's need for a miles away. The computer behaved days we had a program and a user to interact with the design of flawlessly during our first success­ simulator that automatically drove the guidance computer at the MIT ful rendezvous in space. a spacecraft at perfect orbit rate. Instrumentation Lab was a good fit. We got into flight with very little I was part of those discussions Another assignment for Apollo chance to practice or verify, but whether to use analog or digital 9 was to take the first infra-red pho­ we put on the cameras and the controls that Eldon described. tographs of the Earth from space. results were perfect. To do this, a large rack of four cam­ The MIT Interlace eras was mounted on the space­ When I was studying at MIT, craft. Since they were fixed to the Potential Computer Failure the ability to rendezvous in space spacecraft. the vehicle itself had During the development pro­ was an issue for debate. It wasn't to track a perfect orbit such that cess we ran many simulations of clear whether it was possible to de­ the cameras were precisely vertical in-flight computer operations with velop the mathematics and speed with respect to the surface that they particular concern for in-flight fail­ of computation necessary to bring were photographing. During simu­ ure. But in the 10 years that I spent two vehicles together at a precise lations it was determined that in the program there was never a point in space and time-a critical manual orbit procedures would real computer failure. Yet. people issue for the Apollo missions suc­ be inaccurate. We were at a loss. often wonder what a computer fail­ cessfullanding on the moon and About two weeks before the flight ure would have meant on a mis-

~ - -- Ol ' 7

sion. It would have depended on the situation and the manner in Dr. Charles S. Draper, Chief which the computer failed. We Scientist. C.S. Draper Labora­ tory with astronaut David Scott, probably would not have expired, at the opening celebration of but there were some parts of the the Museum, June 10, 1982. mission in which a computer fail­ ure would have been especially compromising. Navigation was not necessarily time critical but the lu­ nar landing was very time critical. You could have a situation during a lunar landing in which, if the computer failed, the engine would be driven into the ground. Unless the astronaut could react quickly enough to stop it, the Lunar Module could have been flung on its side. Chances are that the astronaut could prevent such an event by switching to manual control of the vehicle. It must be remembered that the computer had been de­ signed to be as reliable as pos­ sible and the astronauts had a great amount of confidence in the machine.

And Problems 01 Success We had a backup called the entry monitor system, which had a graphic display based on the accelerometers in the spacecraft. "Before the missile and Apollo guid­ With this display the vehicle could ance programs, the problem of air­ be flown manually using pre-drawn curves to be followed for attitude, planes attacking ships at sea was a g-loading, and velocity. It was reas­ difficult one, so I began to do the bal­ suring to know that we were still able to return to Earth even if the listics analysis myself, plotting on a Apollo Guidance Computer failed. sheet with a pencil and a slide rule. During reentry there was a scroll in the entry monitor system and This analysis worked well enough so we could see the computer tracking that ships were able to defend them­ the predetermined curves all the way to the landing site. As our selves against air attacks. When the skills and the computer programs time came to develop the Polaris and improved over the years of the Apollo program, we came down Apollo programs, our attitude was closer and closer to the carrier. Finally, by the last Apollo mission much the same: we couldn't afford they didn't park the carrier on the any failures, so we didn't have any." landing point.

Excerpted by Ben Goldberg Dr. Draper at the lecture on from remarks after Eldon Hall's the design of the Apollo Guidance Lecture, June 10, 1982. Computer.

The Apollo 9 Crew, (from left) Dave Scott. Command Module Pilot; Jim McDivitt, Com­ mander; Rusty Schweickart, Lunar Module Pilot. Apollo 9 was launched on March 3, 1969. The first separation and rendezvous of the Lunar and Command Modules was carried out in Earth Orbit on this flight. 8 GALLERY TALK

