THE COMPUTER MUSEUM REPORT

VOLUME 14 FALLIWINTER 1985

ItIUU/J/1Jjj Board of Directors Corporate Members Core Members Contributing Members John William Poduska. Sr. . Benefactor- SlO.OOO or more Harlan E. and Lois Anderson Kenneth R. Adcock. J.D. Addelston. Chairman Charles and Constance Bachman Lawrence Adrian. Timothy Anderson. Apollo Computer Corporation American Express Foundation C. Gordon Bell Isaac Auerbach. Richard G . Bahr. John American Federation of Information Erich and Renee Bloch Banning. Art & Betty Bardige. Steve F. Gwen Bell. President Processing Societies' Henry Burkhardt III Barneby. John C. Barstow. G.C. Beldon. The Computer Museum American Telephone & Telegraph Co.' R. Steve Cheheyl Jr .. James Bell. Allred M. Bertocchi. Dr. Apollo Computer. Inc: Robert C. and Eleanor W. Chinn John H. Blankenship. Daniel S. Bricklin. Erich Bloch Bank of America' National Science Foundation Robert G . Claussen Philip D. Brooke. Fred and Nancy Bank of Boston William Congleton Brooks. D.F. Brown. Gordon S. Brown. David Donaldson The Boston Globe' Alex d 'Arbeloff Lawrence G. Brown. Roger M. Buoy. Ropes and Gray ComputerLand' Arnaud de Vitry James Burley. James Burnett. Maria L. Control Data Corporation' Sydney Fernbach David Donaldson Carr. Charles and Virginia Casale. Data General Corporation' Douglas Drane George Chamberlain. Donald Computer Consultant Digital Equipment Corporation' Robert Everett Christiansen. Richard J. Clayton. C. Lester Hogan Hewlett-Packard Kenneth G. Fisher James F. Cody. Richard Corben.Howard Fairchild Camera and Instrument Honeywell Information Systems Jay W. Forrester E. Cox. Jr .. Michael Cronin. Henry J. International Data Group' Corporation Gardner Hendrie Crouse. Daniel Crowley. David N. International Business Machines. Inc. Winston R. Hindle. Jr. Cutler. Nick De Wolf. Peter De Wolf. Sir Arthur Humphreys NEC Corporation ' Peter Hirschberg Quentin De Wolf. James B. Deaderick. ICL The MITRE Corporation' Theodore G . and Ruth T. Johnson Lucien and Catherine Dimino. Mr. The Travelers Companies Theodore G. Johnson John Allen Jones Ditargiani. Philip H. Dorn. Theodora Wang Laboratories. Inc. ' Mitchell Kapor Drapos. Ray Duncan. Joseph J. Eachus. Mitchell Kapor Allan Kent Fred Ebeling. Dr. Richard Eckhouse. Lotus Development Corporation Patron-S3.000 Jack S. Kilby Tom Eggers. Dan L. Eisner. Lucian August Klein Adage. Inc. August Klein Endicott. Bob O. Evans. Robert A. Masscomp Addison-Wesley Andrew C. Knowles. III Farmer. Andrew D. Feit. Read T. Bitstream David J.A. Koogler Fleming. J. Thomas Franklin. Clark Dr. Koji Kobayashi Boris Color Lab. Inc.' Edward and Debbie Kramer Frazier. Alan E. Frisbie. Edward A. NEC Corporation Burroughs Corporation John W. and Edna W. Lacey FeustaL Lorrin Gale. Kevin A. Galvin. John Lacey Coopers & Lybrand Ralph and Linda Linsalata Branko J. Gerovac. David Goodman. Control Data Corporation Datapoint Corporation John Norris Maguire William Graustein. John Griffith. DECUS' Richard D. Mallery Stephen Gross. Dr. Roberto Guatelli. Robert Lucky Draper Laboratories' Thomas Marill Jerrier A. Haddad. Michael P. Halter. AT&T Bell Laboratories Gaston Snow & Ely Bartlett' Daniel D. McCracken William R. Hambrecht. J. Scott General Computer Co. James L. McKenney Hamilton. Sheryl Handler. Walter and Patrick McGovern Thomas and Elizabeth McWilliams Catherine Hawkins. Frank E. Heart. CW Communications Inc. The Honeywell Foundation Index Systems' Carver Mead William Helm. Jr .. Robert and Carol James L. McKenney Intel Corporation Robert M. Metcalle Henderson. Margaret Herrick. Robert B. Harvard Business School Arthur D. Little. Inc. Robert M. Morrill Hoffman. Thomas L. Hohmann. Major Computer. Inc. David and Pat Nelson Nancy S. Horie. M. Ernest Huber. Bill Carver Mead MASSCOMP Robert Noyce Hunzeker. Michael Jerabek. Charles A. California Institute of Technology McGraw-HilL Inc. Kenneth Olsen Jortberg. Richard M. Karoff. Lawrence William Millard Regis McKenna. Inc: Stanley C . Olsen J. Kilgallen. Martin Kirkpatrick. Bryan Computerland Corporation Ropes & Gray John L. Payne S. Kocher. Alan Kotok. Stanley KugelL Microsource Financial Edward G . Perkins Theodore Kuklinski. Raymond Arthur P. Molella United Technology Mostek John William Poduska KurzweiL Robert Laman. Glen C. The National Museum of Nolan. Norton & Company. Inc. ' Robert M. Price Langdon. Jr .. Andrew Lavien. John R. American History. Prime Computer Corporation Fontaine K. Richardson Levine. Michael Levitt. John V. Levy. Smithsonian Institution The Prudential Insurance Company Douglas Ross Steven B. Lipner. Carl D. Lowenstein. Jean E. Sammet John Lowry. Arthur Luehrmann. Carl Brian Randell SHARE. Inc. Software Results Corporation' Paul and Catherine Severino Machover. Julius L. Marcus. Andrew H. University of Newcastle upon Tyne Stratus Computer. Inc.' Alan F. Shugart Mason. Joe W. Matthews. Robert Jonathan Rotenberg Symbolics. Inc. Richard L. Sites Mayer. Jr .. Richard McCluskey. Tron The Boston Computer Society 3Com Corporation' Ronald G . Smart McConnell. F. Warren McFarlan. Jim lulslrl group Charles E. Sporck McIntosh. Robert W. McKnight. Todd Jean E. Sammet Venture Founders Corporation Ivan and Maria Sutherland Medlock. R.W. Meister. Bernard G. International Business Machines Del Thorndike and Steve Teicher Mills. Charles Minter. Allen Moulton. Edward A. Schwartz Contributor-S1.000 Erwin Tomash Dr. J. Craig Mudge. Carol E. Muratore. Jean De Val pine Dr. and Mrs. Isaac R. Nassi. Cynthia L. Digital Equipment Corpora tion Analog Devices. Inc. Charles P. Waite Nelson. Stewart Nelson. Joseph Nestor. An Wang American Management Systems' Stephen L. Watson Joseph M. Newcomer. Chuck Newman. Wang Laboratories. Inc. Arthur Andersen. Inc. Harvey W. Wiggins. Jr. Tim K. Nguyen. Bernard J. Nordmann. Autographix William Wollson James N. O·Boyle. Jr .. Anthony G . Maurice Wilkes Bolt Beranek & Newman Oettinger. Lawrence & Pauline Oliva. Digital Equipment Corporation Citicorp (USA). Inc. John E. Parker. Kenneth D. Patterson. Cullinet Software. Inc. James and Martha Patton. Nicholas and Trustees Dane. Falb. Stone & Co. Nancy Pettinella. James H. Philip. E.J. DuPont DeNemours & Co. Linda J. Phillips. Paul R. Pierce. Juan A. Charles Bachman. C . Gordon Bell. Foley Hoag & Elliot Pineda. James A. Pitts. Andrew Plescia. Harvey D. Cragon. Robert Everett. Ford Motor Company' J. Eric Pollack. James N. Porter. Robert Andrew Knowles. George MichaeL General Systems Group. Inc.' C. Probasco. C . Mike Riggle. David Robert Noyce. Kenneth Olsen. Germain Lawrence DRK Rodgers. Ann and Robert Roe·Hafer. Kitty Sellridge. Michael Spock. Gould. Inc. David C . Roh. Peter R. Rony. David Erwin Tomash. Paul Tsongas Greylock Rose. Paul Rosenaum. Jonathan GTE Data Service. Inc. Rotenberg. Martin S. Roth. Thomas S. Executive Committee GTE Laboratories. Inc. Roy. II. Eugene Rudolphe. Michael J. Houghton Mifflin Company' Samek. Peter L. Samson. F. Grant David Donaldson. Chairman. Gwen Hyams Trust Saviers. Edward A. Schwartz. Andrew Bell. Theodore Johnson. August Klein. International Computer Ltd.' Scott. Oliver and Kitty Selfridge. W. Lee Nicholas Pettinella. Jonathan Investment Orange Nassau. Inc. SheveL John J. Shields. III. Diane J. Rotenberg. Ronald Smart. Oliver LTX Corporation Skiba. Ph.D .. Allen G . Sneider. Stuart Strimpel. Michael Templeton Manufacturers Hanover Trust Solomon. John R. Spencer. John Stark. Meditech' Max J. Steinmann. William M. SteuL Mentor Graphics J. Michael Storie. Charles A. Stott. MICOM·Interlan. Inc. David Tarabar. John V. Terrey. William Micro Control Systems R. Thompson. Warren G . Tisdale. Microsoft' Michael G . Tomasic. Sherry Turkle. G. New York Air' Michael Uhler. Noah E. VanDenburgh. PC Magazine Thomas Vaughn. Christian Walker. Peat. Marwick & Mitchell Allan L. Wallack. Joseph B. Walters. Jr .. PelL Rudman. Inc. Thomas E. Welmers. John D. Wick. Pencept. Inc. Hugh M. Wilkinson. III. Kevin Polese-Clancy. Inc. Willoughby. Andrew Wilson. Richard T. Standard Oil Corporation Witek. T.J. Wojcik. Jr .. D.L. Wyse. Jeffrey Teradyne N. Zack XRE Corporation ZBR Publications. Inc. ' Also contributed to the The 300 Congress Street Capital Campaign Computer Boston Museum Massachusetts 02210 Contents The President's Letter

The President's Letter Dr. Gwen Bell 3 The Evolution of "C&C" "Museums in the modern world exist, we are told, to fulfill a fourfold A Japanese Aspect function: to collect, conserve, exhibit and elucidate. There is rarely any Dr. Koji Kobayashi mention of the balance between them, and the stress is always on the first, 7 irrespective of whether the other three can be fulfilled in terms of resouces. The Collection Collect or die . . . . What we should be doing instead is assessing our collec­ 16 tions, refining some (dare I mention disposal, embodied in that emotive word Blue Room Blues 'de-accessioning'?), closing others, and, even more important, putting what we have got into good order." Sir Roy Strong Director, Victoria & Albert Museum The Listener 25 July 1985

