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Initial Steps in Development of Computer Science in Macedonia

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Initial Steps in Development of Computer Science in Macedonia Initial Steps in Development of Computer Science in Macedonia and Pioneering Contribution to Human-Robot Interface using Signals Generated by a Human Head Stevo Bozinovski 2 Abstract – This plenary keynote paper gives overview of the were engaged in support of nuclear energy research. People pioneering steps in the development of computer science in from Macedonia interested in advanced research and study Macedonia between 1959 and 1988, period of the first 30 years. were part of this effort. Most significant work was done by As part of it, the paper describes the worldwide pioneering Aleksandar Hrisoho, who working together with Branko results achieved in Macedonia. Emphasize is on Human-Robot Soucek in Zagreb, wrote a paper about magnetic core Interface using signals generated by a human head. memories in 1959 [1]. He received formal recognition for this Keywords – pioneering results, Computer Science in work, the award “Nikola Tesla” [2]. He also worked on Macedonia analog-to-digital conversion on which he wrote a paper [3], received a PhD [4], and was cited [5]. So it can be said that authors from Macedonia in early 1960’s already achieved PhD and citation for work related to computer sciences. Their I. INTRODUCTION work was in languages other than Macedonian because they worked outside Macedonia. This paper represents a research work on the history of development of Computer Science in Macedonia from 1959 till 1988, the first thirty years period. The history can be B. 1961-1967: People from Macedonia visiting programming presented in many ways and in this paper the measure of courses outside Macedonia historical events are pioneering steps. The paper lists pioneering steps in development of Computer Science in During 1950’s and 1960’s there was advancement in Macedonia, and points out some of them which are worldwide computer architecture worldwide and European industry was pioneering results. part of it. First computers appeared which were programmed Many colleagues were directly contacted during the writing in machine language and in initial form of assembler of this report; however the responsibility for this report is language. People from Macedonia took part in participating in solely on the author. So it can be viewed as a personal view, seminars and courses in computer programming. In 1961 although the author made every effort this report to be an Dimitar Bitrakov followed the course on machine language objective presentation of the pioneering events of the programming in Ljubljana. In 1964 he followed another development of Computer Sciences in Macedonia. course in Belgrade, on machine language named Autocode III. Both used European computers as models of computer II. 1959 -1967: PIONEERING STEPS BY PEOPLE architecture. Other Macedonian scientist following the courses offered on programming at that time was Dimitra Karcicka. FROM MACEDONIA, DONE OUTSIDE MACEDONIA III. 1968: START OF COMPUTER SCIENCE IN A. 1959- People employed in nuclear energy research in institutes outside Macedonia MACEDONIA In the period 1959-1988 which is covered by this report, A. 1964- 1968: Start of Computer Science in Macedonia Macedonia was a state of the Yugoslavia federation. There were 6 states: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, The event which influenced development of Computer Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. Science in Macedonia happened in Soviet Union, where in The development of science during 1950’s placed 1964 Glushkov published a computer science book named significant importance on nuclear energy. At that time the Introduction to Cybernetics [6]. It was translated into English principal institutes in Yugoslavia such as Vinca in Belgrade, in 1966 [7] and in Serbian in 1967 [8]. Here is a list of the Rudjer Boskovic in Zagreb, and Josef Stefan in Ljubljana book chapters: Ch1. Abstract theory of algorithms; Ch2. Boolean functions and propositional calculus; Ch3. Automata theory; Ch4. Self- 1Stevo Bozinovski is with the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, South Carolina State University, USA and with organizing systems; Ch5. Electronic digital computers and the Faculty of Computer Sciences and Engineering Technologies, Sts programming; Ch6. The predicate calculus and the automation Cyril and Methodius University, Macedonia, [email protected] of the processes of scientific discovery. As can be seen that was actually an advanced book in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. The most 3 advanced chapter was Chapter 4, on self-organizing systems some previous effort in Europe in developing computers where Glushkov presented theory of neural networks, pattern irrelevant. In 1967 Macedonia was in the mainstream recognition, and learning in perceptrons. computer programming, a step ahead of other Yugoslavia In 1967 that book appeared at a Book Fair is Skopje, at two states. people relevant for this story bought it. One was Dr Georgi Cupona, who was one of the initiators for