William Norris, Control Data Founder, to Speak at Science & Technology Dinner

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

William Norris, Control Data Founder, to Speak at Science & Technology Dinner INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 v William Norris, Control Data Founder, To Speak at Science & Technology Dinner " Emerging High Impact Technologies" Sources" by David DeCoursin, Vice­ will be emphasized by guest speakers President, Energy Conversion R & D, at the Annual Science and Technology FluiDyne Engineering Corporation. Day seminars on Friday, Nov. 10. The The moderator for the evening seminars are sponsored and planned program will be David E. Hagford, by the University of Minnesota Institute President of the Institute of of Technology Alumni Society. Technology Alumni Society. The afternoon seminar program The evening's main speaker will be begins at 1:30 p.m. in the Coffman William C. Norris, Chairman of the Memorial Union Theater on the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Volume 5, Number 1 Minneapolis East Campus. The Control Data Corporation. Norris Fall, 1978 evening program begins with a get­ founded Control Data in 1957. Today it acquainted session at 6 p.m. in the is a leading company in electronic Garden Court of the Radisson South data services with revenues of more Hotel, Bloomington, and is followed by than $2 billion and assets of $5 billion. a 7 p.m. dinner and program in the His topic is " Emerging Nations and hotel's Great Hall West. Reservations Minnesota Technology." Norris is are required for the evening program actively involved in the area of small and can be made by calling 373-2466. business development and in the use The moderator of the afternoon of computers to solve major world session is Walter Weyhmann , Head of problems. the Physics Department. Other guest speakers for the Seminar topics for the afternoon evening include: Alan K. Ruvelson , include: " Machine Preception" by founder and president, First Midwest William Thompson, Assistant Corporation, parent company of the Professor, Department of Computer nation 's first licensed and operational Science; " Computer Speech small business investment firm, Dr. Communication" by Mark F. Roger Staehle, Dean-designate to the Mendress, Manager, Speech Institute of Technology and Professor Processing Laboratory, Sperry Univac ; of Metallurgical Engineering at the " Computer Vision " by George G. Ohio State University, and Willis K. Dodd, Assistant Head, Computer Drake, founder and President, Data Science Department, General Motors Card Corporation and former member Research Laboratory; of Control Data's original Board of " Superconductivity" by Allen Directors. Goldman, Professor, Physics Both sessions promise to be Department; " Cryogenic Computers" informative and stimulating. Again , the by Hollis Caswell, Director, Thomas J. number to call for evening session Watson Research Laboratories, IBM reservations is 373-2466. Corporation and, " Novel Energy AIIIIMIIlr Ill~ Dav1d E. Hag ford, President, I. T. Alumni Association A REPORT FROM THE 3M Alums encouraged to make use of the I.T. ALUMNI PRESIDENT advisory services being made available by the new program. A few nights ago I had the opportunity Organize During the coming year, the IT to l1sten to our Dean-designate for the Alumni Society will be working to Institute of Technology, Dr. Roger Career Advisory expand this career counseling Staehle. He outlined for us the role he Service program for students to other high visualized the Institute of Technology technology companies in the Twin City assummg 1n the coming years, by A. F. Yapel , Jr., area, usmg the now existing 3M beginning with a philosophical 1st Vice.-Pres., IT Aumni Society program as a model. Any scientist, overview of the interaction between eng1neer or other companies The last issue of ITEMS reported that the technical community and society interested in taking part are urged to both the IT Dean 's office and the IT and concluding with specific call Dr. Tony Yapel at 733-6215. It is Assistant Dean 's Office were very objectives for IT as well as the various not necessary to be a University of Interested in obtaining the names of support groups such as the IT Alumni M1nnesota alumnus to participate. scientists and engineers in the Twin Society. Cities area who would be willing to The event at which Dr. Staehle spend a few hours of their time spoke was a meeting of the Institute of Alumni Again Sponsor discussing career opportunities with Technology Advisory Council. 