Brief and Yet Bountiful Brief and Yet Bountiful the History of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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

CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 history of computing history of computing 2 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 history of computing history of computing 3 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 history of computing history of computing 4 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 history of computing history of computing 5 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 history of computing history of computing 6 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 history of computing history of computing 7 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 history of computing history of computing 8 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 history of computing history of computing 9 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 history of computing history of computing 10 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 history of computing history of computing 11 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 history of computing history of computing 12 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 IBM made a similar mistake in the 1960’ ’s s If history had been studied by Andy If history had been studied by Andy Hertzfeld Hertzfeld, it would not have been repeated , it would not have been repeated

CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 history of computing history of computing 13 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 history of computing history of computing 14 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 history of computing history of computing 15 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 history of computing history of computing 16 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 history of computing history of computing 17 17

History at Upper-Division Level History at Upper-Division Level

Students need to have certain Students need to have certain knowledge first knowledge first

– – To understand the historical To understand the historical environment of key design decisions environment of key design decisions from a technical point of view from a technical point of view – – To integrate diverse topics of the To integrate diverse topics of the discipline and understand the discipline and understand the interrelationships interrelationships

CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 history of computing history of computing 18 18

History at Upper-Division Level History at Upper-Division Level

Students can better understand the Students can better understand the marketing and business environment marketing and business environment Help them with their choice of Help them with their choice of Capstone Project Capstone Project

CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 history of computing history of computing 19 19

History Course Objectives History Course Objectives

To provide the development of computing To provide the development of computing within the context of social, scientific, within the context of social, scientific, technological and business environments technological and business environments To connect computing history to other To connect computing history to other disciplines such as economics, sociology, disciplines such as economics, sociology, science, mathematics, and technology science, mathematics, and technology To provide in-depth treatment of the To provide in-depth treatment of the history of computing within the core areas history of computing within the core areas

• f hardware, software, theory and
• f hardware, software, theory and

applications applications

CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 history of computing history of computing 20 20

Conclusion Conclusion

History of computing deserves more History of computing deserves more than a brief survey than a brief survey History of computing merits a three- History of computing merits a three- credit hour full-blown course credit hour full-blown course

CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 history of computing history of computing 21 21

Conclusion Conclusion

It will help students with their It will help students with their

– – Perspectives Perspectives – – Insights Insights – – Comprehensive understanding of the discipline Comprehensive understanding of the discipline – – Avoiding making similar mistakes Avoiding making similar mistakes – – Creativity Creativity – – Inspiration Inspiration – – Reading and Writing Reading and Writing – – Teaching Teaching – – Making sound decisions Making sound decisions

CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 CCSC South Central April 17, 2005 history of computing history of computing 22 22

Points to Ponder Points to Ponder

Do we want to know where we come from, Do we want to know where we come from, how we get to where we are today, our how we get to where we are today, our past, our roots that is part of us? past, our roots that is part of us? Do we want our posterities to dig and Do we want our posterities to dig and pound to find the path that leads them to pound to find the path that leads them to where they are, to find the footsteps that where they are, to find the footsteps that their forefathers took? their forefathers took? Can historians truly preserve our path and Can historians truly preserve our path and footsteps? Do we trust them? footsteps? Do we trust them?