The Department of Computer Science, in conjunction with the Distinguished Visitors Program, presents two talks by

Tim Bergin Professor Emeritus at American University Former Director of The Computing History Museum

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From Weaving Silks to Weaving Numbers!

This talk will explore the seminal ideas behind the modern computer.  In 1804, Joseph Marie Jacquard designed an automated weaving mechanism that clothed the world.  In 1821, Charles Babbage devised a machine to do arithmetic - which had been the sole province of men.  In the 1840s, Ada Lovelace explained how a machine could be programmed to weave numbers into patterns of information.  And, in 1890, Herman Hollerith's machines irrevocably altered the process of governance throughout the world  This talk will weave these 19th century ideas into the fabric of the electronic digital computer.

This talk will explore the major generations of computer hardware, examine the contributions of Maurice Wilkes, Douglas Englebart and J.C.R. Licklider, and end with a discussion of the information appliances which power our modern world.  The discussion will highlight the mainframe, mini-computer and microcomputer eras and discuss the ground-breaking research at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center which contributed to the creation of the Apple Macintosh as the prototypical information appliance.