Summary
University of Melbourne Computation Laboratory Programming Manual for the Automatic Electronic Computer CSIRAC, June, 1958.
This manual and the manual (HT 8210) belonged to Bruce Robinson, an employee of the Post Master General's Department.. The manuals were provided by Judith Hearn (daughter of Bruce Robinson).
In 1960 Bruce became one of a team of six who were the first computer programmers for the PMG. He was trained on both CSIRAC and SILLIAC. Projects he was involved in at this time were:
1. An exploratory study into the introduction of computers into the PMG department
2. Telephone traffic measurement
3. Telephone account billing - implementation of trunk call billing, involving trunk line information between Melbourne and Sydney. This was the first commercial use of data communications in Australia.
Bruce Robinson (born 1921). When 15 years old, he began work for the PMG at Warragul Post Office as a Telegram Boy then a Postman. He served in WW 2 as a signalman in 3rd. Division Signals. After World War II he worked for the PMG in Melbourne becoming a Traffic Officer in the area of telecommunications. In 1960 he was selected to be trained in computer programming. He retired from Telecom in 1974 as a Senior Programmer. Bruce died in 1989 aged 68. At his funeral a PMG colleague stated that this team of six computer pioneers were ground breakers in this field.
This team of six PMG 'pioneering' computer programmers were: Alan Coulter, Bruce Robinson, Ray Buckingham, Nat Wheatley, David Sinnett and Bob McArthur.
Physical Description
Two ring, thick cardboard folder containing 52 foolscap pages of typed information including a title and end page. Each page has hole punch reinforcing stickers around their hole punches with visible sticky tape residue. The fodler is deep burgundy in colour on the outside and a lighter pink on the inside.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Ms. Judith Hearn, 11 Apr 2005
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Printer & Publisher
Physics Department, University of Melbourne (The), Victoria, Australia, Jun 1958
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Other Association (See Comments)
Mr Bruce Robinson - Postmaster General, Victoria, Australia, 1936-1974
Bruce worked for the PMG Department and then Telecom. -
Inscriptions
Title page: UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE / COMPUTATION LABORATORY / PROGRAMMING / MANUAL / FOR THE AUTOMATIC ELECTRONIC COMPUTER / CSIRAC / THIS PRODUCTION BY THE STAFF OF THE COMPUTATIONAL LABORATORY IS BASE / UPON PAPERS BY T. PEARCEY AND G. W. HILL / JUNE, 1958
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Overall Dimensions
25.3 cm (Width), 4 cm (Depth), 35 cm (Height)
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Keywords
Computer Manuals, Computers, Computing, CSIRAC (Computer), First Generation Computers, Mainframe Computers, Making History - CSIRAC, SILLIAC (Computer)