This book presents an organizational and social history of one of the foundational projects of the computer era: the development of the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) air defense system, from its first test at Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1951, to the installation of the first unit of the New York Air Defense Sector of the SAGE system, in 1958. The idea for SAGE gr This book presents an organizational and social history of one of the foundational projects of the computer era: the development of the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) air defense system, from its first test at Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1951, to the installation of the first unit of the New York Air Defense Sector of the SAGE system, in 1958. The idea for SAGE grew out of Project Whirlwind, a wartime computer development effort, when the U.S. Department of Defense realized that the Whirlwind computer might anchor a continent-wide advance warning system. Developed by MIT engineers and scientists for the U.S. Air Force, SAGE monitored North American skies for possible attack by manned aircraft and missiles for twenty-five years.Aside from its strategic importance, SAGE set the foundation for mass data-processing systems and foreshadowed many computer developments of the 1960s. The heart of the system, the AN/FSQ-7, was the first computer to have an internal memory composed of "magnetic cores," thousands of tiny ferrite rings that served as reversible electromagnets. SAGE also introduced computer-driven displays, online terminals, time sharing, high-reliability computation, digital signal processing, digital transmission over telephone lines, digital track-while-scan, digital simulation, computer networking, and duplex computing.The book shows how the wartime alliance of engineers, scientists, and the military exemplified by MIT's Radiation Lab helped to transform research and development practice in the United States through the end of the Cold War period.
From Whirlwind to MITRE: The R&D Story of the SAGE Air Defense Computer
This book presents an organizational and social history of one of the foundational projects of the computer era: the development of the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) air defense system, from its first test at Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1951, to the installation of the first unit of the New York Air Defense Sector of the SAGE system, in 1958. The idea for SAGE gr This book presents an organizational and social history of one of the foundational projects of the computer era: the development of the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) air defense system, from its first test at Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1951, to the installation of the first unit of the New York Air Defense Sector of the SAGE system, in 1958. The idea for SAGE grew out of Project Whirlwind, a wartime computer development effort, when the U.S. Department of Defense realized that the Whirlwind computer might anchor a continent-wide advance warning system. Developed by MIT engineers and scientists for the U.S. Air Force, SAGE monitored North American skies for possible attack by manned aircraft and missiles for twenty-five years.Aside from its strategic importance, SAGE set the foundation for mass data-processing systems and foreshadowed many computer developments of the 1960s. The heart of the system, the AN/FSQ-7, was the first computer to have an internal memory composed of "magnetic cores," thousands of tiny ferrite rings that served as reversible electromagnets. SAGE also introduced computer-driven displays, online terminals, time sharing, high-reliability computation, digital signal processing, digital transmission over telephone lines, digital track-while-scan, digital simulation, computer networking, and duplex computing.The book shows how the wartime alliance of engineers, scientists, and the military exemplified by MIT's Radiation Lab helped to transform research and development practice in the United States through the end of the Cold War period.
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Nick Black –
I'm not sure how one can take a story involving the Golden Era of early computer design, MIT/DARPA/USAF and national defense, and make it the most dull, boring book I've read in months...but there you go. Not recommended unless you're absolutely fascinated with the history of computing, and have already read the basics (A Few Good Men from UNIVAC, Computing in the Middle Ages, Calculating Engines, all that good stuff). ---- Amazon third-party 2009-03-19. Listed in the source material for Wikipedia I'm not sure how one can take a story involving the Golden Era of early computer design, MIT/DARPA/USAF and national defense, and make it the most dull, boring book I've read in months...but there you go. Not recommended unless you're absolutely fascinated with the history of computing, and have already read the basics (A Few Good Men from UNIVAC, Computing in the Middle Ages, Calculating Engines, all that good stuff). ---- Amazon third-party 2009-03-19. Listed in the source material for Wikipedia's SAGE entry, and looks fascinating.
David Erickson –
Pretty dry and dull. Mostly about the schedules, project management, politics and some people from the mid-50s. , little about the fascinating technology. The words Nike missile was mentioned once, the reference to Ken Olson, roots of Digital, the numerous spinoffs, only briefly in the epilogue. Mitre gets only mentioned.
Julie –
I'm on chapter 14 with much to go. This is a top-notch book which details the birth story of the digital computer. I'm on chapter 14 with much to go. This is a top-notch book which details the birth story of the digital computer.
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