Automatic Data Processing Center, Arts & Industries Building

ID: SIA2010-0870

Creator:

Form/Genre: Photographic print

Date: 1978

Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 95-169, Box 1, Folder: ADP Photos

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Summary

  • This image was taken in the Computer Room, in the Arts & Industries Building, room 33nn, in 1978. It shows the Honeywell mainframe computer model 66/05, which was installed in September 1977; it replaced an older Honeywell mainframe computer, which occupied the same space. Visible in the image are: On the left four of the six magnetic tape drives, numbers 5 to 2. Number 1 is behind the notebooks on the console; tape drive number 6 is to left and out of the image A cart is loaded with magnetic tapes (center left) to be used either as input for batch computer jobs, or output produced from the execution of a computer job (most likely output tapes). In the center are two computer operators, John Spinner, and Denise Munns. She has her hand on a chair and is facing the computer console. The card reader, not visible, is directly beyond her. To the right of the woman, and behind her, is the high speed printer, with output of circa 1,100 lines per minute. In the right in the foreground are five disk drives, with removable disk packs. The empty disk pack cases are sitting on top of the disk drives.
  • The computer room had a raised floor, with cold air circulating below the floor; with an opening in the floor below the equipment that required cooling. The 2x2 foot raised floor sections can be seen in the lower left, around the magnetic tape cart. The door to the computer room is to the right, directly behind the woman operator.

Subject

  • Spinner, John
  • Munns, Denise
  • Arts and Industries Building
  • Honeywell Inc
  • Office of Computer Services May 29, 1975 to April 3, 1982

Category

Historic Images of the Smithsonian

Notes

When this picture was taken the Smithsonian's central data processing organization was the "Office of Computer Services" (OCS), created on May 29, 1975 to April 3, 1982. Before 1975, it was named the Information Systems Division (ISD). On April 4, 1982, it was renamed the Office of Information Resource Management (OIRM). Stanley A. Kovy (January 4, 1931 - April 15, 1998) was the only Director of OCS. The central data processing organization had several others names at different time in its history. The Smithsonian operated several different mainframe computers, manufactured by both Honeywell and IBM. The mainframe computers were all located on the third floor of the SW quadrant of the A&I Building, room 33nn. This space was used from 1967 to c. 2006, when operations were moved to the Herndon Data Center.

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 95-169, Box 1, Folder: ADP Photos

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

1978

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Topic

  • Computers
  • Magnetic tapes
  • Women
  • Computer systems
  • Data disk drives
  • Information storage and retrieval systems
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • Personnel management
  • Data processing
  • Employees
  • Computer printers
  • Data tapes
  • Electronic data processing
  • Smithsonian Institution--Employees

Form/Genre

  • Photographic print
  • Interior
  • Group, candid

ID Number

SIA2010-0870

Physical description

Number of Images: 1; Color: Black and white; Size: 9.49"w x 7.28"h; Type of Image: Group, candid; Interior; Medium: Photographic print

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