Abstract
Since 2009 we have been trying to find out more about the beginnings of computer science in Switzerland and abroad. Most eyewitnesses have already died or are over 80 years old. In general, early analog and digital computers have been dismantled long ago. Subject to exceptions, the few remaining devices are no longer functioning. Many documents have gone lost. Therefore investigations are difficult and very time-consuming. However, we were able to discover several unknown historical computers and hundreds of exciting documents of the 1950s. In 2012, the results have been published in a first book; a second volume will be forthcoming next year.
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Protocols of the ETH council, http://www.sr.ethbib.ethz.ch/digbib/home
Bruderer, H.: Konrad Zuse und die Schweiz. Wer hat den Computer erfunden? (Konrad Zuse and Switzerland. Who invented the computer?), 250 pages. Oldenbourg-Wissenschaftsverlag, Munich (2012) (with eyewitness reports and a worldwide bibliography of over 500 publications)
Bruderer, H.: Wer hat den Computer erfunden? Frühgeschichte der Informatik: USA, England, Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz. Mit mehreren Zeitzeugenberichten. Bibliografie zur Informatikgeschichte mit über 1200 Einträgen, Munich/Berlin (2014) (Who invented the computer? Early history of computing: USA, England, Germany, Austria, Switzerland. With several eyewitness reports. Bibliography on the history of computing with over 1200 publications)
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Bruderer, H. (2013). Discovery of Two Historical Computers in Switzerland: Zuse Machine M9 and Contraves Cora and Discovery of Unknown Documents on the Early History of Computing at the ETH Archives. In: Tatnall, A., Blyth, T., Johnson, R. (eds) Making the History of Computing Relevant. HC 2013. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, vol 416. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41650-7_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41650-7_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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