[J3] Fwd: Re: Dick Weaver (was Re: GE-225 Programming Reference Manual

Thu Feb 17 22:43:30 UTC 2022

Thanks for passing this along. When I first joined the committee Dick was a
force to be reckoned with. For the longest time we were on opposite side
(Dick/IBM against releasing "Fortran 8x" and me/Sun for) but that didn't
get in the way of  productive technical discussions, and friendship.

We had several Dick and Richards on the committee, and Dick's alternate
(Janice Shepherd) broke us all up one afternoon (responding to a discussion
where the speaker conflated a couple of the member's positions) with "our
problem is that we have too many Dicks on this committee). From the quick
onset of blush, I don't think she meant it quite the way it sounded ;>

Keith Bierman
khbkhb at gmail.com
303 997 2749 <http://voice.google.com/calls?a=nc,%2B13039972749>

On Thu, Feb 17, 2022 at 2:00 PM Van Snyder via J3 <j3 at mailman.j3-fortran.org>
wrote:

> Are there any X3J3 denizens left who remember Dick Weaver?
>
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
> *From*: Robert Garner <robgarn at mac.com
> <Robert%20Garner%20%3crobgarn at mac.com%3e>>
> *To*: Dave Weaver <davidcweaver at gmail.com
> <Dave%20Weaver%20%3cdavidcweaver at gmail.com%3e>>
> *Cc*: Ed Thelen <ed at ed-thelen.org <Ed%20Thelen%20%3ced at ed-thelen.org%3e>>,
> Robert Garner <robgarn at mac.com <Robert%20Garner%20%3crobgarn at mac.com%3e>>,
> Ron Mak <ron.mak at sjsu.edu <Ron%20Mak%20%3cron.mak at sjsu.edu%3e>>, Marc
> Verdiell <marc.verdiell at gmail.com
> <Marc%20Verdiell%20%3cmarc.verdiell at gmail.com%3e>>, Ken Shirriff <
> ken.shirriff at gmail.com <Ken%20Shirriff%20%3cken.shirriff at gmail.com%3e>>,
> Dag Spicer <dspicer at computerhistory.org
> <Dag%20Spicer%20%3cdspicer at computerhistory.org%3e>>, Stan Paddock <
> stpaddock at sbcglobal.net <Stan%20Paddock%20%3cstpaddock at sbcglobal.net%3e>>,
> Van Snyder <van.snyder at sbcglobal.net
> <Van%20Snyder%20%3cvan.snyder at sbcglobal.net%3e>>
> *Subject*: Re: Dick Weaver (was Re: GE-225 Programming Reference Manual
> *Date*: Wed, 16 Feb 2022 17:47:39 -0800
>
> Dave,
>
> I’m so sorry to hear that your father, Dick Weaver, has passed.  :((
>
> Over email exchanges and conversations over the years, Dick took the time
> to listen to/answer my ill-formed questions and educate me about the
> history of unit record computing, particularly how best to describe it.
>
> He was an inimitable (and sought after/appreciated!) editor of my attempts
> to interpret and write about early unit-record computing history.
> He always had something incisive to say.  (The unit record machines
> were/are not easy to understand.)
> I’d be happy to forward some or all of his email exchanges with me if
> you’re interested.)
>
> I’ll never forget visiting his home in Cupertino:  Every wall in every
> room was lined with filled bookcases!
> His huge inventory was primarily focused on computing and physics it
> seemed.
> (I believe he had hopes of opening a used book store someday.
> It’s all right that the Internet Archive now has them.)
> I still have a pair of unit record encyclopedic tomes that he lent to me.
>
> With his wry sense of humor, he referred me to a small book of funny
> essays titled
> “A Stress Analysis of a Strapless Evening Gown and Other Essays for a
> Scientific Age.”
> Some of the essays would come across as socially ill-advised in this day
> and age.
> The “Univac to Univac” essay is cute.
>
> He also gave me a 1950 Tektronix 513 Oscilloscope (a follow-on Tek’s very
> 1st product, the 511).
> https://vintagetek.org/513-oscilloscope/
> It’s currently in storage, awaiting restoration someday.
> (If you’re interested in it, please me know.)
>
> I/we look forward to meeting you.
> I’d like to cordially invite you to a 1401 demo some Saturday, 11am.
> (The CHM is just reopening weekends, beginning this Saturday.)
>
> Sincerely,
>
> - Robert
>
> p.s.  We also look forward to checking out your selection of his books
> that you retained.
>
> On Feb 10, 2022, at 7:09 PM, Dave Weaver <davidcweaver at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Thank you, Ed.  Honestly, it’s great to connect with people who knew him,
> or knew of him.  I wish we had been in touch a month ago before the books
> were donated.
>
> Yeah, the IA doesn’t return donations. I’m really looking forward to
> seeing everything online.
>
