Conference 7.286::digital

    
    SECOND THAT !!    The good Admiral has many fans here-about.  We
    are truly fortunate to have her with us.  May her stay be long and
    productive. 
    
      I'll always remember her philosophy on getting things done:  "Don't
    ask permission. Do it!  It's always easier to get approval after
    the fact.", or some such.    Whoever brought her on board should
    get praise, also.  - Chris

Her philosophy is "It's always easier to ask to be forgiven than to ask for
permission."

Goes right along with the Official DEC Philosophy "First Rule" to "do what is
right in each situation."

/john

    Nail down those coffee tables.
    
    
    
    
    Seems that Hopper was given a job in DC once where she had a couple
    of aides, an office, and no budget. She proceeded to (through her
    aides) "allocate" what was needed, including computer time (at night
    after the PM was complete - no pun intended) and a coffee table from
    somebody's office. When asked by her superior why she took the
    coffee table, she looked him in the eye and said "because it wasn't
    nailed down". 
    
    So I heard, anyway.

    There was a 60 MINUTES report about her a couple of weeks ago
    that was quite interesting. They mentioned at the end that she
    was going to work as a consultant for "a computer company"
    though they didn't mention which one. Apparently, it was only
    now that DEC made an official press release. But it has been
    known for some time that she was going to work for DEC; I recall
    receiving e-mail via a friend some months ago announcing such.
    
    The other bit of philosophy of hers that I liked was that the
    biggest problem in government *and* industry today is management,
    as opposed to leadership. People should be lead, not managed.
    
    --- jerry

    People should be led, and management should not be leaden.
    

    The version of the "nailed down" quote I heard was...
    
    
    "What isn't nailed down is mine...
    
    ...and what can be pried loose isn't nailed down"
    
    However the story is a common one in military circles, and is told
    about many direct and forthright leaders, so it is probably apocryphal!
    
    Incidentally perhaps someone should point the Admiral to this
    conference and let her contribute?
    
    /. Ian .\

    I heard her say something to the effect:
    
    In the Pentagon, if you need something
    
    	steal if from the Air Force because they have everything
    
    but if they are watching it too close
    
    	steal it from the Army because they can't count and would
    	never know it was gone.
    
                     Love it!!!
    		     Dick

    WELCOME, WELCOME ADM. HOPPER
    
    Many is the time that I have had the opportunity to use Adm. Hopper's
    outstanding career to effectively put to rest the inane ramblings
    of some this areas worst male sexists.  After having been forced
    to listen to my tirade on just how marvelous and accomplished she
    is, they scuttle off with their tales between their legs, slightly
    wounded, but all the wiser for it.  Many thanks Adm. Hopper for
    providing such excellant ammunition.

      Admiral Hopper is Inspiration personified.
      
      Welcome aboard, Admiral.  I hope your stay here is pleasant.
      
      Dave C.

    Could you send a "nano-second" to stop OGO1-J17 ?

    Gee, I wonder if this means that Digital is now manufacturing
    nanoseconds?

    Glad you're with us Admiral.
    
    I'm sure your contributions will continue to be an inspiration to
    all of us.
    
    Gaitan D.

    I "fourteenth" the sentiment - Admiral Hopper is a welcome addition to DEC.
    I can now bronze my bonafide Admiral Hopper nanosecond as a pre-DEC
    artifact!
    
    Flora Piterak   

    Another welcome.
    
    Hope that you will attend the (field) Software Services Senior
    Consultant's meeting that is now in the preliminary planning stages. 

    	-Barry-
    

        Well, everyone seems to be assuming that she is listening.  The 
        truth be known she has probably been subjkected to an  All-in-1 
        account  and doesn't know we are out here.  Is someone from the 
        DC office listening? Could  you  sit  Grace  in  front  of  the 
        terminal  she  has  no  doubt  appropriated and show her how to 
        note. 
        
        I, too, am looking forward to her  appropriating  a  couple  of 
        microseconds   and   turning  them  into  nanoseconds  for  the 
        Dec-world.
        
        q
        

    I took a look today, and Adm. Hopper is indeed listed under ELF.
    Her location code is WNP, but alas, no E-mail address. 
    
    Yet.
    
    Dave

	If you use ALL-IN-1 and the MTS system, all you need is:

			GRACE HOPPER @ WNP

	MTS should take care of getting it there, whatever the final 
destination, and mail system.

I sure hope everyone doesn't go wacko and start sending here all "welcome
aboard" mail requesting their very own copies of nano-seconds.  We're all
thrilled to have her here, but let's give her a break.

