Browsing by Subject "CDC 1604 (Computer)"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Oral history interview with Charles L. Hawley
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1982-06-04) Hawley, Charles L.
    Hawley describes design work for peripherals and components for the Control Data 1604 computer and changes in design techniques with later Control Data computers.
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    Oral history interview with Donald L. Bitzer
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1988-02-19) Bitzer, Donald Lester
    Bitzer discusses his relationship with Control Data Corporation (CDC) during the development of PLATO, a computer-assisted instruction system. He describes the interest in PLATO of Harold Brooks, a CDC salesman and his help in procuring a 1604 computer for Bitzer's use. Bitzer recalls the commercialization of PLATO by CDC and his disagreements with CDC over marketing strategy and the creation of courseware for PLATO.
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    Oral history interview with Marvin L. Stein
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1984) Stein, Marvin L.
    In the first session of the interview, Stein discusses his early career and the formation of the University of Minnesota's computing facilities. After learning basic digital and analog operation during World War II, he obtained a doctorate in mathematics from UCLA. While teaching numerical analysis at UCLA, he also worked on missile simulation at Convair, Inc., in San Diego. After becoming familiar with the ERA 1103 computer Convair purchased from Engineering Research Associates, Stein made frequent consultant visits to ERA headquarters in Minnesota. In 1955, the University of Minnesota hired Stein to introduce their first computer courses and administer ERA's gift of free computer time. He describes early computer applications to crystallography and low-energy electron scattering, and the policy he established for the computer center to make users self-sufficient programmers. Stein reviews the growth of the Computer Center: the acquisition of an ERA 1103 computer with National Science Foundation support, the construction and use of a hybrid computer out of the 1103 and a Reeves Electronic Analog Computer (REAC), and the purchase in 1960 of Control Data 1604 and 1700 computers. In the second session, Stein discusses the formation of Minnesota's program in computer science. He explains the rationale for his 1966 proposal for a graduate program in computer science and for the move in 1969 to a department of computer science independent from mathematics and electrical engineering. Stein reviews the curriculum that was intended to introduce students to a wide variety of applications so that they could introduce computer science into other disciplines. Stein discusses the difficulties in hiring enough qualified faculty members, the relations between the computer center and the computer science department, and the state's attempt to bring all educational computing under the control of the Minnesota Educational Computer Consortium.
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    Oral history interview with Mike Schumacher
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1982-06-23) Schumacher, Mike
    Schumacher discusses the development of operating and applications software for the CDC 1604 and later Control Data Corporation computers.
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    Oral history interview with Neal R. Amundson
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1995-06-01) Amundson, Neal Russell, 1916-
    Amundson, a leading member of the University of Minnesota’s Chemical Engineering Department, discusses the transformation of chemical engineering beginning in the 1950s into a mathematics-based engineering science and his role in its evolution at Minnesota. Comparisons with other leading departments, observations on relations with local industry, descriptions of hiring faculty in Mathematics, and the building up of Chemical Engineering. Description of early computers in chemical engineering, including IBM 602A punch, REAC analog computer, UNIVAC 1103, Control Data 1604. Interview includes comments by Leon Green and Donald Aronson, both faculty members in Mathematics.
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    Oral history interview with Raymond Allard
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1982-06-21) Allard, Raymond W.
    Allard discusses his role in developing operating and applications programs for the CDC 1604 computer and describes the work environment for the early programmers at Control Data Corporation.
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    Oral history interview with Richard A. Zemlin
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1988-05-16) Zemlin, Richard A.
    Zemlin worked for several computer firms before joining Control Data (CDC) to develop software for the CDC 1604. He discusses the establishment of a software group and the simultaneous development of a service bureau in the San Francisco Bay area. He mentions the software group under Seymour Cray that developed the FORTRAN compiler for the 1604 and the group built up by Richard Gunderson. Software development at CDC was originally under the direction of George Hanson. Later Frank Mullaney oversaw software development before Clair Miller was hired to head software development specifically. Zemlin points out that early software was conceived of as applications. Zemlin considers CDC's attempts to limit their support to system software and compares the policies of CDC with those of International Business Machines. He discusses training a force of outside analysts that was developed to provide support for specific customers and subsequently became part of the marketing organization. Zemlin discusses a number of specific projects, including the development of the ALGOL compiler at Oak Ridge. He also discusses the development of two forms of documentation for CDC software: external specifications, and internal maintenance specifications.