Computers & Business Machines

Apple II Personal Computer

Imagine the loss, 100 years from now, if museums hadn't begun preserving the artifacts of the computer age. The last few decades offer proof positive of why museums must collect continuously—to document technological and social transformations already underway.

The museum's collections contain mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers, and handheld devices. Computers range from the pioneering ENIAC to microcomputers like the Altair and the Apple I. A Cray2 supercomputer is part of the collections, along with one of the towers of IBM's Deep Blue, the computer that defeated reigning champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match in 1997. Computer components and peripherals, games, software, manuals, and other documents are part of the collections. Some of the instruments of business include adding machines, calculators, typewriters, dictating machines, fax machines, cash registers, and photocopiers

Topic: Mathematics

Pamphlet,705 Autocoder System Manual of Information

This manual replaces the first version of 1956.Currently not on view
Description
This manual replaces the first version of 1956.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1957
maker
IBM
ID Number
1995.3080.04.20
nonaccession number
1995.3080
catalog number
1995.3080.04.20

Punch Cards used with a PDP-9 Minicomputer

In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics.
Description
In the mid-1960s, the Computer Science Department at RAND Corporation turned its attention to developing computer graphics. A set of programs written in the programming language FORTRAN for the PDP-9 minicomputer were used to plot contour lines useful in determining the line of sight for microwave radiation emitted from a given point on a map.
These punch cards have the data for one of the FORTRAN programs with non-accession number 1990.3046.10. The cards are white with a green, pink, red, blue, or yellow border on the top. A mark on the first card reads: $ JOB 8258, BICAD,D7300, 03M,1600CD,150P, C. A gold-colored EDP Procedure card also is part of the group.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1968
maker
IBM
ID Number
1990.3046.08
catalog number
1990.3046.08
nonaccession number
1990.3046

IBM UK 866 Rutherford Laboratory Central Computer System

These two blue eighty-column punch cards have four square corners (none truncated). They are job statement cards for the Rutherford Central Computer System 195.
Description
These two blue eighty-column punch cards have four square corners (none truncated). They are job statement cards for the Rutherford Central Computer System 195. The cards have space for information about a job name, job number, user's identity code, programmer's name, and job parameters.
Established in 1958, the Rutherford HIgh Energy Laboratory of Britain's National Institute for Research in Nuclear Science was a center for computing in Britain. It installed one IBM 360/195 mainframe computer in 1971, and a second in 1976. These computers ran until 1982.
A mark on the cards at the top right reads: SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL. A mark on the bottom edge reads: IBM UNITED KINGDOM LIMITED. Another mark there reads: 866-23042.
Reference:
See www.chilton-computing.org.uk/ca/technology/s360_195/p007.htm.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1971-1982
maker
IBM
ID Number
1996.0142.31
catalog number
1996.0142.31
accession number
1996.0142

OEI M73926 Punch Card for University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Computer Services Division

This cream-colored eighty-column punch card has square corners and a truncated corner on the upper left side. A mark at the center reads: THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MILWAUKEE (/) COMPUTING SERVICES DIVISION. A mark near the left edge reads: OEI M73926.Currently not on view
Description
This cream-colored eighty-column punch card has square corners and a truncated corner on the upper left side. A mark at the center reads: THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MILWAUKEE (/) COMPUTING SERVICES DIVISION. A mark near the left edge reads: OEI M73926.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s-1970s
ID Number
1996.0142.34
catalog number
1996.0142.34
accession number
1996.0142

IBM Australia 760068 Punch Cards for the New South Wales Institute of Technology Computer Centre

These two cream-colored eighty-column punch cards have rounded corners and are truncated in the upper right corner. A mark in the center of each cards reads: THE NEW SOUTH WALES (/) INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (/) COMPUTER CENTRE. A mark on the right edge reads: IBM - 760068.
Description
These two cream-colored eighty-column punch cards have rounded corners and are truncated in the upper right corner. A mark in the center of each cards reads: THE NEW SOUTH WALES (/) INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (/) COMPUTER CENTRE. A mark on the right edge reads: IBM - 760068. Another mark on that edge reads: PRINTED IN AUSTRALIA.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s-1970s
maker
IBM
ID Number
1996.0142.28
catalog number
1996.0142.28
accession number
1996.0142

