Telling Our StoryTelling Our Story

David Wise David Wise

Richard SnodgrassRichard Snodgrass

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 2

We don’t know our We don’t know our history.history.

What was the impetus for the 18 What was the impetus for the 18 transactions and 8 journals?transactions and 8 journals?

What was the genesis of the 24 What was the genesis of the 24 SIGs? What was the arc of those SIGs? What was the arc of those that no longer exist?that no longer exist?

Where did early and middle Where did early and middle leaders see the field going? In leaders see the field going? In what ways were they prescient and what ways were they prescient and in what ways were they mistaken?in what ways were they mistaken?

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 3

The history of ACM is The history of ACM is important.important.

ACM, as the first society of ACM, as the first society of computing, should not only computing, should not only contribute to the future of contribute to the future of information technology, but should information technology, but should document its past.document its past.

What does the last fifty years of What does the last fifty years of ACM tell us about the next ten ACM tell us about the next ten years, the next fifty years, both of years, the next fifty years, both of ACM and of computing in general?ACM and of computing in general?

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 4

We are losing our past.We are losing our past.

There are ACM conferences for There are ACM conferences for which no printed proceedings can which no printed proceedings can be located.be located.

In the past year, four Turing Award In the past year, four Turing Award winners have died.winners have died.

Few of those present at the Few of those present at the founding of ACM are still with us.founding of ACM are still with us.

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 5

ContextContext

Much written on the general topic of Much written on the general topic of the History of Computing.the History of Computing.

Several short articles on the history Several short articles on the history of ACM have been published.of ACM have been published.

Most other societies have published Most other societies have published books on their institutional histories.books on their institutional histories.

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 9

ProposalProposal

ACM should undertake a comprehensive, coordinated effort to document ACM’s history, culminating in the announcement at the 2005 ACM Awards Dinner, of a number of significant collections that utilize information technology to celebrate the emergence and growth of this First Society of Computing.

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 10

TopicsTopics

WhatWhat

WhyWhy

HowHow

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 11

ACM: The First Fifty YearsACM: The First Fifty Years

A coffee-table-style bookA coffee-table-style book

Offering for the first time the Offering for the first time the origins and evolution of ACM from origins and evolution of ACM from 19451945

Containing pictures, history, and Containing pictures, history, and interviewsinterviews

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 12

A Scholarly History of ACMA Scholarly History of ACM

Drawn from the same sources, but for Drawn from the same sources, but for a different audience: historians of a different audience: historians of science, volunteer and staff leadersscience, volunteer and staff leaders

How has ACM addressed the How has ACM addressed the challenges that have confronted it?challenges that have confronted it?

What can be learned about what has What can be learned about what has worked and what hasn’t worked?worked and what hasn’t worked?

Perhaps published on-demand.Perhaps published on-demand.

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 13

The ACM Historical ArchiveThe ACM Historical Archive

A multi-media web site, containingA multi-media web site, containing– Digitized source documentsDigitized source documents– StatisticsStatistics– InterviewsInterviews– Photographs and videosPhotographs and videos– Integrated with an extension of the ACM Integrated with an extension of the ACM

Timeline of Computing Timeline of Computing ((www1.acm.org/top/tlwww1.acm.org/top/tl))

Covering the full scope of ACM, including Covering the full scope of ACM, including boards, publications, SIGsboards, publications, SIGs

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 14

Turing Award ArchiveTuring Award Archive

A web site celebrating the “Nobel Prize of A web site celebrating the “Nobel Prize of Computing”Computing”

Interviews, biographies, remembrances Interviews, biographies, remembrances of every Turing Award winnerof every Turing Award winner

A digital version of every single A digital version of every single document written by these illustrious document written by these illustrious pioneerspioneers

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 15

Turing Award Lectures: Turing Award Lectures: The Second Twenty Years 1986-The Second Twenty Years 1986-

20052005 A successor to “Turing Award A successor to “Turing Award

Lectures: The First Twenty Years Lectures: The First Twenty Years 1966-1985”1966-1985”

A supplement to the web siteA supplement to the web site

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 16

Historical DVD-ROMHistorical DVD-ROM

Includes the Turing Award web siteIncludes the Turing Award web site

Includes the ACM Historical ArchiveIncludes the ACM Historical Archive

Bundled with the booksBundled with the books

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 17

Collections, in reviewCollections, in review

ACM: The First Fifty YearsACM: The First Fifty Years A History of the ACM, 1945-1995A History of the ACM, 1945-1995 Turing Award Lectures: The Second Turing Award Lectures: The Second

Twenty YearsTwenty Years ACM Historical Archives web siteACM Historical Archives web site ACM Turing Award web siteACM Turing Award web site ACM Historical DVDACM Historical DVD

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 18

Why?Why?