Whirlwind Before Core imal and octal. My boss, Charlie refer to an address above where Adams, was concerning himself you were, as opposed to everything Reminiscences of lack Gilmore with that and so it became my job going below. The two pass assem­ to write the assembly program. bler came out of all that. I have a In October, 1950, I joined the I'm fairly certain that if it is not recollection of Charlie Adams and Whirlwind team. At that time the the first, it is one of the very first I briefing IBM's Nat Rochester first thirty-two registers of toggle assembly programs ever written. on how to produce symbolic switch memory were working. The only one that I know of that addresses. The four variable flip-flop registers predates it was Wilkes' 'Load could be assigned to anyone of the and Go' on the EDSAC. The Ph.D. candidates who needed to use the Whirlwind thirty-two addresses. They were In September, 1951. John Carr, able to demonstrate small mathe­ really didn't know how to run the later Chairman of Duke's Computer matical programs such as the machine. There were full scale Science Department, and I wrote a electronic technicians who knew bouncing ball problem or solve document that explained how peo­ simple differential equations. The how to bring it up, and most of the ple could actually use subroutines first memory consisted of electro­ systems programmers like myself in conjunction with assembly pro­ static storage tubes totaling 256 knew how to do it, as well as some grams, so that they didn't have to of the engineers. It was a fairly locations. We felt really rich with write all the various utilities. Peo­ a full 256 variable registers to write routine procedure so I went to ple could write their programs in a our programs. We calculated the Charlie Adams and suggested that relative fashion and then we would operation in the octal address and I could train two people right out give them the library of subroutines of high school to be computer then looked up what was then and they'd actually pick out the operators if I had enough funds to called the sexidecimal conversion tapes that they needed. We'd then number (later the term hexadeci­ hire them for one year. Jay Forrester string the tapes together and mal was used). We had a little load provided the funds and I went out literally make a copy not only of to two local high schools and asked program in the 32 registers and that their program but also of the sub­ bootstrapped the programs up into for students that were college mate­ routines. All of those would be rial but didn't have the money for the memory in order to run them. pulled in through the bootstrap college. I hired Joe Thompson from The first thing that we were program and it would run. This Boston Technical High School very anxious to do was to get an was the indirect birth of the sym­ (shown sitting down in the photo­ assembly program that would bolic address. The thing that we graph) and Bill Kyle from Boston allow us to be able to write our pro­ discovered, I think I actually dis­ English. Within four or five months grams using mnemonic symbols covered it, was that when we ran they were competent operators, and expressing the numbers in dec- the tape through twice, you could and Joe stayed on to complete his

This 1951 photograph of Whirlwind shows loe Thompson seated at the Flexowriter typewriting unit. lack Gilmore is standing in front of the 256 x 256 point display used for alphanumeric and graphic repre­ sentations of various computa­ tions. The display was utilized to plot solutions of partial differential equations for determining the optimal rate of pumping oil from underground caverns and also for displaying the optimal placement of television antennas for com­ pliance with F.C.C. regulations. 9

degree at Lowell Tech in the eve­ Profile of a Board Member Executive Officer of Fairchild nings. One day Forrester came in Camera and Instrument. At pres­ and sat at the back of the room. He Les Hogan's involvement in ent. Dr. Hogan spends about half watched for about an hour while electronics began while he was in his time as Technical Advisor to the Bill and Joe completed eight or nine the Navy during World War II. His President of Fairchild, is an active different jobs. Finally Jay said, work with the acoustic torpedo led board member of six corporations, "We've just created a new voca­ him to obtain a doctorate in physics and is advisor to Stanford, Berke­ tion." He also recognized this as the at Lehigh following the war. In 1950, ley, and MIT's engineering schools. solution to the problem of computer three months after he joined Bell operators for the SAGE project. Labs, he invented the microwave Dr. Hogan is deeply interested gyrator. In 1953, he was invited by in the development of The Comput­ The flexowriter typewriting John VanVleck to become a Profes­ er Museum because, in his words, unit we used was a word process­ sor at Harvard University. "I have spent my entire career in ing system, originally designed for high technology electronics in­ Hogan's influence on the de­ cluding the last twenty-five years list processing and promotional velopment of the semi-conductor It working on the semi-conductor. mailings. had a mechanical began in December 1957, when he reader and would create a form Computer technology has been became executive vice-president of my life." letter in a loop with stop codes Motorola and general manager of to key in the personal information. the semi-conductor division. He We used it as an integrated word later became President and Chief Reported by Allison Stelling. processing system, circa 195!. One Sunday afternoon in December 1951 the Whirlwind was featured on 'See It Now', Edward R. Murrow's program. Ron Meyer and I stayed up all weekend writing a program to display the trajectory of a Viking rocket on the display and another program that played Jingle Bells. They wired Jay Forrester with a mike and had the wire coming up his back with cables on the floor so he could walk from one part of the console to another. As he started to walk the wire snagged and the back of his coat started to come up. One of the CBS technicians decided that he was going to undo the snag and started to crawl across the floor like a commando. Forrester, not realizing that his coattails were at 90 degrees, couldn't understand why the technician was crawling towards him. We decided that Forrester was getting too distracted and so the technician was pulled back across the floor by his ankles. "All of the memorabilia in junk piles Meanwhile, Edward R. Murrow and Jay Forrester completed the across the country needs to be col­ interview which ended with Jingle Bells being played for the pre­ lected so that people can see what the Christmas viewers. early days of computing looked like. [The museum has archived a copy With such fast-changing technology, of the video tape of the Murrow in­ terview in which Jack Gilmore may a computer museum is as much for the be seen loading the tape reader] people who are part of the industry as it is for the next generation." Extracted by Ben Goldberg from C. Lester Hogan a Gallery Talk by lack Gilmore, June 16, 1982. 10 MUSEUM NEWS

