Monthly Archives: August 2013

How Librarians Reacted and Adapted to Google

Posted on August 13, 2013 by GilPress

Librarians went through four stages on the way to embracing the internet, say researchers. The four-step transition begins with librarians “dismissing the technology as something that wasn’t going to spread and be widely used,” says Andrew J. Nelson, professor of management … Continue reading →

Posted in Google, Internet, Libraries, Search | Leave a comment

The PC Era Launched

Posted on August 12, 2013 by GilPress

Today in 1981, IBM announced the IBM Personal Computer, model 5150. The PC featured a 4.77MHz Intel 8088 CPU containing 29,000 transistors, 16KB RAM (64KB standard, expandable to 256KB), 40KB ROM, one or two Tandon brand 5.25-inch floppy drives (160KB capacity), a mono … Continue reading →

Posted in Computer history, PCs, This day in information, Tipping points | 1 Comment

Why We Like Lists?

Posted on August 11, 2013 by GilPress

From Spiegel Interview with Umberto Eco Eco: At first, we think that a list is primitive and typical of very early cultures, which had no exact concept of the universe and were therefore limited to listing the characteristics they could name. But, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, classification, information organization, Knowledge compilations, Quotes, Taxonomy | Leave a comment

Len Kleinrock on Inventing the Theory of the Internet (Video)

Posted on August 9, 2013 by GilPress

See also Theory of the Internet Born and The Internet Goes Live

Posted in Computer history, Computer Networks, Internet | Leave a comment

Copies, Copies Everywhere

Posted on August 8, 2013 by GilPress

Today in 1876, Thomas Edison received a patent for a “method of preparing autographic stencils for printing.” The term “mimeograph” to describe this duplicating machine was first used by Albert Blake Dick when he licensed Edison’s patents in 1887. Hillel Schwartz in The Culture … Continue reading →

Posted in Data growth, Digitization, Paper, This day in information | Leave a comment

Milestones in Computing History

Posted on August 7, 2013 by GilPress

Today in 1946, the Subcommittee on Large-Scale Computing Devices (LCD) of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) was formed, evolving in 1963 into the IEEE, and by 2010, serving more than 395,000 members in 160 countries. Also today, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Artificial Intelligence, Computer history | Leave a comment

What Hath Tim Berners-Lee Wrought

Posted on August 6, 2013 by GilPress

Today in 1991, Tim Berners-Lee posted files to alt.hypertext, making the WorldWideWeb available to the Internet community. Berners-Lee message said, in part: “The WorldWideWeb (WWW) project aims to allow links to be made to any information anywhere… The WWW project … Continue reading →