ICT 4-434 Punch Cards Associated with International Computers and Tabulators Limited

These two blue eighty-column punch cards have square corners and are truncated in the upper right corner. Marks along the bottom edge read: I [...] C [...] T 4-354; INTERNATIONAL COMPUTERS AND TABULATORS LIMITED; and PRINTED IN ENGLAND.Currently not on view
Description
These two blue eighty-column punch cards have square corners and are truncated in the upper right corner. Marks along the bottom edge read: I [...] C [...] T 4-354; INTERNATIONAL COMPUTERS AND TABULATORS LIMITED; and PRINTED IN ENGLAND.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960s-1970s
maker
International Computers Ltd
ID Number
1996.0142.20
catalog number
1996.0142.20
accession number
1996.0142

Pamphlet, IBM Electronic Data Processing Machines Type 705

This is the preliminary manual of operation for the IBM 705 electronic data processing system, as revised in February, 1956.Currently not on view
Description
This is the preliminary manual of operation for the IBM 705 electronic data processing system, as revised in February, 1956.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1956
maker
IBM
ID Number
1995.3080.04.18
nonaccession number
1995.3080
catalog number
1995.3080.04.18

Pamphlet, 705 Autocoder System Macro-Instruction Manual

Thisillustrated pamphlet describes new methods of "preparing programs" for the IBM 705 electronic data processing machine, compiling instructions written "in a simple notation" and automatically translating them into a language understood by the machine.Currently not on view
Description
Thisillustrated pamphlet describes new methods of "preparing programs" for the IBM 705 electronic data processing machine, compiling instructions written "in a simple notation" and automatically translating them into a language understood by the machine.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1957
maker
IBM
ID Number
1995.3080.04.21
nonaccession number
1995.3080
catalog number
1995.3080.04.21

Parts Catalog, Underwood Sundstrand Portable Electric Adding Machines Fraction & L-S-D

This well-worn catalog is stapled together and punched along the left side. A "Serviceman's Part Order" is stapled to one page.Currently not on view
Description
This well-worn catalog is stapled together and punched along the left side. A "Serviceman's Part Order" is stapled to one page.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1940-02-09
maker
Underwood Elliot Fisher Company
ID Number
1990.3188.01
nonaccession number
1990.3188
catalog number
1990.3188.01

Pamphlet, The Totalisator

The inventor and electrical engineer Leith Johnston (1899-1987) gave an address to the American Institute of Electrical Engineers in which he described the way in which an electrical totalizator could be used in betting at racetracks.
Description
The inventor and electrical engineer Leith Johnston (1899-1987) gave an address to the American Institute of Electrical Engineers in which he described the way in which an electrical totalizator could be used in betting at racetracks. This undated illustrated pamphlet contains extracts from that talk. For a related object see 1990.0008.01.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Johnston & Murphy
ID Number
1990.0008.02
accession number
1990.0008
catalog number
1990.0008.02

Electromechanical Computer Component, ASSC Mark I, Relay

This is a component of BM Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC) Mark I computer.This ten-position electromechanical counter is held by two red plastic plates and a steel plate.Currently not on view
Description
This is a component of BM Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC) Mark I computer.This ten-position electromechanical counter is held by two red plastic plates and a steel plate.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1944
maker
IBM
Harvard University
ID Number
1993.3057.01
nonaccession number
1993.3057
catalog number
1993.3057.01

BASF Diskette

This BASF 5 1/4” 2S/2D (double sided/double density) floppy diskette was purchased for use on a Cromemco C-10 microcomputer.Currently not on view
Description
This BASF 5 1/4” 2S/2D (double sided/double density) floppy diskette was purchased for use on a Cromemco C-10 microcomputer.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
BASF
ID Number
2018.3055.02
nonaccession number
2018.3055
catalog number
2018.3055.02

Documentation, C-10 Personal Computer User Manual

This 216-page user manual for the Cromemco C-10 personal computer begins by congratulating the owner for their “excellent decision” in purchasing the computer. Chapter 1 describes the uses, flexibility, and reliability of the C-10 as well as the accomplishments of the company.
Description
This 216-page user manual for the Cromemco C-10 personal computer begins by congratulating the owner for their “excellent decision” in purchasing the computer. Chapter 1 describes the uses, flexibility, and reliability of the C-10 as well as the accomplishments of the company. The computer associated with this manual (reference 2018.0113.01) was used at Monroe High School in Monroe, Michigan from the mid-1980s-2009.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1984
maker
Cromemco Inc.
ID Number
2018.3055.01
nonaccession number
2018.3055
catalog number
2018.3055.01