Collecting was the original goal of the Museum, and is our sine qua non. But as our collections increase, selection, conservation, and elucidation become more and more important. This issue of the Report lists the artifacts acquired in the last year and provides a time to assess our holdings. The table on page 2 enumerates the Museum's computer-era artifact and film collections characterized by the levels of integration from the manufacturing base through applications and even including ephemera. The heart of the collection is in the middle: computer subassemblies and computers themselves. Subassemblies are the largest single collection of artifacts because they include transducer systems, secondary memories, and other major components. The 106 computers are all different, second or third copies of the same machine are not counted here. Why not stop here? Components are often the only remnants of early machines or are sufficient to show a given technology, such as the Atlas "toothbrush memory" or the Intel 4004 microprocessor. Since the goal of the museum is to document all aspects of computer technology, which includes manufacture. The process of how things are made are best recorded on film, hence this becomes a critical form of collecting. The Computer Museum Software, applications, and ephemera overlay the hardware technol­ The Computer Museum IS a non~proht SOl(c)3 foundation that chromcles the evo­ ogy levels. The way that software artifacts are counted here is highly luhon of InformatIon processmg through misleading: the three items are all historical artifacts, such as Bill Gates' exhlhllions. archives, publicatIons, research, and programs. original paper tape of the BASIC assembler for the Altair. Operating sys­ Museum Hours: The Museum hours are 10 AM- tems and software in use have not been entered into "the collection." On 6 PM. Tuesday. Wednesday. Saturday. and Sunday and 10 AM-9 PM. Thursday and Fn­ their retirement from active use, a judgment will be made as to whether day. It IS closed Mondays, Chnstmas, New they should be placed in the permanent collections. The largest collection Years, and Thanksgiving. of software that we have is in the form of written documentation, such as Membership: All members receIve a membership card, free subscnphon to The the original handwritten Brooker Morris Compiler-compiler. Much of the Computer Museum Report. a 10% discount on merchandise from The Computer Museum paper documentation has been accepted, categorized by the box-load and Store, free admiSSion and invitahons to Muse­ um prevIews. For more informatIon, contact set aside. However, we are sufficiently familiar with the material to find the Membership Coordmator at The Computer sets of cartons that researchers need; we have recently supplied lawyers Museum, 300 Congress Street, &'slon, MA 02210. (617) 426-2800. with documents required for several different cases of litigation. The mate­ rial has not been properly sorted or cataloged and this is on the Museum's Staff agenda. Our collection of applications also appears small, because these Dr. Gwen Bell. President are often in the form of documents. The development of the Image Gallery Michael Templeton. Executive Director led to the rapid expansion of materials that use computer graphics. Exam­ Dr. Oliver Strimpel. Associate Director and Curator ples include early computer-generated pictures, film and objects designed Robert Carr, Manager of Interpretive Program; Russell Landers, Floor Manager; Kur1 Levitan, or manufactured using computers. Exhlk'tt Operations Manager; WIlliam Wlsheart, Registrar. Ephemera are intriguing and can be especially important to museums. Mark Hunt, Marketing Director Old buttons, t-shirts, coffee cups, posters, promotional material. video-tape loUise Domemtz, PublIc RelatIons Manager; Jessica Pollard, Communications ASSIstant; spoofs, commercials and other objects recreate the spirit of the past as well Kathleen Keough, FunctIons Coordinator. as the technology. Professor Brian Randell. Chairman of the Museum's Michael Oleksiw, Development Director Exhibits and Collections Committee, recently wrote to us saying, "I can't Anne Jenckes. Development Assistant Scott Reilly, Membership Assistant stress the importance of collecting ephemera enough. When I was prepar­ Li nda Clingan. Museum Benefits Coordinator ing a lecture on computing in the sixties, the advertisements triggered Eva Radding, Business Ma nager Lea Cohen, Store Manager; Steve Klinke. more memories about the era than did the technical articles." Without ASSistant Store Manager; Nancy Dattero, Office Manager; Deborah Goudreault, ephemera the 1950- 69 timeline case would be less lively, and the IBM 1401 BUSiness Office Assistant. room would not have any semblance to reality. If anyone has a button

The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 1 THE COMPUTER collection (and some one out there must have one), we would love to have COLLECTIONS the" ...... Memorial Collection of Computer Buttons," or any other special (calculators, card equipment and other collection or individual items. pre-computing devices are omitted) This year, the Museum is undertaking a special search for artifacts Number of relating to the history of personal computers. Computerland's President Bill Artifacts Films Millard clearly saw that the Museum needed a more comprehensive collec­ Ephemera 10 3 tion of early personal computers and the materials that went with them in order to create a better exhibit. He convinced Pat McGovern of Computer­ Applications 22 105 World to run a series of advertisements publicising our collecting effort Software (historical) 3 22 and encouraging donations of early personal computing artifacts. As an Computers 106 64 extra inducement. donors of the "best" finds will be brought to the Museum Sub-assemblies 329 20 for the grand opening party of the new personal computer exhibit. The Components 85 Curator, Oliver Strimpel will be accepting nominees for acquisition until Manufacturing 16 7 April 1. 1986. Judging will be based on when and where the machine or software was developed, completeness of the artifact. uniqueness, and importance to the history of personal computing. In this way, the Museum hopes to add many objects to the permanent collection to provide primary source material for history. Even though the book shelves are beginning to groan under the weight of published ac­ counts of personal computing, none begin to be comprehensive, and many are inaccurate. I recently talked to an author who was trying to describe the early days of using the model 33 teletypes with their paper tape read­ ers. He described them as being "kludges" because he had heard they didn't work very well. I asked, "Have you ever seen one working?" He had not even seen one working or not-or talked to anyone who had used one. The Museum is also trying to establish an international collection and an international view of the history of computing. The article by Dr. Koji Kobayashi of NEC describes his personal involvement in computing in Japan and their early machines. He is regretful when he remembers that the NEAC 2201. NEC's first transistorized computer was junked! And we are both pleased that he is sending the NEAC 2203, a 1958 machine, to The Computer Museum. This issue of the Report is made possible by all of the people who have donated all of these artifacts to the collection. We all wish to thank them for entrusting their "memories" to us. Gwen Bell

P.S. I wanted to update everyone on the museum's 1985 Attic Sale. On September 22nd, a number of companies, individuals, and volunteers joined museum staff in an old-fashioned attic sale of surplus and donated items, museum store merchandise, and retired photomurals from old exhib­ its that generated more than $2000 to support the museum. Collecting museums approach attic sales the way porcupines make love-very gin­ gerly-to be sure that no one confuses a museum selling donations or duplicate items unsuited for its collections with deaccessioning-the formal process of separating a collected artifact from a museum collection. In our case, the Attic Sale has benefitted donors, buyers, and the museum itself. We're planning to do it again next year, and are looking for both volunteers to make it a great event and for donations for resale. Just give me a call.

2 The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 The Evolution 01 ··C & C·· A Japanese Aspect

The United States and Japan have both been involved in the progress of telephony and computing from the very beginning. Now, the advances are spreading throughout the world and can lead to a new era in mutual understanding.

Dr. Koji Kobayashi In 1876, two Japanese students, cations technology in the 1930's was the publicly operated. Shuji Izawa and Kentaro Kaneko, par­ development of the non-loaded cable In November 1964 when I became ticipated in Bell's experiments with carrier transmission system. The 1.900 President of NEC, half of NEC's total early telephony. Japanese was the sec­ mile system between Japan and China, sales were accounted for by Nippon ond language to be spoken over the completed in 1939, was produced Telegraph and Telephone (NTT). a telephone set. The very next year, Ja­ entirely with Japanese technology, semi-public corporation, and other pan imported two telephone sets that components and materials. I consider government agencies. Although NTT served as a trigger for the establish­ this to have served as the basis of had several 5 year plans for domestic ment of the Ministry of Communica­ establishing Japan's telecommunica­ communications networks, I thought tions in 1885, and subsequently the tions technology. that NEC should not rely only on the nationwide telephone system. With the advent of electronics demand for domestic communications Twenty-three years later in 1899, technology, based on the invention of equipment, but that the company NEC Corporation was incorporated as the transistor at AT&T Bell Laborato­ should expand and develop new busi­ a joint venture with what was then the ries, NEC proceeded to manufacture ness. Therefore, NEC went into over­ Western Electric Company to imple­ transistors and enter the computer seas market. In 1964 total sales were ment this telephone system. NEC field. In 1959 NEC exhibited the NEAC 270 million dollars. In 1984 sales grew started by manufacturing telephone 2201 computer at the AUTOMATH in 30 times in 20 years to 8 billion dol­ sets and switchboards. One of the Paris. This was one of the first transis­ lars. Today, NEC's overseas business epoch-making events in the communi- torized commercial computers to be amounts to 3 billion dollars or 35% of total sales. NEC has had business dealings '55 '65 '70 I I I I I I with 144 countries, operating 20 manu­ • facturing companies in 13 countries, RELAY ETL• ETL 23 plants in 13 countries, and 23 sales MARK- I MARK-II • • and service companies in 13 countries. FACOM IOO FACOMI28 NEC employs 90,000 people, 11.000 out­ side Japan . TUBE • • I FU,JIC TAC

PC• -I PC'2• 1930's: Desire to Develop Original PARAMETRON MUS•ASHINO - I Technology When I joined NEC in 1929, 90% of the telecommunications patents HIPAC• -I •FACOM 212 • • were owned by foreign countries. Ja­ NEAC 1101 NEAC 1201 pan's material and component industry SENAC• was very small with most of the impor­ . NEAC 2200FAMILY ETL• ETL•• NEAC2201 tant materials imported from abroad. TRANSISTOR MARK -III -IV .NEAC2203 Young engineers including myself .ON LINE .MAC .. .HITAC • HITAC • HITAC 8000 SERIES tried hard to find ways to change 301 5020 this. From 1930 a trend emerged that • FACOM230 SERIES FACOM222• a nation's telecommunications infra­

UNIVAC• IBM•••701 IBM U 1103 IBM• I•BM 1401 SYSTEM360• SYSTEM370• structure should not rely on imported I 650 7070 • technologies, and that equipment U-LARC • COC6600 should be supplied based on domestic requirements and proprietary technol­ ogies. Thus, developing technology be­ Roots of Japanese Computers came a goal of Japanese engineers.

