[Noisebridge-discuss] IBM Stretch: The forgotten computer that sparked a revolution

Kristian Erik Hermansen kristian.hermansen at gmail.com
Thu Sep 11 23:14:40 UTC 2008


Don't know if any of you are interested in this.  I used to work for
IBM (that's how I got this email), but the Stretch was long before my
time ;-P  Maybe some of you might like to attend.  Regards...


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: greaterIBM <gibm at us.ibm.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 8:24 AM
Subject: The Greater IBM Connection... And "Stretch" IBM Stretch ? the
forgotten computer that sparked a revolution
To: GIBMersCA%IBMUS at us.ibm.com



Hello,

Step into a little known but critical part of computing history on
September 11, when IBM relives one of the most remarkable chapters in
the evolution of modern computing. Steve Lohr, technology writer for
The New York Times, will moderate a discussion with some of the
pioneers who worked on the "IBM Stretch" program for the government's
Los Alamos lab.

Stretch – which was introduced commercially as the 7030 -- was the
fastest computer ever built  and redefined what computers could do in
the early 1960s. It was an audacious gamble to build what then IBM
Chairman Tom Watson said should be "100 times faster than the most
advanced computer working today."

While it fell short of the goal, the Stretch computer was 30 to 40
times faster than other systems and contained many fundamental
innovations, such as computer multitasking, that were used in the
System/360 and are still with us today in devices ranging from laptops
to cellphones.

When:  Thursday, September 11 at 7 p.m. (member reception at 6 p.m.)

Where: Computer History Museum
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA 94043

Who's invited: Anyone interested in the history of computing

Cost: Free (donations accepted) – but registration is required, as
seating is limited. (note: if you registered for this event through
the Computer History Museum, you do not need to register again)

Registration: If the above registration link doesn't work, you can cut
and paste the following URL into your browser:

https://dnbweb1.blackbaud.com/OPXREPHIL/EventDetail.asp?cguid=8AABA752%2DB39A%2D47DB%2D9659%2D352C14D5E740&eid=17816

For more information: Call (650) 810-1005 or visit the Web site at
www.computerhistory.org

Panelists:

Fran Allen, IBM, former Research staff member for Stretch

Fred Brooks, former advisory system planner for Stretch

Harwood Kolsky, former member of the Stretch product planning team

About the museum:
The Computer History Museum has been preserving and celebrating
computing history for 29 years and is home to the largest
international collection of computing artifacts in the world. Exhibits
include computer hardware, software, documentation, ephemera,
photographs, and moving images. Current exhibits include "Charles
Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2," "Mastering the game: a history of
computer chess," "Innovation in the (Silicon) Valley," and "Visible
Storage Gallery."

The Greater IBM Connection Team


-- 
Kristian Erik Hermansen



More information about the Noisebridge-discuss mailing list