Blogs

CHM lecture: IBM Fellow Grady Booch on Computing: The Human Experience

Submitted by ajwdct on Tue, 03/12/2013 - 23:57

Introduction:

In this interesting and informative lecture at the Computer History Museum (CHM) on March 11, 2013, Grady Booch asked and tried to answer this question: ”What does it take to make “sentient” devices (that can feel, sense, think and reason) out of silicon and software?”

But before we can address that question, there are many others that need to be thought about. For example, what does it mean to be intelligent? Is intelligence only in the mind or can it also be computable? Some such as Marvin Minsky believe the mind to be computable; others such as Roger Penrose do not (more about him later in this article). Components of life appear to be common to many species, but sentient life is uncommon.

The Book-Writing Machine: What was the first novel ever written on a word processor?

Submitted by bjesiek on Sat, 03/02/2013 - 20:53

This week in The Slate Book Review, writer Matthew Kirschenbaum tells the story of what was probably the first novel ever written using a word processor - IBM’s MTST (Magnetic Tape Selectric Typewriter). This brief but insightful article, titled The Book-Writing Machine, gives us a glimpse of the author, the machine, and the novel at the center of this pleasent little slice of late-1960s era computing history. 

The Race for Microprocessor Leadership in Silicon Valley: Jan 7, 2012 IEEE Life Member Meeting in Mt View, CA

Submitted by ajwdct on Wed, 01/16/2013 - 20:26

Abstract:

The microprocessor changed what is now known as Silicon Valley from a mostly agricultural and defense electronics region into a center of innovation for many new technologies. How did that happen and what challenges were faced along the way?

CEO John Hollar's CHM Progress Report at Jan 7, 2012 IEEE Life Member Meeting

Submitted by ajwdct on Mon, 01/14/2013 - 12:16

John Hollar, Computer History Museum (CHM) President and CEO, delivered a progress report on CHM activities at the January 7th IEEE Life Member meeting in Mt View, CA.  The CHM has become the leading institution that's archived computer artifacts, but also a thought leader on the impact of computing on our society.

Four CHM areas were cited by John as being particularly successful:

1.  Events such as lectures and conversations, such as the Revolutionary series, have been very well attended and widely acclaimed for excellence.  The Revolutionaries series launched with 13 lectures in 2011 and won such acclaim that it has been extended for another 14 events in 2012-13.

CHM Event Commemorating the 25th anniversary of Sun Micro’s SPARC Microprocessor

Submitted by ajwdct on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 20:31

On November 1, 2012, a panel of Sun Micro luminaries discussed how the company “bet the ranch” on the SPARC microprocessor at an early and critical stage of the company’s development.    The panel was expertly moderated by my Northeastern University MSEE classmate Dave House. CHM CEO/Prez John Hollar did a great job introducing and closing the program.

The rationale for developing SPARC was that Sun Micro needed higher performance than was then available from Intel, Motorola, Zilog, microprocessors for their next gen workstations. SPARC was designed by Anant Agrawal as a higher performance RISC microprocessor using gate array technology rather than traditional stored program machine.

Doomsday Scenarios-Big Science Discussion @ Computer History Museum (CHM) in Mt View, CA on October 27, 2012

Submitted by ajwdct on Sun, 10/28/2012 - 21:24

Several very provocative doomsday scenarios were discussed, but then refuted by subject matter experts called up to the stage to engage in conversation with the program hosts- an astro-physicist and a science writer.

Oct 25, 2012 was a Banner Day at Computer History Museum!

Submitted by ajwdct on Sat, 10/27/2012 - 10:56

This Thursday, Oct 25th was a huge event day at the CHM in Mt View, CA.  The week included a number of important events and milestones:

1. There were 5 different venue rental events on Oct 25th, including Day One of the Rusnano Conference; Day Two of the Internet Identify Conference; a Symantec theme party; a K&L Gates meeting, and the University of Texas.

2. There was also a Quarterly CHM Board of Trustees meeting.

3. Thursday is a "open to the public" day for the CHM's flagship Revolution exhibit.  There were over 1,100 visitors were at the museum- quite a bit for a work day.

Exciting Happenings at Computer History Museum: New Blog, Social Media, Digital Repository, Exhibits & Events!

Submitted by ajwdct on Wed, 10/10/2012 - 10:57

1. The venerable Computer History Museum (CHM) in Mt View, CA recently launched a multimedia blog, with contributors from their seasoned staff of curators and subject matter experts.

CHM Prez John Hollar told me, ”This has been one of the most important initiatives CHM has taken in the area of digital content and distribution. It is and will continue to be a window into the museum’s work by publishing different types of content on a variety of interesting topics.”

@CHM is the blog name. Check it our here: http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm/

More info at: http://www.computerhistory.org/bloginfo/

You can subscribe to this blog as a RSS feed to get updates which are published once or more per week (I like Google Reader for that purpose).

CHM-7/31 Event Summary: Ken Segall on "The Obsession That Drives Apple’s Success"

Submitted by ajwdct on Wed, 08/01/2012 - 18:29

A Sell Out/SRO crowd of over 400 people attended an outstanding Computer History Museum (CHM) talk by Ken Segall, author of the book, Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple’s Success. Mr. Segall was interviewed by Harry McCracken of Time magazine about his his experiences with Steve Jobs and other executivess at Apple.

Segal named the iMAC personal computer, which gave rise to all the other Apple iXYZ products (iPOD, iPAD, iPhone, etc). He worked with Steve Jobs for over 12 years while he was with an advertising agency. Segall saw all sides of the mercurial Jobs, acknowledging that Jobs could be controlling, unkind and petulant, but could also stroke egos and incite inspiration. www.KenSegall.com

From Antisocial to Alphasocial: Exclusionary Nerd Cultures and the Rise of the Brogrammer

Submitted by mhicks on Tue, 05/01/2012 - 21:27

         “Sometime in the last ten or twelve years, the stereotypical image of the Silicon Valley programmer has shifted from a socially awkward, Utili-kilt-wearing geek to something far more sinister, and fratty, and sexist,” begins the article in the Sfist. Recently, a new term for programmers in their 20s has come into the national consciousness: brogrammer. Half fratty “bro” and half programmer, as a whole the concept of the brogrammer is completely masculine. So is this latest reaction to the nerdy programmer stereotype a problem?

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