| 1. |
- Klein, Kajsa, 1973-
(author)
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Integritetsdebatten åren kring 1984 : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Tekniska museet iStockholm den 30 november 2007
- 2008
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The witness seminar ”Integritetsdebatten åren kring 1984” [The Privacy Debate Around 1984] was held at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Stockholm on 30 November 2007. The seminar was moderated by Lars Ilshammar and Kajsa Klein. A main focus of the discussion was if and how George Orwell’s book influenced the Swedish privacy debate in the mid 80s. Most panellists agreed that 1984 had had limited importance in the Swedish context and that Orwell’s major achievement was to formulate a one-liner. Several other fictional accounts were brought up as comparison. Also clear from the discussion was that in Sweden, the privacy debate had ever since the late 1960s had both left- and rightwing dimensions. There were thus Marxist, as well as conservative arguments, about how computers were used by financial elite and the authorities to control the people. Generally speaking, however, the mid 80s were characterized by a move towards greater individualism and more widespread computer use. Emphasis in the discussion was put on the different actors and it was agreed that an important driving force behind the privacy debate was the Swedish Data Inspection Board, headed by the PR savvy director Jan Freese. Different examples were given of actions taken (and not taken) by this institution and also of internal conflicts within the board. The labor movement was on the other hand relatively silent and compared to its counterparts in other countries positive to computer use. Finally, a central theme during the seminar discussion was also the great controversy surrounding the sociological research project Metropolitan “revealed” in 1986. The role of the news media as investigator and scandalizer in this case was examined and debated. Two of the seminar participants were part of the Metropolitan cohort and presented their differing views about this project. While there was still disagreement about to what extent the project had been invasive and concealed, it was nevertheless concluded that especially the tabloids Aftonbladet and Expressen were responsible for exaggerations and fear-mongering in their reporting. In addition, the role of the Swedish Data Inspection Board was again discussed.
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| 2. |
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Datacentralerna för högre utbildning och forskning : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Tekniska museet i Stockholm den 27 mars 2008
- 2008
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Editorial collection (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The witness seminar ”Datacentralerna för högre utbildning och forskning” [The Data Processing Centres for Higher Education and Research] was held at Tekniska museet [The National Museum of Science and Technology] in Stockholm on 27 March 2008 and was led by professor Sture Allén. The main questions dealt with the introduction of the data processing centres, its development and influence on higher education and research, as well as the closure and transformation of the centres. The centres came into existence because of the great expenses that were connected to the acquisition of computers. In the witness seminar different views were represented, such as the one of The Swedish Agency for Public Management which was responsible for the acquisition, the managers of the centres as well as the users of the centres. The centres have had a great influence on both education and research and have affected the mode of working with computers. Among other things, the creation and use of different programs emerged at the centres.
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| 3. |
- Dávila, Milena, 1977-
(author)
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Datorisering av medicinsk laboratorieverksamhet 1: En översikt : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Svenska Läkaresällskapet i Stockholm den 17 februari 2006
- 2008
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The witness seminar ”Datorisering av medicinsk laboratorieverksamet 1: En översikt” [Computerization of Laboratory Work 1: An Outline] was held at Svenska Läkaresällskapet The Swedish Society of Medicine] in Stockholm on 17 February 2006, and led by Hans Peterson and Urban Rosenqvist. During the seminar different technical developments within the health care sphere were discussed. Furthermore, different computer programs developed for use in health care in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s in Sweden were brought up. One of the large projects discussed was the ”Kirurgen II”-system that was developed at Sahlgrenska sjukhuset in Göteborg. Elemas cardiac catheterisation project and radiotherapy project that were initiated in the 1960s in Uppsala were also confered. Other subjects that arose were the digitalisation of laboratory results and medical journals with the first computers in a hospital environment. The early computers were also used for evaluation of laboratory results as well as for digital filterisation, imaging, pattern recognition and dose planning. Technical problems of different sorts and also problems involving the human factor were brought up, e.g. resistance from the users, the physicians when introducing computers in their working environment. The early users bore witness to the lucrative and the favorable medical results of these developments for the industry, e.g. companies as Siemens and the health care system, e.g. Uppsala akademiska sjukhus. Another subject touched upon was the importance of study trips abroad, as to the USA and to various countries in Europe where techniques were being developed by early pioneers which inspired the early developers in Sweden.
