Computing at York...
York University was founded in 1959, amid a surge in demand for higher education in Ontario, driven by the rapid growth of its postwar population and economy. In a short period, several new or amalgamated universities were established across the province—from Trent University in the southeast to York and Waterloo in the center, Lakehead in the northwest, and the University of Windsor in the west.
In 1959, the computing landscape in Canada was vastly different. Only 40 electronic digital computers were operational nationwide, with just three of them at universities. There were no established guidelines for developing academic computing resources or managing such resources effectively. Instead, academic computing environments evolved independently and at their own pace, shaped by local conditions and specific needs.
York began discussions on incorporating computers into its operations in 1964. Until then, the school had been focused on establishing itself as a viable postsecondary institution, forming new departments and expanding its infrastructure. In March 1965, the Senate's Executive Committee reported that:
After a careful university-wide analysis, it has become quite obvious that the forthcoming growth of York makes a suitable computer installation most desirable. The equipment will not only enable York to provide a service to all branches of the University community (academic, research, and administrative), but will also, in its own right, permit the conducting of research into the rapidly developing field of computer science.
Shortly thereafter, the Senate, recognizing broader academic and administrative potential of computing, and moving away from viewing computers solely as advanced tools for numerical calculations, established the York University Computation Centre—the university's central computing facility—and the Department of Computer Science within the Faculty of Arts and Science.
From its inception, the Computation Centre, located in the Steacie Science Library, assumed responsibility not only for supporting the computational needs of the York community and staying current in the fast-evolving frontier of academic computing, but also for promoting computing across the university. It organized computer users' meetings, technical seminars and courses, screened educational films, and published user guides, reports and newsletters. In 1969, it offered the first computerized test-scoring facility and released York APL — a dialect of the popular APL programming language. Several unique features of York APL attracted other universities and research institutions to the language, helping to propel the APL's popularity through the 1970s in academia and beyond.
By the end of the 1960s, the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science established at Atkinson College in 1966 had graduated the first wave of computer experts. Nonetheless, it was other York academic and administrative units that took the lead in computer-supported research and related activities during the university’s first decade of computing. The Centre for Research in Experimental Space Sciences (later renamed the Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, CRESS) was not only one of the earliest and most intensive users of York’s computer resources, but it also played a key role in shaping the university’s computing policies. Other early adopters of computing included the Institute of Behavioral Research (IBR), the Departments of Music and Psychology, the Faculty of Administrative Studies, and the Libraries.
In the 1970s, the Department of Music was one of the most innovative hubs for experimental electronic and computer-supported music, using computers for composition, performance and theoretical research. At the same time, IBR was building and maintaining a comprehensive library of computer programs focused on social science data analysis, and operated a computer-based Social Science Information System. The Faculty of Administrative Studies developed CONCORD, a computerized system designed to assist group problem solving. Meanwhile, the Department of Psychology installed York’s first minicomputer—a Digital Equipment PDP-8 system—in 1971. In collaboration with the Computation Centre, York Libraries computerized a range of library functions, eventually acquiring their own Plessey Library System to manage a computer-based circulation system.
By the end of the 1970s, the North American consumer electronics market experienced the “invasion” of small, affordable, microprocessor-powered computers (the “micros”). The world of computing was shifting away from mainframe and minicomputers, and universities could not ignore the research and educational potential of this new generation of computers and the rise of personal computing. The Apple ][s, Commodore PETs and scores of other personal computers supported by ever-growing libraries of software began arriving in offices and labs across York campuses, shifting away from centralized mainframe and minicomputer infrastructure. Microcomputer labs were created and the first microcomputer-related courses were introduced.
In the 1960s and 70s, the impact of computing technologies on the academic environment was profound. Knowledge of what was possible was spreading fast through academic communities, that no longer viewed computers exclusively as sophisticated numerical processors and extensions of calculators for solving mathematical and scientific problems. Non-numeric applications of computing to research, teaching, and other areas became as prevalent as number crunching. More computer-based projects were launched and more dedicated applications to support them were created. York University's initial forays into academic computing are both fascinating and emblematic of this shift and its impact. The university's computing heritage reflects the challenges and efforts involved in introducing computing to Canadian educational institutions as well as the enthusiasm and creativity that emerged from the use of computers across academic disciplines. The Computing at York: the Beginning exhibition provides a glimpse into this heritage.
The exhibition covers the first 15 years of computing activities at York, beginning in the mid-1960s with the establishment of the York University Computation Centre and the Department of Computer Science. It attempts to visually capture the spirit, curiosity, energy, and excitement that defined the early days of academic computing. It highlights the use of computer resources by York's artists, educators, librarians, researchers, and students, as they explored new frontiers in computer-supported research, education, and art.
The exhibition Computing at York: the Beginning is organized by the York University Computer Museum and the York University Libraries. It showcases a selection of objects from the museum and the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections. Various funds and archives within these organizations preserve captivating photographs that document computer use at the university. A curated selection of these images, along with vintage computer hardware once installed at York, offer insight into the early days of computing at the university, and a glimpse into York's evolving computing landscape.
The exhibition is made possible by corporate and individual sponsorship from Dyalog Ltd., Gitte Christensen and Morten Kromberg of Insight Systems Holding, Lee Lau, co-founder of ATI, and the Office of the Vice-President Equity, People and Culture, York University.
Corporate sponsorship of technology museums represents a symbiotic alliance between technology firms and cultural institutions. These companies play a pivotal role in providing essential funding to ensure the ongoing preservation and presentation of technological heritage to diverse audiences. The support of the exhibition from Dyalog Ltd., the world leader in developing APL software infrastructure, and from Insight Systems Holding is particularly significant. Their commitment to promoting the APL programming language and preserving its heritage strengthens the museum’s efforts to preserve APL history through its collections and to document the language’s role in academic computing.
Exhibition catalog can be accessd HERE