Ethernet Office System for the Future, by Xerox PARC Computer History Museum 2016-02-17 | Appears in the Computer History Museum's exhibition, "Revolution: The First 2000 Years of Computing," http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/networking/19/381.Catalog Number: 102695741*
Exploration of artifacts : Lisa and Macintosh prototypes Computer History Museum 2023-03-03 | Michael Plitkins and Rich Page join Curator Hansen Hsu to discuss several artifacts in the CHM collection, including an Apple Lisa prototype from 1982, and prototype Macintoshes nicknamed the “Great Little Machine” (GLM) and the “Big Mac” that were never shipped to the public. Plitkins donated the Lisa and GLM prototypes to CHM in 2002, and in this video describes the artifacts, gives contextual information about them, and explains their provenance. Rich Page was a hardware engineer at Apple who worked on the Lisa and helped develop the GLM and Big Mac prototypes internally before leaving Apple to co-found NeXT with Steve Jobs. Page tells us stories of his times at Apple and gives details on the development of these prototypes.Acquisition number: 2023.0027catalog number: 102792814
Oral History of Daniel P. Siewiorek Computer History Museum 2023-03-01 | Interviewed by Marc Weber on 2016-05-23 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumDaniel Siewiorek is a pioneer of wearable and mobile computing. He is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and the Director of the Mobile and Pervasive Computing Laboratory there. He and his students and colleagues have developed rugged wearable computers with head-up displays (HUD) and new kinds of pointing devices for military purposes. He was involved in the creation of a mobile system for the maintenance of U.S. Army amphibus tractor, which was designed to help technicians quickly diagnose and repair issues with the amphibious tractors while in the field. Siewiorek's research on wearables has also focused on designing devices for healthcare monitoring and improving the user experience of wearable technology. Siewiorek has collaborated with personal wearable pioneers Thad Starner and Greg Priest-Dorman, who were part of the Google Glass effort and have also provided an oral history to CHM. In addition to his mobile and user experience work, Siewiorek has designed or been involved with the design of nine multiprocessor systems and been a key contributor to the dependability design of over two dozen commercial computing systems. He has written nine textbooks in addition to over 475 papers. Siewiorek's extensive research in wearable and mobile computing has earned him several accolades, including induction into the National Academy of Engineering and the IEEE Computer Society's Pioneer Award. He has also been named a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He holds doctorate and masters degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, and a bachelors degree in the same field from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102738150Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102738149Lot Number: X7810.2016
Oral History of Ivan Sutherland, part 2 of 2 Computer History Museum 2023-02-21 | Interviewed by Bob Sproull and David C. Brock on 2017-03-10 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumIn this second oral history interview, Sutherland begins by reviewing his career path and involvements following his time on the faculty at Caltech. The interview then turns to cross cutting themes, lessons, and concerns from across Sutherland’s life. The career review begins with Sutherland’s decision to leave Caltech and pursue a robotics project at Carnegie Mellon University, designing and building a six-legged walking machine. He discusses the formation of the consulting company Sutherland, Sproull, and Associates with Bob Sproull and, later, Bert Sutherland. He talks about his involvement in venture capital investing as a partner in Advanced Technology Ventures, and its connection to Sutherland, Sproull and Associates. He reviews his ACM Turing award, and his paper on the micropipelines approach to asynchronous systems. Sutherland reviews the acquisition of Sutherland, Sproull and Associates by Sun Microsystems, and the subsequent establishment of Sun Laboratories. He discuses the work there on asynchronous systems, particularly the contributions of Charlie Molnar. He conlcudes this section detailing the purchase of Sun by Oracle, his establishment of the Asynchronous Research Center at Portland State University, his various efforts in government service, from the Navy Research Advisory Committee to the National Academies, and reflections on venture capital activities and figures. In the second section of the interview, topics include project choice, work habits, geometric approaches, symmetry, beauty and design, successful research groups, and leadership.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102706904Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102706903Lot Number: X8081.2017
Oral History of Ivan Sutherland, part 1 of 2 Computer History Museum 2023-02-21 | Interviewed by Bob Sproull and David C. Brock on 2017-02-03 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumIn this oral history interview, Ivan Sutherland reviews his life and career largely chronologically, moving from his family background and youth, through his education, and his professional career up through his faculty position at Caltech. He discusses his parents and their influence on his and his brother Bert’s youths in Scarsdale, New York. In particular, Sutherland details the brothers’ involvements with Edmund Berkeley and Claude Shannon, and the home engineering projects they inspired, during Ivan Sutherland’s grade school and high school years. He reviews his experiences in electrical engineering education as an undergraduate at Carnegie Tech, and then as a graduate student at Caltech and MIT. He details his involvement with digital computing at MIT and its Lincoln Laboratory, and in particular his interactions with Wes Clark and the TX-2. He describes his development of the interactive computer graphics system “Sketchpad,” the subject of his PhD. Next, Sutherland reviews his service as an officer in the U.S. Army, first at a computing center at the University of Michigan, and then doing computer graphics at the NSA. He describes in detail his leadership of ARPA’s IPTO, succeeding J.C.R. Licklider, and his appointment of Bob Taylor as his deputy director. Sutherland reviews his ARPA experiences, and then discusses his next position as a tenured professor at Harvard. He details his work on 3D computer graphics and head-mounted displays. He details the formation of Evans and Sutherland, and his move to the University of Utah. After reviewing his experiences in Utah, he discusses his move to Santa Monica, California, his efforts at a computer animation startup and subsequent positions at RAND and as a faculty member at Caltech. He discussed his growing involvement with integrated circuits, and how this shaped his efforts at Caltech.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102738195Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102738196Lot Number: X8081.2017
Oral History of Nick Tredennick Computer History Museum 2023-02-14 | Interviewed by Douglas Fairbairn on 2019-06-04 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumHarry L. (Nick) Tredennick was born in Schenectady NY in 1946. After a move to Texas, Nick attended Texas Tech and graduated with BS and MS degrees in electrical engineering. After earning his degree, he went into the Air Force, where he was trained as a pilot. He was released to the reserves a couple of years later, at which time he entered the University of Texas to pursue a PhD in EE.After graduation, he served as an assistant professor at the school until Tom Gunter of Motorola walked into his office and offered him a job working on the next generation 68000 microprocessor in 1977. His responsibilities at this time were mainly to implement in logic the designs created by others. That project was a big success and then he was asked to see if the microcode could be reprogrammed to run the IBM 360 instruction set. After working on that project in collaboration with IBM for a period of time, he moved on to work at IBM’s TJ Watson Research Center where he worked on Fiber Optic Communication for a time before pursuing a passion to write a book on microprocessor logic design.As a result of this work and becoming a proponent of the CISC microprocessor architecture, he was invited to spend a sabbatical at UC Berkeley teaching on this subject. At the end of his sabbatical, he didn’t want to return to New York, so IBM gave him an office at their local research center in Los Gatos.He continued working on his Micro 370 project until being invited to be a co-founder of a startup called NexGen MicroSystems. He later left after disagreements with management and the Board. After leaving, he set up his own consulting company before joining Altera as Chief Scientist. That job lasted a couple of years before he resigned in 1995.The following years, Nick spent doing patent testimony, continuing to serve in the military reserves, writing for the Microprocessor Report, working on cryptography related topics, and a wide range of personal interests.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102781582Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102781583Lot Number: X9075.2019