-mark

    
    Admiral Hopper was interviewed on CBS news' NIGHTWATCH the other night.
    As always, she was totally captivating.
    
    She also gave several BIG plugs for DEC.  While the shows host
    mentioned "Digital Computers" - she made it clear that it was "Digital
    Equipment Corporation" and that we were a very good company!  In
    fact, she corrected the host!
    
    Among her many notable quips, "You manage *things*, you *lead* people."
    
    She gave her two pieces of advice that she got when she left
    mid-shipmens school:
    
    a.	"If it's a good thing to do, in my case for the good of the
    Nvay, go ahead and do it.  It is much easier to apologize then it
    is to get permission".
    
    b.	"Provide positive leadership"
    
    
    easier
    I haven't been watching the clock, but it has to be at least a 20
    minute interview.
    
    P.S.  She stated her nickname was "Grandma"    

    
    Welcome aboard, Grandma!

    	Bob :-)
    

    There was also an excellent interview on All Things Considered
    (National Public Radio) last Friday.  It also was ~20 minutes. 
    
    Burns

    I built a nanosecond the other week!  Take 8 inches of semi-rigid
    coax and make up SMA connectors on the ends and you've got just
    about a nanosecond.  'Grandma' might look askance at it, as hers
    were longer, but the teflon dielectric gives 70 percent velocity...
    :+)
    
    Willie
    

  In here presentations, she explicitly states that her 
  "nanoseconds" are, in fact, cut to the length that light 
  would travel in one nS *in a vacuum*, and that she 
  understands that the velocity of light (or any other 
  electromagnetic radiation) is less in copper-and-plastic.

  People ask her why it takes so long to bounce a signal off 
  a satellite -- She then starts measuring up towards the 
  satellite, a nanosecond at a time, explaining as she goes 
  that there are a lot of nanoseconds between here, and there, 
  and the other end.

  In that way, her nanosecond is probably the most useful 
  of all possible nanoseconds because it is the longest possible
  nanosecond, at least as far as we understand physics today.

                                   Atlant
                  (Waiting anxiously for Sub-Space Ethernet)

While I am sure Frank will not appreciate the attention, Frank (MKTGSG::) 
Donovan is connected with the scheduling process for getting Dr. (Adm.) 
Hopper to speak at meeting. Frank is a public relations type, so you might 
also use Decmail to Frank Donovan @MKO. WNP is the D.C. Washington, 
National Place office downtown. I don't believe Dr. Hopper has had more 
than 15 minutes to sit down since she joined us. I will ask later on who is 
actually manufacturing the "nano-seconds" that she is giving out.

After hearing Dr. Hopper today in our group meeting, there are a few 
observations:

1)	She likes to know wht the audience is interested in hearing.

2)	By default, you get the COBOL story, what computers need to become, 
	and a few comments on her favorite, why you should never say
	"... because that's the way we have always done it."

	She is an excellent speaker, but like any new employee, not fully 
aware of what DEC is up to (I don't think anyone knows everything DEC is 
doing).

Regards, Ira Grollman (GSG Systems Engineering)

        I've heard her "default" talk twice now, but it has been several
        years since the last one. I'd really like to see DEC videotape one
        of these presentations, and make it available, both internally and
        externally. I'd pay for a copy myself. In fact, if it were up to
        me, I'd make it manditory that every employee watch the tape. 

    Re: .26
    
    There is such a tape available for your watching and listening pleasure
    in the library at the Mill in Maynard...
    
    	- Gale

        I'm out in Chicago. Is there some way to get the tape (or a
        copy) out here? Thanks.
        
        		bob

    This week's Datamation has a brief article on Rear Admiral Hopper
    on page 109.
    
    It is only two pages and somewhat superficial but interesting.
    
    It even mentions that she has joined Digital.
    
    Don

    
    Adm. Hopper is scheduled to appear on "Late Night with David Letterman"
    tonight, Thursday October 2.
   
                                                                  
    

      Incredible.  I read .30 just in time to tune in and see the
      commercials immediately preceding Letterman's introduction
      of Adm. Hopper.  He called her Grace.  It sounded wrong to
      me.
      
      When Letterman asserted that she was no longer on active duty
      and was working for a private firm, she plugged Digital; she
      said it deserves mention; it is a good company.
      
      She gave Letterman a nanosecond and explained what it means.
      She said you can get packages of picoseconds at McDonald's
      or Wendy's--they're usually labelled 'pepper'.
      
      Dave C.

Thanks to .30 I was able to tape it and watch it this morning.  I too (Grace
told Letterman she never watches his show because it's on too late) go to bed
too early to watch.