At the Opening and first board meeting, many of the Board members had their first tour of the Museum. The old hands, such as Gordon BelL each had their assignment to explain and guide a new board member through the exhibitions. Gordon is giving Senator Paul Tsongas and his aide Andy Bagley an overview using the self-guiding brochure now available. 11

ARCHIVES AND LIBRARY INTERN PROGRAM Apollo Guidance Computer in this issue and will work on a com­ This fall, Gregor 1hnkaus­ This summer, eight interns prehensive exhibit of the Polaris Randall will join the staff as archi­ worked at the Museum on various and Apollo Guidance Computers. vist and librarian. Gregor will work special projects. Students are in­ to establish an archives and library vited to apply for paid internships David Bromfield, a Senior for scholarly use. at the Museum for any period up to at MIT in Business Management. six months. The number of students is the Acting Business Manager. An Archives Advisory Commit­ will vary according to the number As such, he has set up the initial tee met for the first time on June 9 of activities going on at any time. accounting systems for the and will meet again in May of 1983. Internships will complement the Museum. Committee members will assist various operational sections of the Gregor in the development of a Roberto Canepa, a junior in Museum. The listing of this sum­ comprehensive computing history electrical engineering at Carnegie mer's interns and their activities archives. Those interested in par­ Mellon University, has been re­ indicates the wide range of pos­ ticipating should contact Gregor building the number sieves built by sibilities. 1hnkaus-Randall at the Museum. Professor Derek Lehmer of Berkeley. His two biggest challenges are the The Library and Archives Beth Parkhurst started as an recreation of a bicycle chain ma­ will be located on the lobby floor intern in the summer of 1981. She chine from photographs taken of the Museum and should be open is now a Research Assistant at the in the 1920s and the restoration of in the spring of 1983. The collection Museum, spending one day a week the gear machine exhibited at the will include documents relevant during the school year while she 1932 Chicago World's Fair. to exhibited artifacts. With only works to complete her Ph.D. in the a small budget for acquisitions, Allison Stelling, a junior at American Civilization program at the Library and Archives will be Harvard majoring in History and Brown University. dependent upon donations of Computer Science, has concen­ deaccessioned materials from Andy Kristoffy, a junior in Com­ trated on doing research to gather company and private libraries. puter Science at the University of photographs for our collection.

Beth Parkhurst showing Uta Merzbach. Curator of Mathe­ matics at the Smithsonian. the Four Generation Gallery. Massachusetts, will spend next Farrell Woods, a sophomore year at the University of Manches­ at the University of Massachusetts, ter. Andy also started in 1981 and has organized the Museum's ar­ this summer has assisted Jamie tifact storeroom. He is drafting a Parker in the organization and in­ proposal for the development of a stallation of the Four Computer build-your-own tinker-toy computer. Generations exhibition. Gayle Morrison, who will enter Ben Goldberg recently com­ Becker Jr. College in the fall, pla ns pleted his B.A. at Williams and to major in Word Processing Admin­ is entering the Ph.D. program in istration. She has assisted Sue Computer Science at Yale Univer­ Hunt. the Museum's main secretary, sity. Ben prepared the story of the with all the extra activities. 12