Oral History of Chi-Foon Chan Computer History Museum 2023-02-14 | Interviewed by Uday Kapoor on 2019-01-23 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumChi-Foon Chan is an American business executive and engineer. He retired from Synopsys in 2022 as the Co-CEO after an illustrious 32 years where he served several senior management roles and contributed to the success of Synopsys as the leader in the EDA industry. Prior to Synopsys he was in management roles in NEC and Intel Corp. Dr. Chan received his Masters and PhD. in Computer Engineering from Case Western Reserve University.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102781037Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102781038Lot Number: X8902.2019
CHM Live | Happy 40th Birthday Lisa! Computer History Museum 2023-02-03 | [Recorded January 31, 2023]Without the Lisa, there would be no Mac, and no iPhone. Apple’s innovative Lisa computer transformed how people interact with computers—from arcane text-based interfaces to the modern graphical user interface ubiquitous today. How did the Lisa change the world and yet ultimately become a commercial failure? How was this computer important for the story of Steve Jobs and Apple? What lessons can we learn from the Lisa about leadership and luck, risk, and rewards? On the 40th anniversary of the Apple Lisa, join CHM as we explore these issues and more.What You’ll Experience -Hear insider stories of the Lisa and Apple’s early days with Steve Jobs from key members of the original hardware, software, design, sales, and management teams, including Bill Atkinson (via video recording), John Couch (via video recording), Bruce Daniels, Dan'l Lewin, Wayne Rosing, and Annette Wagner. -Learn from expert commentary by journalist Steven Levy on business and technology lessons gleaned from the Lisa, and its ongoing impact, in conversation with New York Times contributor Katie Hafner. -See an original Lisa and a demonstration of a working Lisa.-Plus "one more thing": special remarks by Lisa Brennan-Jobs (via video recording).Catalog Number: 102792810Acquisition Number: 2023.0013
Oral History of Tom Stockebrand Computer History Museum 2023-02-02 | Interviewed by Gardner Hendrie and Grant Saviers on 2019-05-01 in Holmes Beach, FL© Computer History MuseumTom grew up in Evanston, IL and had an early and intense interest in in all things technical, particularly electronics. He chose Caltech for college and obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering. His enthusiasm for “trying out crazy ideas” took him in many directions. After CalTech, he was drafted and served 2 years in the US Army as a maintenance technician. Then went to work for Wes Clark at Lincoln Labs and was asked by Wes to develop a large tape drive for the TX-2 computer. This led to working with IBM to get their tape drives installed on SAGE systems and participating in the development of LINCtape. After 7 years at Lincoln, he joined his friends and Ken Olson at Digital Equipment Corporation. There he developed DECtape, a very reliable block addressed tape drive with a shirt pocket sized tape reel. Probably the first commercial personal portable digital storage. After a stint as corporate manufacturing engineering manager solving some thorny problem holding back PDP-11 production, Tom put together a team to develop DEC’s first video terminal, the VT50. After moving to Albuquerque, NM to assist starting up a new terminals plant, Tom started an advanced development group for high performance video displays. Retiring from DEC in 1990, he obtained his PE license and consulted on artillery fuses, prototype rail guns, transport in vacuum tunnels, ground water heat exchange, and non-destructive ultrasonic testing. Well earning being “the craziest ME in the US” as he was called early in his career.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102781599Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102781600Lot Number: X9085.2019
Oral History of Ken Thompson Computer History Museum 2023-01-21 | Interviewed by John Mashey on 2005-02-08 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumAt Bell Laboratories in 1977, Ken Thompson (best known as the co-creator of the Unix operating system) and Joe Condon designed and built Belle, a dedicated chess-playing machine connected to a minicomputer. Belle's custom hardware and endgame database revolutionized computer chess.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102657921Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102630664Lot Number: X3091.2005
An Evening with Gideon Gartner, in conversation with Neill Brownstein Computer History Museum 2023-01-12 | [Recorded May 15, 2007]For 30 years, IT industry analysts have held sway as global intermediaries between technologists and media, governments, universities and investors. Yet, they are also fundamentally tethered to the evolution of technology. Join us as we present industry analyst marketplace pioneer Gideon Gartner, in conversation with venture capitalist Neill Brownstein, for an evening of candid and personal insights on the rise of IT industry analysts.Catalog number: 102706132Acquisition number: X4799.2009
Oral History of Annette Wagner Computer History Museum 2023-01-05 | Interviewed by Hansen Hsu on 2019-12-13 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumAnnette Wagner was a graphic artist and human interface designer who created fonts and icons for the Lisa. Wagner grew up in Watsonville, California, and studied graphic design at Cabrillo College and San Jose State. She originally joined the Lisa team at Apple as a contractor, but eventually took on full responsibility for graphic design elements on the Lisa as a full employee. After being laid off due to the Lisa team’s merger with the Macintosh team in 1984, she was rehired as a contractor, ultimately rejoining as an employee in the Human Interface group under Bruce Tognazzini, doing user interface design, taking part in user testing, and presenting papers at CHI. She also designed the famous dogcow icon for a print panel on the Macintosh, a One Button Installer for the Mac, and was the main interface designer for Macintosh System 7, using Hypercard to prototype her designs. Wagner was deposed in the Apple-Microsoft look and feel lawsuit, where she testified that her icon designs for the Lisa were wholly original, as she had not seen anything from the Xerox Star when she designed them. She later worked on the Pink operating system team, but decided to leave right as it was spinning out to become Taligent, joining Sun instead, where she continued to work in human interface design, first on the NeWS windowing system and later on Java. Since leaving Sun, Wagner has returned to her roots in the art world.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102795829Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102795830Lot Number: X9208.2020
Objects as if People Mattered Computer History Museum 2022-12-29 | [Recorded October 1996]Recording of Larry Constantine's talks titled "Objects as if People Mattered" presented at OPPSLA Conference on October 1996.Catalog Number: 102706493Acquisition Number: X6636.2013
Oral History of Benny Lau and Lee Lau Computer History Museum 2022-12-06 | Interviewed by Doug Fairbairn on 2021-07-13 in Toronto, Canada© Computer History MuseumLee and Benny Lau (not related), co-founders of ATI Technologies sat for a joint oral history and described their early lives growing up in Hong Kong and both eventually emigrating to Toronto, Canada. They both attended the University of Toronto where they studied electrical engineering. Both were involved in local startups when they decided to join forces and start ATI Technologies in 1985, along with one other founder, KY Ho.Their initial product was a graphics card for the IBM PC. One key to their success with this first product was the use of a gate array chip, allowing them to put more logic and features on the card than their competitors. The company grew rapidly as they worked feverishly to stay ahead of the competition. They were indeed quite successful at this, being essentially the last graphics company standing from those early years when there were over 50 competitors. Both Lee and Benny left the company around 2000 when they felt they had contributed all they could and were not motivated by the incremental challenges each new year brought. The company was sold to AMD in 2006 and continues to set a leadership standard in the industryThey describe the punishing development schedules, constant paranoia of what their competitors might be up to, and their joy and satisfaction which came from building a company with such a long-lasting legacy. It’s a down-to-earth story of the highs and lows which come from building a high-tech startup.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102792249Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102792250Lot Number: X9500.2021
