Browsing by Subject "Computer industry -- United States -- History"

Now showing 1 - 20 of 58

Burroughs B 5000 Conference
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1985-09-06) Waychoff, Richard; Turner, Lloyd; Rosin, Robert F.; Pearson, Ralph W.; Oliphint, G. Clark; MacKenzie, F. Brad; MacDonald, Ray W.; MacDonald, Duncan N.; Lonergan, William D.; Kreuder, Norman L.; King, Paul D.; Hootman, Joseph T.; Hauck, Erwin A.; Hale, John E.; Galler, Bernard A., 1928-; Ford, James; Eppert, Ray R., 1902-; Dent, Benjamin A.; Dahm, David M.; Creech, Bobby A.; Collins, George A.; Berce, Henri; Barton, Robert S.
The Burroughs 5000 computer series is discussed by individuals responsible for its development and marketing from 1957 through the 1960s in a conference sponsored by AFIPS and Burroughs Corporation. In the first session the technical aspects of the B 5000 and 5500 are discussed by a group of managers, engineers, and consultants. Topics include: the state of the industry in the late 1950s; the 5000's predecessors, particularly the ElectroData 101 and 201, B 205, and B 220; factors influencing the decision to produce the B 5000; reasons for designing the machine for ALGOL rather than FORTRAN and the effect of this decision on the computer's development and sales. The group reviews the MCP operating system, PERM, Polish notation, descriptors, stacks, the BALGOL compiler, and other innovations of the computer. In the second session, the same group discusses the development of the B 5000 into a product, including the effect of the administrative organization on the project; the relations between hardware and software engineers; the interaction of project personnel and upper-level management, field marketing, and customers; the COBOL processor, the head protract disk system; the operating system; ALGOL; and documentation of the computer. In the third session managers, sales personnel, and customers of the B 5000 discuss Burroughs' product line before the 200 and 5000 series computers; sales training and market reaction to the B 5000; acceptance of B 5000s at Ohio Oil Company and Stanford University; its rejection by the University of Michigan; reasons why the B 5000 was not marketed overseas; and Burroughs' presidents Raymond Eppert and Ray MacDonald. Technical session participants included: Robert S. Barton, Bobby A. Creech, David M. Dahm, Benjamin A. Dent, Bernard A. Galler, John E. S. Hale, Erwin A. Hauck, Paul D. King, Norman Kreuder, William Lonergan, Duncan MacDonald, F. Brad MacKenzie, G. Clark Oliphint, Robert F. Rosin, Lloyd Turner, and Richard Waychoff. Marketing session participants included: Henri Berce, George A. Collins, James Ford, Bernard A. Galler, John E. S. Hale, Joseph T. Hootman, Paul D. King, F. Brad MacKenzie, Ralph W. Pearson, and Robert F. Rosin.
Oral history interview with Arnold A. Cohen
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1983) Cohen, Arnold A.
Cohen provides information about relations of Engineering Research Associates with the Navy, and with Remington Rand management after their acquisition of ERA. He also describes ERA projects in detail. Specific topics include: early research on magnetic drum storage systems, reports to the National Bureau of Standards, the Atlas I project and the commercial by-product (the 1101), the Atlas II project and the commercial by-product (the 1103), the 1102 built for Arnold Engineering Development Center, the 1104 built for Westinghouse/BOMARC, the Remington Rand Tape-to-Card Converter, the File Computer, ERA non-computer projects, ERA's design contract with IBM and its relation to the IBM 650, UNIVAC II, and patents and their defensive use in litigation.
Oral history interview with Arnold Dumey
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1984-10-09) Dumey, Arnold
The Dumey interview begins with a description of his work for the Army Signal Corps during World War II. He discusses the development of a system for comparing data for which Eastman Kodak supplied a contrast reversal film process and Reed Research a reading device. He also considers some of the problems inherent in working for a secret organization. In the post-war period, he focuses on the contractual work done by Engineering Research Associates for the Navy, emphasizing their engineering excellence and the leverage that their competitive position gave him in his negotiations for the Navy with IBM. He highlights the roles of John L. Hill and William Norris in ERA, and contrasts the ERA 1101 with the Standards Electronic Automatic Computer (SEAC). He concludes with a discussion of the obsolescence of electrostatic tube and delay-line memory devices with the introduction of magnetic cores.
