Computers & Business Machines
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
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The Guardian IMY2KC Baseball Cap
- Description
- In the early days of electronic computers, memory was not as efficient or inexpensive as it is today. To save memory space, programs stored as few digits as possible for dates. In COBOL, for instance, January 1, 1999, was stored as 010199. As Year 2000, or Y2K for short, approached, it became apparent that there might be serious problems because many large-scale systems were based on older programs. Simply, the problem with storing only two digits for the year is that a year written as “00” might be read by a computer as the year 1900 instead of the year 2000. If left unfixed, computer hardware, software, and communications worldwide could have malfunctioned. The impact of the “Millennium Bug” might have been catastrophic because the use of computers and networks has become integral to our lives: banking, communications, transportation, medicine, and even cooking is rarely done without some kind of computerized assistance.
- To fix this potential problem, governments and businesses began operations in the 1990s to make sure all necessary computer systems had been checked or converted to new systems to minimize loss of services. The Guardian Life Insurance Company is an example of a large business that needed to fix their systems. The company's Y2K Project Team analyzed over 20 million lines of code and over 17 thousand computer programs and verified that all of their systems were in compliance and ready to go by December 31, 1999. To approach their goals, the Y2K Project Team distributed these baseball caps to internal departments as their systems were confirmed Y2K-compliant. This worked to foster healthy internal competition and cooperation at Guardian and helped the team complete its task. The embroidered letters on the front of each cap read “IMY2KC,” which stands for “I am Y2K Complaint.” The embroidered letters on the back of the cap read “RU,” which stands for “Are you?”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1999
- maker
- Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
- ID Number
- 2004.3020.01
- nonaccession number
- 2004.3020
- catalog number
- 2004.3020.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Button, Advertising
- Description
- This circular button has a white background with black text that reads: "TERMINATE YOUR SNEAKER NET WITH INTO". In the center of a red circle with a diagonal red line is the black outline image of sneaker. A mark in black ink on the reverse reads: "FOSE '89."
- Sneakernet is computer jargon for the method of moving electronic data by personally carrying it from one place to another on removable media such as floppy disk, compact disk, flash drive, etc. The term was coined in the early days of computing before networks were common.
- References:
- [Last accessed 2019-07-18]
- "Networking For Dummies," Lowe, Doug, 2016.
- https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/51585/sneakernet
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1989
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.622
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.622
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, Advertising, Access Technology
- Description
- This circular button has a white background with a red circle that has a red diagonal line through it. Along the top edge of the circle in white text it reads: "NO SNEAKERNET," and along the bottom edge in black text it reads: "ForComment Document Review Software." In the center of the circle is a gray image of sneakers. Along the bottom edge of the button in black text it reads: " by Access Technology." A mark in red ink on the reverse reads: "PC EXPO NY '91."
- Sneakernet is computer jargon for the method of moving electronic data by personally carrying it from one place to another on removable media such as floppy disk, compact disk, flash drive, etc. The term was coined in the early days of computing before networks were common.
- References:
- [Last accessed 2019-07-18]
- https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/51585/sneakernet
- https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/sneakernet
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1991
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.623
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.623
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, Advertising
- Description
- This square button has a background that is an image of a computer monitor with a blue screen. In white text on the screen it reads: "SNEAKERS We'd tell you about it, but then we'd have to kill you." A mark in black ink on the reverse reads: "PC EXPO NY 6/92."
- Sneakernet is computer jargon for the method of moving electronic data by personally carrying it from one place to another on removable media such as floppy disk, compact disk, flash drive, etc. The term was coined in the early days of computing before networks were common.
- References:
- [Last accessed 2019-07-18]
- https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/51585/sneakernet
- https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/sneakernet
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1992
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.624
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.624
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Button, Advertising, Hayes Microcomputer Products
- Description
- This circular button has a bright blue background with white text that reads: 'I Have "ESP".' Beneath the text in white is the Hayes company logo. A mark in black ink on the reverse reads: "Comdex 6/90."
- The Hayes modem was the first one created for personal computers. Dale Heatherington and Dennis C. Hayes designed their modem board in 1977 and assembled it on Hayes' dining room table. The partners formed D.C. Hayes Associates in 1978 and renamed it in 1980 as Hayes Microcomputer Products. During the 1980s and 1990s the Hayes modem was a top-of-the-line modem with a reputation for high compatibility and reliability. In 1999 the company exited bankruptcy, liquidated assets, and sold the brand name to Zoom Technologies.