Of note, she did have a few interesting comments:

	o	while begining given an award from Reagan she told him she was 
		older than him to which Letterman commented that Reagan 
		probably doesn't here that very often

	o	when letterman asked her if they picked her to work on computers
		because of her knowledge she quickly corrected him by saying she
		didn't know anyting about computers!  that was the first one!

	o	she also commented that one of the hardest things about being a
		civilian was shopping for clothes!  she simply can't find any
		panty hose that fits!

It was certainly interesting listening to a non-technical interview...

-mark

    Thanks to .30, I set the timer on my VCR to tape it.  But I suffered
    a Brain Burp, and forgot to recheck the setting before I went to
    bed.  Someone had changed the channel, and I have taped one hour
    of whatever was on channel 7 last night.
    
    I would appreciate borrowing a copy of someone's tape -- beta or
    VHS, it doesn't matter.
    
    -Jo-Ann
    MAXWEL::GERDE  dtn 225-6752

    Would someone please explain to the ignorant Europeans what 
    "nanoseconds" and "picoseconds" are about in conjunction
    with Admiral Grace Hopper ?
    Besides, due to her personality (as gathered from this topic)
    she really seems to be an invaluable "asset" to DEC!
    
    Fred
    

    re: .34--She frequently must explain what a nanosecond is to a
    non-technical person.  A nanosecond is such a short length of time
    that the people she is talking to have trouble with the concept.
    Therefore she wished to have something concrete.  Since light moves
    about 30 centimeters in a nanosecond she had her staff make a lot
    of 30-centimeter lengths of wire, and she hands these out to her
    audience, calling them "nanoseconds".
    
    A picosecond is 0.001 of a nanosecond, so I suppose a particle of
    pepper would serve as a concrete symbol.
        John Sauter

    Re: 182.30
    
    Thank you so much for putting this in!  I tape Letterman every night,
    but knowing in advance put me on notice not to "forget" to set the
    timer, and it also gave me something to look forward to at the
    end of my work day!!
    
    The interview was great.  I have it on Beta, and will entertain
    requests for copies (on a limited time basis, operators are standing
    by to take your calls...).  
    
    I'm saving this tape..
    
    Paula
    

    I'm surprised that nobody has noted that an interview with "Grandma" 
    was featured in the Inquiry section of Friday's edition of USA TODAY 
    -- which for those of you not based in the US, is one of the very few 
    nationwide daily newspapers in this country.
    
    The heading began: "Adm. Grace Hopper, 79, often called Amazing Grace, 
    recently retired from the U.S. Navy after a 43-year career and has 
    joined Digital Equipment Corp. as a consultant".

    Part way through, the interviewer asks:
    
    	USA TODAY: You're 79 years old and beginning a new career with
    	Digital Equipment Corp. What do you plan to accomplish?
    
    	HOPPER: Help them make better computers.
    
    	USA TODAY: How are you going to do that?
    
    	HOPPER: Oh, bug them, bother them, pester them, yell at them.
    	Change their minds. For instance, I've said that within five
    	years, 10 years, we'll have a computer driven by light instead
    	of electricity. I'm going to keep mentioning that to everybody
    	at Digital. Pretty soon it'll be an idea that they're all planning
    	for.

    So don't say you have'nt been enlightened in advance ...   :^)

  I would like to hear Adm. Hopper and will try to get the videotape
from the DEC library. I would really like to see and hear her in
person. If you hear that she is planning to visit the Marlboro
area, please post a reply here and send me an E-mail. I don't check
this notesfile every day. 

There was an interesting article on Hopper in the Sunday (yesterday)
Worcester T & G magazine section (they interviewed her while she was
on a trip to Merrimack I gather). 

I'm an admirer of anyone who "does the right thing" especially if it's
against "the trend".  Admiral Hopper is no exception... but the thing
to note is that she's only human.  She puts on her pants one leg at a
time just like the rest of us. 

The best statement of the whole article quoted her as saying something
to the effect that she'd worked for a long time to become a
"character". And she says she thinks she's succeeded. Too bad it took
80 years for this one person to get recognition for "bucking the
trend" and in doing so, "making things work". 

I hope she does stir things up at DEC.  People get too sedentary.  And
if they'll listen to (Grace) since she's older & "distinguished" & a
character by being both, well, good for her & good for DEC. DEC has
traditionally been somewhat radical, but there are plenty of people
here who are getting too satisfied.  Maybe having some radical
"statesman" like Hopper will help crank up some tired blood (ie, I
hope people actually listen to her rather than just use her for PR
or for a "character" to have around.)

    One of the key things from the article was that she came to DEC;
    we didn't recruit her, she recruited us.