The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 3 __ -. _____ .1 Perspective of "C&C" I 2000 --,.----- .. -- ~----- ~- I C o ..... tC N I At that time, Dr. Shigeyoshi Mat­ 1990 -+------1' sumae and Dr. Noboru Shinohara of the Ministry of Communications pro­ posed the first non-loaded cable car­ rier transmission system in the world. I was selected to participate in this 1980 development project to lay L 900 miles of cable circuits between Japan and III China. In 1939, after 7 years of work, "- III the project was completed based on the ..... _ ..1. ::> 1970 --­ original technology of Japan. I learned a.. I E that to accomplish a project. whether it o may take 10 years or 20 years, if the U team settles down to work and uses their own abilities without relying on a 1960 ___ J ______.... quick fix of borrowing things, the road I , will open up in due course. I I

The Forerunner of Japan's Com­ puter Development It is said that Ja­ 1950 .,,--...... - - .. . pan's computer industry started about 10 years behind the United States. In 1946 when the world's first electronic calculator, ENIAC, was unveiled at the University of Pennsylvania, Japan was in a period of turmoil. After the conclu­ 1990 2000 sion of the peace treaty in 1952, com­ munications led to the reinvigoration of technology. The development of ra­ Museum at Ueno in Tokyo. Mr. Okazaki that time. Because of these merits, the dar during the war brought progress in later moved to NEC and participated in possibility of using this new element pulse technology, and led to the devel­ the development of computers. was eagerly discussed because it was opment of digital multiplex systems Before FUJIC was developed, re­ an original invention from Japan. using pulse-time and pulse-code mod­ lay type mechanical calculators were The leading developers of the ulation. Later, this digital technology studied by the Electro-Technical Labo­ parametron were the faculty of Tokyo came to form the basis of computer ratory of the Ministry of International University, engineers at the Electrical development. FM radio and television Trade and Industry. The resulting ETL Communication Laboratory of Nippon broadcasting began and consumer Mark I was completed in 1952, and the Telegraph and Telephone, and Kokusai markets were born. The new word ETL Mark II. in 1955. The logic formulas Denshin Denwa Co., Japan's inter­ "electronics" presaged the birth of new adopted for the circuit designs for the national telecommunications carrier. industries. As research and develop­ ETL Mark I were based on the 1935 Under the guidance of Professor Hide­ ment intensified, computers and semi­ Nakashima-Hanzawa theory of switch­ toshi Takahashi at Tokyo University, conductors came to be considered ing systems. This research was simi­ the PC-l computer using parametrons major products for the future. lar to the 1938 theory of Dr. C. E. Shan­ was developed in 1958 and the PC-2 in non of Bell Telephone Laboratories 1960. At NTT Laboratory the MUS A­ Japanese Computers In 1951. a which attracted worldwide attention in SHINO-l started operation in 1957. computer project started under the the scientific community. The Japanese The late Professor Kenzo Jo of leadership of Professor Hideo Yama­ theory, however, was not announced Osaka University was another com­ shita of Tokyo University with the coop­ overseas. puter pioneer. Under his guidance, re­ eration of Toshiba Corporation. This The invention of the transistor in search on an ENIAC type model was was called TAC, Tokyo University Auto­ 1948 by Bell Laboratories was a big started in 1947 and completed in 1952. matic Computer, and is a Japanese shock to us. However, NEC succeeded vacuum tube computer. After much ef­ in the trial manufacture of point con­ Computer Development at NEC In fort. the 7,000 vacuum tube machine tact type transistors in 1953 and then the field of communications the parts was completed in 1959. the development of various semicon­ which limted the performance of multi­ In 1949, Mr. Bunji Okazaki of Fuji ductor products progressed rapidly. plex carrier transmission equipment Photo Film Co. began the development In 1954 the parametron was in­ were filters. The design of these filters of FUJIC. Working almost alone, he vented by Dr. Eiichi Goto of Tokyo was extremely difficult, and the completed it in 1956. This computer, University. The parametron, a kind of method used was direct experimenta­ used for the design of camera lenses, solid circuit, was remarkably stable tion. In 1955 Dr. Hitoshi Watanabe con­ was the very first machine ever manu­ compared to conventional vacuum ceived of a new filter design theory factured and put into practical use in tubes and was far less expensive than that required calculations beyond the Japan. It is exhibited at the Science transistors, which were expensive at capacity of existing computers. As a

4 The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 result, NEC decided to build a com­ reservation system, based on NEAC- computers, ranging from small to puter using the newly invented param­ 2203 technology, was put into use at the medium, and later from small to large. etrons. In 1955, research and develop­ Kinki Nippon Railways in 1960. All members of a family could share ment was started on the NEAC-l101 In 1967, NEC developed Japan's the same software. This was the age of followed by prototype manufacture in first time-sharing system using a the "line-oriented computer." NEC of­ 1958. This first computer was used not large-scale NEAC-2200 model 500 as fered numerous models with the name only for the design of filters but also the main computer. This was the end of the NEAC-2200 series. for the development of new technology result of a long process starting with This family series had a big ad­ and products. Figure 1 shows boards the NEAC-2202, which could be shared vantage over "point-oriented comput­ that are on display at The Computer by 7 terminals based on the time divi­ ers" in that software assets could be Museum. Based on this technology, sion principle. Understanding the consolidated based on a consistent NEC developed the SENAC-l jointly value of timesharing, NEC followed system design philosophy. NEC called with Tohoku University, and named it MIT's project MAC closely and used it this the "one machine concept." The the NEAC-ll02. Later, NEC delivered as a model. NEC also called it the MAC vertical integration of the NEAC-2200 the NEAC-l103 to the Defense Agency system. With the first delivery to series oriented itself to centralized pro­ Research Laboratory. Osaka University, NEC's computer cessing systems using large-scale With the success of the NEAC-l101, business evolved from small-scale, to computers. By the latter half of the I determined that NEC would develop medium-scale, then to large-scale, 1970's, excessive centralization caused computers as a new business. This led and from off-line to on-line systems. the hardware to become very large to the introduction of small-size com­ and complex, and at the same time, puters for business use, called the Japan's Computer Development made it inevitable that software too NEAC-1200 series. Three unique features have channeled must become voluminous and compli­ the direction of computer development cated. As a result, system flexibility Transistor Computers In 1954, Dr. in Japan. and reliability were reduced and a Hiroshi Wada, director of the electron­ First, Japan's commercial comput­ remarkable amount of manpower was ics department of the Electro-Technical er industry started with transistor ma­ required for maintenance. Laboratory of the Ministry of Interna­ chines jumping over the first genera­ A distributed processing system tional Trade and Industry, began de­ tion of vacuum tube-based computers. was conceived to overcome these prob­ veloping computers using transistors. Second, Japan's computer industry lems by processing information at the The ETL Mark III using point-contact grew from communications technology site of its generation and usage. In transistors was completed in 1956, fol­ utilizing technology, components, and place of single super large computer, a lowed in 1957 by ETL Mark IV using elements which were developed for number of comparatively small-scale junction-type ·transistors. communications equipment. Thus computers and intelligent terminals When I saw the ETL Mark IV. I communications and computers have incorporating computer functions are immediately decided to commercialize developed a technologically close re­ integrated through communications it at NEC and introduced this computer lationship in such things as circuit lines. This offsets the demerits of verti­ one year later in 1958, thanks to ener­ designs, analog to digital conversion, cal integration and makes systems getic efforts of the company's engi­ and adoption of solid-state circuitry. more economical. The "area-oriented neers. This computer, the NEAC-220l, In contrast, most American and computer" has both vertical and hori­ was exhibited at the Paris AUTOMATH European computer manufacturers be­ zontal integration. in June 1959. Soon after that, the IBM gan as office equipment makers sup­ Based on this concept, NEC devel­ 1401 was put on the market, and the age plying such products as punch-card oped "DINA", Distributed Information of the second generation of computers, systems. In their development pro­ processing Network Architecture, the which used transistors, began. cesses, they converted their machines architecture that incorporates the to electronic systems, and became knowledge and experience gained Computer Systems NEC further computer producers. from NEC's original communications improved the NEAC-2201 by adding Third, the Japanese government technologies. additional memory and input and out­ exerted helpful efforts during the for­ put equipment to create an "electronic mative period of the electronics indus­ "C & C" As computers approach data processing system," the NEAC- try, promoting telecommunications, communications, communications is 2203. Programming efforts were consumer electronics, computers, and beginning to approach computers. greatly reduced by the early develop­ semiconductor products. Communications equipment has be­ ment of a compiler, named NARC. NEC Through the first half of the 1960's, come digitalized and communications proceeded with the development of single purpose machines were classi­ services have developed from the sim­ complicated numerical calculation fied into scientific use and office use. ple transfer of information to higher routines, such as programs for solving Then the trend shifted to multipurpose level services including processing transportation problems, optimum computers for general use. and storage of information. In 1977, path calculations, and linear pro­ In the mid-1960's, along with the succeeding the announcement of gramming. Through these experi­ increase in processing volume and di­ "DINA" in the previous year, NEC an­ ences I came to fully realize the vital versification of usage, the family se­ nounced the NEAX-6l, the first digital importance of software. ries machines became dominant. Man­ switching system for telephone offices. Japan's first on-line real-time seat ufacturers provided various scales of In that year, I announced the concept

The Computer Museum Re port FalllWinter 1985 5 AutomatIC Interpretdt tQn An Image of Automatic Interpretation Systems