Oral History of Tae Yoo Computer History Museum 2022-12-01 | Interviewed by Kristin Morris on 2022-08-11 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumOral history interview with Tae Yoo, former Sernior Vice President for Corporate Affairs, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Sustainability at Cisco. Ms. Yoo discusses her long career leading corporate responsibility and philanthropy efforts at Cisco, including the creation of the Corporate Affairs department and the Cisco Foundation. She reflects on several Cisco philanthropic programs and partnerships, including the Networking Academies, NetHope, 21st Century Schools, Cisco Crisis Response and Cisco’s NetZero effort.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102792726Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102792727Lot Number: 2022.0104
Oral History of John Chambers Computer History Museum 2022-12-01 | Interviewed by John Mashey on 2022-08-22 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumJohn Chambers was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and attended the University of Toronto, studying Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. In 1960, as second-year undergraduate, he got introduced to both statistics and Fortran, but was warned that spending much time programming would inhibit a career in research. This of course did not stop him programming. While working on his PhD at Harvard, one professor suggested he seek a summer internship at Bell Laboratories, which led to a permanent job there, including work with the eminent statistician John Tukey.Bell Labs researchers did much statistical analysis, using non-interactive programs in Fortran. John led efforts to create an interactive language to make this much easier. S was proposed in 1976, and implemented on the Honeywell GCOS system at Murray Hill, NJ. A few years later, it was redone to run on UNIX and was frequently updated as it got more usage, at first inside the Labs, then outside.During the 1990s, an international organization including Chambers grew up to create an augmented, open-source version of S called R and it really took off after 2000.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102792762Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102792763Lot Number: 2022.0126
Oral History of Brent Townshend Computer History Museum 2022-11-07 | Interviewed by Dag Spicer on 2022-05-25 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumCanadian inventor and electrical engineer, Dr. Brent Townshend, created a core concept in 1996 that served as the basis for what is known as the 56K bit/sec modem, a groundbreaking technology at the time that allowed for data transfer between two computers at high speeds. Digital modems had been developed in the 1950’s for the purpose of transmitting data for the military. AT&T manufactured the first commercial modem in 1962. with a speed of 300 bits per second. By 1993, modems were performing at around 38.6 kbps, which was considered by many as the maximum speed attainable. Townshend developed an algorithm that enabled 56K downloads from the Internet over standard analog dial-up phone line connections (U.S. Patent No. 5,801,695). This represented a 66 percent improvement over previously existing modems’ performance. In 1998, the V.90 standard that incorporates Townshend’s algorithm was ratified by the International Telecommunications Union. That standard was later updated as the V.92 standard. Brent Townshend is also a world class photographer, a renowned synthetic biologist, and a successful entrepreneur and early-stage company investor. This Oral History interview discusses the career path of Dr. Townshend, and highlights some of his scientific breakthroughs and key technological innovations.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102792696Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102792697Lot Number: 2022.0080
CHM | Computers v. Crime with NOVA Computer History Museum 2022-11-04 | In police departments and courts across the country, artificial intelligence is being used to help decide who is policed, who gets bail, how offenders should be sentenced, and who gets parole. But is it actually making our law enforcement and court systems fairer and more just? NOVA explores these questions in Computers v. Crime, an investigation into the hidden biases, privacy risks, and design flaws of this controversial technology.NOVA's Computers v. Crime premiered WED OCT 12 at 9/8c on PBS. Check local listings for details. It will also be available for streaming online and via the PBS Video App. Clip #1 (2 minutes and 25 seconds):Computers v. Crime | Full Documentary | NOVA | PBS youtube.com/watch?v=7ySOSrIe7fY&t=1481sClip #2 (2 minutes and 3 seconds)Computers v. Crime | Full Documentary | NOVA | PBS youtube.com/watch?v=7ySOSrIe7fY&t=2013sClip#3 (1 minutes 50 seconds)Computers v. Crime | Full Documentary | NOVA | PBSyoutube.com/watch?v=7ySOSrIe7fY&t=1780sAcquisition: 2022.0151Catalog: 102792774
CHM Live | Breaking Barriers In Tech Entrepreneurship Computer History Museum 2022-10-31 | [RecordedEntrepreneurship is tough. Add the legacy of biases in the tech industry, and the path to success for underrepresented entrepreneurs can be even tougher. Join our diverse startup leaders for: - A fireside chat with Ruben Harris, cofounder and CEO of job training startup Career Karma and Eric McCarthy, associate at Top Tier Capital Partners.- A founder story by Shanea Leven, founder and CEO of venture-backed early-stage startup CodeSee.- A fireside chat with Stephanie VanPutten, founder and former CEO of Blendoor, Entrepreneur in Residence at The Equity Alliance, and Founder of Visible Figures, in conversation with Joe Hurd, global managing director at venture capital firm SOSV.This event was made possible by the generous support of the Kapor Center.Catalog Number: 102792773Acquisition Number: 2022.0150
Oral History of Jugi Tandon Computer History Museum 2022-10-31 | Interviewed by Tom Burniece on 2017-09-19 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumThis is the story of Sirjang Lai Tandon, better known as ”Jugi”, who grew up in a small town in northern India. He got a two-year college education in physics and moved to America in 1960, with an older brother, where he earned an MBA and a Master’s Degree in Engineering. He joined IBM in 1965, initially working on manufacturing heads for the 2314 HHD. He then went to Memorex in 1968, where he developed the first R/W floppy disk drive and in 1975 founded Tandon Corporation, where he developed and patented the first reliable double-sided floppy disk drive and went public. This became one of the key factors in the acceptance of the IBM personal computer in 1978 and led to Tandon opening the first disk drive manufacturing plant in Singapore. He then also built and sold hard drives, plus a clone of the IBM personal computer with IBM’s blessings. Tandon Corporation later merged with Western Digital, which is one of three remaining disk drive companies. Jugi then founded Celetronix International, which became the largest electronic manufacturing service providers in India and Southeast Asia, and was acquired by Jabil Circuits in 2006.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102738549Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102738550Lot Number: X8329.2018
Oral History of Kwabena Boahen Computer History Museum 2022-10-26 | Interviewed by Doug Fairbairn on 2021-06-22 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumMr. Boahen is a professor of Bioengineering and Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. He was born in 1964 in Ghana. His father was a professor of history at the University of Ghana and a very humble man. He wanted his children to be the same. As a child, Kwabena always enjoyed building and experimenting with things such as microscopes and electric motors. His parents were from different groups within the country and spoke different languages. As a result, the common language in the family home was English. He went off to a boarding school founded by Methodist Missionaries when he was 12. While there he won a national science fair competition for a corn planting machine which he and a friend had developed. His father has spent a sabbatical at Johns Hopkins University and that opened up the opportunity for Kwabena to study there. While there, he was introduced to how the brain worked and the concept that neural networks represented an alternative approach to computing. He took a course in VLSI design in his junior year and designed an analog approach to neuromorphic computing. He was using course notes and ideas coming from Carver Mead’s class at Caltech.These studies eventually led to his attending Caltech for graduate school where he earned a PhD under Carver Mead. He entered in 1990 and received his degree in 1996. His focus remained on neuromorphic computing…using an understanding of the human brain to develop more efficient computing elements. The target application was a silicon retina. Kwabena goes into great detail describing his research work and combining learning from the computing and biology domains. After earning his PhD, he became a professor at the University of Pennsylvania in 1997. In 2005 he left to join Stanford where he was at the time of the interview. At Stanford he directs Stanford’s Brains in Silicon Lab where he continues his work on melding the worlds of brains, biology and silicon.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102792242Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102792243Lot Number: X9493.2021