    I agree with .-1 about the key point in the article is that she
    said "Tell Digital I want to work for them". Maybe we should use
    that quote as our next marketing slogan....something like
    
    "Admiral Hopper says 'Tell DIGITAL I want to work for them....DIGITAL
    has HER now!"
    
     

    I had the large conference room in the Mill reserved for the 18th
    of December, but got a call asking (telling) me that my request
    is now cancelled because Grace Hopper will be speaking in the Mill
    on that date and needed that room.
    
    So, it looks like she is coming to the Mill...
    
    	- Gale

    I can't take it any longer.
    
    Let's assume that Grace Hopper is a nice person.  She's smart, has
    lots of experience, and has done a few good things in her life.
    
    OK.  It is good to hire people like that.
    
    But most, if not all, of the notes I've been reading (here and in a
    couple of other conferences) border on fawning.  From what I understand
    her job will be a mixture of corporate PR, attending sales conferences,
    and trying to get interviewed so that she can say "I work for DEC" on
    Channel 4. 

    I don't begrudge sales people, marketing, or "spreading the word".
    What I am questioning is the level of excitement over this.
    
    I would like to hear some of you explain why this is such a tremendous
    event.  That is, any more so than the hiring of any other nice,
    smart, experienced person.  Let's see some specifics instead of
    "oh boys".
    
    jdr

Those of us who have been around for a while have noticed that
Digital is starting to look a lot like IBM, full of bean counters
and lacking risk takers.

Once Dr. Hopper gets settled, I have a feeling she's going to
discover some things she thinks needs changing.

This should be interesting.

Now, if we could only get Gordon back, ...

Martin.

    Re: .43
    
    Grace Hopper is one of THE pioneers of our industry.  She has a
    vision of what this industry SHOULD be that far exceeds what most
    of us can ever hope to understand.  She is extremely articulate
    in describing the history and future of our industry.  Not only
    that but she describes how to deal with management in a constructive
    and unconventional manner.  The lady is simply brilliant and it's
    very hard to understand how much leadership she possesses until
    you hear her.
    
    I suggest that EVERYONE who has any chance at all listen to this
    true pioneer.
    
    I agree that a lot of this note has been fawning but don't scream
    bah hum bug unless you have seen her.  Feel free to NEXT UNSEEN
    if you must.
    
    Re: .44 and Gordon
    
    Hear, hear!!
    
    Don

    RE: .43 
    
    As befitting a pioneer, Grace has advocated for years ideas that
    we are only now developing the ability to implement. Over 10 years
    ago I heard her advocating that rather then just building bigger
    computers we should just add more of the same size computers together
    to work on bigger problems. This is exactly what clusters and the
    still developing idea of parallel processors are now doing. She
    sees things early that others miss all together.
    
    Also she is a constant advocate for pursuing new directions. That
    is what made DEC what it is today. Some times we forget that and
    it will be helpful to have someone, who like Grace can do it with
    humor and enormous credibility, remind us of this.
    
    She also has this knack of starting people thinking. You can't leave
    a talk by her without your mind going off in several new directions.
    She is really inspiring to here. The year I heard her speak I also
    heard KO speak. Now I really respect Ken but I remember very little
    of what he had to say. Ten years later I think I could almost repeat
    Grace's talk item by item. People remember what she says. That alone
    makes her worth her weight in gold for the PR value.
    
    		Alfred

    The problem is that, worthy as she certainly is, DEC - sorry, Digital
    - just doesn't respond as well to this kind of person as it once
    did.
    
    It's not clear that Gordon could help much if he came back.  For
    that matter, KO is still saying the same kinds of things (mostly)
    that he always has, but Digital resembles what he says less and
    less as time goes on.
    
    Digital still tolerates such people, but is strictly MBA City when
    it comes to running the company.  It has already paid a significant
    price for this, and the price will continue to increase.
    
    		- Bill
    

    Re: .47
    
    Maybe the ship isn't as responsive as it once appeared to be.  Nor
    does it respond as quickly as we'd like.  But it DOES respond. 
    
    The very fact that Admiral Hopper was hired is small a proof of that
    fact.
    
    I recommend that we ALL take her approach and keep pushing this
    ship to move in the RIGHT direction.
    
    Stay positive and keep pushing,
    
    Don

    Grace Hooper should be able to shake up a little dust -  I also
    think Digital needs her. Besides she's really a special person and
    I think a lot of people are excited about her and want to be able
    to hear her speak.
    