- References:
- [Last accessed 2019-07-18]
- "InfoWorld," October 23, 1989, p81. [Product review of the Hayes V-Series Smartmodem 2400.]
- https://www.networkworld.com/article/2869386/modems--60-years-of-hooking-up.html#slide5
- https://history-computer.com/ModernComputer/Basis/modem.html
- https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/07/news/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-modem-king.html
- https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jan-07-fi-61071-story.html
- http://www.s100computers.com/Hardware%20Folder/DC%20Hayes/History/History.htm
- http://www.hayesmicro.com
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1990
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.625
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.625
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Button, Advertising, Hayes Microcomputer Products
- Description
- This circular button has a black background with white dots that resembles the night sky. In blue text it reads: "The Right Stuff." A pink comet streaks through the 'g' of the word 'Right.' At the bottom next to the Hayes company logo is white text that reads: "Hayes." A mark in black ink on the reverse reads: "Comdex L.V. 11/92."
- The Hayes modem was the first one created for personal computers. Dale Heatherington and Dennis C. Hayes designed their modem board in 1977 and assembled it on Hayes' dining room table. The partners formed D.C. Hayes Associates in 1978 and renamed it in 1980 as Hayes Microcomputer Products. During the 1980s and 1990s the Hayes modem was a top-of-the-line modem with a reputation for high compatibility and reliability. In 1999 the company exited bankruptcy, liquidated assets, and sold the brand name to Zoom Technologies.
- References:
- [Last accessed 2019-07-18]
- "InfoWorld," October 23, 1989, p81. [Product review of the Hayes V-Series Smartmodem 2400.]
- https://www.networkworld.com/article/2869386/modems--60-years-of-hooking-up.html#slide5
- https://history-computer.com/ModernComputer/Basis/modem.html
- https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/07/news/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-modem-king.html
- https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jan-07-fi-61071-story.html
- http://www.s100computers.com/Hardware%20Folder/DC%20Hayes/History/History.htm
- http://www.hayesmicro.com
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1992
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.626
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.626
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, Advertising, Ziff-Davis
- Description
- This rectangular button has a white border and a red background with thin white stripes. In white text it reads: "ZIFF-DAVIS ZD PRESS."
- Ziff Davis is the publisher of PC Magazine. For over 35 years the magazine has provided technology news including independent laboratory-based product reviews.
- References:
- [Last accessed 2019-07-18]
- https://www.ziffdavis.com
- https://www.facebook.com/pg/ziffdavisllc/about/?ref=page_internal
- https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=650985
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.627
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.627
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, Advertising, Ziff-Davis
- Description
- This rectangular button has a white background with a thin red border. Inside the border in red text it reads: "ASK ME" and in black text "HOW COMPUTERS WORK." Below the text is an image of computer with the left side cut away to show the internal workings. In the lower left is a red and white "Ziff-Davis" logo. A mark in black ink on the reverse reads: "CDX L.V. 11/92."
- Ziff Davis is the publisher of PC Magazine. For over 35 years the magazine has provided technology news including independent laboratory-based product reviews.
- References:
- [Last accessed 2019-07-18]
- https://www.ziffdavis.com
- https://www.facebook.com/pg/ziffdavisllc/about/?ref=page_internal
- https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=650985
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1992
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.628
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.628
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, Advertising, International Data Group (IDG)
- Description
- This circular button has a yellow background with black text along the top edge that reads: "America Loves. In the center is a hand holding a sign that reads "FOR DUMMIES." Below the sign in black text it reads: "COMPUTER BOOK SERIES FROM IDG". A mark in red ink on the reverse reads: "Win-OS/2 Conf. 8/19?/92."
- International Data Group (IDG) publishes the "for Dummies" series of books. The first book was "DOS for Dummies" published in 1991. The series expanded beyond technology subjects and by 1998 they had over 350 titles. The books are easily identified by the format of their black and yellow covers.
- References:
- [Last accessed 2019-07-24]
- http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/idg-books-worldwide-inc-history/
- https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/1999/03/15/smallb2.html
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1992
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.629
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.629
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, Advertising, Federal Express (FedEx)
- Description
- This circular button has a purple background with white text that reads: "DON'T PANIC! FEDERAL EXPRESS."
