Digital Computer Newsletter. Volume 7, Number 2
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Volunteer Information Exchange Sharing What We Know with Those We Know Volume 5 Number 7 August 17, 2015
Volunteer Information Exchange Sharing what we know with those we know Volume 5 Number 7 August 17, 2015 Contribute To The VIE Fellows Nominations Open to the public through An exciting issue in many ways: some great articles, August 31. new news, and informative links. The Computer History Museum Fellow Awards publicly Karen Kroslowitz writes on a major milestone -- recognize individuals who have made outstanding 100,000 artifacts cataloged in our Mimsy data base. contributions to computing in areas as diverse as What a huge effort that represents. Thanks to all who artificial intelligence, networking, programming helped achieve it and thanks to Karen for writing it up languages, computer graphics, microprocessors, and for us operating systems. If you know someone that fits this One of those 100,000 was a Dyseac artifact – who description please nominate them today! among us has heard of that early computer. But Sue Click here for more details. The next class of Fellows Mickel has written up that new acquisition for us. will be inducted on Saturday, April 16, 2016. Thank you Sue. (From Carina Sweet) Chris Garcia writes up still more of those new acquisitions—from phones to computer terminals. In VIE 5.06 we re-printed a first hand account of a CHM Blog person who had attended the “announcement” Recent CHM Blog Entries (revelation?) of Colossus. The author's account had some inaccuracies that Dave Levish points out. Kirsten Tashev keeps us up-to-date on new CHM blog Thanks to Dave. entries. CHM staff and volunteers were invited to attend an • Len Sushtek on acquisition of the source code for information session on July 15, 2015, about current Electronic Arts Deluxe Paint early source code. -
Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977
Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977 Interviewee: Russell Kirsch Interviewer: Richard R. Mertz Attendee: Robert Elbourn Date: October 8, 1970 MERTZ: The following is an interview conducted on the eighth of October 1970 by Dr. Richard Mertz at the National Bureau of Standards with Mr. Russell Kirsch, one of the engineers involved in the design and development of the SEAC computer. Would you like to describe your early background and training and what led you into the field of computers? KIRSCH: Yes. My own interest in computers, as I was just telling you, has evolved fairly widely over the whole spectrum of computer activities ranging from actual soldering of computer hardware to abstract studies of theoretical capabilities of abstract computers. And, as I understand from the preliminary discussion that we've had, you would prefer me to concentrate on the early history, especially that part which is connected with the development of, early developments in computer hardware. Presumably early developments here at the Bureau of Standards that I was most intimately connected with. My own connections with the computer activities started in 1950 when Peter Elias at Harvard gave a seminar on computers, and I was a graduate student there at the time. This was a seminar in which each of the students reported on some activity in the computer field, and of course the computer field was barely in existence at the time. For essentially no particular reason I happened to agree to report on the, what was, I believe, at that time called the NBS Interim Computer which some people up at Harvard believed there was under construction at the Bureau of Standards at the time. -
4. System Design of the SEAC and DYSEAC
4. System Design of the SEAC and DYSEAC A. L. Leiner, W. A. Notz, J. L. Smith, and A. Weinberger 1. INTRODUCTION In the course of developing comprehensive system plans for the SEAC and DYSEAC, certain stand- ard methods and procedures were evolved for producing a large-scale system design. 'Ihese standard procedures, including first the development of system specifications, then the development of func- tional plans, and finally the development of wiring plans, are described in this paper. Some of the problems encountered in formulating the specifications and system plans are also discussed [I] 1. 'he flow of development generally followed in creating such large-scale computers is charted in figure 4: 1. As indicated, two sets of factors (which can be considered as the initial boundary con- ditions of the system-design affect the choice of system features for a machine: first, the set of factors related to theintended use ofthe machine, and second, those related to the type of components or "building blockstt with which the machine is to be constructed. Because these two sets of factors are basically unrelated to each other, they often present contradictory require- ments. For example, a proposed machine feature may appear ideal when evaluated solely in terms of the intended use of the machine but may entail an unacceptable engineering risk when evaluated in terms of component reliability and cost. 'he necessity for effecting compromises and avoiding con- flicts of this kind between the rival claims of operational effectiveness and engineering reliabil- ity and economy strongly influenced the system designs of the SEAC and DYSEAC. -
Computer Development (SEAC and DTSEAC) at the National Bureau Of
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • Sinclair Weeks, Secretary NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS • A. V. Astin, Director Computer Development (SEAC and DYSEAC) at the National Bureau of Standards Washington, D. C. National Bureau of Standards Circular 551 Issued January 25, 1955 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C. Price 32.00 National Bureau of Standards MAR 3 1 1955 852.13 QC100 . )}55S Cop. 1 Foreword Since 1946 the National Bureau of Standards has been active in the general field of electronic digital computers, largely for other agencies of the Government. The Bureau’s computer program has been conducted jointly by the Electronics Division and the Applied Mathematics Division. The work of the Electronics Division in Washington has included the development and construction of two computers (SEAC and DYSEAC), components research and development, and various technical and advisory services. The work of the Applied Mathematics Division has included research in numerical analysis of importance in the solution of problems by computers and the design and construction of a computer (SWAC) at the Bureau’s Institute for N umerical Analysis in Los Angeles. This volume presents reports on various aspects of the computer program through 1953, based largely on the work and experience relating to SEAC and DYSEAC. Such topics as systems development, engineering development, design, construction, and maintenance of computer equipment are covered. The introduction summarizes the history of this program in the Electronic Computers Laboratory of the Electronics Division. A. V. Astin, Director. iii Contents Page Foreword, by A. V. Astin hi Introduction, by S. -
Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977
Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977 Interviewee: Russell Kirsch Interviewer: Richard R. Mertz Attendee: Robert Elbourn Date: October 8, 1970 MERTZ: The following is an interview conducted on the eighth of October 1970 by Dr. Richard Mertz at the National Bureau of Standards with Mr. Russell Kirsch, one of the engineers involved in the design and development of the SEAC computer. Would you like to describe your early background and training and what led you into the field of computers? KIRSCH: Yes. My own interest in computers, as I was just telling you, has evolved fairly widely over the whole spectrum of computer activities ranging from actual soldering of computer hardware to abstract studies of theoretical capabilities of abstract computers. And, as I understand from the preliminary discussion that we've had, you would prefer me to concentrate on the early history, especially that part which is connected with the development of, early developments in computer hardware. Presumably early developments here at the Bureau of Standards that I was most intimately connected with. My own connections with the computer activities started in 1950 when Peter Elias at Harvard gave a seminar on computers, and I was a graduate student there at the time. This was a seminar in which each of the students reported on some activity in the computer field, and of course the computer field was barely in existence at the time. For essentially no particular reason I happened to agree to report on the, what was, I believe, at that time called the NBS Interim Computer which some people up at Harvard believed there was under construction at the Bureau of Standards at the time.