Oral history interview with Bernard Goldstein
(Charles Babbage Institute, 2002-05-03) Goldstein, Bernard, 1930-
This oral history with software industry pioneer Bernard Goldstein documents his early education at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, his service in the U.S. Navy, and his entrepreneurial activity with Computech, United Data Centers (UDC), and National CSS. Computech, Goldstein’s first venture, was formed to solve a variety of business and scientific problems by the application of computing technology. The company processed employee payrolls and market research data, and developed applications for the Johnson Development Center and the U.S. Navy. Computech was eventually sold to the Control Data Corporation. Goldstein then went on to found United Data Centers, a national data processing chain operation. This company merged with Tymshare, a timesharing company. Goldstein then joined National CSS before it was sold to Dun & Bradstreet. The oral history describes Goldstein’s involvement with ADAPSO, the Computer Software and Services Industry Association, challenges from IBM in the marketplace for data services, and the federal government’s role in the computer industry. Also discussed is Coleman’s role in the software/services industry through co-founding Broadview, and his leadership in merger and acquisition activity during the 1980s and 1990s. This oral history was sponsored by the Software History Center in conjunction with the Center's ADAPSO reunion (3 May 2002).
Oral history interview with Bernard More Oliver
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1986) Oliver, Bernard M., 1916-
The interview covers Oliver's early life, education, and work experiences at Bell Laboratories and Hewlett-Packard. Oliver began his formal education at California Institute of Technology at the age of fifteen and transferred to Stanford University for his junior and senior years to study electrical engineering with Frederick Terman. There he became associated with William Hewlett and David Packard. After receiving his degree in 1935 he returned to California Institute of Technology for graduate work, from which he joined Bell Laboratories in 1939. His initial assignment there was in the television research group under Axel Hansen. During World War II he worked at Bell on radar. Later he continued his work in television technology and worked with Claude Shannon on information theory. He discusses the organizational climate and objectives at Bell Laboratories in the 1940s and compares it to Hewlett-Packard, which he joined in 1950 as Director of Research. Many aspects of Hewlett-Packard are discussed: vertical integration, distribution of projects, company structure, competitors, associations with Stanford University, military contracts, and recruiting issues. Oliver concludes the interview by discussing his associations with William Hewlett, David Packard, and others at Hewlett-Packard Corporation.
Oral history interview with Bruce Coleman
(Charles Babbage Institute, 2002-05-03) Coleman, Bruce T.
In this oral history, software pioneer Bruce Coleman describes his early life and work as a salesman for IBM. He explains his motivation for earning an MBA at the Harvard Business School, and details his subsequent work at a number of high technology companies including integrated circuit maker Logic Electronics, Boole & Babbage, Informatics, Walker Interactive, and InSci (Information Science). Coleman describes software product development, financing, marketing, sales, and pricing at several of these companies, including Boole & Babbage, where he eventually served as CEO, and Informatics, where he assumed the responsibilities of COO. This oral history was sponsored by the Software History Center in conjunction with the Center's ADAPSO reunion (3 May 2002).
Oral history interview with Carl Hammer
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1983-04-15) Hammer, Carl, 1914-2004
Hammer reviews his career in the computing industry, including his work for RCA, Sperry, and Sylvania. He begins with his entry into data processing at the Columbia University T. J. Watson Scientific Computing Laboratory and his work under Paul Lazarsfeld as a research associate at the Bureau of Applied Social Research. He turns next to his employment beginning in l950 at the Franklin Institute. He discusses the industrial applications of computers, and collaborations between the Franklin Institute and the government. From 1955 through 1957 Hammer headed the European Univac Computing Center. He discusses interactions with U.S. computer professionals, the peculiarities of installing computers in Europe, and the differing effect of computers on institutions in Europe and the U.S. He reviews Sperry's merger with Remington Rand and the changes in marketing and other operations after the merger. He cites these changes as his reason for leaving Sperry to work for Sylvania on his return from Europe in 1957. Sylvania's MOBIDIC computer and the ballistic missile early warning system are described in detail. In 1959 Hammer joined the Surface Communication Division of RCA. He discusses the in-fighting at RCA after John L. Hammer became president in 1960, the resulting demise of RCA's computer operations, and his own return to Univac in 1962.
Oral history interview with Carl Rench
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1984-04-18) Rench, Carl F.
