Browsing by Subject "Eckert, J. Presper (John Presper), 1919-"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
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    Oral history interview with Alice R. Burks and Arthur W. Burks
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1980-06-20) Burks, Arthur W. (Arthur Walter), 1915-; Burks, Alice R., 1920-
    Arthur Burks describes his work on the ENIAC and Institute for Advanced Study computers. He reviews his upbringing, education, and work experiences (mainly teaching) before joining the University of Pennsylvania Moore School of Electrical Engineering in 1941. He then discusses his associations with J. Presper Eckert, John Mauchly, John Brainerd, Herman Goldstine, and others and their work at the Moore School. Various aspects of the ENIAC project are discussed in detail: interactions of project members, division of tasks, decision making processes, patenting issues, initial operation, and von Neumann's association with the Moore School and the ENIAC and EDVAC projects. There is a general discussion concerning the classification of general versus special purpose computers and computers versus calculators. Patenting issues concerning the ENIAC project are given particular attention. The Burks discuss the dispersion of ENIAC and EDVAC personnel at the end of World War II. Burks recounts his move to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, his experiences there, and his consulting work with Burroughs prior to accepting a faculty position at the University of Michigan.
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    Oral history interview with Carl Chambers
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1977-11-30) Chambers, Carl
    Chambers discusses the initiation and progress of the ENIAC project at the University of Pennsylvania Moore School of Electrical Engineering. He recalls the conditions under which John Mauchly, one of the ENIAC designers, came to the Moore School in 1941, Mauchly's 1943 proposal to the Army for a computer project, the National Defense Research Committee's initial denial of funds because of its commitment to analog computing, and the start of the ENIAC project six months later. Chambers describes the interactions among the ENIAC staff, and focuses on the personalities and working relationships of Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert. He recounts their conflicts with project director John Grist Brainerd, and the commercial interests they first envisioned in 1944. Chambers discusses John von Neumann's involvement from 1944 in the EDVAC project, the financial strains that accompanied this project, and the patent disagreement that led Eckert and Mauchly to resign from the faculty. He concludes with his views on the importance of the 1946 Moore School summer course, "Theory and techniques for design of electronic digital computers," now known as the "Moore School Lectures" in disseminating computer technology.
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    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.
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    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.
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    Oral history interview with Irven A. Travis
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1977-10-21) Travis, Irven A., 1904-
    Travis gives his recollections of the ENIAC project at the University of Pennsylvania. He begins with his employment at RCA, where he was before moving to the University of Pennsylvania Moore School of Electrical Engineering in 1931. He describes his early work in analog computing: hearing about Vannevar Bush's differential analyzer at MIT and "borrowing" Bush's draftsman to build a differential analyzer at the Moore School for Aberdeen Proving Ground; direction of anti-aircraft fire control research at the Bureau of Ordnance; and membership as a Navy officer during World Word II on a National Defense Research Council task force on fire control at the Moore School. Travis then turns to his interest in digital computing, beginning with visits from John Mauchly at Ursinus College. He describes the ENIAC project, the technical and leadership abilities of chief engineer J. Presper Eckert, the working relations between Mauchly and Eckert, the disputes over patent rights, and their resignation from the university.
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    Oral history interview with J. Presper Eckert, Kathleen Mauchly, William Cleaver, and James McNulty
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1980-01-23) Cleaver, William; Eckert, J. Presper (John Presper), 1919-; Mauchly, Kathleen; McNulty, James
    The interviewees describe their experiences at the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School of Electrical Engineering in the 1940s. Eckert outlines disputes he and John Mauchly had with the University administration over the assignment of patent rights to the ENIAC, and disputes over other issues with John G. Brainerd, the first director of the ENIAC project. Eckert and McNulty share their views on John von Neumann's influence on the ENIAC and EDVAC projects. The group discusses the Honeywell vs. Sperry Rand litigation and the judgement against Eckert and Mauchly's patent claim to the electronic digital computer. They uniformly dispute the court's finding in favor of John V. Atanasoff's contribution. Other topics include: the use of the ENIAC in atomic bomb tests, and the programming and memory systems of the ENIAC, EDVAC, and UNIVAC.
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    Oral history interview with John Lindsay Hill
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1986-01) Hill, John L. (John Lindsay), 1909-
    The interview primarily concerns Hill's years at Engineering Research Associates, but his formative years and employment at 3M Corporation are also included. The first part of the interview concerns his family history, upbringing, and education, primarily in electronics, at Rochester Institute of Technology. After his graduation in 1930 Hill worked for General Railroad and from 1934 to 1946 for 3M. In the l930s he became interested in radio technology, a skill used during World War II by the Air Force. The majority of the interview concerns his years at ERA beginning in 1946. Many aspects of his work at ERA are discussed: tape-splicing activities, the Goldberg project, development of magnetic recording, the Demon project, the Atlas project, and interactions with Navy personnel. Particular attention is given to interactions among ERA staff in a government classified environment. In the second session Hill further describes his years at ERA and Ramsey Engineering. He offers additional technical detail about the Demon and Atlas projects at ERA in an attempt to articulate ERA's design philosophy, and describes the work routine during these projects. He next turns to several commercial projects, notably the Speed Tally project for John Plain Company (Chicago) and the American Airlines project conducted jointly by ERA and Automatic Electric. Hill discusses the acquisition of ERA by Remington Rand, how his own role changed after the acquisition, and notes specific problems with sales operations and the increase in bureaucracy. Conflicts with J. Presper Eckert are also mentioned. The last part of the interview concerns his employment at Ramsey Engineering from 1956 to 1976.
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    Oral history interview with John William Mauchly
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1973-11-13) Mauchly, John W. (John William), 1907-1980
    Address given at Sperry Univac's 1973 Point of View meeting in Rome. Mauchly discusses his early use of computers at Ursinus College in weather prediction and his determination that calculators using vacuum tubes to function at much higher speeds were feasible. He recounts his move to the Moore School of Electrical Engineering and his failure to interest anyone other than J. Presper Eckert in his research. He explains how they were able to obtain funding to build the ENIAC, the first electronic digital calculator, only after proposing its use for ballistic calculations. Finally, he describes the funding of the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation UNIVAC computer by the National Bureau of Standards.
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    Oral history interview with S. Reid Warren
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1977-10-05) Warren, S. Reid (Samuel Reid), 1908-
    Warren was a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania Moore School of Electrical Engineering and served as supervisor of the EDVAC project. He discusses the EDVAC, the personal interactions of the project members, and the effect of the project on the Moore School. Central to his discussion are J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly and their disagreements with administrators over patent rights, which led to their resignation and the founding of their own company. Warren discusses John von Neumann, the distribution of his 1945 draft report on the EDVAC, and its lack of proper acknowledgment of all the EDVAC contributors. He also discusses the University's patent policy, its effect on the project, and the inability of the Moore School to remain at the forefront of computer developments.
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    Oral history interview with Thomas Parke Hughes
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1980-11-06) Hughes, Thomas Parke
    This interview consists of two parts: in the first part Hughes provides a characterization of the process and impact of invention; and in the second part he outlines the development of the computer. Using the example of Thomas Edison, Hughes comments on invention as a response to need. He discusses the different ways in which research laboratories have been organized, depending on their relationships with businesses and the educational backgrounds of their personnel. These remarks lead Hughes to his overview of the invention of the first electronic digital calculator, the ENIAC, at the University of Pennsylvania during World War II.