SUMMER GALLERY TALKS stein spoke about their principles and John V. Levy evolution. The summer gallery talks provided Julius L. Marcus informal seminars on computer his­ August 18. The early development Thomas and Elizabeth McWilliams tory for visitors, summer interns, of integrated circuits at Texas Instru­ and staff. As part of our archival ments was described by Jeff Kalb. Richard G. Mills efforts, each intern was given the Martin O'Donnell August 25. "Atavistic Beginnings of responsibility for audio taping and J. Porter transcribing one talk, and, if ap­ Personal Computers" was the final propriate prepare it as an article session given by Geoff Feldman and Brian Randell for the Report. Rick Jevon, who worked at The Com­ puter Store, the first retail outlet for Ronald G. Smart These talks provided a focus for personal computers. John Stark the week and will be repeated next Max J. Steinmann summer-perhaps with even great­ er frequency. We have all found Robert E. and Diane M. Stewart that many of the Museum's mem­ Norman H. and Robert W Taylor bers and visitors have a great deal William R. Thompson to add to our knowledge and so we FOUNDERS invite self-nominations for giving Fritz and Nomi lIapnell a gallery talk. Until June 1984, the opportunity An Wang exists for corporations and indi­ Thomas E. Welmers June 16. Jack Gilmore's talk on his viduals to become Founders of the days as a programmer and operator Museum. This provides a unique, William Wolfson of the Whirlwind is covered in this opportunity to initialize a new issue of the Report. major institution. The original set of 11 Corporate Founders and 51 June 23. Gwen Bell outlined the Individual Founders were listed museum's taxonomy for classifying in the first Report. calculating devices and computers. June 30. Alan Kotok. one of the author's of Space War on the PDP-l New Corporate Founders: at MIT. demonstrated the program, Benton and Bowles and described the original environ­ ment of the machine. Intel Corporation Richard Reno July 7. Maurice Wilkes walked along the Pioneer Computer Timeline remi­ niscing about the people and events New Individual Founders: portrayed on it. Charles W Adams July 14 . Paul Ceruzzi. one of the first Michael and Merry Andelman Charles Babbage Institute fellows and professor of Computing History Isaac O. Auerbach at Clemson University, spoke on the Leo L. Beranek evolution of the "computer age". Eric Bloch July 21. TX-O's only technician, John George A. Chamberlain III McKenzie, pointed out the features of the machine and noted highlights Harvey Cragon from its era at MIT. Edson de Castro July 28. Bob Glorioso spoke about Harvey and Barbara Deitel his experiences with vacuum tubes, Georgedna Doriot transistors, and integrated circuits, many of which he collected and has Jay W Forrester donated to the museum. Alan Frisbie August 4. "The Thinking Machine" a Samuel H. Fuller 1960 television special featuring early Margaret A. Herrick work at MIT in Artificial Intelligence Peter S. Hirshberg and the TX-O was shown. L. R. Jasper August 11. As part of the development of the exhibit of the sieve machines R. L. Lane built by Derek Lehmer, Dick Rubin- Harold W Lawson, Jr. 13

History of Binary Numbers and Other Non-Decimal Numeration, by Anton Glaser, 1981. Tomash Publishers, 218 pages. Order: GLA8l $28.00 "... a carefully revised version of the author's Ph.D. thesis .... The coverage is extensive and very well written . . . makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the complex world in which we live." Annals of the History of Computing