establishment of It can be said that Fortran programming and use of Mathematical Institute with Numeric Center (MINC) in 1966, IBM1130 computer was initiated by IBM, both in Macedonia the first institution in Macedonia which in its title has and worldwide. As opposite to that, the Computer Science computational aspects of mathematics. The second person, itself was self-initiated in Macedonia, by a vision of Dr independently, was the author of this paper, at that time a high Cupona, and the author of this text as executor of his idea. school student. Professor Cupona immediately recognized the importance of the book. First he suggested to his spouse Gorica Ilieva, to propose to the author of this text to work on IV. PIONEERING STEPS 1969-1988 the third chapter of the book (Automata Theory), as a high school maturation research project. Being a regular participant A. 1968-1973: First generation of Computer Science majors in mathematics competition in Macedonia and Yugoslavia, the in Yugoslavia and influence on development of computer author of this text was known to Dr. Cupona. In the beginning science in Macedonia of 1968, Cupona decided that this book will be basis of a seminar, named Seminar on Cybernetics organized by MINC. The trend of following Nuclear Sciences in 1950’s and Nine lectures were assigned to university professors from early 1960’s has changed during 1960’s toward interest in Mathematics, Biology, and technical departments. The tenth electronics. There were students enrolling in such programs in lecture, on abstract automata, Cupona assigned to the author Belgrade, Zagreb, and Ljubljana. However, the University of of this text. At that time no university professor was working Zagreb was the first to formally start a computer sciences on abstract automata. So in May 1968, the author of this text program in 1970. delivered the first lecture on Abstract Automata, in front of In 1968 students from Macedonia enrolled the Electrical university professors and other interested audience, and also Engineering Department in Zagreb (ETF Zagreb). ETF wrote, with help of Dr Cupona, the first paper on Computer Zagreb was organized in units named ‘zavods” as opposite to Science written in Macedonian language [9][10]. This event “cathedras” which at that time were usual university units. A can be recognized as a starting point in development of “zavod” gives a sense of orientation toward industry oriented Computer Science in Macedonia. work, in addition to study and teaching work (usually assumed for a cathedra). One of the zavods, on initiative of B. 1965 – 1967: IBM and the first computer in Macedonia professor Stanko Turk, in 1970 was established as “Zavod za Racunarsku Tehniku i Informatiku”), which was about In 1965 IBM started production of its “scientific development of computer sciences. ETF Zagreb was the first minicomputer” IBM 1130. With a price tag of $30,000-40,000 university department in Yugoslavia which formally IBM started a marketing offensive to offer that computer to established such a computer science program (original United Nations and governments of many countries. Through “Racunaska tehnika i informatika”). So the mentioned three the United Nations aid for Skopje 1963 earthquake, the first students from Macedonia were in the first generation of IBM 1130 was installed in Macedonia in 1967. The students in Yugoslavia that obtained a formal degree in configuration contained magnetic core memory of 8K (16 bit computer sciences. Among few students of that first words) with 512K disk space. Operating system was Disk generation who obtained highest grade “excellent”, one was Monitor System which was on disk, along with compilers and from Macedonia. Both the computer science major and loaders. Programs were input from punched cards. The concept of zavod, influenced the later development of computer came as part of the UNESCO support, for computer sciences in Macedonia in at least two ways. development of the Institute for Earthquake Engineering and First was the name which was given later to the unit of the Engineering Seismology (IZIIS). The Computing Center was Electrical Engineering Department in Skopje, Macedonia, to established, with the first Director being Dimitar Bitrakov. be “Zavod za kompjuterska tehnika i informatika” after the The education on single-task Fortran programming in same name from the Electrical Engineering department in Macedonia started a year before, in 1966. It was delivered by Zagreb. The name for the major was “Kompjuterska tehnika I Dr. Masanori Izumi, from Japan, in English language as part informatika” The names were originally proposed by the of the graduate study carried out by the Institute of author of this paper on 1976.. Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology (IZIIS). Second was the influence of the book by professor Branko One of the early students and user of the computer was Dimce Soucek published in USA in 1972 named “Minicomputers in Petrovski. data processing and simulation” [11], which gave very It should be noted that in both Belgrade and Zagreb such advanced knowledge on computer science especially on computer came a year later, in 1968.
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