12/10/2009 Topic Topic Why should historians of science/STS Why should historians of science/STS Knowing Numbers: How Knowing Numbers: How people should care about mathematical people should care about mathematical Numerical Software Libraries Numerical Software Libraries software libraries? software libraries? What are mathematical software libraries? What are mathematical software libraries? Changed Scientific Practice Changed Scientific Practice g Why were they important Wh Wh Why were they important th th i i t t t t Relationship to well known concepts in STS Relationship to well known concepts in STS Thomas Haigh, Thomas Haigh, Black box Black box U. of Wisconsin – U. of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Milwaukee Immutable mobiles (Latour) Immutable mobiles (Latour) & The Haigh Group & The Haigh Group Questions raised for broader areas of science Questions raised for broader areas of science practice practice 4S Meeting 2007, Montreal 4S Meeting 2007, Montreal Project Project Scientific Computing Scientific Computing Original function of early machines Original function of early machines History of mathematical software History of mathematical software Harvard Mark I, ENIAC Harvard Mark I, ENIAC Consultant for Society for Industrial & Applied Consultant for Society for Industrial & Applied Source of the term “computer” Source of the term “computer” Mathematics on DOE supported project Mathematics on DOE supported project Many applications are concerned with modeling Many applications are concerned with modeling 23 career oral history interviews 23 career oral history interviews natural or man made systems natural or man made systems natural or man made systems natural or man made systems Several accompanying articles S S Several accompanying articles l l i i ti l ti l Hydrogen bomb physics Hydrogen bomb physics Materials at history.siam.org Materials at history.siam.org Fluid Dynamics of air for aerospace Fluid Dynamics of air for aerospace Rather internalist Rather internalist Celestial mechanics for space navigation Celestial mechanics for space navigation Talk is initial attempt to explore issues of Talk is initial attempt to explore issues of Require creating systems of equations and Require creating systems of equations and producing answers producing answers broader interest stemming from topic broader interest stemming from topic Usually by numerical approximation methods Usually by numerical approximation methods Mathematical Libraries Mathematical Libraries Early Needs Early Needs Produced internally Produced internally Initially: very basic assembly language Initially: very basic assembly language within computer within computer subroutines subroutines centers centers Multiplication, square root, binary to decimal, floating Multiplication, square root, binary to decimal, floating First example for First example for point simulation, etc. point simulation, etc. EDSAC circa 1950 EDSAC circa 1950 FORTRAN (1956) covers basics, but plenty of FORTRAN (1956) covers basics, but plenty of ( ( ) ) , , p p y y Invented along with Invented along with I I t d t d l l ith ith challenges left challenges left subroutine subroutine Discussed in 1951 Discussed in 1951 Each computer center is likely to need routines for Each computer center is likely to need routines for programming text programming text Linear algebra and matrix manipulation Linear algebra and matrix manipulation Included Runge Included Runge- -Kutta Kutta Ordinary and Partial Differential Equation solvers Ordinary and Partial Differential Equation solvers differential equation differential equation Special and Elementary functions Special and Elementary functions routine routine Curve fitting and least squares Curve fitting and least squares Routines stored on 5 Routines stored on 5 Fast Fourier Transformation Fast Fourier Transformation track paper tape track paper tape 1
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