Group R

Thomas J. Misa

(Emily Alcantara, Danielle Binns, Dana Baasiri)

AgendaIntroduction to History of ComputingThree Thematic TraditionsProposed Fourth Thematic TraditionResearch ProgramsFuture Predictions

Introduction – History of ComputingFocus has been on specifics

Difficult to conceive and conduct the wide-ranging and long-duration studies

Impact of computing depends on the analytical scale of our inquires

Natural WorldMicroscope Telescope

ObjectivesDiscover a means of addressing the history of computingRecognize that computing artifacts and practices are

shaped by local communities and culturesCapture long-term processes by which computing has

shaped the world

• Analysis aimed at: 1. Identifying “first” digital computers 2. Understanding technical details

and operation of computer.

• Priority of analysis: electronic digital computer, immediate predecessors, and obvious offspring.

• Critiques of Analysis: 1. Preoccupied with “facts and firsts”. 2. Solely devotes attention to

technical details of machine. 3. Does not analyze historical and

cultural context and the choices faced by those involved with the development of computer technology.

Second Thematic Tradition Analysis aimed at:

the historical roots of the information age.

Primary function of computers: information processing

Expanded focus to: 1. Broader set of technologies2. Use of technologies in insurance,

finance, and government.

Third Thematic Tradition

Analysis aimed at: understanding how certain institutions shaped computing.

Emphasized influence of institutional dynamics on both rate and direction of technical developments.

A Fourth Thematic Tradition?

Fourth Thematic Tradition

First Characteristic: Go HYBRID!Isolation is unhealthy. The remedy? Cross-field interaction.


Second Characteristic: Two-fold Analysis


Third Characteristic: Historical Transformation

Situate studies of computing within and as a vital part of major historical transformations

Research for the Future3 research programs that address the question of how computing changed the world:

1. Europe2. Moore’s Law 3. Globalization

Europe (1)

Ongoing social, political, economic, and cultural processes:1.1. New currencyNew currency2.2. New food standardsNew food standards3.3. New flow of consumer goodsNew flow of consumer goods4.4. New technology New technology 5.5. Expanding European communityExpanding European community

Europe(2)

“Tensions of Europe”Technology played a role in the making of Europe in the

20th C in the following sectors:1. Cities2. Mobility3. Infrastructure4. Engineering projects5. Communication6. Information

“Inventing” Europe”

Europe (3)

How did Europe take shape through the dissemination and use of software?

IBM’s various roles in European cultures and expectations:FinlandFranceZurich Eastern Europe

Moore’s LawGordon Moore- 1965“A certain class of integrated electronic components seemed

to be doubling in density each year” – Misa.A target for industry and a guiding light for venture capitalists.Moore’s law as an agent of change that shaped history

GlobalizationThe introduction of computer-mediated forms of communication:

Fax machinesAirplane reservation systemsNetwork of computing- Federal Express & Airbus

Environmental history to computing and globalizationElectronic waste

Predictions(1)

Those writing for and those reading the IEEE Annals of the History of Computing—will be a larger group, and a more heterogeneous group.

Predictions(2)

Historians of many specialties will inevitably see computing interacting with their chosen subject matter, and many of them will become at least part-time historians of computing.

Predictions(3)

Citizens and policymakers will certainly need historical perspective and practical insight into the world.

If computing has changed the world, we have an immense opportunity, and also a significant responsibility, to help understand how this came about.

Discussion Questions1. Computing is heavily reliant on technology. Technology is not

impervious to error and failure. Do you think that oral tradition and written culture are seemingly more reliable than their electronic counterpart?

2. Misa argues that historians must utilize a twofold analytical framework in order to understand the history of computing. What are some specific examples that demonstrate how society shaped technology, or how technology has shaped society?

3. Misa credits computing as a contributor to the growth and development of Europe. Do you think that computing has aided in the development of all countries equally, or do you think that computing has created a wider gap between the developed and developing countries?