faq
Frequently Asked Questions about the
Computer History Association of California
and the ANALYTICAL ENGINE
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Revision: 1.0.4 Last-update: 21 Jan 94 Last-up-by: Kip Crosby
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I. What is the Computer History Association of California?
The Computer History Association of California, or CHAC, is an
educational organization which studies, preserves, protects and
popularizes the history of electronic computing in the State of
California. Its mailing address is: 1001 Elm Court, El Cerrito
CA 94530-2602. Its Internet address is: cpu@chac.win.net.
What does the CHAC do?
It publishes a quarterly newsletter called the ANALYTICAL ENGINE,
devoted to the history which CHAC is mandated to preserve.
It collects and archives hardware, software and documents that are
significant to that history.
It forms part of an informal network of institutions specializing
in computer history, in California and throughout the United
States.
Through the USENET newsgroup _alt.folklore.computers_, it
corresponds electronically with computer historians, both
professional and amateur, worldwide.
It plans strategically for the establishment of a major,
comprehensive, public museum of computing, probably in the Silicon
Valley area, by 1999.
Is the CHAC a charity?
CHAC is an educational institution in the public interest. It is
applying for recognition as a nonprofit corporation under
California Revenue & Taxation Code Section 23701(d) and Internal
Revenue Code Section 501(c)3. If it achieves this recognition,
its assets will be the property of the people of California, and
donations to it will be tax-deductible.
II. What is the ANALYTICAL ENGINE?
The ANALYTICAL ENGINE is the quarterly newsletter of the CHAC,
published in January, April, July and October.
What's in it?
Per issue, three or more articles on the history of computing in
California; one book review; news of recent computer history and of
developments at other historical organizations; a letters column;
a column of queries submitted by readers; details of any
acquisitions by CHAC; and small standard features, such as a list of
publications received in the last quarter. We don't guarantee that
every one of these things will be in each issue, but that's a good
sketch of what's typical.
Where can I get it?
There are five ways to get a copy of the ENGINE:
1: Subscribe to an Internet mailing list on computer history, such
as the Smithsonian Institution's SHOTHC-L, and the ENGINE will be
mailed to you -- or, if the current issue is too big to be mailed,
you'll at least be advised that it's available for download.
2: Subscribe to the USENET newsgroup _alt.folklore.computers_ and
receive the table of contents, with downloading directions, as
soon as each issue appears.
3: Post Internet mail to:
engine@win.net
with one of the following subject lines:
Issue Subject line Available
----------------------------------------------------------------
V1#1 engine11 Now
V1#2 engine12 Now
V1#3 engine13 Now
V1#4 engine14 April 1994
V2#1 engine21 July 1994
and no body copy. You'll receive your selected issue or issues by
return mail.
4: Subscribe by mail and specify the paper edition. (See below.)
5: Request the ENGINE by anon FTP from these servers:
ftp.vortex.com (in /comp-hist)
ftp.apple.com (in /ftp/pub/CHAC)
ftp.dhvx20.csudh.edu (in /comphist)
During 1994, we hope, you'll be able to download the ENGINE from a
favorite bulletin board near you.
So far you've published two issues of the ENGINE electronically
for "free." What do you propose to do in the future? Is vol. 1 #3
the last free one we will get?
No. As it says in V1#2, "The ANALYTICAL ENGINE is intellectual
shareware. Distribution of _complete, verbatim_ copies....is
encouraged by the CHAC...." Our _primary_ mandate is, and will
remain, to collect, organize, disseminate and popularize the
history of computing in California; and the downloadable version
of the ENGINE is our most important tool for the job. Anybody can
download the ENGINE, read it, and pass it along, providing they
don't hack it. Guidelines for reprinting and excerpting are in
every issue.
I understand that I don't _have_ to pay for the ENGINE, but if I
do, how much is it?
Individual subs are US$25 per year for downloading or US$35 per year
for paper. Corporate, library or institutional subs are US$75 per
year for downloading or US$85 per year for paper. Subs for
seniors, students, the unemployed and the underemployed are US$15
per year for downloading or US$25 per year for paper.
Why are paper copies $10 extra?
The premium covers our cost of printing, mail preparation and
first-class postage, so that the donated amount remains the same for
electronic and for paper subscribers.
If I send in my money, what will I get that I don't get now for
free?
The satisfaction of making a donation to a cause you consider
important; and the knowledge that, because of you and people like
you, CHAC will survive and move forward.
Can I pay with my credit card?
Not yet! Two VISA providers have told us that they don't want a
thing to do with payment and collection for any services involving
electronic mail. One of the newer cyberpunk/signalpunk magazines,
which _does_ take VISA over the Internet for subs, allegedly had to
pay its bank a whopping bribe for the privilege. As a nonprofit-
in-waiting, we don't deal in bribes of any size....