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rT III,er Speaker listener

AutomatIC English translation document

of the merger of computers and com­ duce desirable benefits for humanity me in English. I can hear those words munications at the Atlanta INTELCOM if software is produced efficiently. in Japanese. and vice versa. my words 77. Then in 1978. at the third U.S.A. ­ in Japanese will be conveyed to the Japan Computer Conference held in '''C & C' and the World" The ac­ other party in English. San Francisco. I announced this con­ tivities of AT&T and IBM show that the If this automatic interpretation cept by using the phrase "C&C." which convergence of Computers and Com­ telephone system comes into wide use. stands for the integration of computers munications is indeed the actual trend it will not only make daily business and communications. Since then I of the industry. AT&T. the world's extremely convenient. but it also will have made "C&C" NEC's corporate largest telecommunications company. contribute greatly to the maintenance identity. has entered the computer business. of world peace. Because of the devel­ From the technological viewpoint. And IBM. the giant of the computer opment of tranportation and communi­ "C&C" is the integration of computers industry. is aggressively trying to enter cations. people throughout the world and communications technologies. the communications field. have become able to communicate From the view point of "C&C"'s influ­ Even now. the world's industrial with each other at the grass roots level ence in social and economical world. it map is in the process of being reor­ like never before in history. This can be summarized in three points. ganized. centering around information means that people of one nation are First. "C&C" can become an infor­ and knowledge and equipment for coming to understand the ways of mation-related infrastructure of world­ handling them. NEC has been in the thinking and life styles of peoples of wide scale. telecommunications business since its other nations. As a result. all the peo­ Second. the constituent elements establishment over 86 years ago. and ple of the world are beginning to rec­ of this infrastructure will serve as in the computer and semiconductor ognize that they are all part of one valuable tools for solving various businesses for some 30 years. Because humankind. If the barriers of language social problems. promoting economic of this. NEC has been able to perceive are removed by this automatic in­ and cultural development. and con­ and respond to major market shifts terpretation telephone system. com­ tributing to international mutual precisely. munications and exchange at the understanding. grass roots level will further expand. Third. the effective use of informa­ Automatic Interpretation Tele­ and world peace may be realized. tion resources can overcome the limi­ phones Throughout my 56 year career tations that restrict the optimum utili­ at NEC. I have believed it is my mis­ zation of the world's natural resources. sion to create conditions by which any­ one can talk to anyone else. at any "Man and 'C & C'" In the 1980's , place and any time. In the world today. "C&C" entered a new phase. The re­ mutual understanding between na­ alizable ideal is that anyone. not just tions is terribly insufficient. and it can experts. can fully and easily utilize only be overcome through the unre­ information systems in order to obtain stricted flow of information. a richer social and cultural life. I have always thought that auto­ Human effort is facilitated by soft­ matic interpreting telephone systems ware. Due to the rapid increase in the would be one of the keys to fully realiz­ amount of software required. a soft­ ing " C&C.~ · When this system is ac­ ware crisis exists. "C&C" can only pro- tualized. if the other party speaks to

6 The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 The Collection New acquisitions during the period June 15, 1984 to August 31, 1985 Prior acquisitions are listed in Computer Museum Report numbers 1, 5 a nd 10

Computers Commodore Business Machines, Inc., Data General Corporation, Commodore PET 2001 Personal Data General Eclipse, (X502.84) Amdahl Corporation, Computer, (X445.84) Gift of Data General Corporation Amdahl 470V/6 Computing System, Gift of Microsoft Corporation Digital Equipment Corporation, (X436.84) Commodore Business Machines, Inc., Digital PRO 350 Computer, Gift of Major Computer, Inc. Commodore VIC-20 Computer, (X435.84) Apollo Computer, Inc., (X367.84) Gift of Digital Equipment Apollo DNIOO Workstations, Gift of Commodore Business Corporation 2 nodes, (X533.84) Machines, Inc. Gift of Apollo Computer, Inc. Digital Equipment Corporation, Compaq Computer Corporation, Rainbow, (X478.84); Rainbow 100, Apollo Computer, Inc., Compaq DeskPro Computer, (X477.84); Rainbow 100 +, (X476.84) Apollo Domain DN300-IMB (X48 I. 84) (X482.84) (X483 .84) Gift of Digital Equipment Workstation, (X424.84 (A-D)) Gift of Compaq Computer Corporation Gift of Apollo Computer, Inc. Corporation Digital Group, The, Apple Computer, Inc., Compaq Computer Corporation, Digital Group System 2, Apple II Plus Computer, (X539.84) Compaq Portable Computer, 26K Computer, (X555.85) Gift of Katherine Schwartz (X484.84) (X485.84) (X486.84) Gift of St. George's School, Gift of Compaq Computer Newport RI Apple Computer, Inc., Corporation Apple Lisa, (X496.84) (X497.84) Evans and Sutherland Computer (X498 .84) Computer Controls Corporation, Corporation, Gift of Apple Computer, Inc. DDP-116 General Purpose Evans and Sutherland Line Computer, (X578.85) Apple Computer, Inc., Drawing System 2, (X540.84) Gift of Boudreau Computer Gift of Case Western University Apple Macintosh, (X499.84) Services, Ltd. (X500.84) (X501.84) Gould, Inc., Gift of Apple Computer, Inc. Computer Products Corporation, Gould 32/55 Computer System, CP 10/50 General Purpose Analog Autographix, Inc., (X529.84); Gould 8600 II Computer Computer, (X552.85) System, (X528 .84) Autographix 200 System, (X590.85) Gift of Per A. Holst Gift of Autographix, Inc. Gift of Gould, Inc. Control Data Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Company, Commodore Business Machines, Inc., Little Character, (X437.84) Commodore 64 Personal HPl50 Personal Computer, Computer, (X366.84 (A-E)) Loan from Control Data (X432.84) (X433.84) (X435.84) Corporation Gift of Commodore Business Gift of Hewlett-Packard Company Machines, Inc. Data General Corporation, HoneywelL Computer Control Data General Desktop Model 10, Division, Commodore Business Machines, Inc., (X479.84) (X480.84) Commodore PET 2001 Personal Honeywell H3l6 General Purpose Computer, (X364 .84) Gift of Data General Corporation Digital Computer [Kitchen Gift of Commodore Business Computer]. (X579.85) Machines, Inc. Gift of Boudreau Computer Services, Ltd.

Amdah1470V/6, by Amdahl Corpora­ tion. 1975. In 1975 Gene Amdahl, a major contributor to the design of the IBM System 360. announced his own company's first computer, the 470V/6. Amdahl's strategy was to produce computers which would out-perform IBM's top systems, but be completely compatible with them. In this the V1 6 was successfuL competing with the IBM 3701165 and 168. While selling for approximately the same amount ($4 million), the V/6 was rated at 3.6 million instructions per second with memory expandable up to 16 mega­ bytes, making it almost twice as powerful as the 370/168. The Museum's machine is serial num­ ber 2, the second machine produced by the Amdahl Corporation. Origi­ nally installed at the University of Michigan, the unit was later bought by American Cyanamid of New Jersey, and then by Major Computer, Inc. Donated by Major Computer Inc .• Minnetonka. M innesota

The Compute r Museum Re port FalllWinter 1985 7 IBM, Univac Division, Sperry Rand IBM Personal Computer XI: Corporation, (X430.84) (X43 1. 84) (X562.85) Univac Phoenix Computer, Loan from IBM (X563.85) IMSAI Manufacturing Corporation, Gift of Herbert Teager IMSAI 8080 Microcomputer System, Wang Laboratories, (X589.85) Wang 2200 System, (X602.85) Loan from Mike Miller Gift of Martin Levine Kaypro Corporation, Wang Laboratories, Kaypro 10 Computer, (X487.84) Wang PIC (Professional Image Gift of Kaypro Corporation Computer) System, (X566.85) MASSCOMP. Inc., Gift of Wang Laboratories MASSCOMP MC-500 Computer, (X515.84) Gift of MASSCOMP, Inc. Microdata Corporation, Microdata EXPRESS Computer Prototype, (X377.84 (A-D)) Gift of Ing. C. Olivetti C. S.p. A. MOS Technology. Inc., 1 KIM-l Microcomputer, (X365.84) Gift of Commodore Business I Machines, Inc. National Cash Register Company, NCR 399 Computer, (X451.84) Gift of Bay State York Company National Semiconductor Corporation, SCIMP Development System Mother Board, (X386.84); SCIMP Development System Mother Board mounted on box, (X383.84) Gift of National Semiconductor Corporation NEC Corporahon, NEC APC III Personal Computer, (X494.84) (X495.84) Gift of NEC Systems Laboratory NEC Corporation, Scelbi 8H, by Scelbi Computer Computer Consulting, Inc. of Milford, NEC PC-8000 Computer, (X446.84) Gift of Microsoft Corporation Consulting Inc., 1974. The Scelbi 8H Connecticut was incorporated in (pronounced Sel-bee) was the first August of that year. The development NEC Corporation, NEC TK-80, (X447.84) commercially-advertised computer of the computer suffered a severe set­ Gift of Microsoft Corporation based on a microprocessor. The first back when Wadsworth suffered a Osborne Computer Corporation, advertisement for the Scelbi ap­ heart attack in November 1973. The Osborne 1 Computer, peared in March 1974, seven months company persisted, however, and an­ (X362.84) (X363.84) Gift of Osborne Computer before the debut of the Altair in Janu­ nounced their product in April 1974. Corporation ary 1975. Nat Wadsworth, the Scelbi's The 8H was first advertised in the Packard-Bell Company, chief designer, thought the computer ham radio magazine QST because Packard-Bell 250 Computer, would be used in scientific, elec­ Wadsworth realized that many ama­ (X463.84) Gift of Dr. Claude Kagan tronic, and biological applications; teur radio hobbyists were "dyed-in­ Philips Business Systems, hence, the abbreviated name Scelbi. the-wool electronic enthusiasts." Just as orders started to roll in, Wads­ Philips P359 Computer, (X594 .85) Designed for the hobbyist. the Scelbi Gift of New England Provision worth had a second heart attack. 8H was based on the Intel 8008 micro­ Company In all, Scelbi Computer Consulting processor and was available both in Polymorphic Systems, sold roughly 200 computers, losing Polymorphic System 8813 kit form and fully assembled. It had Computer, (X614 .85) $500 per unit. Gift of Robert and Margaret Wesley 4K of internal memory, cassette tape and teletype interfaces, and a CRT From his hospital bed Wadsworth SCELBI Computer Consulting, Inc., SCELBI-8H Mini-computer, based on an oscilloscope. Later on a wrote a book to accompany the Scelbi (X574.85) combination monitor, editor, and as­ 8H, Machine Language Programming 1 Gift of Carlton B. Hensley sembler in ROM became available. for the 8008 . The company published J Sinclair Research Limited, Starting in April 1975, the company the book by offset printing a teletype Sinclair ZX80 Personal Computer, (X513 .84); Sinclair ZX81 Personal made versions with up to 16K of mem­ output. The book was a hit; thousands Computer, (X514 .84) ory. These models were called Scelbi were ordered. This success prompted Gift of Sinclair Research Limited 8B's, the "B" standing for "business." Scelbi to concentrate on software Spiras Systems, Inc., for 8008- and 8080-based computers, Spiras-65 Computer, (X549.85) Wadsworth, an engineer for General Gift of Dartmouth College such as the Altair. This shift in empha­ Radiophysics Laboratory DataComm Industries of Danbury, sis ultimately made the the company Sutherland, James, Connecticut. became interested in the a profitable concern, but meant the ECHO IV Home Computer, idea of a small computer for personal early demise of the Scelbi 8's. (X509.84) use after attending a seminar given Gift of James Sutherland by Intel on the 8008. He and several Donated by Carlton B. Hensley co-workers decided to build such a [Based on "The Early Days of Personal computer and in 1973 he left his job to Computer," by Stephen B. Gray in work full-time on the computer. Scelbi Creative Computing, November 1984.]