- Federal Express, now known as FedEx, is a package delivery company that was founded in 1973. On their first day, the 389 employees and 14 planes delivered 186 packages to 25 east coast US cities. Today, they have over 650 aircraft, thousands of trucks, 300,000 employees, and they deliver 3.6 million packages daily to more than 220 countries and territories.
- References: [Last accessed 2019-07-24]
- https://about.van.fedex.com/our-story/history-timeline/history/
- http://www.fedex.com/cv/about/company-info/40th-anniversary.html
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.630
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.630
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, Advertising, Federal Express (FedEx)
- Description
- This circular button has an orange-red background with white text that reads: "DON'T PANIC! FEDERAL EXPRESS." A mark in black ink on the reverse reads: "Comdex 6/90."
- Federal Express, now known as FedEx, is a package delivery company that was founded in 1973. On their first day, the 389 employees and 14 planes delivered 186 packages to 25 east coast US cities. Today, they have over 650 aircraft, thousands of trucks, 300,000 employees, and they deliver 3.6 million packages daily to more than 220 countries and territories.
- References: [Last accessed 2019-07-24]
- https://about.van.fedex.com/our-story/history-timeline/history/
- http://www.fedex.com/cv/about/company-info/40th-anniversary.html
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1990
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.631
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.631
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, Sound by Integrated Circuit Systems
- Description
- This circular button has a white background with a teal image of computer and teal text reading: Sound by Integrated Circuit Systems. A red speech balloon outlined with red text reads: I WAS THE TALK OF COMDEX '93. The reverse reads: "Comdex '93 L.V." in black permanent ink.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1993
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.632
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.632
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, COMDEX PROGRAM & EXHIBITS GUIDE
- Description
- This circular computer button has a white background. A blue horizontal stripe with white text reads: COMDEX PROGRAM & EXHIBITS GUIDE. Black text on white background above and below stripe reads: "I READ MY" and "TODAY" respectively.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.633
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.633
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
HP Button, COMDEX 1992
- Description
- This square button is designed in style of Piet Mondrian, with squares and rectangles of varying sizes in white, black, yellow, blue and red. A large red section in the lower right-hand corner has black text that reads: COMDEX . A yellow rectangle set within the red section with black text reads: CHICAGO.A white rectangle within a red section with black text reads vertically: 1992. A white rectangle in the upper right-hand corner with blue a HP logo and black text reads: HEWLETT PACKARD. A blue rectangle with white text reads vertically: POWERFUL. A white rectangle with black text reads: RELIABLE. A yellow rectangle with black text reads vertically: Friendly. A red section with black text reads curved: INNOVATIVE. White text on alternating blue and black rectangles reads: HP AND ME. A mark on the reverse reads "CDX 4/92" in green ink.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1992
- maker
- Hewlett-Packard Company
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.634
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.634
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, WordStar 5.5
- Description
- This circular button has a purple background and white text that reads: Keep your hands where they belong. WORDSTAR 5.5. The reverse reads "Comdex 9/89" in black permanent ink.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1989
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.635
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.635
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, WordStar 5.5
- Description
- This square button has a white background with an image of yellow hand pressing purple computer keys. The square red "5.5" logo has black and white squares beneath. Black text on background reads: WORDSTAR. The reverse reads: PC Expo NY 6/89.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1989
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.636
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.636
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Ziff Net Button, All about computing. . .on-line
- Description
- This circular button has a black background with white text reading: Ziff NET. All about computing... on-line.The dot of the "i" in "Ziff" is red and a white lineextends between "Ziff" and "NET" between two red dots. The reverse reads: "CDX '91" in black permanent ink.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1991
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.637
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.637
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Ziff Net Button, All about computing. . . on-line
- Description
- This circular button has a red background with black text reading: Ziff NET. All about computing... on-line. A white line goes between "Ziff" and "NET" from dot of "i" in "Ziff" to dot after "NET". The reverse reads: "CDX 4/92" in black permanent ink.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1992
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.638
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.638
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, Ziff NET All about Macintosh computing . . .on-line
- Description
- This circular button has a green background with black text reading: Ziff NET All about Macintosh computing... on-line. A black line runs from purple dot of "i" in "Ziff" to purple circle with white text reading: "Mac". The reverse reads in black permanent ink: Mac World 1/92.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c 1992
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.639
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.639
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Button, SCSI EXPRESS
- Description
- This round button has a black background with red text reading: SCSI EXPRESS.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2009.3071.640
- catalog number
- 2009.3071.640
- nonaccession number
- 2009.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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