2022 Fellow Award Ceremony Computer History Museum 2022-10-18 | [Recorded October 15, 2022]Tonight, we honor the achievements of the 2022 Fellow honorees whose creativity, persistence, vision, and global influence in the field of computing have helped shape our everyday lives. Join us for Silicon Valley’s biggest night as technology leaders, innovators, and visionaries from around the world gather to celebrate the remarkable contributions of the Computer History Museum’s 2022 Fellow Honorees at our annual ceremony. Discover the impact of each Fellow on technology with tribute videos, personal introductions, and honoree remarks. Our 2022 Fellows are: -Don Bitzer: For pioneering online education and communities with PLATO and coinventing the plasma display.-Adele Goldberg: For the promotion and codevelopment of the Smalltalk programming environment and for contributions that advanced the use of computers in education. -Dan Ingalls: For the creation and codevelopment of the Smalltalk language and programming environment. -Leonard Kleinrock: For his pioneering work on the mathematical theory of computer networks and roles in the ARPANET and in expanding the internet. This prestigious program is supported with collecting, education, research, and media efforts that reflect the seminal work of each Fellow and further the Museum’s mission to decode technology for everyone. We are honored to highlight and preserve the stories of these esteemed technology heroes for future generations. Discover the impact of each Fellow on technology with tribute videos, personal introductions, and remarks.Catalog number: 102792768Acquisition number: 2022.0148
Oral history of Leonard (Len) Kleinrock Computer History Museum 2022-10-17 | Interviewed by Marc Weber on 2011-09-28 in Los Angeles, CA© Computer History MuseumLeonard Kleinrock is an American electrical engineer, professor, and networking pioneer. Growing up in the Bronx borough of New York City, Kleinrock details his efforts to excel at school under trying circumstances, including working at an electronics store while doing his undergraduate work at CCNY. Despite attending night classes to accommodate his schedule, he was the only student from CCNY admitted to MIT that year and thus began his engineering studies at MIT in the fall of 1959. Eventually graduating with a PhD focusing on message passing and stochastic flows in 1964, he was relatively quickly offered a full-time teaching position at UCLA, where has been ever since.In 1967, the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) chose Kleinrock's UCLA laboratory to run the Network Measurement Center (NMC) for the ARPANET. The mission was to analyze performance on this pioneering packet-switched network. UCLA received the first network node from developer BBN near Boston, and wrote the interface to connect with the lab's host computer. On October 29, 1969 the initial connection between host computers was made from UCLA to the second node, the Network Information Center (NIC) at SRI International near Stanford University. The ARPANET would become a pivotal part of the early Internet.As a faculty member, Kleinrock’s influence is seen in his supervision of students who became pivotal figures in the development of the ARPANET and Internet. Their work spans all aspects of networking including Internet protocols, performance evaluation and design of packet networks, wireless network studies, nomadic computing, peer-to-peer networks, congestion control, distributed systems, intelligent software agents and more. These students, along with their students, form a cadre of networking experts worldwide.In the late 1980’s, Kleinrock presented to then-senator Al Gore and his senate sub-committee the results of a National Research Council committee report that he had chaired. This helped to influence Gore to secure major support from the federal government leading to the $600 million High Performance Computing Act of 1991, an Act that produced the National Information Infrastructure.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102745980Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102745954Lot Number: X6295.2012
Oral History of Don Bitzer Computer History Museum 2022-10-17 | Interviewed by Marc Weber on 2022-07-27 in Cary, NC© Computer History MuseumDon Lester Bitzer is an American inventor and professor of engineering. This oral history begins with his recounting of his early upbringing, including his schooling and interest in taking things apart to understand how they worked as well as building new gadgets using parts he scrounged from local radio and TV stores. Bitzer wanted to be an engineer since age five, which was encouraged by his parents. After a solid high school preparation, especially in the sciences and mathematics, he moved on to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he completed his bachelor’s, master’s and PhD in electrical engineering. He was asked to stay at Illinois and become a faculty member. As a new professor, Bitzer quickly accepted a challenge from his department head to devise a way that students could learn using a computer. Bitzer began working on a solution – soon to be known as PLATO -- in 1959. Based on the first-generation ILLIAC I computer, Bitzer connected video lessons to a small number of terminals using ILLIAC I, a very early invention of timesharing. From these simple beginnings, the PLATO system grew into an ecosystem of learning modules and interactive lessons on hundreds of subjects with thousands of simultaneous users, running on Control Data Corporation supercomputers. As part of co-developing the PLATO hardware to keep student terminal prices affordable but also capable of graphics, Bitzer, colleague Gene Slottow, and graduate student Robert Wilson invented the plasma display in 1964, a revolutionary technological development at the time which is still in wide use today. It was also the first practical flatscreen. The plasma display became the basis of the PLATO IV terminal, which combined a touchscreen with audio recordings and microfilm projection to create a multimedia terminal in the early 1970s. PLATO IV was the platform on which a vibrant pioneering community of users emerged, including email, online collaboration, news, chat, discussion groups, and sophisticated online games. Bitzer spent the rest of his career at the University of Illinois contributing to PLATO but also directing research on many other projects for agencies such as NSF and ARPA on topics relating to radar, communications, high performance computing and artificial intelligence. He retired from the University of Illinois after 39 years to become Distinguished University Research Professor at North Carolina State, where he teaches and conducts research on a range of topics from DNA to nuclear fusion.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102792760Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102792761Lot Number: 2022.0124
