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Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 12:00:39 -0700
Reply-To: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> Sender: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> From: "Michael R. Williams" <williams@CPSC.UCALGARY.CA>
Subject: Re: CM>History of Computing texts
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
______________________________________________________________________
Community Memory: Discussion List on the History of Cyberspace ______________________________________________________________________
At 12:47 PM 3/17/97 EST, Keith Reid-Green wrote:
>I suggest that any good computer history text should begin with a survey of number notation, including, say, Mayan and Ancient Egyptian, and another survey of interesting calculating machinery
<snip, snip, snip>
>Now, where does an author stop? I have a large four-volume set called The History of Technology that stops at the Industrial Revolution. I would stop a computer history at 1965, when the so-called Third Generation, integrated circuit computers, were announced. Not a word about the upstart personal computer...
>
>I'd like to read other people's ideas on this subject.
Well, I think that Keith's ideas and mine are VERY much alike. Like another author who posted his reply to this question, I am a little reluctant to mention my own book. However after seeing Keith's comments I feel better. My original book "A History of Computing Technology" published in 1985 and long out of print, has just been issued in a Second Edition. I post the table of contents just so that people can judge if their ideas of a history book match Keith's and mine.
"A History of Computing Technology - second edition" by Michael R. Williams published in 1997 by the IEEE Computer Society Press ISBN: 0-8186-7739-2
(look in http://www.computer.org/cspress/catalog/bp07739.htm if you want more information)
Table of contents:
Chapter 1: In the Beginning
1.1 Numeration
1.2 Written Number Systems
1.2.1 The Additive Number System
1.2.2 The Positional System
1.3 The Egyptians
1.4 The Greeks
1.5 The European Number System
1.6 The Far East
1.7 Other Forms of Notation
1.7.1 Knotted Cords for Record Keeping
1.7.2 Tally Sticks
1.7.3 Other Methods of Numerical Notation Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 1
Chapter 2: Early Aids to Calculation
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Finger Reckoning
2.3 The Abacus
2.4 The Quadrant
2.5 Two Legged Instruments
2.5.1 The Proportional Compass
2.5.2 The Sector
2.6 Napier's Bones
2.6.1 Napier and His Bones
2.6.2 Gaspard Schott and Athanasius Kircher 2.6.3 Early Versions of Napier's Bones
2.6.4 Genaillc Lucas Rulers
2.7 Logarithms
2.8 The Slide Rule
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 2
Chapter 3: Mechanical Calculating Machines
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Wilhelm Schickard (1592-1635)
3.3 Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
3.4 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) 3.5 Samuel Morland (1625-1695)
3.6 Rene Grillet
3.7 Commercially Produced Machines
3.7.1 The Thomas Arithmometer
3.7.2 The Baldwin-Odhner Machines
3.7.3 Key-Driven Machines
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 3
Chapter 4: The Babbage Machines
4.1 Charles Babbage (1791-1871)
4.2 The Need for Accuracy
4.3 The Method of Differences
4.4 Babbage's Difference Engine
4.5 The Scheutz Difference Engine
4.6 Other Attempts At Difference Engines 4.7 Babbage's Analytical Engine
4.8 Percy Ludgate (1883-1922)
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 4
Chapter 5: The Analog Animals
5.1 Introduction
5.2 The Astrolabe
5.3 The Antikythera Device
5.4 Tide Predictors
5.5 Differential Analyzers
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 5
Chapter 6: The Mechanical Monsters
6.1 Introduction
6.2 The Zuse Machines
6.2.1 Konrad Zuse
6 2 2 The Z1
6 2 3 The Z2
6.2.4 The Z3
6.2.5 The Z4
6.3 The Bell Relay Computers