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| 4. |
- Dávila, Milena, 1977-
(author)
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Datorisering av medicinsk laboratorieverksamhet 2: Massanalyser och hälsokontroller : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Tekniska museet i Stockholm den 20 september 2006
- 2008
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The witness seminar “Datorisering av medicinsk laboratorieverksamhet 2: Massanalyser och hälsokontroller” [Computerization of Laboratory Work 2: Automation and Health Screenings] was held at Tekniska museet [The National Museum of Science and Technology] in Stockholm on 20 September 2006. The seminar was led by Urban Rosenqvist and focused on the upscaling of medical laboratory work through automation and computerization for screening purposes in the 1960s.The participants described crucial Swedish projects, which addressed issues of upscaling, rationalization, labeling and patient identification of laboratory results. During the seminar the development of mass analysis through Auto-Chemist, one of the first devices for automated blood analysis in the world, was explained. Two large-scale health screening projects, Värmlandsundersökningen and X69 were also brought up. The latter project was accomplished in cooperation with Uppsala Datacentral, UDAC.Early computers were a central part in all the mentioned projects. The interaction between local university-based developments, industrial production, and Swedish health care authorities were addressed. Another challenge the early ITusers in the panel had to deal with was that professional programmers had difficulties to adjust to the working conditions in the laboratories. This may explain why many chemists learned to program and developed computerized applications for the laboratories. Another subject touched upon was the importance of study trips abroad, as to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the USA where techniques and visions were being developed, which inspired the early users and developers in Sweden.
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| 5. |
- Emanuel, Martin, 1977-
(author)
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ABC 80 i pedagogikens tjänst: Exempel på tidig användning av mikrodatorer i den svenska skolan : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Cloetta Center i Linköping den 23 september 2008
- 2008
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The witness seminar ”ABC 80 i pedagogikens tjänst: Exempel på tidig användning av mikrodatorer i den svenska skolan” [ABC 80 in Education: An Example of Early Use of Micro Computers in the Swedish School] was held at Cloetta Center in Linköping on 23 September 2008 and was led by Magnus Johansson. The seminar focused on technical and educational aspects of the Swedish micro computer ABC 80, manufactured by the Luxor company starting in 1978. Geographically, it focused on the region of Östra Götaland. The seminar treated the origins and development of the ABC 80, marketing efforts addressing Swedish schools, various prerequisites for introducing and using these and other micro computers in secondary and higher secondary schools, as well as the actual use of computers in different school subjects. The seminar revealed the domination of teachers in Mathematics and Science regarding the use of computers for educational purposes. Roughly focusing the period 1978–85, the use of computers in education mainly included programming, calculation and for controlling and measuring in laboratory work. It was rather a fascination of the new technology than ideas about how it might influence education that impelled the teachers to use computers in their teaching. The participants also stressed the importance of ABC 80 and other micro computers for computer use in schools, due to increased affordability and flexibility in comparison with minicomputers.