    Re Gordon, I also wish he were back. Many years ago I worked
    as a TAG as a way to suppliment my teaching income. I worked
    for his secretary for a while and found him to be a very nice
    very approachable person. I also may have had the distinction
    of being the only TAG to get a "Gordon-gram" in response to
    a memo I sent in regards to sloppy security practices. 
    (Aside - what is he doing now?)
    

Re: .49  -< re Grace and Gordon >-
	
    >  (Aside - what is he doing now?)
    
    	C. Gordon Bell is chief scientist for the Dana Group in sunnyvale,
    Calif.  He was most recently vice chairmen for technology at Encore
    Computer Corp.  Prior to joing Encore, he was vice president for
    engineering at Digital Equipment Corp.  Bell earned his B.S. and
    M.S. degrees in electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute
    of Technology
    
    			<Taken from a recent article in IEEE Spectrum>
    
    
    	- Gale
    

    Gordon was recently appointed to some position (computer related)
    at the National Science Foundation.
    
    I didn't know this until a few months ago (when I moved here) that
    Gordon is also the publisher of the Gardner News, and maintains
    a home in Gardner.   He recently had an editorial in the paper that
    actually blamed the computer industry for certain problems.   I'm
    trying to get a copy and will enter it here if I can get one.

    This past Spring the NSF announced a consolidation of their computer
    related studies into the Directorate for Computer & Information
    Science (CISE) with Gordon as Assistant NSF Director heading this
    up fulltime effective 7/1/86. 
    
    Adm. Hopper appears to be the type to provide "vision" for our long
    term technology strategy dominating issues on short term products.
    In his NSF role, Gordon also is a potential resource to us. 

    re .52 on Adm. Hopper:
    
    that is, **without** dominating short term ....

    
    Dr. Grace Hopper will be the Keynote Speaker on Thursday,
    November 20th, 1986, 8:30am to 9:30am at the IDECUS Fall'86
    Symposium & Exhibition, Sheraton Conference Center,
    Boxborough, MA.

  Thank you for posting this note about the IDECUS speech. I read
about it on Livewire but didn't see it anywhere else. It is NOT in
the conference program (maroon cover), I assume because it was
scheduled too late. I expect an SRO crowd and it is probably too
late to register. Only people who have registered in advance will
be allowed to attend the speech and the cost is $85 a day to your
cost center. This entitles you to attend the seminars all day,
see the exhibits, and get a free lunch. 
  I just happened to read Livewire at the right time and can just-
ify attending IDECUS for work-related reasons, so I have registered.
But not everyone in "greater" Maynard who wants to hear Grace can
attend this conference. The possibility of a speech at the Mill on
Dec. 18 sounds interesting; please keep us posted.

    I did get the IDECUS maroon cover brochure, and inserted in the
    brochure was a single page announcing the talk by Grace on Thursday
    morning.  The last couple of IDECUS seminars that I have attended
    has had the morning speechs tele-communicated to several plants
    around DEC (one was Merrimack, I forget the others).  If you can
    not attend, this might be something to look into.
    
    GLK

  I attended the Grace Hopper lecture on Thursday and, as I expected,
there was an SRO crowd. Traffic was backed up for a mile going in
and people were parking on the grass, which had just been plowed.
They had monitors set up in another room to handle the overflow,
but as far as I know it wasn't broadcast live to other sites. It
was an experience. She said a lot of the things that have been
mentioned in this topic, such as the nanasecond wires and pico-
second packets, and a few new things. One thing that impressed me
is her statement that we need leaders, not managers, and the diff-
erence between a leader and a manager is that leadership is a two-
way street in which the leader accepts and is influenced by feed-
back from his/her people. I think there is a surplus of managers
and a shortage of leaders in DEC. 
  IDECUS is selling a videotape of all three keynote speeches for
$100. The flyer implies that you must buy all three. I don't want
to insult the other two speakers, but I think there is far more
demand for the Grace Hopper tape. I'm hoping it will find its way
into all of DEC's libraries so that as many people as possible can
see and hear this remarkable person.

    I was fortunate enough to be able to attend Dr. Hopper's address.
    She gave a simply wonderful talk!

    re .58
    
>    You MANAGE things, but you NEED people.. I'd like to get a poster
>    of that saying...

    I know you were hanging on her every word but what she actually said
    was "You manage things, you LEAD people". I've heard this before
    somewhere, maybe when she was on Late Night with David Letterman
    recently. Don't forget what she said about the cost of wrong
    information! :^) 

    Re: .59...
    
    THANKS!!!  I like the LEAD word instead of the NEED word even better
    8-).....  It was hard to hear her from the very back....  I'll be
    glad when we get our tape!!!
    
    	- Gale

    From the Police Beat section of the Wednesday, November 26th edition 
    of "The Beacon".  Refers to Dr. Hopper's ingagement at IDECUS on 
    20 NOV 86. 

