Monthly Archives: May 2013

World Metrology Day

Today is World Metrology Day. This year’s theme is “Measurements in daily life.” Christopher Joseph says in his introduction to A Measure of Everything: “Measurement, in one form or another, is one of mankind’s oldest and most vital activities…. The earliest historical … Continue reading

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Moving Pictures by Phone

Today in 1924, AT&T demonstrated long distance telephotography, now known as fax, with the transmission of pictures over telephone wires between Cleveland and New York. Commercial service began in a handful of cities the following year. For many decades, telephotography … Continue reading

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First Patent Application for a Rotary Dial Telephone

Today in 1923, Antoine Barnay filed the first patent application for a rotary dial telephone in France. From The Aesthetic: The old phones have an aesthetic that new phones sorely lack. They ring, for one thing, with real bells. All that … Continue reading

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International Telegraph Union (ITU) Established

Today in 1865, the first International Telegraph Convention was signed in Paris by the 20 founding members, and the International Telegraph Union (ITU) was established to facilitate subsequent amendments to this initial agreement. Today, the ITU is the leading United Nations agency … Continue reading

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A Very Short History of Information Technology (IT)

If you were asked to name the top three events in the history of computer technology (or the history of what came to be known as the IT industry), which ones would you choose? Here’s my very short list: June … Continue reading

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First Regularly Scheduled U.S. Airmail Service

Today in 1918, the first regularly scheduled airmail service in the United States was inaugurated over a route between Washington, DC, and New York City with an intermediate stop in Philadelphia, PA. 

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Timeline of Information Access and Sharing (Infographic)

Source: Coveo  

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AIEE (IEEE) Established

Today in 1884, the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) was established in New York.  The small group of men participating in the first meeting, a cross section of the electrical experts of the era, were responding to Nathaniel S. Keith’s call to organize … Continue reading

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Before the Internet

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The Dvorak Keyboard: Network Effect or Market Efficiency?

Today in 1936, U.S. patent No. 2,040,248 was issued to August Dvorak and William Dealey for their keyboard layout design, later to be commonly known as the Dvorak keyboard.  Wikipedia: “A discussion of the Dvorak layout is sometimes used as an … Continue reading

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