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| 6. |
- Emanuel, Martin, 1977-
(author)
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Datorn i skolan: Skolöverstyrelsens och andra aktörers insatser, 1970- och 80-tal : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Tekniska museet i Stockholm den 30 oktober 2008
- 2008
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The witness seminar ”Datorn i Skolan: Skolöverstyrelsens och andra aktörers insatser, 1970- och 80-tal” (The Computer in School: The National Board of Education and Other Actors’ Efforts during the 1970s and 1980s) was held at The National Museum of Science and Technology (Tekniska museet) in Stockholm on 30 October 2008 and was led by Thomas Kaiserfeld and Martin Emanuel. The seminar focused on the larger national projects dedicated to computers in Swedish compulsory schools. Most of them were conducted by the National Board of Education, such as the DISand PRODIS-projects (Datorn I Skolan, Computer in School; PROgramvaror och Datorutrustning I Skolan, Software and Hardware in School) in the 1970s and early 1980s, and the so-called three-year campaigns and the DOS-project (Datorn Och Skolan, Computer and School) later during the 1980s. While the 1970s was mainly a period of experimental and policy-related work, the 3-year campaigns meant financial support for schools’ purchase of hardware, and the later DOS-project aimed at software development. A few projects run by other actors in the field were also treated, such as the PRINCESS-project, a research and development project at today’s Department of Computer and Systems Sciences in Stockholm. This project turned towards computer-support in education, and the technology procurement project for developing a Swedish school computer, named TUDIS and it was managed by the National Swedish Board for Technical Development (Styrelsen för teknisk utveckling). In 1984 this led to a consortium led by Esselte Studium developing the Compis computer. Assembling representatives from all these project and actors, the seminar also treated issues of coordination and conflict, success and failure regarding the efforts on computers in education.
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| 7. |
- Emanuel, Martin, 1977-
(author)
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Folkbildning kring datorn 1978–85 : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Tekniska museet i Stockholm den 9 oktober 2008
- 2008
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The witness seminar ”Folkbildning kring datorn 1978–85” (Adult education and computers 1978–85) was held at Tekniska museet (The National Museum of Science and Technology) in Stockholm on 9 October 2008 and was led by Ulla Riis assisted by Martin Emanuel. The seminar focused on different efforts to increase computer literacy as well as awareness of the role of computers and information technology in society and on human life, in particular by means of study circles given by adult education associations. From the perspective of these associations, the content of the circles, the recruitment of trainers and participants and the accessibility to computers was dealt with. The different initiatives to stimulate such study circles and stipulate their content and target groups from above, e.g. by the Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of Research (Forskningsrådsnämnden) and the Swedish National Board of Education (Skolöverstyrelsen), were however treated in greater detail. Particular attention was given to the initiative “Broader Computer Education and Training” (Bred datautbilding) led by the Swedish Commission for Informatics Policy (Datadelegationen) starting in 1982. The “broadness” was supposedly twofold. Firstly, the education and training should reach many people. Secondly, it should have a broad content, mediating knowledge about computers, i.e. the technology, as well as its use and its consequences. The roots of and motives behind these initiatives were discussed at depth. Key ingredients in this respect was to counteract increasing gaps in knowledge levels on what was considered a future key technology, and the concerns and strategies of the different parties on the labor market in relation to new information technology.
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| 8. |
- Ernkvist, Mirko, 1980-
(author)
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Svensk dataspelsutveckling, 1960–1995 : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Tekniska museet i Stockholm den 12 december 2007
- 2008
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The witness seminar ”Svensk dataspelsutveckling, 1960–1995” was held at Tekniska museet [the National Museum of Science and Technology] in Stockholm on December 12, 2007 and was led by Mirko Ernkvist. The participants were Swedes that had been involved in the development of computer games during this period. The development process of several pioneering computer games were discussed from the perspective of the developers themselves. These games included: a demonstration game on the Saab manufactured computer D2 (1960–61), Stugan (1978), Space Action (1983), Fairlight (1985), Time Zero (1985), several games by Team17 (1990–) and Backpacker (1995). Computer game development efforts were initiated early in the Swedish history of computing, even by international comparisons. The first known Swedish game with moving graphics was a demonstration game for D2 displayed on an oscilloscope from the early 1960s. When computers became more widespread among Swedish universities, game development efforts soon followed. The first Swedish adventure game, “Stugan” was released in 1978 on the computers at Stockholm Datacentral, QZ. Subsequently, the introduction of home computers in Sweden in the early 1980s enabled more widespread Swedish game development efforts. Many Swedish game developers from this time were self-learned, but several were also involved in some of the computer groups that emerged during this time. These groups cracked, compressed, modified and traded computer games and created demos. The cracker and demo culture of the 1980s provided an environment of learning, socialization, and competition for many Swedish game developers. England that had a more established computer game industry during the 1980s provided opportunities for some of the Swedish game developers. The game “Fairlight” by a Swedish developer was published by an English game company and another Swedish game developer was one of the founders of the English game company Team17. Other Swedish game development projects discussed such as “Space Action”, “Time Zero” and “Backpacker” had Swedish companies as publishers.