25 anniversary issue, IBM Journal of Research and Development, Vol. 25, HISTORY No.5, September 1981, 846 pages. Order: IBM81 $6.00 The Annals of the History of Computing, Vol. 3, No.4, October 1981. illustrations A very rich volume chronicling the tech­ and diagrams. nical achievements of IBM in six areas: System Architecture and Development; COlDputer Order: ANN81 $8.00 Software Technology; Component De­ This classic issue of the Annals is de­ velopment and Manufacturing Technol­ Historian's voted to an insider's view of the first gen­ ogy; Magnetic Recording Technology; eral-purpose electronic computer. The Printing Technology; and IBM Scientific ENIAC monograph by Arthur W Burks Contributions. Bookshelf and Alice R. Burks presents a well­ reasoned view of ENIAC's place among computer developments of the day; and Computers: From Pascal to Von The Museum's bibliophiles have gives a long-needed description of the Neumann, by Herman H. Goldstine, agreed on a list of books that they machine's design logic, circuitry; and 1972, Princeton University Press, would have in their own libraries. problem set-up. Comments by J. G. Princeton, New Jersey, 378 pages To make it easy for you to have this Brainerd, J. P. Eckert, K. R. Mauchly, with 14 illustrations, paperback. collection, all the books have been B. Randell, and K. Zuse follow. Order: GOL72 $6.95 stocked in the Museum store and can Beth Parkhurst "An interesting work dealing briefly with be ordered using the form at the back the development of the computer from of this Report. the 17th Century to the 1930's, and exten­ A History of Manchester Computers, by We began by considering all sively with the work of the author, John Simon Lavington, 1975, National Com­ the books in Bill Aspray's and Brian von Neumann and others .. .. Their puting Centre, Manchester, England, Randell's bibliographies and ordered creation of the first electronic digital com­ fully illustrated, 44 pages. the ones in print. Then, we started our puter, ENIAC, during World War II, and Order: LAV75 $6.50 own review process, both adding and postwar developments at the Institute eliminating books. After reading sev­ "This very useful booklet summarizes the as part of the burgeoning world-wide eral reviews and the books, we agreed history of five successive computer proj­ 'computer revolution' make up the major on a short extract to use in characteriz­ ects at Manchester University, during the portion of this fascinating view of the ing the book. period 1946-1975. The early pages give computer world." C. R. LeSueur, information, from primary sources, on Library Journal The final step was to classify the development of the first computer at the books. Four categories resulted: Manchester, and on the roles of F C. History; Pre-history; Recreational Williams, T Kilburn, M. H. A. Newman, Antique Scientific Instruments, by Reading; and Reference. A. Turing, and others. Profusely illus­ Gerard L'E Turner, 1980, Blanford Press Ltd., Poole, Dorset. 69 color plates, We'll keep track of the "best sellers" trated." Brian Randell 168 pages. and incorporate your recommendations Order: TUR80 $20.00 and evaluations into future book lists. An Age of Innovation: The World of The author, Senior Assistant Curator of Gwen Bell Electronics, 1930-2000, by the editors of the Museum of the History of Science, Ben Goldberg Electronics, 1981. McGraw-Hill, New Oxford University, has collected his illus­ Beth Parkhurst York, fully illustrated. trations and materials from a variety of Dick Rubinstein Order: ELE8l $18.50 European museums and collections. Allison Stelling "A coffee-table book for everyone inter­ The first four chapters on astronomy and ested in electronics . . . the history is time-telling, navigational instruments, accurate and interesting, perhaps more surveying instruments, and drawing and interesting for the nostalgia it stimulates. calculating instruments are particularly . . . Much less satisfactory are the last relevant to the pre-history of computers . sections, which attempt a view of the The last chapter, "Practical Advice on future of electronics." Eric A. Weiss in Collecting," will be especially useful the Annals of the History of Computing to collectors. Gwen Bell 14