Rench, an NCR employee since l946, surveys the company's growth from a manufacturer of cash registers to one of the largest suppliers of business computers. He begins with NCR's l946 experiments with vacuum tube arithmetic devices, work during the Korean war on the A-1-A bombing navigational system, and the acquisition in 1952 of the Computer Research Corporation. Rench points to Joseph Desch's role in moving NCR into electronics. Rench highlights the major products of the l950s: the Post-Tronic machine for reading magnetic strips on ledger cards and doing financial transactions, and the Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) device. He mentions a l959 joint venture with General Electric to produce one of the first all-transistorized business computers. He explains how, in the 1960s, NCR returned to its earlier specialty in peripheral devices, and contrasts this approach with IBM's concentration on the sale of systems. Rench focuses on the company in the early 1970s as a major producer of metal oxide semicon- ductor chips and as a multinational corporation. He discusses at length NCR president William Anderson's decentralization of the company, the resistance among Dayton employees, and the advantages of this policy to the company's livelihood.
Oral history interview with Dean Babcock
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1986-09-12) Babcock, Dean Frank
After Babcock describes his early life, education and communications work in the Navy during World War II, the focus of the interview shifts to his work with Engineering Research Associates (ERA). Topics include: various ERA projects including Project Lime; the design of equipment at ERA; magnetic drum designs and capabilities; the work of Sidney Rubens and William Field on magnetic drums; and ERA's interaction with the Navy, especially during the Korean War.
Oral history interview with Earl Edgar Masterson
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1986) Masterson, Earl (Earl Edgar)
Masterson begins by describing his early life and work with Radio Corporation of America. He then recounts his job interview with J. Presper Eckert and Fraser Welch and his work with the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation, especially his work with the UNIVAC and his design of a functional high-speed printer. He also discusses James H. Rand and Remington-Rand's management of Eckert-Mauchly after the firm's acquisition. He concludes with a review of his work for Honeywell and development of high-speed printers there.
Oral history interview with Edward C. Svendsen
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1986-09-16) Svendsen, Edward C.
Svendsen begins with a description of his early life and education and a discussion of his work in the Navy during World War II. The bulk of the interview concerns the relationship between Engineering Research Associates and the Navy. Topics include: John Parker and the management of ERA; the work of Howard Engstrom, William Norris, Ralph Meader, John Howard, and Sid Rubens at ERA; and ERA's projects for the Navy.
Oral history interview with Edward Feigenbaum
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1979-06-12) Feigenbaum, Edward A.
Feigenbaum discusses the formation and growth of the Stanford University Computer Science Department and its acquisition of facilities. He recalls how IBM and Control Data Corporation replaced Burroughs as the university's computer vendor because of the need for large-scale computing. He explains his effort as head of the Computation Center to centralize all university computing activities, and the failure of that effort in the l970s with the introduction of minicomputers on campus. Feigenbaum also details the department's financing, including government support (ARPA, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research), equipment donations from industry (IBM especially), and faculty salaries. Feigenbaum credits George Forsythe for the department's initial success in key areas such as numerical analysis, systems, and artificial intelligence, and hiring talented faculty such as John McCarthy.
Oral history interview with Erwin Tomash
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1983-05-15) Tomash, Erwin
Tomash discusses his career, including employment at Engineering Research Associates (ERA) and the founding of Dataproducts Corporation. He begins with his electrical engineering education at the University of Minnesota in the early 1940s and his subsequent entry into the Army Signal Corps as a radar specialist. He recounts his initial task at ERA, conducting research for High-Speed Computing Devices. He surveys ERA's work with the predecessors of the National Security Agency and other government offices, and the company's expansion and move to the forefront of computer technology in the early 1950s. He describes changes in the company and his own move into management when the company was sold to Remington Rand in 1953. Tomash recalls his departure in l956 from Remington Rand to Telemeter Magnetics, where he soon became president. This company manufactured core memory systems and one of the first successful transistor memory systems. Tomash explains how he used the organization he and others had assembled from Telemeter Magnetics to found Dataproducts Corporation in 1962.
Oral history interview with Frances E. Holberton
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1983-04-14) Holberton, Frances E.
Holberton discusses her education from 1940 through the 1960s and her experiences in the computing field. These include work with the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation, David Taylor Model Basin, and the National Bureau of Standards. She discusses her perceptions of cooperation and competition between members of these organizations and the difficulties she encountered as a woman. She recounts her work on ENIAC and LARC, her design of operating systems, and her applications programming.
Oral history interview with Frank C. Mullaney
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1986-06) Mullaney, Frank C.