		Boxborough

	"Last Thursday morning from 8 to 10 a.m., 
	police battled the worst traffic jam in
	Boxborough history. A speaker at the
	Sharaton Inn attracted an estimated
	crowd of 800 people, whose vehicles
	jammed Routes 111 and 495 and the exit
	ramps. Access was closed to NEC and the
	Sharaton until the situation cleared.
	Police Chief Robert Johnson said he met 
	with the Sharaton personnel the following
	day to review procedures."
    

Recalling the Admiral's interview with USA Today:  (from .37)
    
    	HOPPER: For instance, I've said that within five years, 10 years,
	we'll have a computer driven by light instead of electricity. I'm
	going to keep mentioning that to everybody at Digital. Pretty soon
	it'll be an idea that they're all planning for.

    Copyright 1987 XINHUA

     OPTICAL LOGIC CIRCUIT INVENTED IN BRITAIN LONDON, JANUARY 1 (XINHUA)

    British scientists have developed for the first time an optical
    logic circuit of the type that will lead to a new generation of
    computers, "Nature" reported today.  The optical logic circuit was
    formed by linking up optical switches with laser beams.  According to
    its inventors, Professor S.D. Smith and his colleagues in the
    Department of Physics at Heriot Watt University, near Edinburgh, the
    optical logic circuit successfully emulates the circuits of the
    electronic "gates" used in conventional electronic computers known as
    serial processing systems, thus confirming the potential of the optical
    logic circuit for optical computers functioning on the principle of
    parallel processing.  There are two major problems in the development
    of optical devices.  The speed of light is so fast that it is quite
    difficult to coordinate optical switches.  As light traverses optical
    devices, its intensity can become so small that it fails to trigger a
    switch, causing the optical circuit to break.  The British scientists
    have overcome the abovemontioned difficulties, "Nature" said.

    
    I attended the IDECUS meeting and also turned in the form requesting
    a copy of the video tape.  A co-worker recently asked me to view
    the tape when I received it; which reminded me....where is it?
    
    They must have received hundreds of requests.  Has anyone received
    a tape yet?
    
    "jackin' the house", Bob

    I just got the copy today.

  There is an interesting article on Grace Hopper in the April 87
Insight, a DEC publication. 
  There is also a brief article in Mountain Views, the Hudson MA
newsletter. It says she was in greater Nashua, NH recently and
spoke at a luncheon sponsored by the N.H. Assn. of Commerce and
Industry. Did she visit any DEC plants on this trip?

               <<< HUMAN::WRKD$:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DIGITAL.NOTE;1 >>>
                          -< The DEC way of working >-
================================================================================
Note XXX.0              Dr. Grace Hopper broadcast on DVN             No replies
ANGORA::MORRISON "Bob M. LMO2/P41 296-5357"           8 lines  13-OCT-1987 16:30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  There is a topic somewhere in this file on Grace Hopper, but I can't find it
and I don't have much time. Few people in DEC have had or will have an oppor-
tunity to see and hear her in person, but she will be speaking on the Digital
Video Network tomorrow from 3:30 to 4:15, according to Livewire. This is a live
broadcast from a conference in Seattle. If you have access to DVN and have the
time, I suggest you listen. If you think an 80-year-old woman can't be an ex-
pert on computers, you are in for a surprise.

          <<< HUMAN::DISK$HUMAN_WRKD:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DIGITAL.NOTE;1 >>>
                          -< The DEC way of working >-
================================================================================
Note XXX.0                        Grace Hopper                           1 reply
ISTG::CHESLER                                         3 lines   1-APR-1988 13:21
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For those of you who stay up late enough to watch David Letterman,
    Grace Hopper will be a Guest on the Letterman show Friday,
    April 1.

>    For those of you who stay up late enough to watch David Letterman,
>    Grace Hopper will be a Guest on the Letterman show Friday,
>    April 1.

For those of us 'otherwise occupied'...How'd she get along with Dave?

Dan

    No, she wasn't on Friday night.   The episode shown on Thursday was, as
    they call it, an "encore performance" (the writer's strike has shut
    down Letterman).   Her discussion with Dave was on a few months ago,
    and was described elsewhere in this or another conference.

	... depart this corporate ship?  She's not in ELF anymore.

	Maybe the "lead, not manage" message was getting embarrasing to some
folks?? :>)

    Adm Hopper WAS on long-term disability -- 

Huh, she was in there last week.