Oral History of Dan Ingalls Computer History Museum 2022-10-10 | Interviewed by Hansen Hsu on 2017-04-10 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumDaniel H. H. Ingalls Jr. was born in 1944 in Washington, D.C. His father was a Sanskrit professor at Harvard who had worked for the OSS in WWII doing codebreaking. After graduating from Harvard with a degree in physics in 1966, Ingalls attended graduate school at Stanford studying electrical engineering. Motivated by learnings from a course taught by Don Knuth, Ingalls dropped out of graduate school to start a one-man company optimizing programs for local companies. In the course of his business he met George White, a speech recognition researcher at Xerox PARC, who invited Ingalls to join him there. Once inside PARC, Ingalls began to be more interested in the conversations taking place across the hallway, in Alan Kay’s office. Conversations with Kay led to a bet that Kay could design a programming language small enough to fit on a single page, which became Smalltalk-72. Ingalls quickly implemented Kay’s design in BASIC, and soon after wrote a version that would run on PARC’s Alto personal computer. Ingalls ended up joining Kay’s Learning Research Group, becoming,the lead developer of a succession of Smalltalk iterations at PARC, including Smalltalk-74, 76, 78, and 80. Two key innovations were BitBlt (Bit Block Transfer), a widely adopted graphics primitive, and the byte coded interpreter, both implemented in the Alto’s microcode, allowing for these operations to take place quickly. In 1979, Ingalls played a key role in demonstrating Smalltalk to a delegation from Apple, including Steve Jobs, introducing to him the graphical user interface and the advantages of live programming. Around 1984/85, Ingalls decided to join Apple’s Advanced Technology Group to work on getting Smalltalk to run well on the Apple Macintosh. At Apple, Ingalls designed Fabrik, a visual programming language. After taking an eight-year break from the technology industry to help run the family hotel in Virginia, Ingalls returned to Apple in 1993, where he rejoined with Alan Kay to create Squeak, a portable, open-source version of Smalltalk-80 implemented in Smalltalk itself. Soon after the release of Squeak, most of Kay’s group, including Ingalls, moved from Apple to Disney Imagineering, and the group created Etoys, a graphical educational programming environment implemented on top of Squeak. Etoys became an influence on the more widely adopted educational language Scratch, created at the MIT Media Lab. A few years after leaving Disney in 2001, Ingalls ended up at Sun in 2005, writing a Java interpreter for Squeak that was later converted to JavaScript, leading to the Lively Kernel, a live programming environment that runs in a web browser. Ingalls continued to work on Lively Kernel after joining SAP in 2010, later spinning out into a research group that ended up with Y Combinator. In recent years, Ingalls has restored historical versions of Smalltalk, from 72 through Squeak, that run in the web browser on top of Lively Kernel.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102738237Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102738238Lot Number: X8167.2017
Oral History of Jean Bartik Computer History Museum 2022-10-03 | Interviewed by Gardner Hendrie on 2008-07-01 in Oaklyn, NJ© Computer History MuseumJean Bartik reviews her life and career with particular emphasis on her time as an ENIAC programmer. She discusses her work with J. Pres Eckert, John Mauchly, John von Neumann and Herman Goldstine, and discusses some of the ENIAC myths.Jean Bartik (b. December 27, 1924, d. March 23, 2011) is one of the original six programmers for the ENIAC computer and thus one of the first computer programmers in the world.Born Betty Jean Jennings in Missouri, she attended Northwest Missouri State Teachers College, receiving her BS in Mathematics. Bartik earned an MS in English from the University of Pennsylvania and an Honorary Dr. of science from Northwest Missouri State University. In 1945, she was hired to compute ballistics firing tables at the Army's Ballistics Research Labs as one of eighty "computers," - people, usually women, hired to calculate ballistics trajectories (differential calculus equations) by hand.Also in 1945, a novel electronic machine to compute firing tables--called ENIAC--was completed. ENIAC was over 700 square feet in size, had 18,000 vacuum tubes, and weighed 30 tons.As one of six female engineers selected to work on the ENIAC, they had no programming manuals or classes; Bartik and the team taught themselves ENIAC's operation from its logical and electrical block diagrams, and then figured out how to program it. They wrote the program and placed it on the ENIAC using a challenging physical interface, which had hundreds of wires and 3,000 switches. In 1947, Bartik became part of a group charged with converting the ENIAC into a stored program computer, a major milestone that made it easier to use since problem set-up time dropped from weeks to hours as a result. She also went on to contribute to the development of the BINAC and UNIVAC I computers.Bartik became an editor for Auerbach Publishers, an early publisher in high tech sector. In 1981, she joined Data Decisions (a Ziff Davis Company) as a Senior Editor for Communications Services. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame Women in Technology International, along with the other original ENIAC programmers. In 2001, her Alma Mater renamed its computer museum in her honor. Bartik has been honored by the Army Research Labs and the University of Pennsylvania.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102658322Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102658346Lot Number: X4967.2009
From WISC to TRILOGY, lecture by Gene Amdahl Computer History Museum 2022-10-03 | Recorded: March 10, 1983Gene Amdahl opens his talk describing how he entered into the computing industry, first as a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin as a theoretical physics major and then on a project he started in 1949 that focused on the forces between nuclear particles. After completing the project with two other graduate students, with only the aid of a 10-digit desktop calculator and a slide rule, Amdahl deemed that there had to be a better method to make these types of calculations. After a trip to the US Army’s Aberdeen Proving Grounds and getting glimpses of ENIAC and EDVAC computers, he describes returning to Wisconsin in the fall of 1950 and changing his thesis to one proposing a design for an electronic computer, which became known as WISC—the Wisconsin Integrally Synchronized Computer. Because most computer designs at that time were classified or proprietary, WISC was a unique homegrown effort and was in operation from 1954 to 1959. Amdahl describes, in detail, its technical specifications. Amdahl later describes his employment at IBM starting in 1952 and his research and computer design roles, specifically in the planning and development of IBM’s 704, 709, 7030, and System/360 computer systems. He then discusses the founding of the Amdahl Corporation in 1970 and the Amdahl 470V/6 mainframe computer built to compete directly with IBM. Amdahl closes his lecture discussing his retirement from Amdahl Corporation and a new project—Trilogy—that he was working on with his son.Catalog Number: 102703159
Oral History of Mathew Mate and Tom Yamashita Computer History Museum 2022-09-20 | Interviewed by Bruno Marchon on 2022-06-15 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumDrs. Yamashita and Mate have been key innovators in the field of hard disk drive tribology. Tribology is the science of sliding bodies, which usually involves friction, wear and lubrication. The reason why it is critical to disk drive technology is because the magnetic head flies very close to the spinning disk surface under very high velocities of close to 100 miles per hour. In the disk drive industry, tribology refers not only to the reliability of the device, but also the push to lower and precisely control the head to medium spacing (HMS). During their careers, Drs. Mate and Yamashita have helped reduce HMS from a few micrometers to just a few nanometers while at the same time greatly improving the reliability of hard disk drives. This has enabled over a million-fold increase in storage densities and helped sustain the exponential growth of the internet. Dr. Yamashita began his career in the disk drive business by joining Komag at its inception in 1984 and worked there until 2007, when the company was acquired by Western Digital. He has developed many of the processes used in the manufacture of thin-film media at Komag, with 34 patents to his credit and many publications. Dr. Mathew Mate worked for 30 years in industry doing research and development of materials for nanotechnology and nanotribology applications. He started his industrial career at the IBM Almaden Research. Later, he worked in the disk drive divisions of Hitachi and Western Digital. Mathew Mate is best known for his research into the molecular and atomic level origins of tribology, and he authored a book: “Tribology on a Small Scale”. He is now conducting surface science research at Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC). This Oral History interview discusses the career paths of Drs. Yamashita and Mate, and brushes on some of their scientific breakthroughs and key technological innovations.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102792706Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102792707Lot Number: 2022.0085
TechQuest on Roblox Computer History Museum 2022-09-15 | How can technology help us to identify zebras in a herd, protect trees in the rainforest, or make a playground more accessible? In the game “TechQuest” on Roblox, players experience real-world applications of today’s tech and the technology that came before. Players use drones, VR goggles, and hacker tools to complete tasks and earn rewards as they learn about the ways tech is used in two virtual worlds, environmental conservation and automation, as well as a CHM exhibit. Non-player characters guide players to use technology to solve problems, learn about the way we live, and make the world a better and safer place for humans and animals alike. Learn more about TechQuest on Roblox: computerhistory.org/techquest
