RAND Symposia on computing transcripts

Collection

Identifier: CBI 78

Staff Only

Scope and Content Note

The collection contains transcripts from each of the eighteen symposia. The collection includes a synopsis of the first symposium, verbatim and edited transcripts of the second through the eleventh RAND Symposia on computing edited by Fred Gruenberger. The synopsis of the first symposium and transcripts of the second through eighth symposia are in bound volumes while the latter transcripts are loose in folders. Apparently, only one transcript, edited by Gruenberger, was created for the twelfth through the eighteenth symposia sponsored by California State University, Northridge. The transcripts for the twelfth through the fifteenth symposia had been retained by the creator of the records as a discrete unit and the transcripts have been kept together in a single folder.

Although the title of the symposia varies (RAND Symposium, RAND Computer Symposium, RAND Computing Symposium, Computing Symposium, and All-Day Computing Symposium were used on the cover sheet of various transcripts), the generic title, "RAND Symposium," has been adopted to conform to the sequential numbering system Gruenberger used. Portions of some of the edited transcripts were occasionally published in journals such as Datamation.

Dates

Creation: 1958-1976

Creator

Rand Symposium. (Organization)

Language of Materials

English

Access to materials:

Access to the collection is unrestricted.

Copyright:

The Charles Babbage Institute holds the copyright to all materials in the collection, except for items covered by a prior copyright (such as published materials). Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provisions of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).

Historical Note

The day before the 1958 Western Joint Computer Conference a number of experts representing all facets of the profession met at the RAND Corporation to discuss current topics in computing. Each year an attempt was made to gather a homogenous group of experts for the one-day invitational symposium. The RAND Corporation sponsored the symposia through 1968. California State University, Northridge assumed responsibility for the symposia from 1969 until 1976. The group decided to discontinue the symposia after 1976 since they felt the symposia had outlived their usefulness. The final four symposia were thematically centered. The fifteenth symposium focused on exploring the future. The sixteenth symposium evaluated the future of programmers. At the seventeenth symposium the participants examined the problems of the AFIPS societies. In the eighteenth symposium the experts looked ahead to the next thirty years of computing.

The following people participated in one or more of the symposia: Gene Amdahl, Richard Andree, Delbert Atwood, Jr., Paul Armer, George Armering, William Atchinson, James Augustine, Jr., Charles L. Baker, Robert Bemer, Harold Bergstein, Mort Bernstein, Herbert Bright, Howard Bromberg, Sullivan Campbell, Richard Canning, George R. Cannon; Ned Chapin, Joseph Cunningham, Charles Davidson, Charles Davis, David Evans, Aaron Finerman, Bernard A. Galler, Bruce Gilchrist, George Glaser, Barry Gordon, Irwin Greenwald, Herb Grosch, Fred Gruenberger, Jose Guerra, Maurice Halstead, Carl Hammer, Richard Hamming, Fred Harris, L.C. Hobbs, Jerry Koory, Don Krehbiel, Samuel Levine, J.C.R. Licklider, William Lonergan, J. D. Madden, Daniel D. McCracken, Jules Mersel, Roger Mills, A.G. Oettinger, Seymour Papert, Robert Patrick, Clarence Poland, Tony Ralston, Robert Rector, Stan Rifkin, Ed Ryan, Jean E. Sammet, Norman Sanders, Melvin Shader, R. Clay Sprowls, John Swearingen, Edward Straub, Robert Swanson, Richard Tanaka, Robert Teague, J.D. Tupac, K.W. Uncapher, Roger Van Norton, Donald Walker, Francis V. Wagner, Willis H. Ware, Robert White, Karl Willenbrock, Joseph Weizenbaum, Steve Yau, Heinz Zemanek.

Extent

3 boxes (1.8 cubic feet)

Additional Description

Abstract

Contains transcripts from each of the eighteen symposia. The collection includes a synopsis of the first symposium, verbatim and edited transcripts of the second through eleventh Rand Symposia edited by Fred Gruenberger. The synopsis of the first symposium and the transcripts of the second through eighth symposia are in bound volumes while the transcripts for the ninth through eighteenth symposia are foldered.