We need to tell our story, of how the We need to tell our story, of how the ACM originated, grew, and prospered.ACM originated, grew, and prospered.

We are losing our past, and thus the We are losing our past, and thus the story itself.story itself.

The collections will celebrate the The collections will celebrate the trials and accomplishments of this trials and accomplishments of this First Society of Computing. First Society of Computing.

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 19

How: Realizing this VisionHow: Realizing this Vision

As with other efforts within ACM, if As with other efforts within ACM, if we are going to do this, we need to we are going to do this, we need to do it well.do it well.– Solid scholarshipSolid scholarship– Comprehensive coverage, involving Comprehensive coverage, involving

all components and constituencies of all components and constituencies of ACMACM

– Quality executionQuality execution– Marshalling our extensive and varied Marshalling our extensive and varied

resourcesresources

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 20

ACM EC and CouncilACM EC and Council

Decide whether or not to embark on Decide whether or not to embark on this visionthis vision

Appoint a blue-ribbon Advisory Appoint a blue-ribbon Advisory BoardBoard

» Senior historians of science and Senior historians of science and technologytechnology

» EC/Council representativeEC/Council representative» Staff representative (John or Pat?)Staff representative (John or Pat?)» SGB representative (Someone from SGB SGB representative (Someone from SGB

EC?)EC?)» Possibly a Board representativePossibly a Board representative

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 21

ACM EC and Council, cont.ACM EC and Council, cont.

Coordinate efforts across the Coordinate efforts across the Association to collect and interpret Association to collect and interpret historical artifactshistorical artifacts– StaffStaff– Prior Council activityPrior Council activity– BoardsBoards– SGBSGB

Budget/locate sufficient financial Budget/locate sufficient financial resourcesresources

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 22

TasksTasks

Each Board could research its history, Each Board could research its history, contributing to the Historical Archive.contributing to the Historical Archive.

The SGB could assemble the history of The SGB could assemble the history of each SIG and be responsible for the each SIG and be responsible for the Turing Award Archive.Turing Award Archive.

The Publications Board could be The Publications Board could be responsible for overseeing the “Turing responsible for overseeing the “Turing Award next 20 years” book and working Award next 20 years” book and working with EiCs to document the history of with EiCs to document the history of each publication.each publication.

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 23

Tasks, cont.Tasks, cont.

Staff could help locate historical Staff could help locate historical documents.documents.

The DVD would be a natural The DVD would be a natural adjunct to the Historical Archive adjunct to the Historical Archive and Turing Award Archive.and Turing Award Archive.

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 24

First 50 Years BookFirst 50 Years Book

Written by a professional historian, Written by a professional historian, probably under commissionprobably under commission

This consultant wouldThis consultant would– Interview core people (e.g., past Interview core people (e.g., past

Presidents and CEOs)Presidents and CEOs)– Coordinate other interviewsCoordinate other interviews– Direct the collection of informationDirect the collection of information– Design the overall structure of the Design the overall structure of the

Historical ArchiveHistorical Archive

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 25

A History of ACMA History of ACM

Scholarly bookScholarly book Written from same materialsWritten from same materials Probably also by the consultantProbably also by the consultant Of interest more to volunteers, Of interest more to volunteers,

staff, and other historiansstaff, and other historians

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 26

BudgetBudget

Depends on the scope of the projectDepends on the scope of the project

Board, journal, and SIG histories Board, journal, and SIG histories could be written and edited by those could be written and edited by those involved.involved.

Propose that Turing Award Archive Propose that Turing Award Archive be handled by SGB.be handled by SGB.

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 27

Budget, cont.Budget, cont.

Big cost is hiring a qualified Big cost is hiring a qualified historian to oversee the project, do historian to oversee the project, do the primary interviews, and write the primary interviews, and write the books.the books.

For a 2-3 year effort, based on past For a 2-3 year effort, based on past efforts of a similar magnitude, a efforts of a similar magnitude, a maximum generous estimate is maximum generous estimate is $200K plus $40K in expenses.$200K plus $40K in expenses.

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 28

SummarySummary

We need to tell our story.We need to tell our story. We are losing our history.We are losing our history. Some tasks require substantial Some tasks require substantial

volunteer effort.volunteer effort. Involving a professional historian is Involving a professional historian is

expensive but helps ensure expensive but helps ensure quality.quality.

Resulting collections celebrate Resulting collections celebrate ACM and its accomplishments.ACM and its accomplishments.

September 19, 2003

ACM Council 29

ACM, as the First Society of ACM, as the First Society of Computing, should not only Computing, should not only contribute to the future of contribute to the future of information technology, but should information technology, but should document its past, using that document its past, using that technology.technology.

Let’s tell the story of ACM.Let’s tell the story of ACM.