Computer Engineering, A DEC View From ENIAC to UNIVAC: An Appraisal The Computer and the Brain, by John of Hardware Systems Design, by of the Eckert-Mauchly Computers, by Von Neumann, 1958, Yale University C . Gordon Bell, J. Craig Mudge, and Nancy Stern, 198L Digital Press, Bed­ Press, New Haven, 82 pp. John E. McNamara, 1978, Digital Press, ford, Massachusetts, 38 illustrations Order: VON58 $3.45 561 pages. and diagrams, appendix, 286 pages. Order: BEL78 $28.00 "This book, composed of material pre­ Order: STE81 $25.00 pared for the Silliman Lectures by John "This book attempts to cover the entire "This volume is derived from Nancy Von Neumann before his death, repre­ Digital Equipment Corporation product Stern's Ph.D. thesis .... The emphasis sents the views of one of the greatest line starting with the early module series is on people and environment. ... The mathematicians of the twentieth century and the PDP-I, including such popular volume is handsome and is enhanced on the analogies between computing computers as the PDP-8, PDP-lO, and by a large number of illustrations and machines and the living human brain." PDP-ll .... For everyone interested in diagrams." Henry S. Tropp in the Annals Library Journal how and why computers and digital of the History of Computing systems are designed and implemented, whether student or experienced prac­ History of Programming Languages, titioner, this book is a must." by Richard L. Wexelblat, ed., 1981, L. A. Hollaar, ACM Computing Reviews Early British Computers: The Story of Academic Press, New York, 748 pp. Vintage Computers and the People Who Order: WEX81 $45.00 Built Them, by Simon Lavington, 1980, "... a very valuable and readable A History of Computing in the Twen­ Digital Press, Bedford, Massachusetts, source of historical information on the tieth Century, edited by N. Metropolis, fully illustrated, appendix, 139 pages. development of the most important and J. Howlett and Gian-Carlo Rota, 1976, Order: LAV80 $9.00 influential programming languages . .. Academic Press, Inc. , New York, 659 "This volume, sprinkled with more than this is a book that should appeal not just pages with 121 illustrations and photos 60 photographs, discusses wartime work to people with a serious interest in the and 4 tables. on Colossus, EDSAC, Pilot ACE, the history of computing but to anybody who Order: MET76 $29.50 Manchester Mark 1, LEO, and other early has experienced the delights and frustra­ "If you've been thinking that some day British computers." Henry S. Tropp in the tions of computer programming . . . . " you should read something on computer Annals of the History of Computing Brian Randell in Science Magazine history; buy this book! It consists of edited versions of papers presented in 1976 at an invitational conference supported by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (and held there) and by the National Science Foundation. The authors of the 37 papers include a high percentage of the people who personally did the pio­ neering work in computing or were first­ hand witnesses to it." D. D. McCracken, Computing Reviews

The Origins of Digital Computers: Se­ lected Papers, edited by Brian RandelL 1975, Berlin, Springer, bibliography. Order: RAN75 $35.00 "An outstanding collection of excerpts from important nineteeth and twentieth century computer developments, to­ gether with background and commen­ tary on each excerpt." William Aspray

Project Whirlwind: The History of a Pioneer Computer, by Kent C. Redmond and Thomas M. Smith, 1980, Digital Press, Bedford, Massachusetts, 67 illus­ trations and diagrams, 280 pages. Order: RED80 $25.00 "This book is not a technical engineer­ ing account. Instead, it is an attempt to reconstruct the complexity of technical, financial, and administrative problems and the eventual compromises and solutions to these problems." Henry S. Tropp in the Annals of the History of Computing 15