1 students, either at their places of Luncheon-Seminars attended it with our President-elect for employment or at mutually agreeable next year, Dr. Tony Yapel. We both left alternate locations. the meeting very impressed with the The IT Alumni Society, encouraged by Such encounters were intended to leadership abilities of our new dean as the success of its last luncheon­ be very informal in nature, probably well as excited about the vision and seminar series, will present a second mvolving one or two students selected role he described for the Institute. by University staff members. The four event sequence to cover the ~either of us could avoid discussing primary objective of the program general subject, ''How Can You 1deas on how the alumni could Influence Your Career? " , a topic that would be to provide the student with support and participate 1n Dr. the opportunity to meet with an w1ll bnng to the audience three Staehle's plans as we headed for our experienced industrial scientist or speakers and a concluding panel of parked cars. I am sure that next year four participants. engineer. Job opportunities and w1ll be both exciting and challenging The luncheon-seminar sessions responsibilities could be discussed in to all those associated with IT. billed as high-content, a relaxed atmosphere. The student time-intensi~e As my term as your president would have an excellent opportunity to programs will be inaugurated on draws to a close I look back at what Tuesday, Nov. 14, with Lee Oxman have any questions regarding an we have accomplished together and 1 mdustnal career answered in this Manager, Human Relations, Sperry am also impressed. For me it has been ·'one-to-one" situation . Un1vac Defense Systems Division a year of meeting and working with a Working in cooperation with the IT addressing the topic, " Coping w(th group of very talented, dedicated Alumni Society Board of Directors the Career Related Stress. " people who really want to be involved scientists and engineers of the 3M, James Lenarz, Senior Professional with IT and are willing to put in the Company have responded to this plea Development Specialist, Honeywell, time and resources necessary to carry Inc. , w1ll speak on " Professional w1th enthusiasm. The Academic out the tasks that were set out earlier Development," on Tuesday, Nov. 28. Relations Committee of the 3M th is year. During this year we have The next meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, Technical Forum, an organization of seen programs developed for students all technical employees of the w1ll hear Morris Nicholson, Director for alumni and a number of support ' Continuing Education in Engineerin'g company, canvassed its membership type activities for the college. and Sc1ence, University of Minnesota, and found nearly ninety 3M 'ers willing Although a lot was accomplished, a lot to volunteer the1r t1me to participate in talk on the subject, " Continuing remams to be done. The planning such a career advisory program for Education's Role in Career Planning." comm1ttee has once again done its students. The f1nal session on Tuesday, Jan. homework well and has nominated a The mechanism for the operation 9, will present a panel of the three number of extremely capable was worked out in a series of previous speakers moderated by individuals for next year's board giving meetings between the 3M Academic Robert Bateman, vice-president, 1t all the potential necessary both for Relations Committee members and Rosemount, Inc. carrying out the activities initiated this staff members of the IT Dean and All four luncheon-seminar sessions year as well as identifying and Assistant Dean 's offices. will be held at the Sheraton Airport venturing into several new areas. The new student advisory program Inn, Highway 494 and 24th Ave. South, To next year's IT Alumni Society Bloommgton. The starting time is IS scheduled to begin operating by the board, executive officers and t1me this article is in print. 12:00 noon. A $6.50 charge includes members, the challenges continue to It is expected that the program will both the luncheon and program. exist I wish you well in identifying and be of particular help to " unclassified" Reservations can be made through meetmg them. To all those who served freshmen and sophomore students in Jean Hanson, Minnesota Alumni so well this year I express my sincere the Institute of Technology who find Center, 373-2466, by the Thursday thanks both from myself and on behalf themselves in the process of trying to before each event. of all those who benefited from your choose their majors and make career The programs are open to all efforts. alumni, friends and guests. David Hagford decisions. Both upper division and President, IT Alumni Society graduate students are also being FROM DEAN IT Council Hears Dr. Roger Staehle JOHNSON'S DESK Six new members were introduced at 30 leaders in technically-oriented the October meeting of the IT Advisory industry and in other important areas, Over the past Council by Chairman Willis K. Drake. who have been invited to serve by the several years, all of They are: D. W. (Jack) Angland, president of the University. Members us in the Dean's Executive Vice President, Northern serve staggered three-year terms. The Office have noted States Power Company (who was IT Alumni president is automatically a an increased welcomed back to the Council) ; member. interest in the Andrew E. (Ed) Abramson, President, In addition to the officers and the business Research , Inc.; Dr.
