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Fernando J. Corbató papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MC-0371

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Scope and Contents

The Fernando J. Corbató papers date from approximately 1964 to 1997.

Materials include: notebooks, manuals, examinations, and meeting materials.

Topics include Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Education Testing Service, teaching assignments, and Multics.

Dates

  • Creation: 1964 - 1997

Creator

Access note

This collection is open.

Conditions Governing Use

Access to collections in the Department of Distinctive Collections is not authorization to publish. Please see the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy for permission information. Copyright of some items in this collection may be held by respective creators, not by the donor of the collection or MIT.

Historical Note

CTSS (Compatible Time-Sharing System): An early version of the Compatible Time-Sharing System was first demonstrated in November 1961 at the MIT Computation Center. In the fall of 1963 after further development, the system began daily operation at Project MAC.

Project MAC (Machine Aided Cognition and/or Multiple Access Computer): organized in the spring of 1963, renamed in 1975 as the Laboratory for Computer Science, suceeded in 2003 by CSAIL.

Multics (for Multiplexed Information and Computing Service): Multics became available for general use at MIT in October 1969 and as a Honeywell product in 1973.

Biographical Note

Fernando Corbato earned his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1956 in physics. He was appointed to the MIT faculty In the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in 1962, promoted to professor in 1965, and was Associate Department Head for Computer Science and Engineering from 1974-1978 and 1983-1993. In 1990, Corbato received the ACM Turing Award for his work on modern operating systems.

from: https://www.eecs.mit.edu/news-events/media/corbato-selected-computer-history-museum-2012-fellow "Corbato has achieved wide recognition for his pioneering work on the design and development of multiple-access computer systems and timesharing systems, which allowed many users to share the resources of a single large computer. He was associated with the MIT Computation Center from its organization in 1956 until 1966. In 1963 he was a founding member of Project MAC, the antecedent of CSAIL. An early version of the Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS) was first demonstrated in November 1961, at the MIT. Computation Center. In the fall of 1963, after further development, the system began daily operation at Project MAC. Out of the CTSS experience, further research and development began of a new system, Multics (Multiplexed Information and Computing Service). Multics became available for general use at MIT in October 1969 and a Honeywell product in 1973."

Extent

89.3 Cubic Feet (89 record cartons, 1 manuscript box)

Language of Materials

English

Location

Materials are stored off-site. Advance notice is required for use.

Bibliography

  • Multics: the First Seven Years, by F.J. Corbato, C.T. Clingen and J.H. Saltzer. Project Mac MO-130, January 17, 1972.

Processing Information note

Some collection descriptions are based on legacy data and may be incomplete or contain inaccuracies. Description may change pending verification. Please contact the MIT Department of Distinctive Collections if you notice any errors or discrepancies.

Title
Transfer list of the Papers of Fernando Corbató
Status
Unprocessed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Revision Statements

  • 2021 October 18: Edited by Lana Mason for compliance with DACS single-level optimum requirements.

Repository Details

Part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Libraries. Department of Distinctive Collections Repository

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