PRE-HISTORY The Clockwork Universe, edited by RECREATIONAL READING Klaus Maurice and Otto Mayr, Smith­ Origins of Modern Calculating sonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Micromillenium, by Christopher Evans, Machines, by J. A. V. Turck, 1972, Meale Watson Academic Publications, 1979, The Viking Press, New York, Arno Press Inc., New York. 196 pages New York. 1980, 200 illustrations and 255 pages. with 38 illustrations. technical drawings, 322 pages. Order: EVA79 $10.95 Order: TUR72 $17.00 Order: MAU80 $35.00 "[This is a n] enthusiastic a nd optimistic "This book is a chronicle of the evolution The book is the catalog of the exhibition review of the past, present, a nd , espe­ of mechanical calculating and recording The Clockwork Universe produced cially, future [of computers]. ... Informa­ machines including machines such as jointly by the National Museum of tive, fast-paced, and well-organized, the Pascal's machine, the Comptometer, the History and Technology, Smithsonian bookis eminently readable .... " B. C. Burrough's ma chine and the Billing's Institution and the Bayerisches National­ Hackler, Library Journal machine. Written in 1921 , the book is of museum, Munich. In fourteen contribu­ historical interest for its unique perspec­ tions from European and America n The Computer Esta blishment, by tive, its extreme detail and excellent scholars, the book depicts the golden Katharine Davis Fishma n, 1981, Ha rper illustrations. " Allison Stelling age of German clockma king, 1550-1650 and Row, New York. 468 pa ges . with detailed physical descriptions of the Order: FIS81 $20.95 finest clocks, automata a nd mechanical Collecting Mechanical Antiques, by "Mrs. Fishman has written a splendid celestial globes surviving from the time. Ronald Pearsall, Arco Publishing Com­ study of the computer revolution. This Gwen Bell pany Inc., New York 1973, 92 illustra­ is not the book from which to learn the tions, 197 pages. details of computer technology (although Order: PEA73 $7.95 A History of the Machine, by Sigvard such technical material as it contains is This book provides an illustrated history Strandh, 1979, A&W Publishers, Inc., presented with great economy and clar­ of the sewing machine, typewriter, tele ­ New York. fully illustrated with dia­ ity), but it is definitely a book from which graph, tele phone, camera, cinemato­ grams, 234 pages. to lea rn about the computer industry " graph, automa ta a nd mechanical toys, Order: STR79 $35 .00 The New Yorker mecha nical music, domestic appliances The author, Director of the National and gadgets. Gwen Bell Discovering Computers, by Mark Frank. Museum of Science and Technology in 1981. Stonehenge Press Inc., London, Stockholm, has put together an explana­ 96 pages with 104 illustrations and tory illustrated text that is second best to photographs. going to a good science museum. Chap­ Order: FRA81 $9.95 ter 8, Computers, has excellent dia­ grams ranging from the workings of the This book from an excellent series for Jacquard loom to the inside of the HP-35. young people does justice as a child's Other chapters cover early machines, introduction to computers. Appropriate tools and robots, windmills, engines, for junior high level. Frank's book was electricity, control systems, and house­ written expressly for readers with no hold tools. Gwen Bell previous knowledge a bout computers, math, or science. It describes how com­ puters function a nd what computers Early Scientific Instruments, by Nigel can and cannot do. Chris Rudomin Hawkes, 1981, Abbeville Press, Inc., New York, 73 full page color illustra­ tions, 164 pages. The Enigma War, by Jozef Garlinski. Order: HAW81 $30.00 1980, Scribner, New York, 211 pp. Order: GAR80 $14.95 "In this book are illustrated important examples from the diverse range of "Historians of WW II and specialists in artifacts with which man has tried to intelligence cryptanalysis will find Gar­ discover and explain the complexities linski's study indispensible; it is the most of the physical world, and, through this detailed, corroborated account of the comprehension, use nature for his own development and perfection of the ends. These early instruments, in addi­ "Enigma" machine by which the Allies tion to providing a tangible record of the were able to decipher a great portion development of scientific knowledge, of the strategically important Nazi and vividly demonstrate the technical in­ Japanese radio messages from 1940 genuity of former times." onward." Choice Magazine D. J. Bryden in the Introduction The Soul of a New Machine, by rracy Kidder, 1981. Little, Brown and Com­ pany, Boston, 293 pages. Order: KID81 $13.95 "Kidder ... provides a feeling for what this new and ever-changing technology is all about. He tells a human story of enormous effort; yet, eerily, it is the Eagle itself that emerges as the book's hero. " Museum store in action Saturday Review 16

