Herman H. Goldstine Collection, 1941-1971 : Scope & Contents of the Collection

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Herman H. Goldstine Collection consists of correspondence, reports, mathematical tables, blue-prints, diagrams, legal records and exhibits, and printed materials relating to computer development. The bulk of the materials are from the years 1943 to 1948.

The collection falls into two broad categories: material produced or supervised by Dr. Goldstine, and materials collected by him for use in the preparation of his book on computer history. The former category includes correspondence, reports, mathematical tables, diagrams, and manuscripts. The latter material is mainly correspondence, reports, and printed matter.

Series I, CORRESPONDENCE: 1943-1971, contains correspondence addressed to, or sent by Herman H, Goldstine concerning ENIAC/EDVAC development, matters relating to patent applications, and publication of his book. There is also a large amount of material collected by him on the same subjects between two other parties. This is especially true for the years 1943 to 1947. Significant names include John Grist Brainerd, Paul N. Gillon, Arthur Burks, and Adele Katz Goldstine. Certain items in this series were used in the Honeywell vs. Sperry Rand anti-trust case of 1969 and can be identified by the Minnesota Court of Appeals deposition exhibit number. (Additional material collected by Dr. Goldstine for his appearance in the case may be found in Series V, LEGAL RECORDS AND EXHIBITS: 1943-1969.)

Series II, TABLES: 1947-1948, contains order codes for ENIAC, sine-cosine integration tables, and digital computer tables used in the early development of electronic computers. Also included are important test procedures for ENIAC. The tables are mimeographs, xeroxes, typescripts and holographs which were gathered by Dr. Goldstine in connection with his work at the Institute of Advanced Study at Princeton. Undated material was grouped together with that of known date by Dr. Goldstine and is assumed from the same period.

Series III, LAYOUTS: 1943-1945, contains line drawings executed at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering during the design of ENIAC. Each copy is dated and signed by the drawer. There are 122 separate blue-prints and diagrams of this first design.

Series IV, REPORTS: 1943-1948, contains copies of reports co-authored by Dr. Goldstine while at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering (November 30, 1945) and the Institute of Advanced Study (1947-1948) concerning the early development of electronic computing machines with which he was involved. This series also contains vouchers and correspondence used to report contract expenses incurred at the University of Pennsylvania to the Ordnance Department. (For the actual government contract and its supplements see LEGAL RECORDS AND EXHIBITS: 1943-1971.) Also included are miscellaneous reports received by Dr. Goldstine at UPenn and Princeton.

Series V, LEGAL RECORDS AND EXHIBITS: 1943-1971, contains mostly exhibits presented in the Honeywell--Sperry Rand anti-trust case of 1969 by Herman H. Goldstine, Paul N. Gillon, and Douglas R. Hartree. The exhibits relate mainly to the question of patents in the computer field, and as such follow the development of ENIAC and the roles of Dr. Goldstine and John von Neumann. A transcript of Dr. Goldstine's testimony is also included. In the series are copies of the government contract and its supplements under which ENIAC was developed.

Series VI, PRINTED MATERIAL: 1941-1970, contains off-prints, journals, and books on mathematics and computers. Dr. Goldstine's own publications are included. Most of the material was used in researching the book on computer developments.