What’s a Computing Newspaper from 1976 like?
How much has changed in 40 years?
A customer of my dad recently gave him this copy of ‘Computer Weekly’ from 1976. Knowing that I was studying for a computing degree he thought I might find it interesting to see what the field was like over 40 years ago. Some digging revealed that ‘Computer Weekly’ was a print newspaper that ran from 1966 to 2011. It was available for free to anyone who worked with computers as well as being sold in a small number of shops.
The Top Story on November 11, 1979, was about IBM and ICL (International Computers Limited) competing to provide processors for a European Weather Forecasting System. It was weird to see a discussion of competing processors not include the names Intel or ARM. The paper was full of familiar company names like IBM mixed with so many competitors that no longer exist and have faded into obscurity.
This first article set a trend that was followed by the rest of the paper. Every time a number was mentioned was ridiculous. Processors with incredibly poor performance (by today’s standards) were advertised for exorbitant prices. The paper itself was sold for 18p! The most surprising numbers were in the jobs section at the back of the paper. As a programmer, I would’ve been lucky to earn £5000 a year.
The inside cover has a sort of ‘Letter from the Editor’, the content of which is still relevant today. He talks about establishing computing as a profession, calling for a code of ethics like the Hippocratic Oath for programmers. The editor warns us that bad actors with computers could give us all a bad wrap. He also makes the key distinction that, whilst in 1976 computers were being used by scientists and for administrative tasks in large companies, that these users weren’t “Computer Professionals”. He correctly predicts that in the future more roles will involve some use of a computer.
There was a cartoon in the paper but I can’t seem to work out what the joke is. I’ve added it here so you can puzzle over it too.
The ‘Programmers Perspective’ section includes a discussion about the value of programming languages attempting to mimic the English language. It’s accepted as a fact that computers can’t be controlled by natural language (take that Alexa) but there is some debate on whether it's worth trying to approximate the English language in programming as much as possible.
The reader's questions focus on privacy. One person who wrote in is scared that, by adding information to their computer, that it’s effectively shared with the whole world. The writer dismisses these fears with a polite chuckle; it’s unfortunate they wouldn’t be able to be as dismissive today.
Some of the technology seems pretty antiquated today. The computers themselves vary from bulky to giant and I saw at least one job advertising for a ‘Punch-Card Operator’. One article announced the opening of a tape storage facility where, owing to a lack of internet, tapes can be delivered to and from your office by messenger bike.
The paper at times does reflect its historical context. People pictured are mostly men and all white. Some articles mention the growing “Japanese Challenge” and several articles mention both the USSR and Communist Parties throughout the world. One article details a scandal after the French Communists were caught using publicly funder computing technology to produce party propaganda.
Reading the paper there are some things I’m glad have changed but a few things I wish hadn’t. Smaller Computers, a more inclusive workspace, and the end to the Cold War are welcome but I wish modern computing had more of the commitment to establishing Computing as a respectable and ethical profession shared by the editor.
