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Category Archives: This day in information
Race Against the Machine Watch
Today in 1811, the first Luddite attack in which knitting frames were actually smashed occurred in the Nottinghamshire village of Arnold. Kevin Binfield in Writings of the Luddites: “The grievances consisted, first, of the use of wide stocking frames to produce … Continue reading
Automated Telephone Switching
Today in 1891, Almon Brown Strowger was issued a patent for his electromechanical switch to automate telephone exchanges. Steven Lubar in InfoCulture: “…a Kansas City undertaker, Strowger had a good practical reason for inventing the automatic switchboard. Legend has it that his … Continue reading
Posted in AT&T, Automation, Bell Labs, Telephone, This day in information
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First Photo Studio
Today in 1840, Alexander S. Wolcott and John Johnson opened the first commercial photography studio in New York. Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine described Wolcott as having “nearly revolutionized the whole process of Daguerre… [who] as is well known, could not succeed in taking … Continue reading
The Rights of Photographs
Today in 1865, photographs and photographic negatives were added to protected works under U.S. copyright law.
Posted in Law, Photography, This day in information
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Birth of The Optical Telegraph
Today in 1791, at 11 A.M., the Chappe brothers sent the message “si vous réussissez, vous serez bientôt couverts de gloire” (if you succeed, you will soon bask in glory) between Brulon and Parce, a distance of ten miles, over their … Continue reading
Posted in Social Impact, Telegraph, This day in information
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First U.S. Census and the Census of Occupations
Today in 1790 Congress passed the Census Act of 1790 and President George Washington signed the law, which authorized the collection of population data by U.S. Marshals. Although the act included the specific inquiries marshals asked at each home they visited, they did not … Continue reading
Magnetic Core Memory Patented
Today in 1956, Jay Forrester of MIT was awarded a patent for his magnetic core memory. It became the standard for computer memory until it was supplanted by solid state RAM in the mid-seventies. It has continued to be used, … Continue reading
Posted in Computer history, Memory, This day in information
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Lord Byron and the Luddites
Today in 1812, Lord Byron gave his first address as a member of the House of Lords, in a parliamentary debate on the Frame Breaking Act. Byron told his peers: “During the short time I recently passed in Nottingham, not twelve … Continue reading
The Encyclopedia of Life Launched
Today in 2008, the Encyclopedia of Life was launched. From the Website: “The Encyclopedia will be an online reference and database on all 1.9 million species currently known to science and will stay current by capturing information on newly discovered and formally described … Continue reading
Inventing New Media
Today in 1607, the first performance of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo took place in the ducal palace in Mantua, before the members of the Accademia degli Invaghiti. Silke Leopold writes in his notes to John Eliot Gardiner’s recording (Archiv) of the opera: “It appears paradoxical … Continue reading
Posted in music, This day in information, Twitter
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The Story of Information 