6.3.1 The Situation
6.3.2 The Complex Number Calculator
6.3.3 The Relay Interpolator
6.3.4 The Models III and IV
6.3.5 The Model V (The Twin Machine)
6.3.6 The Model VI
6.4 The Harvard Machines of Howard Aiken
6.4.1 Introduction
6.4.2 The Harvard Mark I
6.4.3 The Harvard Mark II
6.4.4 The Harvard Mark III and Mark IV
6.5 The IBM Calculators
6.5.1 The Punched Card Systems
6 5.2 The Large IBM Calculators
6 5.3 The Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator (SSEC) Further Reading
Chapter 7: The Electronic Revolution
7.1 Introduction
7.2 John Atanasoff, Clifford Berry, & the ABC 7.3 The ENIAC
7.3.1 Introduction
7.3.2 The Place and the Problem
7.3.3 The People
7.3.4 The Machine
7.4 The Colossus Machines
7.4.1 The Enigma
7.4.2 Alan Turing (1912-1954)
7.4.3 The Robinsons
7.4.4 The Colossus
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 7
Chapter 8: The First Stored Program Electronic Computers
8.1 The Genesis of the Ideas
8.2 Computer Memory Systems
8.2.1 Introduction
8.2.2 Thermal Memories
8.2.3 Mechanical Memories
8.2.4 Delay Line Systems
8.2.5 Electrostatic Storage Mechanisms
8.2.6 Rotating Magnetic Memories
8.2.7 Static Magnetic Memories
8.3 The British Scene
8.3.1 Introduction
8.3.2 The Manchester Machine
8.3.3 The Cambridge Machine EDSAC
8.3.4 The NPL Pilot Ace
8.4 The American Scene
8.4.1 The American Background
8.4.2 The Electronic Discrete Variable Arithmetic Computer (EDVAC) 8.4.3 The Institute for Advanced Study Machine (IAS) 8.4.4 The Eckert/Mauchly Machines, BINAC and UNIVAC 8.4.5 The SEAC and SWAC Machines
8.4.6 Project Whirlwind
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 8
Chapter 9: Later Developments
9.1 Introduction
9.2 The Early Machines of IBM
9.2.1 The NORC
9.2.2 The 700-7000 Series Machines
9.3 Early Super Computers
9.3.1 The Stretch
9.3.2 The LARC
9.3.3 The Ferranti Atlas
9.4 The IBM/360 Series of Machines
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 9
Appendix
Index
--------------------------------------------------- Dr. Michael R. Williams
Editor-in-Chief, Annals of the History of Computing Department of Computer Science
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2N 1N4
Ph: (403) 220-6781
Fax: (403) 284-4707
email: williams@cpsc.ucalgary.ca
______________________________________________________________________
Reply-To: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> Sender: "CYHIST Community Memory: Discussion list on the History of
Cyberspace" <CYHIST@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU> From: "Michael R. Williams" <williams@CPSC.UCALGARY.CA>
Subject: Re: CM>History of Computing texts
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
______________________________________________________________________
Community Memory: Discussion List on the History of Cyberspace ______________________________________________________________________
At 12:47 PM 3/17/97 EST, Keith Reid-Green wrote:
>I suggest that any good computer history text should begin with a survey of number notation, including, say, Mayan and Ancient Egyptian, and another survey of interesting calculating machinery
<snip, snip, snip>
>Now, where does an author stop? I have a large four-volume set called The History of Technology that stops at the Industrial Revolution. I would stop a computer history at 1965, when the so-called Third Generation, integrated circuit computers, were announced. Not a word about the upstart personal computer...
>
>I'd like to read other people's ideas on this subject.
Well, I think that Keith's ideas and mine are VERY much alike. Like another author who posted his reply to this question, I am a little reluctant to mention my own book. However after seeing Keith's comments I feel better. My original book "A History of Computing Technology" published in 1985 and long out of print, has just been issued in a Second Edition. I post the table of contents just so that people can judge if their ideas of a history book match Keith's and mine.
