The Wild West of Computing dives into the influential history of computer science at CMU. In a six-episode series titled “The Wild West of Computing,” hosts Katherine Barbera and David Bernabo along with guests historian Andrew Meade McGee and Curator of Special Collections Sam Lemley show how the culture surrounding computer science significantly altered the reputation of the school from 1956 to 1987.
Through oral history interviews with Raj Reddy, Jesse Quatse, Sherri Nichols, and many others, the podcast looks at the university’s early computers (the IBM 650, Bendix G-20 and G-21, and IBM 360 Model 67), the influence of ARPA grants in the 1960s, a series of financial and personnel crises in the 1970s, and the emergence of robotics, software, and the Andrew System in the 1980s.
S2E1: A Byte-Size History of Computing
The second season of Cut Pathways, the oral history podcast from the Carnegie Mellon University Oral History Program, dives into the influential history of computer science at CMU. In a six-episode series, titled “The Wild West of Computing,” hosts Katherine Barbera and David Bernabo along with guests historian Andrew Meade McGee and Curator of Special Collections Sam Lemley show how the culture surrounding computer science significantly altered the reputation of the school from 1956 to 1987.
In this episode, we get a byte-sized history of computing and learn about the very early days of computer science at CMU.
S2E2: Funding an Institution
In this episode, we learn how funding from Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) advanced computer science research at CMU.
S2E3: Building Culture from Crisis
In this episode, we look at the departure of influential figure, Alan Perlis, staff cuts, and a rebuilding the Department of Computer Science.
S2E4: An Interview with Pamela McCorduck
In this episode, author Pamela McCorduck discusses her research in artificial intelligence in the 1970s. Pamela tells stories about her friendships with Herb Simon and Allen Newell, her book Machines Who Think, and a secretive group called the Squirrel Hill Sages. Sam Lemley joins us to talk about the Traub-McCorduck Collection—50 calculating machines, letters and books—housed at the CMU Libraries.
In this episode, former director at DARPA Clint Kelly discusses the Autonomous Land Vehicle in the mid 1980s. Guest Andrew Meade McGee joins us to discuss the impact of DARPA funding at this time.
S2E5: How DARPA Sees It: An interview with Clint Kelly
In this episode, we mark the end of "The Wild West of Computing." Collaborations between CMU, industry, and the government strengthen and funding is increasingly tied to specific projects. Computer science at CMU in the 1980s expanded with new departments and institutes. This episode focuses on the emergence of robotics, software, and the Andrew Project. Historian Andrew Meade McGee guests.
S2E6: An End to the Wild West of Computing
In this episode, we mark the end of "The Wild West of Computing." Collaborations between CMU, industry, and the government strengthen and funding is increasingly tied to specific projects. Computer science at CMU in the 1980s expanded with new departments and institutes. This episode focuses on the emergence of robotics, software, and the Andrew Project. Historian Andrew Meade McGee guests.
S2E7: The Wild West of Computing LIVE!
This episode is a live recording of an event held on April 7. Hosts Katherine Barbera and David Bernabo take you on a 68-minute journey through the fascinating history of computer science at Carnegie Mellon. Hear voices like Raj Reddy, Jesse Quatse, and Sherri Nichols, and stories about the DARPA grant that started it all, the Coke machine that inspired the Internet of Things, and more. Guest appearances by historian Andrew Meade McGee and curator Sam Lemley, who presents early computing machines. Live electronic music by How Things Are Made and real-time story illustrations (sorry you can't see these on the podcast) by multidisciplinary artist and designer Maggie Lynn Negrete.
This episode also features newer oral history interviews that were conducted after Cut Pathways, Season 2 was released.