LTD employees do indeed appear to be unlisted.
				/AHM/SIGH

    Well, a while back, somewhere in this conference, someone asked if
    Adm. Grace Hopper was still a DECCIE.  I think I remember a response that
    she might be out on some sort of extended (medical?) leave.
    
    Well, she's no longer in ELF (she used to be).  Does anyone know what
    happened?

      <<< Note 182.73 by DPDMAI::RESENDE "Digital, thriving on chaos?" >>>
                          -< Whither a famous DECie? >-

>    Well, a while back, somewhere in this conference, someone asked if
>    Adm. Grace Hopper was still a DECCIE.  I think I remember a response that
>    she might be out on some sort of extended (medical?) leave.
>    
>    Well, she's no longer in ELF (she used to be).  Does anyone know what
>    happened?


    When/if ELF is working correctly, persons on STD/LTD are not supposed 
to be listed in ELF if I recall correctly. Somewhere in here someone 
mentioned a person gone for a year and still listed in ELF, but I think it 
normally works 99% of the time and that may be why Adm Hopper is not on 
ELF.

    Vic

    
       You mean she wasn't "given the package"?
    

                  
 +---------------------------+ TM
 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |       Digital Equipment Corporation
 | d | i | g | i | t | a | l |       Maynard, Massachusetts 01754-2571
 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
 +---------------------------+ 

Editorial Contact:

Frank Donovan
(603) 884-4489








      ADMIRAL HOPPER AWARDED THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF TECHNOLOGY

WASHINGTON, DC -- September 16, 1991 -- President George Bush today 
awarded The National Medal Of Technology to Rear Admiral Grace 
Murray Hopper (USNR Retired).
     Admiral Hopper, a senior consultant at Digital Equipment 
Corporation, is the first woman to receive America's highest 
technology award as an individual. The award recognizes her as a 
computer pioneer, who spent a half century helping keep America on 
the leading edge of high technology.
     Jill S. Baylor, the president of the Society of Women 
Engineers who nominated the admiral, accepted the award on her 
behalf in a Rose Garden Ceremony. The 84-year-old Admiral was 
unable to attend the ceremony.
     Admiral Hopper was one of 18 individuals to receive the 1991 
National Medal of Technology, which is administered by the U.S. 
Department of Commerce's Technology Administration. The award has 
been presented annually since 1985 and reflects contributions to 
the economy, environment or social well-being of the United States. 
     Admiral Hopper retired in 1986 as the U.S. Navy's oldest 
officer on active duty and began a new career at age 79 at Digital 
Equipment Corporation. Her retirement ceremony took place aboard 
the USS Constitution, the Navy's oldest commissioned war ship.
     Until recently, Admiral Hopper had been actively representing 
Digital at computer industry forums, making presentations on 
advanced computing concepts and the value of information and data, 
and serving as a corporation liaison with educational institutions. 
     At the time of her retirement from the Navy, Admiral Hopper 
was assigned to the Naval Data Automation Command in Washington, 
D.C. Much of her military service was devoted to keeping the Navy 
on the leading edge of computer technology. 
     Admiral Hopper was born Grace Brewster Murray on December 9, 
1906 in New York City. She began summering in Wolfeboro, N.H., with 
her family in 1907 and regards the town on the shores of Lake 
Winnipesaukee as her second home.
     She is a 1928 graduate of Vassar College with Phi Beta Kappa 
and a Vassar College Fellowship. She continued her education at 
Yale University where she earned an MA in 1930, and PhD in 1934, 
together with election to Sigma Xi and two Sterling Scholarships. 
She also attended New York University as a Vassar Faculty Fellow in 
1941.
     In December 1943 she was sworn in and in May 1944, she joined 
the United States Naval Reserve and attended the USNR Midshipman 
School (W). After graduation she was commissioned a Lieutenant (JG) 
and ordered to the Bureau of Ordnance Computation Project at 
Harvard where she learned to program computers. In 1946, she was 
returned to inactive duty, but she continued to serve in the Naval 
Reserve and rose through the ranks retiring in December 1966 with 
the rank of Commander.
     In August 1967, she was recalled to active duty, rose through 
the ranks, and was appointed on November 8, 1883 as Commodore. The 
title of that grade was changed to Rear Admiral on November 8, 
1985.
     During her career Admiral Hopper has taught at several 
colleges and universities, including Vassar, Barnard, Harvard, 
University of Pennsylvania and George Washington University. She 
also worked as a senior mathematician at Eckert-Mauchly Computer 
Corporation in Philadelphia and helped program the UNIVAC I, the 
first commercial large-scale electronic computer. She remained with 
the company when it was bought by Remmington Rand and later merged 
with Sperry Corporation.
     At her retirement ceremony from the Navy, then Navy Secretary 
John F. Lehmann Jr presented Admiral Hopper with the Distinguished 
Service Medal. More than 40 colleges and universities have 
conferred honorary degrees on Admiral Hopper, and she has been 
honored by her peers on several occasions. She was the recipient of 
the first Computer Sciences "Man of the Year" award. Her entry in 
"Who's Who" takes 34 lines to thumbnail her accomplishments, 
appointments and honors. 
     Digital Equipment Corporation, headquartered in Maynard, 
Massachusetts, is the leading worldwide supplier of networked 
computer systems, software and services. Digital pioneered and 
leads the industry in interactive, distributed and multi-vendor 
computing. Digital and its partners deliver the power to use the 
best integrated solutions -- from desktop to data center --  in 
open information environments. 
                                ####
CORP/92/343