Mullaney begins by describing his early life, electrical engineering education, radar work in World War II with General Electric, and sonar work with the Navy. He discusses the various projects to which he was assigned at Engineering Research Associates (ERA), especially the Atlas (ERA 1101) computer. Other topics include the ERA 1102 and ERA 1103 computers, John L. Hill, the acquisition of ERA by Remington Rand, J. Presper Eckert, and the formation of Control Data Corporation.
Oral history interview with Gene M. Amdahl
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1989) Amdahl, Gene
Amdahl begins the first session with a description of his early life and education. He recalls his experiences teaching in the Advanced Specialized Training Program during and after World War II. Amdahl discusses his graduate work at the University of Wisconsin and his direction of the design and construction of WISC. He concludes the first session with a brief discussion of his work at International Business Machines (IBM). In the second and third sessions, Amdahl discusses his role in the design of several computers for IBM including the STRETCH, 701, 701A, and 704. He discusses his work with Nathaniel Rochester and IBM's management of the design process for computers. He also mentions his work with Ramo-Wooldridge, Aeronutronic, and Computer Sciences Corporation.
Oral history interview with George W. Dick
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1988-02-19) Dick, George W.
Dick describes the steps he took to return the company to profitability when he became executive vice president of the Council for Economic and Industrial Research (C-E-I-R), later the Corporation for Economic and Industrial Research, in 1962. He reviews the management of the company, its finances, and its marketing capabilities. In 1965 Dick left his position as vice president to take over the presidency of American Business Research Bureau and describes the radio ratings research firm and his management of it. Throughout the interview he discusses his relationship with other C-E-I-R executives including Herbert W. Robinson, Maurice G. Kendall, Jack Moshman, Meade Camp, and Robert Holland.
Oral history interview with H. Dick Clover
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1986-06-05) Clover, H. Dick
After briefly discussing his early life and education, Clover focuses on his work with Engineering Research Associates (ERA). Topics include: the work of C. B. Tompkins; Clover's association with Communication Supplementary Activities-Washington (CSAW); the relationship between CSAW and ERA; the formation of ERA; the roles of Howard Engstrom, Ralph Meader, John Parker, and John Howard in ERA; research on magnetic drums and disks; the relationship between Northwestern Aeronautical Corporation and ERA; and Clover's administrative work with the Navy contracts at ERA. Clover concludes the interview with a brief description of ERA under Remington Rand and Sperry Rand.
Oral history interview with Herbert W. Robinson
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1988-07-13) Robinson, Herbert W. (Herbert William)
The Council for Economic and Industry Research, Inc. was formed in 1952 to perform operations research and model building for the U. S. Air Force. In 1953 Robinson took over the project, which was designed to identify strategic bomb targets in the Soviet Union based on potential economic damage. In 1954 a public company renamed C-E-I-R, Inc. was formed with Robinson as its president. Orchard Hayes was in charge of computer operations for the nascent software development and programming business. Robinson discusses C-E-I-R acquisitions Automation Institute, General Analysis Corporation, Data Tech, ARB (a television rating company), and C-E-I-R de Mexico. He talks about the establishment of C-E-I-R operations in London and the Netherlands and the subsequent takeover of these by British Petroleum. Robinson discusses the difficulties in managing an industry that had no history. He discusses the involvement of Robert Holland and George Dick from IBM, their attempts to direct sales of C-E-I-R products, and the loss of technical personnel. He discusses the early lack of competition and the later entrance of IBM into competition with C-E-I-R. He talks of William Norris' interest and the acquisition of C-E-I-R by Control Data Corporation.
Oral history interview with Hugh Duncan
(Charles Babbage Institute, 1986-08-14) Duncan, Hugh
Duncan describes his engineering education and entrance into the Navy in World War II. He discusses his work at Communications Supplementary Activities-Washington and the events leading to the formation of Engineering Research Associates (ERA). Topics include: the introduction of John E. Parker to Howard Engstrom, Ralph Meader, and Norris by the financial brokerage firm of Auchincloss, Redpath, and Parker, the work of John Howard, the level of Navy involvement with ERA, research activities, especially regarding memory devices, and the management of the firm. Duncan reviews the management of the ERA and Eckert-Mauchly acquisitions by Remington Rand. He concludes with a comparison of the management techniques of Remington Rand and International Business Machines.

University Digital Conservancy

Browse by Subject

Browsing by Subject "Computer industry -- United States -- History"