8 The Computer Museum Re port FalllWinter 1985 Subassemblies and Minneapolis Honeywell Regulator Potter Instrument Company, Inc., Texas Instruments, Inc., Company. DATAmatic Division, Potter Tape Control Unit logic Texas Instruments Microminature Components Datamatic 1000 module, (X597.85) cards, (X545.85 (A-C)) Computer integrated circuits, Burroughs Corporation, Gift of Alvin Landsman Gift of Keith Gobeski (X464.84) Electrodata division, National Semiconductor Remington Rand Corporation, Gift of Texas Instruments, Inc. Burroughs 205 Modules, (X524.84); Corporation, LARC Power Supply Regulator Burroughs 205 Magtape Hybrid SCIMP CPU Boards, (X384.85) Module, (X455.84); LARC Servo Read Amplifier Modules, (X525.84) (X385 .84) (X388 .84) (X389.84); Thyratron, (X456.84) Gift of James Williams IMP-16C CPU Board, (X380.84); Loan from Lawrence Livermore Computer Image Corporation, IMP-8C CPU Board, (X379.84); National Laboratory Scanimate VideolPulse Distribution DP8350 Chip mounted in Carrier, Amplifier Module, (X40I.84) (X397.84); PACE CPU Board, (X390.84); PACE Application CPU Gift of Peter Sorensen Card, (X391.84); S02321 Wafer, Sinclair ZX80 and ZX8L by Sinclair Control Data Corporation, (X393 .84); S0300l Wafer, (X395 .84); CDC 6600 "Cordwood" Module, SOl603 Wafer, (X394.84); DP8350 Research Ltd. 1980. Sinclair Research (X402.84) Wafer, (X396.84) Limited, founded by Sir Clive Sinclair, Gift of Control Data Corporation Gift of National Semiconductor Corporation announced the ZX80 in February of Cray Research, Inc., 1980. Based on the Zilog Z80A micro­ Slice of Cray L (X438.84) NEC Corporation, Gift of Cray Research, Inc. NEAC-llOl Parametron subunit, processor it had an internal RAM of Digital Communications (X417.84); NEAC-2203 Gate lK. A 4K integer version of BASIC was Associates, Inc., Package, (X415 .84); NEAC-2203 Dynamic Flip-Flop Package, also available in ROM. The machine IRMA board: First coaxial cable used a membrane keyboard for input interface for micro-to-mainframe (X414.84) communications, (X58o.85) Gift of NEC Corporation and a domestic TV as its display de­ Loan from Dr. W Waverly Graham, Philbrick Researches Inc., vice. Programs and data could be Ill, Digital Communications George A., Associates, Inc. Vacuum Tube OP Amplifier stored on standard cassette tapes. (model K2-W), (X375.84) Digital Equipment Corporation, The ZX80 sold for under 100 pounds in Gift of Michael Callahan MicroVax II: Central processor and the UK, $199 in the US-a major price floating point integrated circuits, mounted and unmounted, (X581.85) break-through. This compared to Gift of Digital Equipment about $500 for the TRS-80 and about Corporation $1l00 for an Apple II with 16k of RAM . Eckert-Mauchly Computer Manufacturing cost was kept low by Corporation, Univac I Arithmetic Unit, (X491.84) use of the membrane keyboard and Loan from the Smithsonian the single board design, in which all Institute, National Museum of the circuitry including memory, ROM, American History CPU, a total of 22 chips were mounted Harris Semiconductor, Harris 6120 Microprocessor on just one printed circuit board. (PDP-8 on a chip), (X439.84) Gift of John Clarke The ZX81, also introduced in late 1980, IBM, had only 5 chips including the ROM, IBM 360/30 Console, (X461.84) microprocessor, two 512 byte RAM's Loan from IBM and the uncommitted logic array (ULA). The use of the largely untried ULA's (also known as gate-arrays) was a novel and bold move. The ULA performed all the functions not car­ ried out by the processor, RAM or ROM, earning it the nickname "dogs­ body." It replaced nearly 20 of the ZX80's chips. The ROM had a floating point Basic and, in contrast to the ZX80, the ZX81 could maintain a dis­ play on the screen while the proces­ sor was performing another task. This made animation possible, a major factor for game-playing users. In 1981 a 16k RAM became available for the ZX81 for just under $100 . At the end of 1981, Timex took over the US marketing of Sinclair's machines. The ZX81 was renamed Timex/Sinclair 1000 and sold for $99.95. These models brought the computer well within the mass retail consumer market for the first time. Hundreds of thousands of ZX80's and ZX81's were sold-more than any other computer at the time. Donated by Sinclair Research Limited of Boston.

The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 9 Memories Mostek, Inc., Mostek 4K memory chips, (X561.85) AT&T Bell Laboratories, Gift of Mostek, Carrol ton , TX AT&T lK & 4K RAM wafer and Mostek, Inc. , chips, (X577.85) Mostek MK4096 masks, rubylith, Loan from AT&T Bell Laboratories and MK4096 wafer, (X444.84) AT&T Technology, Inc., Gift of Howard Sussman AT&T 256K wafer, (X467.84); AT&T National Semiconductor 64K RAM chip, (X468.84) Corporation, Gift of AT&T Technology, Inc. PACE memory card, (X392.84); Commodore Business Machines, Inc., SCIMP memory board, (X387.84); Commodore 1541 Disk Drive, IMP memory board, 16 bit, (X425.84) (X382.84); IMP-16L memory board, Gift of Commodore Business (X381.84) Machines, Inc. Gift of National Semiconductor Data Disc, Inc., Corporation Data Disc 7200 Series Disc Memory, NEC Corporation, (X449.84) NEC 64K & 256K DRAM chips, Gift of Houghton Mifflin Company, unmounted and mounting pins, TSC Division (X583 .85) Digital Equipment Corporation, Gift of NEC Information Systems, Inc. DECTAPE, (X601.85) Nixdorf Computer Corporation, Gift of Ivan E. Sutherland Nixdorf 820/23 Rod Cell Memory Board, (hardwired insurance Digital Equipment Corporation, program), (X613.85) Digital Core Memory Stack, Gift of Richard S. Beers (X470.84) Gift of Digital Equipment Tektronix, Inc., Corporation Tektronix 564 storage tube cross section, (X411.84) Digital Equipment Corporation Gift of Tektronix, Inc. Reader Head from 25,000th Winchester Disk Drive, (X404.84) Sub-Category: Pre-computing or Gift of Digital Equipment Non-Computer Related Memories Corporation, Colorado Springs Valenta, Jerry & Sons, Inc., Fabri-tek, Inc. , Jacquard Punched Cards, (X519 .84) Core Memory Stack (36-bit) Gift of Jerry Valenta & Sons, Inc. from MAIO Memory used on KAlO, (X452.84) Gift of University of Queensland, Australia Hewlett-Packard Company; HP 9100A ROM layer pre-chip, (X471.84) Gift of Hewlett-Packard Company Hitachi, Ltd ., Hitachi 256K DRAM (unpacked chip package), (X569.85) . Gift of Hitachi America Honeywell Information Systems, Honeywell Model 58 miscellaneous circuit boards, Read-Only-Memory and Magnetic Core Memory; (X598.85) Gift of Thermo Electron Corporation IBM, IBM 64K-bit RAM chips, unmounted Sectioned Direct View Storage Tube and w/mounting double layer package, (X543.85) from Model 564 Oscilloscope by Gift of IBM Tektronix Inc .. 1962. The direct view IBM, storage tube (DVST) was invented by A DVST contains a writing gun, flood IBM 729 Tape Drive, (X460.84) Robert H. Anderson in the late 1950's. guns and a phosphor storage screen. Loan from IBM • First introduced in the Tektronix The storage screen has an outer IBM, IBM System 3 96-column punched model 564 oscilloscope, it enabled the transparent conducting layer and an cards, (X428.84) display of transient electrical sig­ inner phosphor layer. When the write Gift of Allied Plywood Corporation nals. It was soon realised that DVSTs gun's beam is switched on it creates Intel Corporation, could be used as display terminals a postive charge where it strikes the Intel chip collection, (X462.84) Gift of Intel Corporation with computers, and by 1969 Com­ phosphor as a result of secondary puter Displays Inc., Computek Inc. electron emission. This attracts the MIT, Whirlwind Electrostatic Storage and Tektronix Inc. were all selling electrons from the flood guns which Tube, (X412.84) DVST terminals based on Tektronix are on continuously, and causes the Loan from Robert R. Everett tubes. areas struck by the write gun's beam Mostek, Inc., to luminesce without the need for Mostek 4096 2-inch wafer, (X582.85) The key feature of the DVST is its Gift of Mostek, Inc. ability to store a vector image without refresh. The screen is erased by mak­ the need for constant refreshing. This ing the whole target more positive, brought down the price of computer effectively writing the whole screen graphic displays from, say $80,000 for and then lowering the potentiaL eras­ the IBM 2250, to under $10,000, caus­ ing the screen. ing a vast expansion in the availabil­ Donated by Tektronix inc., ity and use of computer graphics. Beaverton, Oregon

10 The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 Crystal Globe. MIT Electronic of input to the computer; the crystal neutral. The globe is used as a three­ Systems Laboratory. 1963. In 1964 re­ globe epitomises this effort. step rate controL with the rate scaling searchers at MIT's Electronic Systems entirely under program control. [The Laboratory (ESL) first demonstrated a " . . . since individual knobs are incon­ globe is] read only by the computer, system capable of online graphical venient when two or more actions and [has] no wired console function. input and output to a computer. They must be coordinated, such as rotating Programmed interpretation of [the used a modified DEC 330 scope about more than one axis simulta­ globe] .. . gives maximum flexibility connected under the Project MAC neously, a three-dimensional input at the cost of a very small amount of Compatible Time-Sharing System to device has been devised. This unit. computer time." an IBM 7094. The goal was to improve called the 'globe', has spring-loaded John Ward, project member, man-machine interaction to the point limited rotation about three mutually 1966 AFCEA Convention where computer-aided design be­ perpendicular axes. Each axis has a came feasible. A key development simple cam and microswitch encoder, On loan from fohn Ward. MIT was the devising of 'natural' methods with three discrete codes each side of