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| 9. |
- Gribbe, Johan, 1979-
(author)
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JA 37:Pilot och system : transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Tekniska museet i Stockholm den 11 december 2007
- 2008
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The witness seminar ”JA 37 – Pilot och system” was held at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Stockholm on 11 December 2007 and was led by professor Karl Johan Åström. Different aspects of the use of Information Technology in the development of real time control systems in the fighter version of Viggen (JA 37) were discussed and debated, with special emphasis on integration of the systems surrounding the pilot. The critical importance of close cooperation between development engineers and test pilots, primarily at the customer FMV and the main contractor Saab, at LM Ericsson and Svenska Radiobolaget, and test pilots at Saab and the Swedish Air Force was underlined. This also included the emerging use of mission and task analysis, system simulators and early flying experimentation and test beds. The basic arcitechture of the airborne system with a central computer to which most of the major sub-systems and equipment was connected was carried over from the Attack Viggen System (AJ 37) with its single digital computer. The total system functionality and capability was vastly improved due to the introduction of digital computers in all major subsystems, an inertial platform, built-in test and data recording systems for maintenance, mission performance feedback and training purposes. A major undertaking was the development of an integrated Electronic Display System with three major displays: a Head-up Display (SI), a Tactical Situation Display (TI), including an all electronically generated map function, and a Radar/ Target Display (MI). In particular the development of the Tactical Indicator (TI), made possible by new solid state technology, facilitated more autonomous fighter tactics than possible with previous radar based command and control system. The all important challenge for the JA 37 project was the development of the pulse dopper radar PS-46/A, a task carried out by LM Ericsson with support from Hughes Aircraft Company and guidance from FMV. Special attention was paid to the use of digital computers for highspeed signals processing. Moreover, the critical design choice of medium pulse repetition frequency was debated. Finally, software development tools and methodology were discussed.
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| 10. |
- Gribbe, Johan, 1979-
(author)
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LEO: Databehandling och operativ ledning inom försvaret, 1972-89 : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Högkvarteret i Stockholm den 15 januari 2008
- 2008
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The witness seminar ”LEO: Computing and Operational Command in the Swedish Armed Forces, 1972–89” was held at the Armed Forces Headquarter in Stockholm on 15 January 2008 and was led by Göran Tode. During the seminar, the development of the computerized command system LEO was discussed. After a major reorganisation of command structure in the late 1960s, the defence staff decided to develop a computerized command system to help central and regional headquarters conduct wartime operations. Each headquarter was to have one terminal system, with a number of work stations, containing information about all aspects of the battlefield. Information about friendly and enemy forces, fuel and ammunition supplies was to be stored in a central data base and a secure messaging system was to provide fast and reliable communications. Additional applications were developed to handle computations and simulations of transports and mobilization. Different aspects of this development were discussed at the seminar. Limitations in computer graphics and presentation technology was observed as a major technological problem in the early phase of the project. Other problems brought up concerned the considerable passive resistence from users and senior commanders, when new computer technology was introduced in old organizational structures. In addition to this, security started to emerge as a critical problem in the early 1980s when highly classified information about war plans, communications and intelligence were concentrated into a single computer system. Measures to control access of information in the system and to guarantee electronic security were discussed and debated. Moreover, the decision in 1979 to purchase mainframe computers from Norsk Data was covered at the seminar. The development of tools and methodology for COBOL programming was mentioned. Finally, the implementation of the system in central and regional staff headquarters in the late 1980s was also discussed.
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