===========================================

         This message comes from FRANK DONOVAN
         
         


         For More Information:
         Frank Donovan
         (603) 884-4489
         
                              Admiral Hopper Dies
              
              Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (USNR Ret.) died New 
         Year's Day at her home in Arlington, Virginia. She had 
         celebrated her 85th birthday on December 9.
              At the time of her death she was employed as a senior 
         consultant at Digital Equipment Corporation, and until 18 
         months ago was actively representing the company at industry 
         forums, making presentations that focused on Government 
         issues and participating in corporate educational programs. 
              In September, President George Bush awarded the National 
         Medal of Technology to Admiral Hopper "for her pioneering 
         accomplishments in the development of computer programming 
         languages that simplified computer technology and opened the 
         door to a significantly larger universe of users." She was 
         the first woman to receive the award as an individual. 
              Admiral Hopper was sometimes called "Amazing Grace" 
         because she recorded successful careers in academia, business 
         and the United States Navy while making history in the 
         computer field. Just as Adm. Hyman Rickover was father of the 
         nuclear navy, Rear Adm. Hopper was the mother of computerized 
         data automation in the naval service.
              Admiral Hopper joined Digital in 1986, shortly after her 
         retirement as the U.S. Navy's oldest officer on active duty. 
         The ceremony was conducted aboard the USS Constitution, the 
         service's oldest commissioned warship. She had devoted her 
         military career to keeping the Navy on the leading edge of 
         computer technology.
              Admiral Hopper was born Grace Brewster Murray on 
         December 9, 1906 in New York City. She began summering in 
         Wolfeboro, N.H., in 1907 and regarded the town on the shores 
         of Lake Winnipesaukee as her second home.
              After receiving a Ph.D in mathematics from Yale, she 
         began her professional life as a math teacher at Vassar 
         College, her alma mater, where she ultimately became an 
         associate professor. Later, she worked as a top scientist at 
         Sperry Corporation and its predecessors.
              However, her employer of choice was always the Navy, 
         which she joined in 1943 at the height of World War II. As a 
         lieutenant assigned to the Bureau of Ordnance Computation 
         Project at Harvard University, Adm. Hopper was thrust into 
         the world of computing as a programmer on the first large 
         scale digital computer, the Mark I. 
              Mustered out of the Navy in 1946, she remained at 
         Harvard as a faculty member in the computation laboratory. 
         She continued to work on Mark II and Mark II Navy computers 
         and maintained her Navy career as an active duty reservist.
              Although retired from the Navy reserve in 1966 because 
         of age, Adm. Hopper was recalled within a year to full-time 
         active duty and steadily advanced to flag rank. Her 
         assignment to the Naval Data Automation Command in 
         Washington, D.C., permitted her to refine computer language 
         techniques to the Navy's advantage and to keep that service 
         at the cutting edge of computer technology.
              Adm. Hopper had received honorary degrees from more than 
         40 colleges and universities, and had been honored by her 
         peers on several occasions. She was recipient of the first 
         Computer Sciences "Man of the Year" award given by the Data 
         Processing Management Association. Her entry in "Who's Who" 
         takes 34 lines to thumbnail her accomplishments, appointments 
         and honors. 
              She is survived by a brother, Dr. Roger F. Murray II of 
         New Hampshire, a sister, Mary Murray Westcote of New Jersey, 
         nieces and nephews.
              
         

    

Grace Hopper's obituary appears in the 4/1/92 issue of The Times

Craig

Grace Hopper fans may want to check out and contribute to the
following web-pages.


http://www.norfolk.navy.mil/chips/grace_hopper/

[sic: /chips/ NOT /ships/ ]
-pb
[Posted by WWW Notes gateway]

  Makes you wish Heaven had a T3! Maybe Adm. Hopper can "acquire" one?

                                   Atlant