Oral History of Erhard Schreck Computer History Museum 2022-09-08 | Interviewed by Bruno Marchon on 2022-05-31 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumDr. Erhard Schreck is one of only a few experts in the field of hard disk drive (HDD) tribology. Tribology is the science of sliding bodies which usually involves friction, wear and lubrication. The reason why it's so critical to disk drive technology is because the magnetic head is riding and sometimes sliding very close to the spinning disk surface under extremely high velocity of close to 100 miles per hour. In the disk drive industry, tribology refers not only to the reliability of the device but also the push to lower and precisely control the head disk distance, also known as the flying height. Dr. Schreck holds over 100 published U.S. patents, and during his career, he has helped reduce this flying height from a few micrometers to just under one nanometer, which is about the length of just a few air molecules. He was a member of the team that implemented the revolutionary Thermal Fly Height Control (TFC), that has helped the industry achieve recording densities beyond the one terabit per square inch mark. This is a 500-million-fold increase in storage density from the first HDD, IBM’s RAMAC. This Oral History first delves on his childhood and education in Germany where he was involved in the early development of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope. His technical contributions and breakthroughs during his US career in the HDD industry are then discussed.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102792698Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102792699Lot Number: 2022.0081
Oral History of Adele Goldberg Computer History Museum 2022-09-07 | Interviewed by John Mashey on May 10, 2010, in Mountain View, California© Computer History MuseumAdele Goldberg reflects on her life and career from her early days at the University of Chicago and Stanford University through her career at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) and ParcPlace Systems.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102701984.Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog number: 102702319Lot number: X5823.2010
CHM Live | Making Smalltalk: Member Event Computer History Museum 2022-09-06 | [Recorded September 1, 2022]Before the Apple Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, Python, Java, and Objective-C, there was Smalltalk. 50 years ago this September, Smalltalk, which ultimately revolutionized personal computing, graphical user interfaces, and programming languages, was first created at Xerox PARC in Alan Kay’s Learning Research Group as a way to help children learn by using computers. Museum members are invited to attend a special reunion prior to the public event , reuniting Smalltalk pioneers Adele Goldberg, Dan Ingalls, Dave Robson, and other alumni of Alan Kay’s famous Learning Research Group at PARC, along with special guests who, as children, were invited to play with Smalltalk at PARC. Catalog Number: 102792766Acquisition Number: 2022.0132
CHM Live | Making Smalltalk Computer History Museum 2022-09-06 | [Recorded September 1, 2022]Before the Apple Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, Python, Java, and Objective-C, there was Smalltalk. 50 years ago this September, Smalltalk, which ultimately revolutionized personal computing, graphical user interfaces, and programming languages, was first created at Xerox PARC in Alan Kay’s Learning Research Group as a way to help children learn by using computers. Join us for a night with Smalltalk pioneers and 2022 CHM Fellows Adele Goldberg and Daniel Ingalls to celebrate Smalltalk’s 50th anniversary. In an interactive discussion with moderator John Markoff, Goldberg and Ingalls will explore Smalltalk’s original mission in education and its influence on the world of object-oriented programming languages, development environments, and software engineering methodologies. Adding to the conversation will be newly-recorded remarks for this historic occasion from Smalltalk creator Alan Kay. What You’ll Learn: -How did research into computing for education lead to graphical user interfaces? -What is live programming, why is it so useful, and why hasn’t it taken off? -Why have Smalltalk and object-oriented programming influenced other programming languages? Catalog Number: 102792767Acquisition Number: 2022.0132
Hardware Wetware Software Computer History Museum 2022-09-01 | [Recorded January 22, 1997]From University Video Communications' catalog:"Hardware capacity and performance continue to grow at a high rate, typically 4X every three years for major technologies. This kind of growth rate has not been common to the experience of human beings, often called "wetware." The basic characteristics of wetware is unlikely to change very quickly, requiring less-predictable leaps in software to bridge the gap between hardware and wetware. This talk reviews performance, latency, and bandwidths trends for hardware and wet-ware, then illustrates the kinds of leading-edge software that have been used to help wetwares interact more effectively with their hardware."Catalog number: 102624761Lot number: X6636.2013
Patrick J. McGovern Tech for Humanity | Tribute to Luminary Sal Khan by Bill Gates Computer History Museum 2022-08-25 | Bill Gates shares a special message to Luminary Sal Khan, drawing on over ten years of work together. Gates congratulates and thanks Khan for his pioneering work and impact through Khan Academy.
Patrick J. McGovern Tech for Humanity | Luminary Sal Khan Computer History Museum 2022-08-25 | Khan Academy founder Sal Khan shares his journey as an entrepreneur, his ideas about technology for social impact, and his insights into education accessible to all.
Patrick J. McGovern Tech for Humanity | Changemaker Michael Bernstein Computer History Museum 2022-08-25 | Michael Bernstein describes his Patrick J. McGovern Tech for Humanity Changemaker project: a novel machine learning architecture oriented around the metaphor of juries to reduce bias in artificial intelligence by teaching computers to consider diverse perspectives.
Patrick J. McGovern Tech for Humanity | Changemaker Mercy Nyamewaa Asiedu Computer History Museum 2022-08-25 | Mercy Nyamewaa Asiedu describes her two-fold Patrick J. McGovern Tech for Humanity Changemaker project: a mobile application for telemedicine and health record storage in sub-Saharan Africa and the validation of low-cost technologies for automated cervical cancer screening.
Tech for Humanity at CHM Computer History Museum 2022-08-25 | At the CHM, we believe that technology at its best can solve problems, bring people together, and build a better future. We’re champions of tech for good, technology that’s ethically designed and used, and that serves all of humanity. CHM highlights visionary role models.
CHM Live | The Pixel: From Cave Paintings to Toy Story Computer History Museum 2022-08-15 | [Recorded August 11, 2022]Have you watched a video on a cell phone, played a videogame, or seen a movie? If so, you’ve experienced the power of the pixel. From cave paintings to Toy Story, the pixel is the “big idea” that ties all digital imaging together. In his book, A Biography of the Pixel, Pixar cofounder Alvy Ray Smith shares the story of how this small but mighty idea started life in prehistoric times and has shaped human visual expression ever since. Drawing on his decades of work in computer graphics, including inventing some of the key concepts still used in the field today, Smith shows how the pixel, and what he calls “Digital Light,” have transformed business, art, and entertainment. Come see and hear the story of the pixel – it will change the way you see the world forever!Catalog Number: 102792730Acquisition Number: 2022.0106
CHM Minecraft Trailer : The Great Tech Story Computer History Museum 2022-08-04 | Learn more: computerhistory.org/minecraftWhere did your phone, game console, or latest app come from? How did computing in the past evolve into what we experience today? Who were the great pioneers and what were the innovations that shaped our digital age? How can you make a difference in how tech can impact the world for better? Have fun and learn in The Great Tech Story, the Computer History Museum’s world in Minecraft: Education Edition! Immerse yourself in the amazing story of computing throughout history and interact with tech people and ideas that are changing the world today, so you can help shape a better future for all of us.Through in-game experiences and build challenges, students ages 8-18 will be inspired as they explore the computing past and be empowered to build a better future with tech. Engage with key artifacts and innovators, teleport to immersive experiences to learn hardware and software concepts, meet a startup team, debate ethics in tech, and reflect on how tech is used in daily life. Solve a problem for your community or the world by applying your new knowledge and skills to complete a Build Challenge.