Equal Bytes for Women

This button is part of a set of materials (much of it advertising ephemera) relating to computing donated to the Smithsonian for possible use its Information Age exhibition.
Description
This button is part of a set of materials (much of it advertising ephemera) relating to computing donated to the Smithsonian for possible use its Information Age exhibition. The red button reads: Equal Bytes For Women" and "Computerworld."
In 1979, the trade publication Computerworld held its first annual button contest. According to its January 28 1980 issue, one of the six winning slogans was "Equal Bytes for Women," submitted by one C. Barnard of Medicus Systems in Chicago, Illinois. Hence the rough date assigned to the object.
Reference:
Tom Hankel, "Button Contest Finds TV, Sex on DPers' Minds," Computerworld, vol. 14 issue 4, January 28, 1980, p. 12.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1980
maker
Computerworld
ID Number
1990.0407.04
catalog number
1990.0407.04
accession number
1990.0407

Facebook Family Stickers

This sheet of stickers includes the five application icons for the on-line social media applications Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Oculus and WhatsApp.
Description
This sheet of stickers includes the five application icons for the on-line social media applications Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Oculus and WhatsApp. In the lower right corner it reads "Facebook Family".
Facebook - the social media and networking service which launched in February 2004.
Instagram - the photo-sharing application for pictures and videos which launched in October 2010.
Messenger - the instant messaging service which launched in August 2011.
Oculus - the virtual reality software which launched in July 2012.
WhatsApp - the instant messaging service that allows sending of text messages, voice and video calls, images and documents over a cellular phone which launched in January 2009.
This and other objects in this acquisition were collected at the Joint Mathematics Meeting of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America held in January 2017.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2017
ID Number
2017.3121.02
nonaccession number
2017.3121
catalog number
2017.3121.02

Punch Card Probe

This cylindrical metal stainless steel rod is about 8" long and resembles a crochet hook. The metal is serrated along the middle part of the rod. One end is hooked, the other is flattened and U-shaped.
Description
This cylindrical metal stainless steel rod is about 8" long and resembles a crochet hook. The metal is serrated along the middle part of the rod. One end is hooked, the other is flattened and U-shaped. The donor worked with tabulating machines and then computer equipment from the 1940s into at least the 1960s.
Reportedly the hook was used to line up punched cards and the flattened end to complete holes that had not punched properly.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1950
1950, roughly
ID Number
2006.3088.01
nonaccession number
2006.3088
catalog number
2006.3088.01

IBM 749809 Punch Card, Employee's Statement of Earnings and Deductions, U.S. Naval Gun Factory

This punch card gives a statement of earnings and deductions for an employee of the U.S. Naval Gun Factory in Washington, D.C. in March of 1947. The card itself is not punched, although it lists a tag number, gross earnings, deductions, net pay, and the pay date.
Description
This punch card gives a statement of earnings and deductions for an employee of the U.S. Naval Gun Factory in Washington, D.C. in March of 1947. The card itself is not punched, although it lists a tag number, gross earnings, deductions, net pay, and the pay date. A mark on the card reads: EMPLOYEE' S STATEMENT OF EARNINGS AND DEDUCTIONS (/) U.S. NAVAL GUN FACTORY (/) WASHINGTON, D.C.
The object was collected from the files of departing curator David K. Allison. It's origin is unknown.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1947
1947
ca 1947
maker
IBM
ID Number
2015.3169.07
nonaccession number
2015.3169
catalog number
2015.3169.07

The Punched Card: Embodying Punched Card Operations in all types of Business and Industry

