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Cyhist Dec 18 1996 E
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Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1996 20:41:30 -0600
Reply-To: MikeRav@ix.netcom.com
Sender: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
From: Michael Ravnitzky <MikeRav@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Huge Archive of Info on First Computers Goes Untouched
______________________________________________________________________
Community Memory: Discussion List on the History of Cyberspace ______________________________________________________________________
A list of several hundred technical reports on the earliest primitive computers is available upon request at a government agency called DTIC. But hardly anyone knows that they're available.
Based on my familiarity with DTIC's collection of over two million technical reports dating from 1896 to the present, I would like to make you aware of how to get such a list. Many of these reports have been locked away for years for various bureaucratic reasons and have not yet been put into the public domain.
First: although you should select those keywords you might be interested in, here are some keywords [specific early computers indexed in DTIC's collection] to get you started:
Eniac, Edvac, Edsac, Ordvac, Avidac, Oracle, Brlesc, Maniac, Cyclone, Mistic, Tradic, Differential Analyzer, Mark I Relay Computer, Seac, Whirlwind, Binac, Univac, Illiac, Johnniac, ERA 1103
You could also ask for a list of all the tech reports on "computers" or "computing" before, say, 195?.
NOTE: Don't bother with NTIS or the DTIC web site, each leaves out most of the early tech reports on computers for several reasons I won't discuss here. DTIC never transferred the bulk of their early computer reports to NTIS, even though they really aren't sensitive anymore.
Even though you do need to include an agreement to pay fees [for legal reasons], the cost is likely to be either free or only a few bucks. Private individuals requesting a bibliography for noncommercial purposes receive the first 100 pages and first two hours of search time for free.
To get your bibliography to look over, send a simple request letter to: ======================================== Defense Technical Information Center
Attn: DTIC-RSM [Kelly D. Akers, FOIA Manager] 8725 John J. Kingman Road, Suite 0944
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6128 USA
Phone: 703-767-9194
I request the following records under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act:
A technical report bibliography for these keywords:
________________ OR _________________ OR ________________ OR
_______________ OR _________________ OR _______________
Please send me this biography for this period of time:
_______ computerized database from before 1970 only
_______ computerized database from before 1960 only
Please DO ____ DO NOT ____ search the old manual card index as well.
This is a request for DTIC records, please don't forward my request to NTIS. Please include both classified and unclassified records in your search. If any of the records are classified, please review them for release, or the release of nonsensitive portions.
I am an individual, noncommercial requester and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. I also agree to pay up to $25 for reasonable fees associated with this request.
===========================
Michael Ravnitzky
MikeRav@ix.netcom.com
______________________________________________________________________
Reply-To: MikeRav@ix.netcom.com
Sender: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@SJUVM.STJOHNS.EDU>
From: Michael Ravnitzky <MikeRav@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Huge Archive of Info on First Computers Goes Untouched
______________________________________________________________________
Community Memory: Discussion List on the History of Cyberspace ______________________________________________________________________
A list of several hundred technical reports on the earliest primitive computers is available upon request at a government agency called DTIC. But hardly anyone knows that they're available.
Based on my familiarity with DTIC's collection of over two million technical reports dating from 1896 to the present, I would like to make you aware of how to get such a list. Many of these reports have been locked away for years for various bureaucratic reasons and have not yet been put into the public domain.
First: although you should select those keywords you might be interested in, here are some keywords [specific early computers indexed in DTIC's collection] to get you started:
Eniac, Edvac, Edsac, Ordvac, Avidac, Oracle, Brlesc, Maniac, Cyclone, Mistic, Tradic, Differential Analyzer, Mark I Relay Computer, Seac, Whirlwind, Binac, Univac, Illiac, Johnniac, ERA 1103
You could also ask for a list of all the tech reports on "computers" or "computing" before, say, 195?.
NOTE: Don't bother with NTIS or the DTIC web site, each leaves out most of the early tech reports on computers for several reasons I won't discuss here. DTIC never transferred the bulk of their early computer reports to NTIS, even though they really aren't sensitive anymore.
Even though you do need to include an agreement to pay fees [for legal reasons], the cost is likely to be either free or only a few bucks. Private individuals requesting a bibliography for noncommercial purposes receive the first 100 pages and first two hours of search time for free.
To get your bibliography to look over, send a simple request letter to: ======================================== Defense Technical Information Center
Attn: DTIC-RSM [Kelly D. Akers, FOIA Manager] 8725 John J. Kingman Road, Suite 0944
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6128 USA
Phone: 703-767-9194
I request the following records under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act:
A technical report bibliography for these keywords:
________________ OR _________________ OR ________________ OR
_______________ OR _________________ OR _______________
Please send me this biography for this period of time:
_______ computerized database from before 1970 only
_______ computerized database from before 1960 only
Please DO ____ DO NOT ____ search the old manual card index as well.
This is a request for DTIC records, please don't forward my request to NTIS. Please include both classified and unclassified records in your search. If any of the records are classified, please review them for release, or the release of nonsensitive portions.
I am an individual, noncommercial requester and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. I also agree to pay up to $25 for reasonable fees associated with this request.
===========================
Michael Ravnitzky
MikeRav@ix.netcom.com
______________________________________________________________________
