(((Gosh, I always knew Peter was pretty distinguished, but check him out in this brushed-up, polished, silver-haired guru mode!
He looks like he hired Rembrandt.)))
“Great Principles of Computing”
with Distinguished Computer Scientist and Educator
Peter J. Denning
Computing is no longer a science of the artificial. It is a science of natural information processes. The remarkable shift to this realization occurred only in the last decade.
Computing is mature enough to be described in terms of its fundamental principles. The principles reveal computing's deep structure and how it applies in many fields. They reveal common aspects of technology and create opportunities for innovation. They open entirely new ways to stimulate the excitement and curiosity of young people about the world of computing.
In the 1940s, computation was seen as a tool for solving equations,cracking codes, analyzing data, and managing business processes. By the 1980s, computation had advanced to become a new method in science, joining the traditional theory and experiment. During the 1990s, computation advanced even further as people in many fields discovered they were dealing with information processes buried in their deep structures – for example, quantum waves in physics, DNA in biology, brain patterns in cognitive science, information flows in economic systems. Computation has entered everyday life with new ways to solve problems, new forms of art, music, motion pictures, and commerce, new approaches to learning, and even new slang expressions.
Peter Denning will share his work on the great principles of computing. His taxonomy will help you understand computing and how it works in your world. You will see what makes computing great and of lasting value.
In 1936, Alan Turing wrote that computation is unavoidable. He was right.
Where
Computer History Museum
Hahn Auditorium
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Mountain View, CA 94043
When
Thursday, March 29, 2007
6 -7 pm Member Reception
Wine provided by The Mountain Winery (((wahoo!)))
7 - 8:30 pm Lecture
Registration
Free. Suggested donation of $10.00 at the door from non-members.
To register or for more information on the event, please visit the museum's Web site at http://www.computerhistory.org/denning_03292007
or Call (650) 810-1005.
Background
The Computer History Museum Presents speaker series is an exclusive platform for open, passionate discussions for presenting the computing revolution and its impact on the human experience. These landmark presentations and panel discussions present inside stories and personal insights of top information age leaders from industry, government and academia, and assist the museum in bringing computing history to life.
(((I guess as the Computer Revolution fades into the rear-view mirror, we're bound to see more and more geeks plucked out of the historical clutter for public honors...
After all, they certainly changed the world far more profoundly than the average politician, mogul or general. Even if, you know, they just look like some professor sitting on a park bench, well, fame is unavoidable.)))
(((I once heard that more people visit the grave of Ada Lovelace than visit the grave of her dad, Lord Byron. And I believe it.)))