This paperback book has a yellow and turquoise cover. It was published in 1952 by the Punched Card Publishing Company of Detroit, Michigan.
Description
This paperback book has a yellow and turquoise cover. It was published in 1952 by the Punched Card Publishing Company of Detroit, Michigan. The punch card was an early means of date storage that could be read by computers or sorted and calculated by fields by specialized machines. By the 1950s the punched card had moved beyond merely recording census data, and was across the corporate landscape for billing, transportation schedules, libraries, payroll, and inventory management. This book served as a trade publication for the Punched Card Publishing Company, illustrating better business practices and new uses of punch cards and devices for reading them.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1952
ID Number
2013.3049.03
nonaccession number
2013.3049
catalog number
2013.3049.03

Remington Rand P-11782 Punch Card

This 90-column punch card has columns in two rows.
Description
This 90-column punch card has columns in two rows. Round punches indicate the letters from A through Z and the digits from 0 to 9 in the top row, and the digits 0 to 9 and letters A to Z in the bottom row.
Reference:
Sperry Rand Corporation, Glossary Systems Design and Programming Terminology, 1960, p. 5. This is 2015.3097.03. The card was received in this glossary.
date made
ca 1960
maker
Remington Rand Univac
ID Number
2015.3097.02
nonaccession number
2015.3097
catalog number
2015.3097.02

IBM Machine Load Computer Slide Rule

This plastic rectangular instrument calculated the time required for different types of IBM punched card equipment to process given numbers of cards. The black side is for accounting machines, sorters, and collators.
Description
This plastic rectangular instrument calculated the time required for different types of IBM punched card equipment to process given numbers of cards. The black side is for accounting machines, sorters, and collators. The white side is for card punches, verifiers, and auxiliary machines. These machines were in use from roughly 1953 through 1959. The white side is marked: IBM; International Business Machines Corp. (/) 590 Madison Ave. New York 22, N.Y. (/) Patent Applied For. It is also marked THINK and MADE IN U.S.A. An instruction card is provided. A tan envelope is marked: IBM (/) MACHINE LOAD COMPUTER (/) AND DESCRIPTIVE FOLDER (/) Form 20-8704-1. No patent record was located.
Benjamin S. Mulitz, the donor, worked with punched card equipment and then with computers from 1940 until 1985. He used both Remington Rand and IBM products. He was employed by the U.S. government and then in the wholesale drug industry.
Reference: accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1953-1959
maker
International Business Machines Corporation
ID Number
2006.0174.02
accession number
2006.0174
catalog number
2006.0174.02

Advertising Ephemera - American Statistical Association ASA Connect - Cloud Computing

In the twenty-first century, the delivery of computer services via the Internet, using computers independent of the user, is often known as “cloud computing.” Some professional associations have used cloud computing to provide a discussion center for members.
Description
In the twenty-first century, the delivery of computer services via the Internet, using computers independent of the user, is often known as “cloud computing.” Some professional associations have used cloud computing to provide a discussion center for members. This blue plastic giveaway is in the shape of a cloud. It advertises an online forum, the American Statistical Association's ASA Connect. A related paper sheet gives more information.
A mark on the front of the cloud reads: ASA Connect (/) community.amstat.org.
The materials were collected at the Joint Mathematics Meeting of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America in January 2015.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2015
maker
American Statistical Association
ID Number
2015.3169.01
nonaccession number
2015.3169
catalog number
2015.3169.01

Moore Business Forms Continuous Forms Planning Rule

This steel rule was used in the design of early computer printouts produced by dot matrix printers. The rule has a scale of 18" along one side, divided to 1/32" for the first two inches and then to 1/16".
Description
This steel rule was used in the design of early computer printouts produced by dot matrix printers. The rule has a scale of 18" along one side, divided to 1/32" for the first two inches and then to 1/16". Each inch division, up to 17, is labeled with a number of punch cards, starting with 140 cards at 1" and going up to 2,380 cards. A hole 3/16" in diameter is placed at each 1/4" and 3/4" mark up to 11-1/4" (23 holes total). These were used for setting pinfeed holes down the side of the forms for continuous feeding.
The center of the instrument has four holes 7/16" in diameter and four holes 5/8" in diameter. These are for designing holes to be punched in forms for filing. The front of the rule also has a scale of inches divided to 1/10", with subdivisions numbered from 1 to 130. This scale is a printer spacing chart, allowing the user to determine the space required for fields to be printed on the form, since each character required 1/10" of space. The rule is marked: MOORE BUSINESS FORMS, INC. Branches across the (/) United States & Canada. It is also marked at the right end: MADE IN U.S.A.
The back of the rule has a scale of inches divided to 1/12" along one edge. Along the other edge is a scale in units of 5/32" that is numbered from 1 to 100. A scale labeled "RG" has divisions the same size and is numbered from 1 to 45. This side is also marked: MOORE BUSINESS FORMS, INC. Branches across the (/) United States & Canada.
According to the donor, the 18"-size rule was considered more desirable than a 16" such as the example in the collections made by Graphic Technology (see 2006.0174.04). Fanfold paper such as that manufactured by Moore Business Forms was used from the mid-1950s into the 2000s, in association with both punched card equipment and computers.
Reference: "RR Donnelley Business Forms History," http://www.rrdonnelley.com/print-solutions/forms/history.aspx.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
mid 20th century
ID Number
2006.0174.03
catalog number
2006.0174.03
accession number
2006.0174

