Hawkins, Robert L.2011-06-132011-06-131984-02-20Robert L. Hawkins, OH 64. Oral history interview by William Aspray, 20 February 1984, Barnstable, Massachusetts. Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. http://purl.umn.edu/107348OH 64https://hdl.handle.net/11299/107348Transcript, 20 pp.Hawkins discusses the computer projects he worked on at Harvard University as a technician. In 1940 he joined the Mark I project, a collaboration between Harvard and IBM. When the Mark I was placed in operation in 1943, Hawkins assumed a leading role in its maintenance. He describes the method for locating problems with the Mark I relays and identifies improvements made in the relay contacts enabling the machine to be run more reliably. He mentions project director Howard Aiken's dissatisfaction with the off-the-shelf components, counters, relays, card keys, and card punches, supplied by IBM. Hawkins also discusses the personality of Howard Aiken and his expectations of his staff.en-USComputer historyInternational Business Machines Corporation.Harvard University. -- Computation LaboratoryComputers -- United States -- HistoryAiken, Howard H. (Howard Hathaway), 1900-1973Mark I (Calculator)Oral History