Transducers MIT Electronic Systems Laboratory, Crystal Ball from ESL Display Adage, Inc., Console, (X405.84) Adage 3006 Display Processor, Loan from John E. Ward (X504.84) MIT Electronic Systems Laboratory, Gift of Adage, Inc. Focusing Light Pen from ESL ALTEK Corporation, Display Console, (X406.84) 1 APACHE Digitizing Cursor Loan from John E. Ward I I Prototype, (X454 .84) Pencept, Inc., Gift of ALTEK Corporation Penpad Tablet, (X488.84) Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc., Gift of Pencept, Inc. Grafacon IOIOA Digitizing Tablet, Polaroid Corporation, (X550 .85) Polaroid Video Printer, Model 8, Gift of Dartmouth College (X593.85) Radiophysics Laboratory Gift of Polaroid Corporation L California Computer Products, Inc., Rand Corporation, Calcomp Model 560R Drum Plotter, Stylus for the Rand Tablet, (X565.85) (X413.84 A-B); Rand Graphic Input Gift of Herbert Teager Tablet, (X450.84) L Gift of Rand Corporation Control Data Corporation, Plato TerminaL (X458.84) Rand Corporation, Rand Graphic Input Tablet and Transparent Digitizing Tablet. by Loan from Control Data Scriptel Corporation. 1984. A trans­ Corporation Stylus, (X564.85) Gift of Herbert Teager parent tablet allows original artwork Dataproducts Corporation, Dataproducts Matrix Printer, Model Rand Corporation, or photographs to be placed under­ MIOO, (X537.84); Dataproducts Rand Tablet Mesh of Copper WIre, (X544.85) neath the tablet-protected from BP-1500 Band Printer, (X505 .84) scratching or staining. The tablet can Gift of Dataproducts Corporation Gift of Ivan E. Sutherland Remington Rand Corporation, be mounted onto a flat display screen Digital Equipment Corporation, Univac I Unityper, (X490.84) enabling video images to be digitized. Dectalk, (X472.84) (X473.84) Loan from the Smithsonian (X474.84) (X475 .84) Institute, National Museum of With a frosted glass finish, a slide Gift of Digital Equipment American History could be back-prOjected onto the tab­ Corporation Scrip tel Corporation, let for digitizing. A major application Digital Equipment Corporation, Scrip tel Transparent Digitizing is the digitization of medical images, GIG!, (X541.85) Tablet, (X506.84) Gift of Digital Equipment Gift of Scriptel Corporation particularly X-rays. Corporation Summagraphics Corporation, The rear of the glass tablet is coated Grinnell Systems Corporation, BitPad One, (X511.84) with a continuous layer of resistive Grinnell GMR 27-20 Display Gift of Summagraphics System, (X508.84) Corporation materiaL indium tin oxide. One edge Gift of Grinnell Systems Tektronix, Inc., of the tablet is grounded while an Corporation Oscilloscope Type 564B, (X41O.84); AC voltage is applied to the opposite Hewlett-Packard Company, Tektronix 4115B TerminaL (X459.84) edge. The puck contains a receiver Hewlett-Packard 7586B pen plotter, Gift of Tektronix, Inc. which produces a signal through (X503 .84) Teletype Corporation, Gift of Hewlett-Packard Company Teletype Model 35, ASH, capacitative coupling when placed IBM, (X368.84); Teletype, (X369.84) on the tablet. The strength of the IBM Model 016 Keypunch, (X595.85) (X370.84); Teletype l5AA Typing signal yields the coordinate along Gift of Greydon Carl Freeman Unit wi Stand, (X372.84); Teletype Transmitter/Distributor, one axis which is checked by revers­ IBM, (X373.84 A-B) ing the grounded and live edges. IBM Plasma Display, (X493.84) Gift of Matthew Reilley Loan from IBM The process is repeated for the com­ Teletype Corporation, plementary pair of edges, yielding Lexidata, Inc., Teletype ASR 33 wi stand, (X448.84) Lexidata LEX 90/35 graphics Gift of Houghton Mifflin Company, the second coordinate. 150 coordi­ display system, (X51O.85) TSC Division nate pair measurements are made Gift of Lexidata, Inc. Teletype Corporation, per second. Micro Control Systems, Inc. Teletype Model 33, (X429.84) Space Tablet, (X512.84) Gift of Michael Tardiff Donated by Scriptel Corporation, Gift of Micro Control Systems, Inc. and Stephen Russell Columbus. Ohio

The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 11 Teletype Corportion, Calculators Keuffel & Esser Company, Science Spectrum, Inc., Teletype ModelS, (X567.85) Log Log Duplex Slide Rule, Hexadecimal-Decimal Slide Rule Gift of Stephen Dum Commodore Business Machines, Inc., (X360.84) Calculator, (X586.85); Unknown, Commodore 500E Calculator, Gift of joseph Santangelo Octal-Decimal Slide Rule Keyboard from unidentified (X554.85) Layton, C & E, Calculator, (X585 .85) machine, (X609.85) Gift of Baynes Electric Supply Tates Arithmometer, (X559.85) Gift of Edward Dillon Gift of Gordon and Gwen Bell Company Gift of Mrs. David G. Stone Sharp Corporation, Visual Technology, Inc., Comptometer Corporation, Marchant Calculating Machine Elsi MATE EI-8048 Electronic Visual 550 Monitor, (X489.84) Comptometer, (X465.84) Company, Calculator Soroban L (X538.84) Loan from Visual Technology. Inc. Gift of Gordon and Gwen Bell Marchant Calculator, (X399.84) Anonymous Gift Wright Line, Inc., The, Faber-Castell Company; Gift of Dick Rubinstein Sinclair Radionics Limited, Wright Portable Punch, Model CASTELL-Addiator DRP Slide Rule, Monroe Calculating Machine Sinclair Cambridge Memory 2600, (X584 .85) (X361.84) Company, Calculator, (X359.84) Gift of Allan Sadoski Gift of joseph Santangelo Mechanical Calculating Machine, Loan from jeremy Barker FUN Incorporated, by Monroe, black with keys of Sumlock Anita Electronics Ltd., Hokey's Secret Code Maker and varying height, (X592.85) Anita 1000 LSI. (X553 .85) Decoder, (X588 .85) Gift of Warren j . Buck and Gift of Brian Randell Gift of Edward Dillon Arthur Milinowski Unknown, Friden Corporation, Monroe Calculating Machine Circular Slide Rule, (X587.85) Friden Model 132 Calculator, Company, Gift of Edward Dillon (XB23.78) Monroe 326 Scientist, (X547.85) Unknown, Gift of Gordon and Gwen Bell Gift of Henry C. Thacher and University of Kentucky Resulta-9 calculator, (X536 .84); IBM, Resulta-BS7 calculator, (X535.84) IBM 632 Electronic Typing Monroe Calculating Machine Gift of Lou Goodman Company, Calculator, (X57J.85) Von Reppert. R., Loan from joseph Keller Monroe # 1 Adding Machine, (XB90.79) Von Reppert Calculating Machine, (X568.85) IBM, Gift of Gordon and Gwen Bell IBM Hexadecimal Adder, (X557.85) Gift of Erwin j . and Richard W Gift of Fred Macchio Odhner, Reppert Original Odhner Calculator, IBM, (XBI35.80) Walker, R.H., Addist, The, (X523 .84) IBM Machine Load "Computer" Gift of Gordon and Gwen Bell Slide Rule, (X612.85) Gift of Ernst Halberstadt Gift of Richard S. Beers Odhner, Original Odhner Calculator, Wang Laboratories, IBM, (X546.85) Wang 320SE Calculator, (X576.85) IBM Non-Listing Tabulator, (X591.85) Gift of Henry C. Thacher and Gift of Kirtland Olsen Gift of Mr. and Mrs. William University of Kentucky Wang Laboratories, Dobratz Olivetti. Inc., Wang 370 Programmable Olivetti Summa Quanta 20 Calculator, (X575 .85) Calculator, (XB86.79) Gift of Lorraine Olsen Gift of Gordon and Gwen Bell Wang Laboratories, Wang LOCI-2, (X520.84) Loan from Wang Laboratories Webb, C .H., Webb Adder, The, (X522.84) Gift of Ernst Halberstadt

Prototype Von Reppert Calculating Machine. This artifact is truly one of a kind. It is a prototype of a calculat­ ing machine built by its inventor Richard von Reppert. Patented in 1918, the von Reppert calculator could perform "the four fundamental calcu­ lations, addition, subtraction, multi­ plication, and division, as well as other useful commercial work, in a practical manner." Von Reppert sold this and several other patents relat­ ing to mechanical office machines to the Underwood Company in 1920. Over the course of his career von Reppert received over 40 patents either in conjunction with others or on his own. These include two pat­ ents issued by the German and French governments, and 8 for float­ ing point arithmetic mechanisms for mechanical calculators. In addition to being a solo inventor, von Reppert also worked for the Underwood Com­ pany and IBM for many years. Donated by Erwin J. and Richard W Reppert - 12 The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 Miscellaneous Melitta, Resch, Ron, Unknown, Teapot used for computer graphics Computer Art: "Van Leer Model," Button; "I Am A Human Bemg: Do Artilacts rendering, (X398.84) (X532.84); Computer Art: White Not Fold, Spindle or Mutllate," Gift of Martin Newell folded paper screen, (X420.84); (X427.84) Advance Watch Company, Computer Ar\; "Folded Triform," Loan from Jana Buchholz Mini "Put Up" LCD Digital Clocks, National Cash Register Company, (X422.84); Computer Ar\; "Double (X443.84 A-B) Flow Chart Template and Cards Unknown, Yellow," (X421.84); Computer Ar\; COBOL Tombstone, (X572.85) Gift of]. Carberry used to program NCR390, (X469.84) White folded paper screen, Gift of Antonia Oliver (X419.84); Computer Art: White Gift of Charles A. Phillips, Benton, Stephen, CODASYL Hologram Generated by Computer, NEC Corporation, folded paper screen, (X418.84); (X516 .84) Keychain containing I Megabyte Computer Ar\; "Folded Screen of Unknown, Gift of Stephen Benton NEC DRAM mounted & blue wool," (X423.84); Computer Travelers 1401 Exhibit Collection, Art: "Folded Metal Bird," (X531.84) (X376.84) Boeing Commercial Airplane unmounted, (X551.85) Gift of Howard Sussman and NEC Loan from Ron Resch Gift of Travelers Insurance Company; Company Carrier Wing Fitting Assembly-Off Electronics, Inc. Strangio, Christopher, Wing Escape Slide System: Nike, Inc., Transistor digital clock, (X440.84) Xynetics, Inc., computerized engineering model Molds for casting rubber sole, Loan from Christopher Strangio Xynetics Automatic Draftmg used on Boeing 757, (X409.84); System 1l00, (X518.84) rubber soles and Nike Air running Texas Instruments, Inc. and Horizontal Tail-H5 from Boeing shoes, (X530.84) IDEA Corporation, wind tunnel model, (X407.84); Gift of Nike, Inc. Splice Rib-Wing TIp; computerized Regency Radio-First commercial engineering model used on Boeing Nolan, Jack, transistor radio, (X374.84) 727, (X408.84) Lunar Scan Reflectivity ModeL Gift of Roger Webster and (X596.85) Texas Instruments Gift of Boeing Commercial Airplane from Jack Nolan Company Loan Celestron Associates, Inc., Ohio Art, Inc., Fortran Infograph, (X556.85) Etch-A-Sketch Screen, (X453.84) Gift of J.A.N. Lee Reeves and Sons, London, Cummins Corporation, Drawing Instrument Set of John Cummins Carditioner, (X400.84) Heard, (X457.84) Gift of Dick Rubinstein Loan of MIT Museum Data General Corporation, Data General Manufacture Exhibit Collection, (X466.84) Gift of Data General Corporation Digital Equipment Corporation, Glass Plates: Artwork for Agate or VaxStation 300 PC board, (X548.85) Gift of Digital Equipment Corporation Digital Equipment Corporation, Micro TIl plot on mylar, (X603.85); Micro TIl silicon wafers, (X604.85); Micro TIl Engineering masks for metal layer interconnect, polysilicon layer and diffusion layer, (X606.85) Gift of Digital Equipment Corporation, Duckworth, Dr. Gregory, IC clock (3 boards), (X441.84); IC clock (l board), (X442.84) Loan from Dr. Gregory Duckworth Dutton, Geoffery, Hologram: Computer Animated Population Density Map, (X517.84) Loan from Geoffrey Dutton Honeywell, Inc., Sculptures composed of electronic components: Buffalo, Fish, Dragon, Grasshopper, Fox, and Rider on Horseback, (X573 .85) Loan from Honeywell Information Systems, Inc. The Webb Adder. The Webb Adder, IBM, IBM 1403 Printer Control Tape Rack, patented in 1889, is a simple and (X608 .85) rugged device for adding a string Gift of American Computer Group of numbers less than 1000. Using IBM, a stylus in the appropriate hole on IBM Book of General Purpose Card Samples, (X611.85); Paperweight the larger wheel the user enters an containing IBM transistor & 4 addend in much the same way as a varying size ferrite cores encased in clear lucite, (X61O.85) single digit is dialed on a telephone. Gift of Richard S. Beers When the sum of 100 is reached the Lester Associates, Inc., larger wheel completes one revolu­ Univac I Model, (X492.84) tion and advances the smaller hun­ Loan from the Smithsonian Institute, National Museum of dreds wheel one unit by means of a American History simple rachet. Results are displayed Lockheed-Georgia Company; in the small window between the Rudder Control Wheel of C l41 A two wheels. The machine can add up Transport Aircraft, (X542.85) Gift of Lockheed-Georgia to a sum of 4999. Company Donated by Ernst Halberstadt