Recommended publications
  • Annual Report to the Congress: January 1 to September 30, 1983
    Annual Report to the Congress: January 1 to September 30, 1983 March 1984 Contents Section Page I. Statements by the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board, TAAC Chairman, and the Director of OTA. 1 II. Year in Review . 5 III, Work in Progress . 21 IV. Organization and Operations . 23 Appendixes A. List of Advisors and Panel Members . 33 B. OTA Act–Public Law 92-484 . 68 Section I.-Statements by the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board, TAAC Chairman, and the Director of OTA CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT- CONGRESSMAN MORRIS K. UDALL The year 1983 was very productive for the Office of Technology Assessment. OTA made substantive contributions to about 60 different committees and subcommittees. They ranged from major, comprehen- sive reports to testimony and special analyses, Considering the com- plex and controversial nature of the issues OTA must deal with, it is commendable that its work continues to be given uniformly high marks for quality, fairness, and usefulness. During 1983, OTA was active in such diverse areas as hazardous and nuclear waste management, acid rain analyses, cost containment of health care, technology and trade policy, Love Canal, wood use, and polygraphs. The evidence of testimony, briefings, other requests for assistance, as well as reception of OTA’s products by committees em- phasizes the contribution made by OTA to the legislative process. 2 ● Annual Report to the Congress for 1983 VICE CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT- SENATOR TED STEVENS The lives of our citizens and the issues of government have increas- ingly been influenced by science and technology. Congressional com- mittees and Members are drawn into the complexity of science and the controversies involving technology as they face the necessary deci- sions of government.
    [Show full text]
  • Sperry Corporation, UNIVAC Division Photographs and Audiovisual Materials 1985.261
    Sperry Corporation, UNIVAC Division photographs and audiovisual materials 1985.261 This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on September 14, 2021. Description is written in: English. Describing Archives: A Content Standard Audiovisual Collections PO Box 3630 Wilmington, Delaware 19807 [email protected] URL: http://www.hagley.org/library Sperry Corporation, UNIVAC Division photographs and audiovisual materials 1985.261 Table of Contents Summary Information .................................................................................................................................... 3 Historical Note ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Scope and Content ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Arrangement ................................................................................................................................................... 6 Administrative Information ............................................................................................................................ 6 Related Materials ........................................................................................................................................... 7 Controlled Access Headings .......................................................................................................................... 8 Bibliography
    [Show full text]
  • Oral History Interview with William W. Butler
    An Interview with WILLIAM W. BUTLER OH 92 Conducted by Arthur L. Norberg on 8 November 1984 11 December 1984 Charles Babbage Institute Center for the History of Information Processing University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 1 William W. Butler Interview 8 November and 11 December 1984 Abstract Butler begins with a brief description of his early life and education. He discusses his work on radar and sonar with RCA during World War II. He describes his decision to obtain a graduate degree in electrical engineering after the war and his subsequent employment with Douglas Aircraft. The focus of the interview then shifts to Butler's work with Engineering Research Associates (ERA). He recounts his start with ERA in sales under William C. Norris and his contribution to High Speed Computing Devices, and his work with John L. Hill and Arnold A. Cohen. Butler recalls the difficulty of selling the idea of the magnetic drum and his later engineering work on several ERA projects. He discusses product planning at ERA, including the 1103 computer, and later at Remington Rand. Butler describes the competition and cooperation between Eckert-Mauchly and ERA when both were divisions of Remington Rand and Remington Rand's corporate structure. He concludes the interview with a brief mention of Engineering Products Associates, Technical Systems, Inc., and Commbase, three firms he founded after leaving Sperry Rand. 2 WILLIAM W. BUTLER INTERVIEW DATE: 8 November 1984 INTERVIEWER: Arthur Norberg LOCATION: St. Paul, MN NORBERG: This is November 8, 1984. We're in the offices of Mr. William W. Butler, for an interview on his activities principally connected with ERA, but also with other activities in the state of Minnesota, some of the predecessor activities in the aerospace industry, and during World War II.