"A History of Computing Technology - second edition" by Michael R. Williams published in 1997 by the IEEE Computer Society Press ISBN: 0-8186-7739-2
(look in http://www.computer.org/cspress/catalog/bp07739.htm if you want more information)
Table of contents:
Chapter 1: In the Beginning
1.1 Numeration
1.2 Written Number Systems
1.2.1 The Additive Number System
1.2.2 The Positional System
1.3 The Egyptians
1.4 The Greeks
1.5 The European Number System
1.6 The Far East
1.7 Other Forms of Notation
1.7.1 Knotted Cords for Record Keeping
1.7.2 Tally Sticks
1.7.3 Other Methods of Numerical Notation Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 1
Chapter 2: Early Aids to Calculation
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Finger Reckoning
2.3 The Abacus
2.4 The Quadrant
2.5 Two Legged Instruments
2.5.1 The Proportional Compass
2.5.2 The Sector
2.6 Napier's Bones
2.6.1 Napier and His Bones
2.6.2 Gaspard Schott and Athanasius Kircher 2.6.3 Early Versions of Napier's Bones
2.6.4 Genaillc Lucas Rulers
2.7 Logarithms
2.8 The Slide Rule
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 2
Chapter 3: Mechanical Calculating Machines
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Wilhelm Schickard (1592-1635)
3.3 Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
3.4 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) 3.5 Samuel Morland (1625-1695)
3.6 Rene Grillet
3.7 Commercially Produced Machines
3.7.1 The Thomas Arithmometer
3.7.2 The Baldwin-Odhner Machines
3.7.3 Key-Driven Machines
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 3
Chapter 4: The Babbage Machines
4.1 Charles Babbage (1791-1871)
4.2 The Need for Accuracy
4.3 The Method of Differences
4.4 Babbage's Difference Engine
4.5 The Scheutz Difference Engine
4.6 Other Attempts At Difference Engines 4.7 Babbage's Analytical Engine
4.8 Percy Ludgate (1883-1922)
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 4
Chapter 5: The Analog Animals
5.1 Introduction
5.2 The Astrolabe
5.3 The Antikythera Device
5.4 Tide Predictors
5.5 Differential Analyzers
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 5
Chapter 6: The Mechanical Monsters
6.1 Introduction
6.2 The Zuse Machines
6.2.1 Konrad Zuse
6 2 2 The Z1
6 2 3 The Z2
6.2.4 The Z3
6.2.5 The Z4
6.3 The Bell Relay Computers
6.3.1 The Situation
6.3.2 The Complex Number Calculator
6.3.3 The Relay Interpolator
6.3.4 The Models III and IV
6.3.5 The Model V (The Twin Machine)
6.3.6 The Model VI
6.4 The Harvard Machines of Howard Aiken
6.4.1 Introduction
6.4.2 The Harvard Mark I
6.4.3 The Harvard Mark II
6.4.4 The Harvard Mark III and Mark IV
6.5 The IBM Calculators
6.5.1 The Punched Card Systems
6 5.2 The Large IBM Calculators
6 5.3 The Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator (SSEC) Further Reading
Chapter 7: The Electronic Revolution
7.1 Introduction
7.2 John Atanasoff, Clifford Berry, & the ABC 7.3 The ENIAC
7.3.1 Introduction
7.3.2 The Place and the Problem
7.3.3 The People
7.3.4 The Machine
7.4 The Colossus Machines
7.4.1 The Enigma
7.4.2 Alan Turing (1912-1954)
7.4.3 The Robinsons
7.4.4 The Colossus
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 7
Chapter 8: The First Stored Program Electronic Computers
8.1 The Genesis of the Ideas
8.2 Computer Memory Systems
8.2.1 Introduction
8.2.2 Thermal Memories
8.2.3 Mechanical Memories
8.2.4 Delay Line Systems
8.2.5 Electrostatic Storage Mechanisms
8.2.6 Rotating Magnetic Memories
8.2.7 Static Magnetic Memories
8.3 The British Scene
8.3.1 Introduction
8.3.2 The Manchester Machine
8.3.3 The Cambridge Machine EDSAC
8.3.4 The NPL Pilot Ace
8.4 The American Scene
8.4.1 The American Background
8.4.2 The Electronic Discrete Variable Arithmetic Computer (EDVAC) 8.4.3 The Institute for Advanced Study Machine (IAS) 8.4.4 The Eckert/Mauchly Machines, BINAC and UNIVAC 8.4.5 The SEAC and SWAC Machines
8.4.6 Project Whirlwind
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 8
Chapter 9: Later Developments
9.1 Introduction
9.2 The Early Machines of IBM
9.2.1 The NORC
9.2.2 The 700-7000 Series Machines
9.3 Early Super Computers
9.3.1 The Stretch
9.3.2 The LARC
9.3.3 The Ferranti Atlas
9.4 The IBM/360 Series of Machines
Further Reading
Endnotes for Chapter 9
Appendix
Index
--------------------------------------------------- Dr. Michael R. Williams
Editor-in-Chief, Annals of the History of Computing Department of Computer Science
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2N 1N4
Ph: (403) 220-6781
Fax: (403) 284-4707
email: williams@cpsc.ucalgary.ca
______________________________________________________________________