The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 13 Special Purpose Bell System documentation related EDP Industry and Market Report Manuals and to the SAGE system, (84.77) (nineteen bound volumes), (84.36) Microprocessor-based Documentation Gift of James Dresbach Gift of Patrick W McGovern Devices Altair documentation, BIT quarterly journal (1961-1984), Electronic Design, Axlon, Inc., DEC manuals and other (84.49) "Electro-Technology," "EDN," "EEE," Compurobot, (X600.85) documentation, (85.4) Gift of Carl-Erik Froberg "Electronic Industries" magazines Gift of Axlon, Inc. Gift of Peter Senn (near complete sets), (85.14) Burroughs, Bendix, CDC, IBM, Gift of Kirtland Olsen Centurion Industries, Inc., Analogic Data-Conversion Systems NCR. RCA. et. al. manuals and Digitor Learning Arithmetic Digest and copies of six patents, documentation, (84.72) Electrons and Holes in Module, (X558.85) (X84.29) Gift of Mario Barbacci Semiconductors by Willam Shockley; (84 .57) Gift of Centurion Industries, Inc. Gift of Bernard M. Gordon Collection of papers, Gift of Tony Crugnola Ritam Corporation, Annals of the History of documentation and manuals Monty (plays SCRABBLE Computing, vols 6, numbers 3 & 4, related to Computers in the Ferranti documentation and crossword game), (X599.85) (85.3) Utilities Industry, (84.76) manuals, (84.33) Gift of Ritam Corporation Gift of ACM Gift of S.]. McMurray Gift of F.R.A. Hopgood Assorted DEC manuals (given long Computer books (ca. 1950's), (84 .37) FORTRAN, COBOL & Whirlwind ago but finally recorded), (84.67) Gift of Nancy Stem xeroxed copies of documentation, Gift of Gordon Bell (84.41) Computer books and manuals Gift of Jean E. Sammet Atlas I documentation, (84.69) (ca. 1950-1970) for use in the Gift of ER.A. Hopgood TImeline exhibit, (84.39) GE 225 documentation and other Loan from Dick Rubinstein manuals, (85.7) Automatic Language Translation Gift of Woods Hole Oceanagraphic and A Study for the Design of an Computer Science Press recent Institution Automatic Dictionary, (84.47) publications (II library books), Gift of Anthony Oettinger (84.81) General Electric 1984 Press Kit, Gift of Computer Science Press (84.54) Gift of General Electric Information Computer Security and Privacy Services documentation, (85 .16) Gift of Jeffrey Bergart Guide to Fortran Programming, (84.35) Computer textbooks (six new titles Loan from Dick Rubinstein from Freeman Publishers), (84.63) Gift of WHo Freeman and Harvard Newsletter on Computer Company Publishers Graphics, vols I, # 1-6, # IL (84.84) Gift of Stanley Klein CompuJing Mechanisms and Linkages, by Antonin Svoboda, Herman Hollerith related (85.2) documents, (85 .1O) Gift of Ted Kuklinski Gift of Geoffrey Austrian Control Data Corporation reference HP-65 Calculator documentation, manuals and booklets, (84.55) (85.1) Gift of Control Data Corporation Gift of Stephen Gross Datamation 1960-1979, Journal of IBM 1360 Photo-digital Storage ACM 1959-1979, Computing System Manuals, (85.15) Reviews 1965-1980, Gift of Clarence Badger Communications of the ACM IBM 610 manual of Operation and 1965-1976, (8466) programming sheets, (84.59), Gift of Kathryn Erat Gift of W Bruce Blattenberger Digital Computing Systems by IBM 701 Thirtieth Anniversary Issue S. Williams and Theory of the of the Annals, (85.11) Flexagon by A.S. Conrad, (84.82) Gift of Lore and Hans Shaper Gift of Shag Graetz IBM, NCR et. al. documentation Digital Equipment Corporation and ephemera, (85.21) manuals, documentation and other Gift of Richard S. Beers computer related papers, (85 .22) Gift of Digital Equipment IEEE Micro February 1984 issue, Corporation (84.43) Gift of Robert L. Morris Early IBM Computers: Edited Testimony by Cuthbert C. Hurd, llliac N documentation, (84 .70) (84 .44) Gift of John Day Gift of Lore Shaper Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Press Kits, (85.8) Gift of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Microdata EXPRESS Computer documentation, (84 .32) Gift of Olivetti, Inc. MIT ESL Crystal Ball and Focusing Light Pen documentation, (84.45) Digitor, by Centurion Industries, 1974. dents answer problems posed to them Loan from John E. Ward This is not a UFO or a highly ad­ on the display panel by entering a Mr. Babbage's Secret-The Tale vanced computer for space explora­ number on the keypad. Correct an­ of a Cypher-and APL, (84.43A) tion. It is digitor, probably the first swers are rewarded by a happy face, Gift of Ole Immanuel Franksen educational tool based on a micropro­ incorrect ones by a sad face, and at NEC computer documentation and brochures, (84.53) cessor. Built around the Intel 4004 pro­ the end of the exercise digitor dis­ Gift of NEC Corporation cessor in 1974 digitor claimed to be a plays the number of problems cor­ Neiman-Marcus Honeywell Kitchen "flexible and challenging means of rectly answered. Computer Advertisement, (85.17) Gift of Alan Frisbie testing the arithmetic abilities of ele­ Over 100,000 have been sold world­ mentary school children." By adjust­ Princeton University Library wide. Chronicle (wi article on Pierce ing the two side knobs the teacher Electrical Design)' (84.42) or student can set the difficulty and Donated by Centurion Industries, Inc., Gift of Ken Ketner length of a series of problems. Stu- Redwood City; California

14 The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 Programmer's card, manuals and Travels in Computerland (signed Information Machine, Systems LINC, Whirlwind, the Memory Test other documentation for various by the author), (85.12) Technology, and the STP Story: Computer, and TX-2 photographs, machines, (84 .50) Gift of Ben Schneider 3 16mm films, (84.64) (84.71) Gift of Geoff Feldman UAIDE Computer Animation Gift of Herb Willman Gift of Lou Hirshberg Programmer's reference cards Committee 1969 Year-end Report, LEO: 16mm film of the LEO NEC photographs of Japanese for AN/FSQ-7, IBM 704,709, 1401, (85.18) computer in England, (84.51) computers, (84.53) et. al., (84 .78) Gift of Carl Machover Gift of Martin Campbell-Kelly Gift of NEC Corporation Gift of Philip H . Dorn Viatron ad Wall Street Journal Live at 4 television coverage of Printed circuit process Programs for an Electronic Digital 10/22/68 and As A Man Thinks by The Computer Museum Opening photographs, (84 .48) Computer by Wilkes, Wheeler, Thomas Watson, Sr., (84 .62) on 11/13/84 (VHS videotape), (84 .73) Gift of National Bureau of and Gill and Arithmetic Operations Gift of Charles lortberg Gift of Ian MacLennan Standards in Digital Computers by R.K. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Richards, (84.61) RCA computer photographs, films (six), (84.33) (84.56) Gift of Gordon Bell Audio-Visual Material Gift of fR.A. Hopgood Gift of RCA Corporation Proximity fuse and Project TInkertoy documentation, (84.48) Audio: VHS videotapes of computers SAGE transparencies (20 positives), Gift of National Bureau of introduced at Boston Computer (84.38) BBC "Chip Shop" audio cassette Society meetings (13 tapes), (85.9) Gift of USAF Base Standards Griffiss Air Force tape of interview wih Oliver Anonymous Gift Radio Electronics Mark-8 Strimpel, (85.4) SAGE, UNIVAC IBM 650 and microcomputer manual, SCELBI-8H Gift of the British Broadcasting VHS videotapes of computers Burroughs E-102 photographs, user's manual, (84.74) Corporation introduced at Boston Computer (84.34) Society meetings (4 tapes), (85.19) Gift of David Mallory Purchased from DAVA Still Film and Video: Anonymous Gift Photography Depository Rand Tablet documentation, (84 .52) Gift of The Rand Corporation Automatic Teaching Project and Photographs: Teradyne photographs relating 425/L Norad 16 mm films, (84.75) to the early days of that company SAGE documentation, (84 .79) Gift of Herb Willman Ace to G-15 Lecture slides, (84.85) (3 photos), (85.13) Anonymous Gift Gift of Harry Huskey Gift of Teradyne, Inc. BIOMOD-2: 16mm film and SAGE System documentation, photograph of Rand Tablet, (84.52) Control Data Corporation (84.38) Gift of The Rand Corporation photographs of 6600, 160, and 1604, Gift of USAF Griffiss Air Force Base (8455) Historical Software Boeing CAD/CAM film segments, Gift of Control Data Corporation Shakey the Robot, technical report, (84.46) (84.40) Dartmouth Timesharing Digital Equipment Corporation, Gift of Boeing Commercial Airplane SpaceWar! program, (X607.85) Gift of SRI International photographs (5 photos), (84.90) Company Gift of Digital Equipment Gift of Dartmouth College Soft' Letter newsletter (complete Computer Animation films Corporation set), (85.20) (12 films), (84.86) General Electric UNIVAC Gates, William, Gift of Soft*Letter installation being discussed by Gift of Ken Knowlton First BASIC written for the Altair, Systems Development Corporation Lillian Gilbreth and William Short, Computer-assisted data Processing (84.60) (X507.84) SAGE recruiting advertisements, Gift of William Gates and Microsoft 16mm films, (four), (84.62) Gift of General Electric Company Mental Abilities Test and SOC Gift of Charles lortberg Corporation magazines, (84.58) IBM 7030, LARC, IBM CPC and Software Arts, Inc., Gift of System Development Design of Large Computers lecture Univac-I photographs, (84 .68) by Seymour Crayon 3/4" video, VisiCalc Beta Test Version 0.1, Corporation Gift of Lawrence Livermore (X570.85) (84 .30) National Laboratory Gift of Lawrence Livermore Gift of Ben Rosen National Laboratory