Microelectronics Revolution, by Tom REFERENCE Forester (ed.), 1980, M.L T. Press, Cam­ bridge, Massachusetts, 589 pages with Electronic Inventions and Discoveries, 104 photographs and illustrations, by G . W. A. Dummer, Pergamon Press, paperback. Oxford, 2nd edition, 1978, 204 pages. Order: FOR80 $12.50 Order: DUM78 $20.00 "Editor Forester, a journalist, presents 41 The meat of the book is a brief descrip­ pieces written from the mid- to the late- tion of each electronic invention in date 1970's on a technology that could revo­ order. The work is fully indexed by sub­ lutionize our lifestyles and work habits ject, invention, and inventor. Interesting while displacing major segments of the descriptions and illustrations make the labor force in a sort of second Industrial book fun for browsing as well as useful Revolution. Several chapters outline the for reference. Gwen Bell technical side of microelectronics, but all are within the layperson's grasp, and the Data Processing Technology and book concentrates on the social implica­ Economics, by Montgomery Phister, Jr., tions of the technology. . . . This is one of 1979, Digital Press, Bedford, Massa­ the more thorough treatments available chusetts, 717 pages with 535 illustra­ on the subject." Barbara Gaye, Library tions and 261 tables, paperback. Journal Order: PHI79 $33.00 "An updated version of this original mar­ Machines Who Think: A Personal velous tome of copious data-processing­ Inquiry into the History and Prospects related facts and figures. This would of Artificial Intelligence, by Pamela represent the data-processing equivalent McCorduck. 1979, W H. Freeman and of the annual information almanacs-if Company. San Francisco, 364 pp. it were made current more frequently. Order: MCC79 $8.95 Unqualifiedly superb as a reference work. it also makes for fascinating "In this delicious book-witty. informed, The Opening Poster browsing." Choice open, rich in direct and candid testi­ Order: 61082 $4.00 mony--a novelist reports her visits Full color, 20 x 30 inch poster commem­ among the ambitious projectors and her Computer Dictionary. by Charles J. orating the opening of the Museum. The estimates of what they do, say. and plan. SippI and Roger J. SippI. 1982, Howard photograph shows the vacuum-tube She offers a good deal of wise reflection W Sams & Co., Inc., Indianapolis, power driver of the first core memory but never one flowchart or formula." 624 pages with 55 photos and illus­ bank for Whirlwind, 1953, and a proto­ P Morrison, Computing Reviews trations, paperback. type integrated circuit for the Apollo Order: SIP82 $15.95 Guidance Computer, 1965. "This is a 'browsing' dictionary. . . . Many Hut Six, by Gordon Welchman, definitions and explanations are long McGraw-Hill Book Company. New York, 1983 Calendar: The Computer Era, 1982, 326 pages. and are designed to be so. Users of this 9 x 12 folded, spiral bound, heavy book can easily and leisurely browse Order: WEL82 $12.95 coated paper. through the main and supplemental Order: YEA83 $7.95 "A fascinating account of the breaking 'areas,' such as 'data base,' to learn of the German 'Enigma' code which took This calendar is illustrated with photos significant details about the products, of contemporary computing systems or place at Bletchley Park in England. The procedures, problems and proliferating author was deeply involved in the crypt­ components from major manufacturers applications." Preface, Computer analysis project, and thus presents a along with equivalents from the early Dictionary very personal history of the events lead­ age of computing. The major historic ing up to the codebreaking. The book events that can be pinned down to an offers an excellent insight into the per­ exact day. such as Babbage's birthday. sonalities involved in the project. The the announcement of the IBM 360, or last section of the b=k is devoted to an Stibitz's 1940 demonstration of calculating analysis of the current state of the com­ via teletype from Dartmouth to New York munications systems in the U.S. defense are recorded. The calendar is beautiful, program, a scathing critique." informative and fun. Gwen Bell Ben Goldberg THE COMPUTER MUSEUM ORDER FORM

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TELEPHONE NO. Future Museum Lectures Thursday Aftemoons at 5PM

D.H. LEHMER

HISTORY OF THE SIEVE MACHINES

The 1936 electro-mechanical sieve shown at left is one of Derek Lehmer's sieve process machines, devices which aided in solving certain equations using principles of number theory. He has donated three complete sieves and plans for his 1926 bicycle-chain machine to the Museum. His lecture will describe the evolution of these machines from 1926 to the mid fifties, and commemorate the opening of their exhibition at the Museum.

October 21 HERBERT J. GROSCH

THE WATSON SCIENTIFIC LABORATORY 1945-50

As the first assistant to Wallace Eckert and director of the computing program, Herbert Grosch will provide a narrative of the development of the Columbia Laboratories up to the time of NORC.

November 18 HARRY HUSKEY

FROM PILOT ACE TO G-15

As a Fulbright scholar, Harry Huskey spurred the building of the Pilot ACE at Britain's National Physical Laboratory. Returning to the USA, he was the chief designer of the SWAC and the Bendix G-IS. His lecture will provide a chroni­ cle of the evolution from single labora­ tory to commercial computers.

The Bendix G-IS THE END BIT 0000000000000001 A newsbrief of the collection

One of the first NOVA central process­ ing units, a recent gift from Data GeneraL is currently exhibited with its original advertising photographs and engineering drawings at the Museum. Introduced in 1968, the NOVA was priced at $8,000 with mixed and matched RAM and ROM to 32,000 words.

The CPU, located by Kris Eber­ lin of Data GeneraL is the 203rd unit manufactured by the com­ pany. The NOVA can be seen in the Four Computer Generations gallery. The Museum's newest exhibition, the gallery high­ lights major technological in­ ventions, significant hardware and software, and computer applications.

The Computer Museum

Onelron Way Marlboro Massachusetts 01752