Does CHAC publish anything besides the ANALYTICAL ENGINE?
Our request server offers various files -- such as announcements of
historical projects, how-to files for historical preservation, and
spec tables for vintage hardware -- that would make the ENGINE
unreasonably bulky if they were published at full length. For a list
of available files, watch the ENGINE, or post to
engine@win.net
with a subject line of
help
for the directory by return mail.
Can I get back issues?
Back issue-files will remain available from engine@win.net, and
from the FTP servers till further notice. Back paper copies of
Volume 1, Number 2 (October 1993) and thereafter are available
from the El Cerrito address for $6 each. Volume 1, Number 1
(July 1993) is only available electronically.
III. INITIATIVE 1999
In Robert X. Cringely's thought-provoking book, _Accidental
Empires_ (Addison-Wesley, 1992,) he points out that the year
1999 will witness a mass die-off of older mainframes --
not in terms of their being replaced by denser and quicker
systems, which has been happening for years already, but
because they abruptly lose their ability to process
transactions.
The reasoning behind this is various, but the simple case is
that many older mainframes store their dates in the format
YYMMDD
and, when YY returns as 00, will halt on error. "Hardly any
programmer in 1959 expected his payroll application to be
still cutting checks in 1999," says Cringely, "so nobody
thought to teach many of these computer programs what to
do when the calendar finally says it's the year 2000."
They didn't reckon with the principle of cybernetic
inertia, which says that hardware in place tends to
remain in place.
Sure, there may be workarounds. But for lots of older
computers, the programming overhead of dealing with this
kink will be the last push over the cliff. Cringely's
right; mainframes will be scrapped wholesale, and the
oldest first. From the standpoint of function it only
makes sense, since the oldest hardware is usually the
slowest. But to the historian and preservationist, the
oldest hardware is often the most significant.
If we intend to respond to this crisis, we have five years to make
plans and marshal resources; five years to find and equip
facilities; five years to nail down funding. And for a project of
this size, five years is not a long time. Anyone seriously
interested in preserving the history of computing -- which
certainly means any reader of this FAQ -- is actually advised to
figure that we're in a screaming hurry.
In the October issue of the ANALYTICAL ENGINE, the Computer
History Association of California announced INITIATIVE
1999. What this is, and what it becomes, will be
elaborated in future issues. For the moment, just plant two
cardinal points in your mind:
1) On or before January 1, 1999, we would like to see
chapters of this Computer History Association established in
every state of the Union. To that end, we will advise,
collaborate with, and give moral support to any responsible
groups of historians and preservationists who express
serious intention of founding such an Association.
2) On or before January 1, 1999, we intend to open a
museum large enough to display a significant part of the
history of computing in California, presenting the broadest
available spectrum of appropriate artifacts, and using the
(then) most contemporary technology for instruction by
interactive and virtual means. To that end, we would
appreciate the donation of (for example) a large disused
factory or warehouse, convenient to freeways, and with
loading docks; of pertinent hardware and software; of
expert consultation, particularly with reference to accession,
registration and curatorship; and of appropriate amounts of
money.
We reiterate: Six years is not a long time. What we're
trying to do here can only be done once, or given up for
lost. If you're reading this newsletter, you _can_ help, with
a $25 donation to the ENGINE or with that factory.
_Save the mainframes!_
IV. COMPILATION PROJECT
As basic research, fundamental to tracing the provenance
of donated hardware, software, and documentation, the
Computer History Association of California is compiling a
list of
1) Computer HARDWARE developers/manufacturers
2) Computer SOFTWARE developers/manufacturers
3) Computer PERIPHERALS developers/manufacturers
now or formerly incorporated or headquartered in the State
of California. Since information on businesses currently
operating is relatively available from published sources,
priority should be given to citation of businesses no longer
operating.
Information wanted in each citation is:
Business name
Primary business address
Telephone or fax number
Date of first business done, or incorporation
Date of last business done, if known
Types of hardware or software produced
Maximum annual dollar volume and year in which recorded
Names of officers, as known
Please do _not_ include citations for retail outlets; regional
offices of non-California companies; or reseller/distributors.
Depending on its length, this list may ultimately be
published as a request supplement to the ANALYTICAL
ENGINE, or separately. We're grateful for all contri-
butions. Please reply by Internet mail, or by paper
mail to the CHAC El Cerrito address.
V. ORPHAN MICROS
Do you have an old micro that's cluttering up your
closet or garage? Look at the manufacturer's nameplate
(probably where the serial number is) and see if it was
made in California.
If it was, contact CHAC. You may have something we
want....and we'll take it off your hands and pay the
freight. We're also interested in old docs and software.
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Thank you for your attention and interest.
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EOF