Bill Gates' Teletype tape to input the thing else it sold, and each purchase BASIC interpreter for the Altair. When earned the authors royalties, Never­ Harvard students Bill Gates and Paul theless even before the first release Allen read about the Altair in the Jan­ a pirated version of Altair BASIC uary Popular Electronics, they decided was in free-flowing circulation. that they might make some money Gates, then nineteen, wrote a letter by creating an intrepreter for BASIC to the Altair Users' Newsletter enti­ on this new microcomputer. With the tled an "Open Letter to Hobbyists." 8080 instruction manual and the Al­ Gates noted that while he and Allen tair schematics, they produced the had received lots of good feedback code, fitting in less than 4K of mem­ about the interpreter, most of the ory, within two months. They called people praising it hadn't bought it. Ed Roberts in Albuquerque and he Gates asked: said, that he'd buy from the first per­ Why is this? As the majority of hob­ son that showed up with one. Paul byists must be aware, most of you Allen took the tape to MITS where he steal your software. Hardware must found only one machine that had 4K be paid for, but software is some­ of memory. When he loaded it the thing to share. Who cares if the teletype replied with "READY." Every­ people who worked on it get paid? one at MITS was excited: they had never seen the machine do anything. Eventually the widespread use of the Shortly thereafter Ed Roberts ar­ BASIC interpreter was to help Gates. ranged to bring Bill Gates from Har­ When other computer companies vard to complete the implementation came on line and needed a BASIC, and Bill never returned to school. they went to Gates' company. He had created a de facto standard for The Allen-Gates Altair BASIC was microcomputers. listed in the MITS catalog like every-

The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 15 Blue Room Blues

Imagine you worked down a two­ ers and ash trays were built into the rigid regulations regarding a spotless mile-long tunnel half a mile under­ consoles; and the color of the equip­ work area, the operators still managed ground. There you were expected to sit ment was a neutral battleship grey. To to express themselves clandestinely. for eight hours a day studying the ensure efficiency, personnel were re­ Here is a selection of the messages blinking yellow screen of a spotless quired to keep their consoles clear of left by the operators hidden in their grey machine in a cement room devoid clutter. In fact, the only extraneous consoles: of decoration and lit only dimly by blue object visible in the room was a large "Put this back" lights. Once you arrived you were not cardboard vampire bat attached to the allowed to leave until the end of your ceiling, in deference to the room's "HELP" shift. when you took a bus back to the cave-like qualities. However, as the "Art Clark 1979" barracks you called home, miles from Museum later discovered, this was not "Bravo Crew is the pits" civilization. the only individual expression the op­ "Look on the other knob" This environment was the work­ erators allowed themselves. "Superbowl XXII" place for radar operators of the Air When the equipment from the Force's North Bay, Canada SAGE in­ North Bay SAGE installation arrived at "Send the Cowboys to the superbowl" stallation. Here operators monitored The Computer Museum, cleaning re­ "Don't you feel useless" the atmosphere of the northern hemi­ vealed interesting evidence of how the "$25" sphere, on the lookout for Russian operators viewed their job. Each con­ "Hi Jack" bombers and missiles. "The Blue sole has several knobs covering re­ "Help I'm trapped in here" Room," as the radar center was called, cessed switches. When these knobs "No step take off Hey" was studiously designed to minimize were unscrewed the backs were found the fatigue of the operators: the light­ to be covered with graffiti written by "1 May '79" ing was indirect blue flourescent. to the operators. The hidden messages "I can't stand it" cut down on eye strain from the blink­ ranged from the banal totheunpublish­ ing yellow radar scopes; electric light- able. While ostensibly observing the

16 The Computer Museum Report FalllWinter 1985 FalllWinler ProgralD Series

Sundays Thursdays al4pm al7pm Film and Video January 19 Screenings I. Bernard Cohen. Professor Emeritus. History of Science. Harvard University Computing at Harvard in the Forties: February 20th and February 27th The Story of Howard Aiken and the Computers in the Movies: Incredible Harvard Mark I Two feature films that starred comput­ Robert Campbell and Richard Bloch. ers will be shown. programmers on the Harvard Mark I will join Professor Cohen for the ques­ February 13 tion and answer session. ENIAC's Fortieth Birthday Party March 6 On February 13th 1946. at 10:30 AM the The Early Years of Computer-Generated January 26 ENIAC was first switched on. This Video: 1973 to 1983. Dan Bricklin. co-inventor of micro­ event signalled the birth of the elec­ computer spreadsheets tronic digital computer. March 13 VisiCalc-From Idea to Realization and In celebration of this very special oc­ Current Computer-Generated Video Dissemination casion. J. Prespert Eckert. Chief Engi­ and Animation: neer of ENIAC and co-inventor with the The Best from the SIGGRAPH Video February 2 late John Mauchley. will present a lec­ Shows of 1984 and 1985 Danny Hillis. Chief Engineer. Thinking ture. The official birthday party will Machines Inc & Builder of The Tinker follow. . .. Watch for your invitation in Toy Computer the mail. The Connection Machine: What Will a Computer with Thousands of Proces­ sors Do? February 15-23 A Special Week of Computer Activities February 9 and Games For Children of All Ages Carl Machover. Computer Graphics Call our talking computer for details: Pioneer 423-6758 Behind the Screens: Computer Graph­ ics From 1960 to the Year 2000 Friday March 14 at 7:30 pm Computer Dance Performance by March 2 CHOREO A.K. Dewdney. columnist Scientific "Boston's Computer-Friendly Dance American Company"-DANCE UMBRELLA Computer Recreations in Science: Members Admitted Free. A PC-TREK into Uncharted Worlds

March 9 Peggy Brightman. For more information Artistic Director. CHOREO call 423·6758. Computer Dance

March 16 John Kemeny. Professor of Mathematics and Past President. Dartmouth College All programs will take place in The Computer Museum BASIC: From Birth in the Sixties to Re­ Auditorium. Admission to the programs is free for Computer birth of a New True Basic for Contem­ Museum members. and free to others with admission to the porary Computing Museum: $4 for adults; $3 for students and senior citizens. Reserved seats are available to members by sending $2 per seat per program to Programs Coordinator. The Computer Museum. 300 Congress Street. Boston. MA 02210. Please make checks payable to The Computer Museum and clearly indicate which program(s) you plan to attend. Seats may also be reserved by paying $2 at the door up to one half hour before the program begins. Sponsored in part by grants from the Bank of Boston and Digital Equipment Corporation. The Computer Museum THE END BIT 0000000001

ECHO IV which the popular media harped upon Sutherland's accomplishments were most was its integration into Suther­ perceived to be so prophetic that he In June, 1965 Jim Sutherland, a com­ land's home. The ECHO IV was a home and his wife, Ruth, received many invi­ puter systems engineer with Westing­ computer in more than the sense that tations to speak to Home Economic as­ house Electric Corporation, carted it occupied a room in his basement; sociations across the country on the some scrap computer components from it was connected to various terminals computerized household of the future. work to his home outside Pittsburgh. and systems throughout the house. Sutherland concentrated on a brief. In less than a year he had constructed Sutherland explained how one day he and not very technical description of a working computer in his basement. hoped to have the computer control the ECHO IV and its potential uses, The ECHO IV. short for Electronic Com­ many aspects of his household, such while his wife focused on what it was puter for Home Operation composed as the heating system, an alarm sys­ like to have a computer in the house­ of four parts, caused quite a stir as it tem, the garage door, the inventory of hold. She allayed any fears that a heralded the age of the home computer. household items, and storage of the computer might replace a housewife, Initially publicized in 1966 by the pub­ family's diet and budget information. stressing its advantages as a time lic relations department at Westing­ At a point when there was great uncer­ saver and limitations resulting from house, word of Sutherland's computer tainty as to how the computer boom only being able to follow instructions. began to spread with the appearance would affect the average household, She expressed excitement at the new of an article in Popular Mechanics and Sutherland's computer seemed a con­ challenge which programming the several television and radio interviews crete indication of what the future computer presented to her life. The in 1968. The aspect of the ECHO IV might hold. Sutherlands' talks culminated in an address at the IEEE meeting in Pitts­ • burgh on February 16, 1971. The ECHO IV was contained in four units housing the memory, arithmetic, CPU, and input/output units respec­ tively. Along with the four cabinets, a programmer's console including a printer, paper tape reader, and key­ board, was installed in the basement. In addition there was a control console in the kitchen, and digital clocks which the computer controlled throughout the house. Most of the components were finished in mahogany. The ECHO IV was nearly a member of the Sutherland family. As Sutherland told Datamation in 1970, "The sleepless nights I've spent with that stupid machine. For a while there, I'd have given it to you. I'd hear it running in the middle of the night when it wasn't supposed to. So there I'd be, standing at the workbe nch in my Pi's, groping for bugs." Sutherland finally decided it was time to send this member of the family off to face the wide world on its own, and in 1984 he donated the ECHO IV to The Computer Museum.

Address Correction Requested Non-Profit Organization U. S. Postage PAID Permit No. 110 Fitchburg, MA 01420

The Computer Museum 300 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210