WebAssign Brochure

This double-sided football shaped advertisement is printed on heavy card stock. The obverse has a red, pale red, and white background designed to look like a laced football.
Description
This double-sided football shaped advertisement is printed on heavy card stock. The obverse has a red, pale red, and white background designed to look like a laced football. At the bottom in the center it reads “WebAssign®.” The reverse is white with black and red lettering that reads “Keep Your Students in the Game. Check out WebAssign’s Sports Question Bank of sports-theme math and statistics questions designed to increase student engagement. Available free for Web Assign users. This question bank is suitable for any algebra through precalculus course or introductory statistics course. webassign.com/sports.”
WebAssign is a customizable online instructional application that enables a teacher to deploy homework assignments, tests and practice problems. WebAssign materials focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) disciplines. Course content includes questions, exercises, problems, simulations, videos, tutorials, and digital versions of select textbooks. Topics available include Accounting, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Geoscience, Mathematics, Physical Science, Physics, Social Studies, and Statistics. It purportedly provides quick feedback--topics needing more review are easily determined by both teacher and student.
This web application permits teachers to use existing courses, create their own, and/or customize existing assignments by adding their own questions.
It includes options to promote academic honesty such as:
- Randomized question values - assigns a different value to each student’s question thus each student will have a different answer.
- Question pool - each student assigned a varied question set.
- Randomized question order - questions displayed in a different order.
- Question set changes - new set of questions used for each term.
- Password protection - set for assignments.
- Time limit - set for completion of work.
- Access restriction - only certain IP addresses allowed access.
- Application restriction - prevents access to any other applications while taking the test.
This and other objects in this acquisition were collected at the Joint Mathematics Meeting of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America held in January 2017.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2017
ID Number
2017.3121.04
nonaccession number
2017.3121
catalog number
2017.3121.04

Wang Rule

This two-sided WANG rule has spacing guides for horizontal and vertical measures. It was used in the 1980s by the museum’s Office of the Registrar to design typed forms (not computer printouts).The front of the rule has four different horizontal scale divisions.
Description
This two-sided WANG rule has spacing guides for horizontal and vertical measures. It was used in the 1980s by the museum’s Office of the Registrar to design typed forms (not computer printouts).
The front of the rule has four different horizontal scale divisions. Along the top edge are a 14 inch scale marked in 16ths and a 168 space scale marked 12 spaces to the inch. The bottom edge has a 140 space scale marked 10 spaces to the inch and a 210 space scale marked 15 spaces to the inch. The back has three vertical scale divisions. Along the top edge are a 110 space scale marked eight lines to the inch and a 350 mm scale. Along the bottom edge is an 84 space scale marked 6 lines to the inch.
The museum acquired a WANG minicomputer system in 1982 -- a VS80 with two 75mb hard drives (each one was about the size of a modern dishwasher) and 14 workstations. The minicomputer was used for word processing, email, and data entry. This particular rule was given away with the minicomputer but not used in designing computer printouts. Instead, in the 1980s the Office of the Registrar made an effort to design forms that could be completed on a typewriter. The designs had to be precisely spaced horizontally and vertically so that each line/field would accurately line up when using typewriter tab and/or carriage return keys. This rule was used to ensure that accuracy.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1982
ca 1980
maker
Wang Laboratories
ID Number
2017.0318.01
accession number
2017.0318
catalog number
2017.0318.01

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