    [Show full text]
  • Origins in the Engineering Research Associates
    VIP Club - Roseville MN 14 October 2010 MINNESOTA’S HIDDEN HISTORY IN COMPUTING Origins in the Engineering Research Associates Thomas J. Misa Charles Babbage Institute www.cbi.umn.edu ENIAC ‘tree’ ftp.arl.army.mil/ftp/historic-computers Topics tonight 1.MN as ‘silicon valley’? 2.Origins of ERA 3.Start-up days 4.Work and people at ERA 5.The RemRand (Sperry-) years 6.Legacies of ERA MN’s many computer ‘firsts’ •… magnetic data storage •… ‘stored program’ computer •… computer industry •… ‘supercomputer’ [CDC to IBM–Rochester BlueGene] •… early WWW [Gopher . .] ERA drum memory unit [c.1950] MN computer employment 1989 • Massachusetts (4.1%) • Minnesota (3.3%) = 68,000 jobs • California (2.8%) • Virginia (2.2%) • Texas (2.1%) ‣Percent state employment Source: Minnesota Technology (Fall/Winter 1991) Origins of ERA • Communications Supplementary Activity–W (Navy crypto 1943-46) • Howard Engstrom (Yale math prof) 3801 Nebraska Ave NW • William Norris Mt Vernon Seminary (1917-42) (ex-Westinghouse) CSA-W et seq. (1943-95) Homeland Security HQ (2001-) •“set up a private company...?” Origins of ERA • Sec/Navy James Forrestal: keep CSAW together post-war • Wall Street: “plan unsound” • John Parker - DC investment banker - Northwest Air board member - Northwestern Aeronautical Corp (1942-45) ERA origins ERA plant #1 1902 W. Minnehaha Ave ERA origins • ‘Engineering Research Associates, Inc.’ formed Jan 1946: DC office + St.Paul factory • 2x 100k shares at 10¢ → $20k capital - 50% ‘associates’ (HE + WN + 47) - 50% Parker investors + $200k credit • Parker + VPs Engstrom, Norris, Meader • NCR Naval Computing Machinery Lab (Dayton) to ERA (St.Paul) ERA as start-up • Navy contracts 6/1946 et seq.
    [Show full text]
  • R00456--FM Getting up to Speed
    GETTING UP TO SPEED THE FUTURE OF SUPERCOMPUTING Susan L. Graham, Marc Snir, and Cynthia A. Patterson, Editors Committee on the Future of Supercomputing Computer Science and Telecommunications Board Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS Washington, D.C. www.nap.edu THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001 NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Gov- erning Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engi- neering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for ap- propriate balance. Support for this project was provided by the Department of Energy under Spon- sor Award No. DE-AT01-03NA00106. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations that provided support for the project. International Standard Book Number 0-309-09502-6 (Book) International Standard Book Number 0-309-54679-6 (PDF) Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2004118086 Cover designed by Jennifer Bishop. Cover images (clockwise from top right, front to back) 1. Exploding star. Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) Center for Supernova Research, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science. 2. Hurricane Frances, September 5, 2004, taken by GOES-12 satellite, 1 km visible imagery. U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. 3. Large-eddy simulation of a Rayleigh-Taylor instability run on the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory MCR Linux cluster in July 2003.
    [Show full text]
  • HPC at NCAR Past, Present and Future
    HPC at NCAR Past, Present and Future Tom Engel HPC Specialist Operations & Services Division Computational and Information Systems Laboratory National Center for Atmospheric Research CUG2010 26 May 2010 Copyright © 2010 - University Corporation for Atmospheric Research 26 May 2010 - 1 NCAR - 50th Anniversary - 2010 “Blue Book” 1959: There are four compelling reasons for establishing a National Institute for Atmospheric Research: 1. The need to mount an attack on the fundamental atmospheric problems on a scale commensurate with their global nature and importance. 2. The fact that the extent of such an attack requires facilities and technological assistance beyond those that can properly be made available at individual universities. 3. The fact that the difficulties of the problems are such that they require the best talents from various disciplines to be applied to them in a coordinated fashion, on a scale not feasible in a university department. 4. The fact that such an Institute offers the possibility of preserving the natural alliance of research and education without unbalancing the university programs. The scientific program of the Institute will be focused on the fundamental problems in four principal areas of research: atmospheric motion, energy exchange processes in the atmosphere, water substance in the atmosphere, and physical phenomena in the atmosphere. Copyright © 2010 - University Corporation for Atmospheric Research 26 May 2010 - 2 Early Years • Walter Roberts & I.M.Pei conceive a structure commensurate with its surroundings
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report to the Congress: Fiscal Year 1985