> Great 1401 page, especially this gem!
>
> http://ibm-1401.info/WeaverD-.jpg
>
> Much of what I retained is in boxes.  I’m happy to let good folks like
> y'all have a look once it’s more accessible.
>
> Thanks,
> Dave
>
> On Feb 10, 2022, at 4:57 PM, ed ed-thelen.org <ed at ed-thelen.org> wrote:
>
> I'm sorry to hear of Dick's death -
>     not just words
>
> Robert had mentioned the house full of books
>      and that Dick Weaver was quite a character -
>
> Maybe twenty years ago I had borrowed
>      actually had permission !!
> a book from the Computer History Museum
>    likely this one or definitely one of this series
>        http://ed-thelen.org/comp-hist/BRL.html
>
> I thought that it should be scanned by Internet Archive
>    and presented as .pdf there -
> (At the time, most folks had dial-up modems and
>     I was also going to OCR it, and others,
>      with the slow modems.)
> My telephone contact with Internet Archive
>    said that anything they scanned, they retained.
> Two things:
>    a) The book wasn't mine to donate
>    b) many major scanners at the time
>             - cut off the bindings
>             - scanned the flat sheets
>             - trashed the binding and sheets
>    c) my begging and pleading resulted in surly responses.
>
> I have no idea what they do now -
> At one time I was thinking of volunteering at Internet Archive
>    but it is near the Presidio in San Francisco
>    and a difficult commute from my home in Fremont.
>
> >  I did hang onto a few bookcases of “treasures?” partially pictured
> below.
>
> Great !!  I imagine Robert Garner
>    http://ibm-1401.info/TeamBios.html#Garner
>
> is drooling at the prospect of visiting you
>    and viewing the goodies.
>
> > Are you local?
>
> Fremont CA,
>    Have "kids" residing in Willow Glenn ,S.J.
>     and Mountain View
>    Also I'm sure we could arrange some drop-off, pick-up
>      with the Computer History Museum.
>
> > I’m in Scotts Valley and much better at dropping things off personally
> vs. packaging things up to mail.
>
> Yeah !!  I'm that way also !!  :--((  ;--))
>
> Thanks much
>    -Ed Thelen
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Dave Weaver <davidcweaver at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Thursday, February 10, 2022 4:14 PM
> *To:* ed ed-thelen.org <ed at ed-thelen.org>
> *Cc:* Robert Garner <robgarn at mac.com>
> *Subject:* Re: GE-225 Programming Reference Manual
>
> Hi Ed,
>
> Yes, this is the same Dick Weaver.  I wish we had connected sooner.  The
> vast majority of his collection was donated to the Internet Archive who
> will scan everything into an online collection named for my dad.  No ETA on
> that task as we donated 750 boxes of books and docs.  I did hang onto a few
> bookcases of “treasures?” partially pictured below.
>
> You are welcome to the 225 manual, just let me know how to get it to you.
> Are you local?  I’m in Scotts Valley and much better at dropping things off
> personally vs. packaging things up to mail.
>
> Thanks,
> Dave
>
> <IMG_3090.jpeg><IMG_3091.jpeg>
>
> On Feb 10, 2022, at 3:02 PM, ed ed-thelen.org <ed at ed-thelen.org> wrote:
>
> > My dad, Dick Weaver, passed away in October.  Do you have any idea is
> anyone would be interested in this?
>
> BitSavers
>    http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ge/GE-2xx/
> has two versions -
>
> I don't have any,
>    I would like that manual as a souvenir,
>    and if BitSavers doesn't have that particular version,
>    I will be delighted to scan it for Al Kossow for
>      presentation on his web site :--))
>
> Is this the Dick Weaver of Silicon Valley
>    with a house full of old books ???
> If so, several people are VERY Interested
>     in looking for special and unique documents !!!!!!
>
> I'm CCing one of those people
>
> -Ed Thelen
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> *From:* Dave Weaver <davidcweaver at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Thursday, February 10, 2022 2:49 PM
> *To:* ed ed-thelen.org <ed at ed-thelen.org>
> *Subject:* GE-225 Programming Reference Manual
>
> Hi Ed,
>
> My dad, Dick Weaver, passed away in October.  Do you have any idea is
> anyone would be interested in this?
>
> Thanks,
> Dave
>
> <IMG_3088 2.jpeg><IMG_3089.jpeg>
>
>
>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://mailman.j3-fortran.org/pipermail/j3/attachments/20220217/0f032445/attachment-0003.htm>