Browsing by Subject "Illiac computer"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Oral history interview with David J. Wheeler
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1987-05-14) Wheeler, David J., 1927-
    Wheeler, who was a research student at the University Mathematical Laboratory at Cambridge from 1948-51, begins with a discussion of the EDSAC project during his tenure. He compares the research orientation and the programming methods at Cambridge with those at the Institute for Advanced Study. He points out that, while the Cambridge group was motivated to process many smaller projects from the larger university community, the Institute was involved with a smaller number of larger projects. Wheeler mentions some of the projects that were run on the EDSAC, the user-oriented programming methods that developed at the laboratory, and the influence of the EDSAC model on the ILLIAC, the ORDVAC, and the IBM 701. He also discusses the weekly meetings held in conjunction with the National Physical Laboratory, the University of Birmingham, and the Telecommunications Research Establishment. These were attended by visitors from other British institutions as well as from the continent and the United States. Wheeler notes visits by Douglas Hartree (of Cavendish Laboratory), Nelson Blackman (of ONR), Peter Naur, Aad van Wijngarden, Arthur van der Poel, Friedrich L. Bauer, and Louis Couffignal. In the final part of the interview Wheeler discusses his visit to Illinois where he worked on the ILLIAC and taught from September 1951 to September 1953.
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    Oral history interview with Gregg M. Townsend
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1990-07-26) Townsend, Gregg M.
    Townsend describes how he became involved with the Icon project under the direction of Ralph Griswold as a graduate student. He discusses the work environment and staffing of the project and concludes the interview with a brief comparison of the C and Icon programming languages.
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    Oral history interview with Herman H. Goldstine
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1980-08-11) Goldstine, Herman Heine, 1913-
    Goldstine, associate director of the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) computer project from 1945 to 1956, discusses his role in the project. He describes the acquisition of funding from the Office of Naval Research, the hiring of staff, and his relationship with John von Neumann. Goldstine explains that von Neumann was responsible for convincing the Institute to sponsor the computer project. Goldstine praises von Neumann's contributions, among which he counts the first logical design of a computer and the concept of stored programming. Goldstine turns next to the relations between the project and one of its funders, the Atomic Energy Commission. He points out the conflict of interest of IAS director Robert Oppenheimer, who chaired the AEC General Advisory Committee, and von Neumann who sat on this committee, when other AEC officials discontinued funding for the project. Goldstine also recounts the problems that arose during the project over patent rights and their resolution. Goldstine concludes by discussing the many visitors to the project and the many computers (Whirlwind, ILLIAC, JOHNNIAC, IBM 70l) modeled after the IAS computer.
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    Oral history interview with Stephen Lukasik
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1991-10-17) Lukasik, Stephen
    Lukasik discusses his tenure at the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), later the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The interview focuses on the Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO) of ARPA. Topics include: the work of Eb Rechtin, the development of computer networks and the ARPANET, artificial intelligence research, the recruitment of IPTO directors, the effect of the Mansfield amendment--which specified research should be relevant to the military--on IPTO and ARPA funding, the grant process, and the development of ILLIAC. Lukasik concludes the interview with a discussion of the name change from ARPA to DARPA.