    Annual Report to the Congress: Fiscal Year 1985 March 1986 Section Page I. Statements by the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board, TAAC Chairman, and the Director of OTA. 1 11, Year in Review ., . , . 7 111. Work in Progress . 45 IV. Organization and Operations . 47 Appendix A, Technology Assessment Advisory Council . 57 B. List of Advisors and Panel Members . 60 C. Technology Assessment Act . 116 ///. Section I.-Statements by the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board, TAAC Chairman, and the Director of OTA Chairman's Statement- Senator Ted Stevens The passage of the Balanced Budget Act of 1985 has intensified the pressure for Congress to carefully review all authorizations and ap- propriations to ensure that programs are necessary and represent a good investment of Federal dollars. It is particularly important that Con- gress have prompt access to unbiased and clear information about the longer term consequences of scientific and technological issues, lest these considerations get lost in the drive to cut budgets. The assess- ment reports, technical memoranda, and other information that OTA provided to committees included valuable information and analyses that Congress needs to meet its responsibilities in matters involving science and technology. Committees of both the House of Representatives and the Senate take advantage of the resources offered by OTA. Last year, OTA reports cov- ered topics ranging from toxic wastes and groundwater contamination to the changing structure of American agriculture to U.S. vulnerabil- ity to loss of imported strategic materials, In addition to formal assessment reports, OTA provided Congress with less formal but timely information on smoking-related deaths and their financial costs, and a review of the Public Health Service’s re- sponse to the problem posed by AIDS.
    [Show full text]
  • Cryptology's Role in the Early Development of Computer
    Cryptology’s Role in the Early Development of Computer Capabilities in the United States This publication is a product of the National Security Agency history program. It presents a historical perspective for informational and educational purposes, is the result of independent research, and does not necessarily reflect a position of NSA/CSS or any other U.S. government entity. This publication is distributed free by the National Security Agency. If you would like additional copies, please email your request to [email protected] or write to: Center for Cryptologic History National Security Agency 9800 Savage Road, Suite 6886 Fort George G. Meade, MD 20755-6886 Cover: A World War II COLOSSUS computer system. Cryptology’s Role in the Early Development of Computer Capabilities in the United States James V. Boone and James J. Hearn Center for Cryptologic History National Security Agency 2015 Preface ryptology is an extraordinary national endeavor where only first place counts. This attitude was prevalent among the partici- pantsC in the U.K.’s Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) activities at Bletchley Park1 during World War II. One of GC&CS’s many achievements during this time was the development and exten- sive use of the world’s first large-scale electronic digital computer called COLOSSUS. The highly skilled military personnel assigned to Bletchley Park returned to the U.S. with this experience and, aug- mented by the experience from other government-supported devel- opment activities in the U.S., their ideas for using electronic digital computer technology were quickly accepted by the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Book Review - Digital State
    An IT Legacy Paper August 2014 BOOK REVIEW - DIGITAL STATE The Story of Minnesota’s Computing Industry by Dr. Thomas J. Misa - Review by Lowell A. Benson This review is not a Readers’ Digest version of Digital State; rather I’ve picked a few interesting paragraphs from each chapter intending to incentivize you to read Tom’s book then write your own computer history items for our ‘anthology’ web site and posterity. LABenson A UMN Press blurb: “The rise of Minnesota computing after World War II—the country’s first fully realized hotbed of computer technology”. Table of Contents Review Prologue ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Digital State Preface ............................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction: Minnesota Goes High-Tech .............................................................................................. 3 1. Philadelphia Story: Wartime Origins of Minnesota Computing ..................................................... 3 2. St. Paul Start-up: Engineering Research Associates Builds a Pioneering Company ....................... 4 3. Corporate Computing: Univac Creates a High-Tech Minnesota Industry ...................................... 4 4. Innovation Machine: Control Data’s Supercomputers, Services, and Social Vision ....................... 6 5. First Computer: Honeywell, Partnerships, and the Politics of Patents .........................................
