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Brief and Yet Bountiful Brief and Yet Bountiful the History of Computing, Why the History of Computing, Why do Students Need it? do Students Need it? John Howland John Howland Trinity University, San Antonio, TX Trinity University, San

  1. Brief and Yet Bountiful Brief and Yet Bountiful the History of Computing, Why the History of Computing, Why do Students Need it? do Students Need it? John Howland John Howland Trinity University, San Antonio, TX Trinity University, San Antonio, TX jhowland@trinity.edu jhowland@trinity.edu Cuihua Zhang Cuihua Zhang Northwest Vista College, San Antonio, TX Northwest Vista College, San Antonio, TX czhang@accd.edu czhang@accd.edu

  2. Intro: Why Learning History? Intro: Why Learning History? History has made us who we are History has made us who we are Dense and compact with events and Dense and compact with events and consequences. We can easily skip an era or two consequences. We can easily skip an era or two Provide correct and insightful perspectives Provide correct and insightful perspectives Enthuse students who consequently will make Enthuse students who consequently will make greater contributions greater contributions Learn not to make the same mistakes again Learn not to make the same mistakes again CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 2 2 history of computing history of computing

  3. Current Offering Status Current Offering Status Topic not included until Curricula 1991 Topic not included until Curricula 1991 Only one lecture hour allocated in Curricula 2001 Only one lecture hour allocated in Curricula 2001 Assigned as Social and Professional Issues Assigned as Social and Professional Issues Mostly covered briefly in intro CS courses Mostly covered briefly in intro CS courses Not many colleges are offering it Not many colleges are offering it Some offered in History dept. Some offered in History dept. Rarely offered as a CS course Rarely offered as a CS course CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 3 3 history of computing history of computing

  4. Books, Journals and Task Force Books, Journals and Task Force Many books written since 1980 Many books written since 1980 IEEE Annals of History of Computing IEEE Annals of History of Computing The International Federation of The International Federation of Information Processing (IFIP) Information Processing (IFIP) Working Group 9.7 (WG9.7) Working Group 9.7 (WG9.7) established in 1992 established in 1992 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 4 4 history of computing history of computing

  5. Libraries, both Physical and Virtual Libraries, both Physical and Virtual Computer History Museum Computer History Museum Virtual Museum of History of Virtual Museum of History of Computing Computing National Archive for the History of National Archive for the History of Computing in UK Computing in UK CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 5 5 history of computing history of computing

  6. ShortComing ShortComing Lack of a comprehensive textbook Lack of a comprehensive textbook Such a book can be used throughout Such a book can be used throughout the curriculum. Teaching the curriculum. Teaching professionals could use the various professionals could use the various subjects related to their area subjects related to their area CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 6 6 history of computing history of computing

  7. Why History Not Taught Why History Not Taught Facts: Facts: – Computer Science expanded rapidly Computer Science expanded rapidly – – Contents exploded Contents exploded – – Adding new topics means taking some away Adding new topics means taking some away – – Computer Science ever changing, need to Computer Science ever changing, need to – catch up with what is happening today. catch up with what is happening today. CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 7 7 history of computing history of computing

  8. Why History Not Taught Why History Not Taught Assumptions: Assumptions: – The past already occurred, will not come The past already occurred, will not come – back back – Present is more important and practical Present is more important and practical – CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 8 8 history of computing history of computing

  9. The Past Will Influence our Future The Past Will Influence our Future Encouraged by past successes Encouraged by past successes We can build upon what has been done, We can build upon what has been done, rather than start from scratch rather than start from scratch Become more intelligent through learning Become more intelligent through learning from past mistakes from past mistakes If not learned, reflected, analyzed, If not learned, reflected, analyzed, mistakes will be repeated mistakes will be repeated CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 9 9 history of computing history of computing

  10. Continued Continued History will aid our claims. Historical facts History will aid our claims. Historical facts will help students understand certain will help students understand certain perspectives, instead of those perspectives, instead of those perspectives being taught or given by us perspectives being taught or given by us Understand the social climate and Understand the social climate and circumstances behind the historical circumstances behind the historical inventions inventions So that they can in the future recognize So that they can in the future recognize the right moment and make their own the right moment and make their own inventions inventions CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 10 10 history of computing history of computing

  11. Continued Continued Stereotype of CS students: know logic but Stereotype of CS students: know logic but cannot write. History course helps writing cannot write. History course helps writing across curriculum, helps learn the basic across curriculum, helps learn the basic skills to succeed in the real world skills to succeed in the real world Helps future educators to lighten the Helps future educators to lighten the classroom classroom Norm of other disciplines to have an Norm of other disciplines to have an independent history course independent history course CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 11 11 history of computing history of computing

  12. Lessons Learned (example) Lessons Learned (example) Apple had to redesign memory manager Apple had to redesign memory manager byte, which took three years byte, which took three years IBM made a similar mistake in the 1960’ ’s s IBM made a similar mistake in the 1960 If history had been studied by Andy If history had been studied by Andy Hertzfeld, it would not have been repeated , it would not have been repeated Hertzfeld CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 12 12 history of computing history of computing

  13. History at Upper-Division Level History at Upper-Division Level History is much more than a History is much more than a chronology of events chronology of events Much more than the birthdates and Much more than the birthdates and names of historical figures names of historical figures Yet those perhaps are as much as Yet those perhaps are as much as can be done in a lower-division can be done in a lower-division course course CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 13 13 history of computing history of computing

  14. History at Upper-Division Level History at Upper-Division Level History is about the evolution of History is about the evolution of science and technology science and technology History is about the reasoning of why History is about the reasoning of why certain mistakes are made certain mistakes are made History is about the awakening to do History is about the awakening to do things better in the future things better in the future CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 14 14 history of computing history of computing

  15. History at Upper-Division Level History at Upper-Division Level History is about exploring the intertwined History is about exploring the intertwined relationships among the different subjects relationships among the different subjects History is about gaining a more History is about gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the comprehensive understanding of the discipline discipline If history does not teach these, then it If history does not teach these, then it would fail its responsibility and lose it would fail its responsibility and lose it meaning meaning CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 15 15 history of computing history of computing

  16. History at Upper-Division Level History at Upper-Division Level To fully and Really appreciate what To fully and Really appreciate what history can teach us, students need history can teach us, students need to be well-prepared in to be well-prepared in – Programming Programming – – Data structure Data structure – – Computer organization Computer organization – – Certain theories Certain theories – CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 16 16 history of computing history of computing

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