Cerebras Systems Founder and CEO Andrew Feldman in Conversation with CHMs Danl Lewin Computer History Museum 2022-08-04 | ...
CHM Live | Innovative Computer Art: Past and Present Computer History Museum 2022-07-26 | [Recorded July 22, 2022]From the earliest days of electronic computers, people used them to make art: from drawings to poems, from screenplays to paintings, and from music to films. Today, the computer has become an indispensable tool and medium for many diverse artists. This event will create a dialog around early computer films and how they paved the way for cutting-edge art-installations using today’s technology. The evening will feature digital artist, Camille Utterback, a winner of a Macarthur Foundation “genius grant” and a professor of art at Stanford University.The evening will begin with a screening of selections from CHM’'s new exhibition, “Early Computer Films, 1963-1972,” and a discussion of them by curator David C. Brock and Utterback. You will then be treated to a presentation by Utterback about her work today at the intersection of technology and art, and how it resonates with earlier intersections. Selected Film Excerpts: Stan VanDerBeek, “Poemfield No. 7,” 1967–68 Stan VanDerBeek (1927-1984) was an American experimental filmmaker and multimedia artist, and a notable figure in New York’s avante garde artworld in the 1960s. In the spring of 1966, he visited Bell Labs and worked with researcher Ken Knowlton on a series of computer-animated films. John Cage provided the music for this example. John Whitney, “Permutations,” 1968 John H. Whitney, Sr. (1917-1995) was an American experimental filmmaker, composer, and a pioneer of computer animation. In 1965, Whitney recieved a resarch grant from IBM to explore the use of the digital computer for making animated films. This film is a wonderful example of Whitney’s interest in “visual harmonics.” Lillian Schwartz, “Pixillation,” 1970 Lillian Schwartz (b. 1927) has spent her long life of artmaking exploring new mediums and pushing existing media. She worked as a visual artist at Bell Labs for three decades, starting at the end of the 1960s. In the early 1970s, she produced a remarkable series of experimental films incorporating computer animations. Catalog Number: 102792722Acquisition number: 2022.0100
Oral History of Barry Boehm Part 2 of 2 Computer History Museum 2022-07-21 | Interviewed by David C. Brock and Lee Osterweil on 2018-02-20 in Los Angeles, CA© Computer History MuseumBarry W. Boehm is a software engineer, professor of computer science at the University of Southern California, and former director of the Information Science and Technology Office of DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He is known for his contributions to software engineering and software engineering process models. In this oral history with David C. Brock and Lee Osterweil, Boehm discusses his work at TRW, his directorship at DARPA, and his work in the computer science department at USC. This interview with Boehm is the second in a series of two. Boehm begins by discussing his work at TRW in the late 1980s, including research on software environments in his role as chief scientist of their Defense Systems Group. He discusses the United States Department of Defense’s growing interest in software systems and environments during this time, their engagement with the multi-institution Arcadia Project, and TRW’s involvement in this collaboration. As a result of this connection, Boehm would be hired as the director of the Information Science and Technology Office at DARPA, a position he held from 1989 to 1992. He recounts various initiatives and the context for these initiatives during his years at DARPA. This includes the successful salvaging of the agency’s artificial intelligence funding. Boehm discusses the context for that decision, and his familiarity with both AI skeptics and AI researchers. He also recounts the role of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) at DARPA, and the challenges of working as a software advocate within this government context. Boehm addresses his endeavors since TRW and DARPA, namely his professorship in the computer science department at USC. He discusses developing a software engineering program there, at the prompting of TRW’s Simon Ramo, who noted that the best software engineers had both broad and deep knowledge. Inspired by the challenges of working with multiple stakeholders at DARPA, Boehm discusses the creation of the WinWin Spiral Model and software, a system used by his students to develop software programs for clients. Throughout this interview, Boehm also compares software process models, including spiral, waterfall, agile, and DevOps approaches, the development of these approaches in the last fifty years, and discussions the software community has had about them in this time. He remarks on the prominence of software today, noting that we have entered the “software century.”* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102738733Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102738734Lot Number: X8388.2018
Oral History of Barry Boehm, part 1 of 2 Computer History Museum 2022-07-21 | Interviewed by David C. Brock, Hansen Hsu and Lee Osterweil on 2017-11-14 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumBarry W. Boehm is a software engineer, professor of computer science at the University of Southern California, and former director of the Information Science and Technology Office of DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He is known for his contributions to software engineering and software engineering process models. In this oral history with David C. Brock, Hansen Hsu, and Lee Osterweil, Boehm discusses his upbringing in Santa Monica, California, his education at Harvard University and UCLA, his career trajectory at RAND, TRW, DARPA, and USC, and his work on software development models. This oral history with Boehm is the first in a series of two. Born in 1935, Boehm begins by describing his youth in Santa Monica, California, with a father that worked at Douglas Aircraft. He notes his affinity for sports and music, his work at the local public library, and his fascination with science fiction, particularly the idea that humans might reach other planets. He recounts being exposed to computers at RAND’s Santa Monica office during high school visits and discusses his eventual matriculation at Harvard University for his bachelor’s in mathematics. While attending Harvard, Boehm worked for the aeronautical engineering department, and during his summers was employed at Convair (later, General Dynamics) in their San Diego computing laboratory, marking his first sustained exposure to computing. Upon graduation, he returned to California and worked at General Dynamics on missile simulations. He discusses his enrollment at UCLA for his master’s and PhD in mathematics in 1959, and his employment at RAND during and following his PhD. Boehm describes the research environment at RAND, where he continued to work on computing in their engineering sector. He notes meeting his wife, Sharla Boehm, an ARPANET contributor and RAND employee, and the political tensions among RAND employees who worked there during the Vietnam War. He discusses the challenges and opportunities of software engineering at that time, and his publishing, in 1973, of a well-known article in Datamation that discussed the future prominence of software. In an effort to focus on software-intensive projects, Boehm discusses leaving RAND in 1973 to go to TRW, where he was hired as the director of software research and technology. Boehm describes his work there on software process and cost models. This included the development of COCOMO, or the Constructive Cost Model, in the late 1970s. Boehm then briefly recounts his roles at DARPA as the director of the Information Science and Technology Office in 1989-1992, and his facilitation of a TRW-sponsored master’s in software engineering program at USC.* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102738584Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102738585Lot Number: X8388.2018
Driving Social Change Through I.D.E.A. Computer History Museum 2022-07-11 | [Recorded May 26, 2022]The Computer History Museum is hosting a forum on May 26th, 2022 for Bay Area Museum leaders and staff. The day will include time for discussion and sharing about where various institutions are on our IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity and access) journeys, opportunities to learn from each other and delve deeper into challenges we’re facing, and tangible approaches to furthering IDEA values and work. Join us for a morning of conversation, reflection, and learning, including: -Talks from experts from Asian Art Museum, Bay Area Discovery Museum, OMCA, and SFMOMA -Interactive discussion with Bay Area museum colleagues -Shared resources -Continental breakfast and a networking lunch -Optional special tours of CHM While IDEA values encompass a broad scope of issues and topics, this forum will focus specifically on two interconnected areas: content and audiences. Whether through live events, blogs, collections, exhibits, education programs, tours or published media content, the questions we ask, and the context we provide around the stories and content we collect and share are crucial to achieving this goal. Diversifying our content is in turn essential for engaging existing and new potential audiences. Existing audiences will benefit from considering topics from new perspectives, and new audiences will be inspired to connect with us if our content is more diverse. Having diverse voices be part of our collection and content creation, engagement and impact is essential as we grow and transform. This event is made possible by the generous support of the Kapor Center.Catalog number: 102792708Acquisition number: 2022.0086