    [Show full text]
  • PLATO (Computer System)
    PLATO (computer system) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other uses, see Plato (disambiguation). PLATO was one of the first generalized computer assisted instruction systems, first widely used starting in the early 1970s. PLATO was originally built by the University of Illinois and ran for many years, both for in-university coursework as well as being remotely accessed by local schools. The project was later taken over by Control Data Corporation (CDC), who built the machines it ran on at the University. CDC President William Norris planned to make PLATO a major force in the computing world, and was a keystone of his ideas about corporate social responsibility. Although the project was economically a failure and supplanted by other technologies by the time the last production PLATO system was turned off in 2006, PLATO nevertheless pioneered key concepts such as online forums and message boards, online testing, email, chat rooms, picture languages, instant messaging, remote screen sharing, and multiplayer online games. The acronym PLATO stands for Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations.[1][2] Contents • 1 Background • 2 PLATO's birth • 3 NSF involvement • 4 The CDC years • 5 PLATO in South Africa • 6 The PLATO Online Community • 7 Later efforts and other versions • 8 Cyber1 • 9 Innovation • 10 References • 11 External links Background Prior to the 1944 G.I. Bill, which provided free college education to returning World War II veterans, higher education was limited to a minority of the U.S. population. The trend towards much larger enrollment in higher education was clear by the early 1950s, and the problem of providing for an influx of new students was a serious concern.
    [Show full text]
  • HPC at NCAR: Past, Present and Future
    HPC at NCAR: Past, Present and Future Tom Engel Computational and Information Systems Laboratory National Center for Atmospheric Research 26 May 2010 ABSTRACT: The history of high-performance computing at NCAR is reviewed from Control Data Corporation’s 3600 through the current IBM p575 cluster and new Cray XT5m, but with special recognition of NCAR’s relationship with Seymour Cray and Cray Research, Inc. The recent acquisition of a Cray XT5m is discussed, along with the rationale for that acquisition. NCAR’s plans for the new NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the current status of that construction project, are also described. KEYWORDS: Cray-1A, Cray-3, legacy systems, XT5m, NCAR supercomputer manufacturer NEC. However, the ACE 1. Introduction procurement was suspended when SGI/Cray filed a dumping complaint with the Commerce Department. A NCAR’s use of high-performance computing (HPC) lengthy legal battle ensued, with anti-dumping duties resources predates the coining of that term, as well as imposed upon Japanese supercomputers and subsequent many others in routine use in recent years, such as appeals, which culminated in a U.S. Supreme Court “supercomputer” and “Moore’s Law.” Indeed, NCAR has decision in February 1999 that let the dumping decision had a long relationship with the Cray name, whether it is stand. During the three-year hiatus, NCAR continued the man, his machines, his companies, or those companies necessary incremental augmentation of its HPC capacity keeping his namesake and legacy alive. From the CDC with various Cray, SGI and IBM systems. 6600, the first system installed at the NCAR mesa laboratory, to the Cray-1A and ultimately the Cray-3, In 2000, SCD issued the Advanced Research NCAR’s Computational and Information Systems Computing System (ARCS) RFP, hoping to recoup the Laboratory (CISL), formerly known as the Scientific HPC capacity losses that Moore’s Law had imposed Computing Division (SCD), used Seymour Cray’s systems during the dumping investigation.
    [Show full text]
  • New Engineering Companies and the Evolution of the United States Computer Industry
    New Engineering Companies and the Evolution of The United States Computer Industry Arthur L. Norberg Universityof Minnesota The electronicdigital computerindustry emerged tentatively onto the world stagein 1946,with the foundingof two engineeringcompanies and the incorporationby severallarge firms of the new electroniccomputing ideas into their planning.Only a handfulof largefirms participated in thisnew computer phenomenon--IBM,Raytheon, Bendix, and Burroughs. The smallstartup firms includedEckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation (1946), Engineering Research Associates,Inc. (1946), and CaliforniaResearch Corporation (1950). These latterthree firms were eventuallyabsorbed into largerfirms. Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation and Engineering Research Associateswent into Remington-Randin 1951 and 1952, respectively,and California Research Corporationbecame National Cash Register'scomputer division in 1954. Raytheonlater confinedits computerefforts to fire control and missile systems,while Bendix,after developing several computer systems, became part of Control Data Corporationin 1962. Burroughsis now one of two main componentsof UnisysCorporation along with SperryRand, the successorof Remington-Rand,and, of course,IBM is still the principalcompany in the computerindustry. A similarstory could be told abouta numberof startups in the first half of the 1950s, but the story would be the same. The small firms with an engineeringemphasis in leadershipand capabilityprovided an importantstimulus to the early computerindustry in the United States. These
    [Show full text]