Canada Science and Technology Museum
Transformation Series 17 (2009)
ISBN 978-0-660-19909-2
From the abstract: "This monograph focuses on one specific region, Canada, and
offers an in-depth analysis of the development of the computer
and information technologies from the unique Canadian
perspective. There are two dominant themes in this study:
the early origins of computing in this country, and the later
development of microcomputing. These themes correspond
to two critical periods in the Canadian history of high-technology, one characterized by actively pursuing the creation
of self-reliant computer and digital electronics industries, and
the other, by the explosion of technological and social activities
leading to the development of the personal computer and its
profound technological status and social acceptance.
This text summarizes a great deal of what is known about
the history of computing in Canada. However, it is by no
means a comprehensive document that covers all aspects of
computing and many important areas were left out from this
study, such as computer software and services, networking
and communication technologies, computer ethics, security,
and crime. They are themselves fully autonomous topics that
deserve their own independent studies."
The book has been co-authored with Scott Campbell.
Contents
Forward
Acknowledgements
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Prologue
1.2 Are Computers More Significant than Washing Machines?
1.3 Generations of Computers
1.4 Epilogue>
2 BUILDING the FIRST COMPUTERS in CANADA
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The Computation Centre and the UTEC at the University of Toronto
2.3 Special-purpose Computing
2.3.1 Ferranti Canada and DATAR
2.3.2 Computing Devices of Canada
2.4 Conclusion
3 THE GROWTH of COMPUTING in CANADA
3.1 Introduction
3.1.1 The Royal Commission
3.2 The Builders
3.2.1 Computing Devices of Canada and AECL
3.2.2 The DRTE Computer
3.2.3 The NRC Computer
3.2.4 Ferranti Canada
3.2.5 The University of Toronto and the ILLIAC II
3.2.6 Sperry Canada and the UMAC-5
3.2.7 Control Data Corporation and the Cyber 170
3.3 The Growth of Computer Use in Canada
3.3.1 Ferut and the St. Lawrence Seaway Backwater Calculations
3.3.2 The Computing and Data Processing Society of Canada
3.3.3 The First Survey of Canadian Computers, or, Why an IBM 650?
3.3.4 Early Patterns of Computer Use
3.3.5 Early Computer Services and Consulting
3.3.6 Computers in Academia and the Creation of Computer Science
3.4 Conclusion
4 MICROCOMPUTING in CANADA
4.1 Introduction
4.2 The Beginning of the Semiconductor Industry in Canada
4.3 Personal Computing in Canada, 1973–1985
4.3.1 Microcomputer Machines
4.3.2 Dynalogic Corporation
4.3.3 Commodore Business Machines
4.3.4 NABU Manufacturing Corporation
4.3.5 Other Canadian Microcomputer Manufacturers
4.4 Industrial Microcomputers
4.5 The Clones
4.6 Microcomputer Peripherals
4.7 The Computer Hobbyists’ Movement in Canada
4.8 Canadian Computer Hardware for the Hobbyists Market
4.9 Microcomputing and Education
4.9.1 Academic Computing: From Mainframes to Microcomputers
4.9.2 Microcomputers in Schools
4.10 Conclusion
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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ZBIGNIEW STACHNIAK