Intel 4004 / MCS-4 50th Anniversary Celebration Computer History Museum 2022-07-06 | [Recorded December 8, 2021]The Intel 4004 integrated circuit was the first microprocessor available as a separate component and ushered in the digital revolution, one of the most transformative periods in human history. Initially sold as a replacement for discrete logic, the 4004 showed that hardware could be replaced by software, in the process enabling exciting and powerful new ways of implementing circuit functions and processing information. In this remarkable recording, key inventors of the 4004 tell the story in full: its origins, development, and the role the microprocessor has played in both Intel’s and human history. Featured on the recording are Intel engineers Marcian “Ted” Hoff, Federico Faggin, and Hal Feeney. Moderator for the discussion is former Intel Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy Dave House.Catalog number: 102792721
Oral History of John Vittal Computer History Museum 2022-06-24 | Interviewed by Marc Weber on 2017-04-26 in Mountain View, CA© Computer History MuseumJohn Vittal is best known for having created one of the very first modern, integrated email programs, MSG, which would deepen email’s hold as the initial “killer application” on the net. He also helped develop email standards still in use today. Born and raised in Southern California, he went to Brigham Young University as an undergraduate before graduate studies in Computer Science at UC Irvine. He then joined ISI (USC's Information Sciences institute), which was heavily involved in early networking with ARPA. Since the early 1960s email and messaging had existed in various forms on timesharing systems, where multiple users share a single computer. As ARPANET began to connect different computers and their groups of users together for the first time, ways of sending email across the network began exploding in popularity. But early networked email lacked many convenient features familiar today, like being able to organize messages and easily reply or forward. ARPANET users had to do a lot of hand copying and formatting to manage their mail, for example using Ray Tomlinson’s SNDMSG program to send it, and Larry Roberts’ separate RD program to read it. Vittal's 1974 MSG program combined these and other functions into a single, convenient package, establishing a model used by email programs up to the present. Vittal soon moved to BBN (Bolt, Beranek and Newman) in the Boston area for further work on email funded by ARPA (Advanced Resarch Projects Agency). BBN had developed critical hardware and software for ARPANET, a key part of the later Internet. He participated in a number of early working groups and standards committees for email, while his main professional work gradually moved to other interests including AI, user experience, transportable programming, and project management. In 1982 he moved to Xerox where he managed the group that provided consulting and training services around AI. As a senior research manager at GTE from the late ‘80s through the ‘90s, he saw messaging and other connected functions reach the masses. There, at Verizon and later he managed a wide range of research and development groups, served on many boards and as an advisor to a wide range of startup companies on both business and technical issues. Vittal has had numerous publications, and been an invited speaker at many national and international conferences. He has been a member of Internet Society, IETF, ACM, IEEE, and American Association of Artificial Intelligence.Vittal worked with ARPAnet and Internet pioneer Elizabeth “Jake” Feinler to create the Email Bibliographic Timeline, which since 2022 is in the Museum’s collection along with many of the documents it cites* Note: Transcripts represent what was said in the interview. However, to enhance meaning or add clarification, interviewees have the opportunity to modify this text afterward. This may result in discrepancies between the transcript and the video. Please refer to the transcript for further information - http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102738251Visit computerhistory.org/collections/oralhistories for more information about the Computer History Museum's Oral History Collection.Catalog Number: 102738252Lot Number: X8188.2017
Computer Development at Harvard by Richard Milton Bloch Computer History Museum 2022-06-14 | The First International Research Conference on the History of Computing was a milestone in the history of computing, drawing a global elite of computer pioneers from the first generation of electronic digital computing. Most talks are approximately 45 minutes in duration and feature a lecture with a brief question and answer period afterwards.Richard Milton Bloch (1921 – 2000) was a pioneering American computer programmer. Along with Grace Hopper and Robert Campbell he was among the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I, a room-sized electromechanical computer which began operation in 1944. He describes in general terms the way the Mark I functioned internally and how it was programmed as well as the many interactions at the Harvard Computation Library he had with Hopper, Campbell and Harvard Mark I project leader professor Howard Aiken.This lecture’s transcript was not included in the edited volume from the conference, viz. Metropolis, N., and Howlett, J., Rota, Gian-Carlo, A History of Computing in the Twentieth Century, New York: Academic Press, 1980.Catalog Number: 102695477
A Perspective in the History of Computing in the Netherlands by Adriaan van Wijngaarden Computer History Museum 2022-06-10 | The First International Research Conference on the History of Computing was a milestone in the history of computing, drawing a global elite of computer pioneers from the first generation of electronic digital computing. Most talks are approximately 45 minutes in duration and feature a lecture with a brief question and answer period afterwards.Van Wijngaarden discusses his early role, beginning on New Year’s Day, 1947, as head of the Computing Department of the brand-new Mathematisch Centrum (MC) in Amsterdam. After visits to the United States and the UK, he planned the design of the first Dutch computer, the ARRA, an electromechanical machine first demonstrated in 1952. That same year, van Wijngaarden hired an unknown programmer at the time, Edsger Djikstra, who would go on to become one of early computing’s leading figures. The pair worked on development of software for the ARRA and on the pioneering ALGOL and ALGOL-68 programming languages.This lecture’s transcript was not included in the edited volume from the conference, viz. Metropolis, N., and Howlett, J., Rota, Gian-Carlo, A History of Computing in the Twentieth Century, New York: Academic Press, 1980.Catalog Number: 102639688
Von Neumann: The Interaction of Mathematics and Computing by Stanislaw M. Ulam Computer History Museum 2022-06-10 | The First International Research Conference on the History of Computing was a milestone in the history of computing, drawing a global elite of computer pioneers from the first generation of electronic digital computing. Most talks are approximately 45 minutes in duration and feature a lecture with a brief question and answer period afterwards.Ulam was a major figure on the Manhattan Project, the US World War II project to develop an atomic bomb. He worked very closely with many of the West’s leading scientists at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories during this time, especially the legendary mathematician John von Neumann. In this wide-ranging talk, Ulam discusses his relationship with von Neumann and their discussions about mathematical physics, quantum theory and hydrodynamics – an area of study related to their work on the atomic bomb.This lecture’s transcript was included in the edited volume from the conference, viz. Ulam, Stanislaw, M., “Von Neumann: The Interaction of Mathematics and Computing,” in Metropolis, N., and Howlett, J., Rota, Gian-Carlo, A History of Computing in the Twentieth Century, New York: Academic Press, 1980, pp. 93 – 99.Catalog Number: 102695481
