News

The project DEMaIn (funded by ANR) hires a doctoral student for a PhD in Didactics of Mathematics and interactions with Informatics, at University of Montpellier (France). The student will develop a work of didactical engineering in the fields of the project. The grant is for 3 years, starting in autumn 2017.
Details (in French) are in the attached file.
Applications will be examined as soon as they are received.

Feel free to distribute this announcement around you, to your networks and to students who could be interested in this topic.

Contact for informations and application : simon.modeste@umontpellier.fr

Call for contributions
International symposium
Unix in Europe: between innovation, diffusion and heritage
Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, Paris, France – October 19 2017
http://technique-societe.cnam.fr/international-symposium-unix-in-europe-between-innovation-diffusion-and-heritage-913009.kjsp?RH=cdhte

The Unix system was born in the 1970s at the crossroads between two interacting worlds: industry (the Bell Labs at AT&T) and academia (the University of Berkeley computer science network). Its fast adoption throughout computer research and engineering networks across the world signaled the future success of the new system, fostering software experiments within its open, multi-user and multi-tasking system running on mini-computers – and later compatible with a larger part of computer hardware. In the European context, how was this American innovation propagated, adopted and adapted? Why was Unix of so much interest in this context, then and now? A solid culture of Unix users might also explain this success, as well as subsequent processes of appropriation and inheritance, due to the long and complex history of Unix versioning. The memory of Unix users is vivid indeed, fed by early accounts within the computer world (Salus, 1994) as well as preservation initiatives (Toomey, 2010). Moreover, the Unix system is a crucial reference in the history of computing, in particular in the field of free and open source software (Kelty, 2008), computer networks (Paloque-Berges, 2017), as well as in programming language philosophy (Mélès, 2013).
In order to explore the variety of these interrogations, this symposium encourages contributions from historians as well as philosophers, social science researchers, and heritage professionals interested in the history of computer open systems and software with a focus on Unix or who have a wider perspective. It will also welcome protagonists and witnesses of Unix culture and carriers of its memory. We wish to discuss and shed light on several aspects of the development of Unix in Europe (including in comparison or relation with the rest of the world) along three main lines: historical and sociological, philosophical and epistemological, and heritage- and preservation-oriented.

1/ Historical and sociological perspectives
Historically, the Unix system is linked to the promotion and development in research on open systems and computer networks. How does this fit in the context of industrial, scientific and technological policies defined at the national and European level? The history of Unix thus reaches at least three levels of interrogations: 1/ the forms, places and practices of innovation around Unix in R&D labs and computing centers in companies, schools and universities; 2/ planning, promoting and negotiating open systems (norms and standards) from the perspective of science and/or politics; 3/ international geopolitical relations, whether economical or geopolitical and even geostrategic (for example between Unix users, with users of other computer equipment or other hardware and software companies, the role of embargos in the shipping of mini-computers, of code, and military uses of Unix).
In parallel, how has the world of computer research welcomed, encouraged, negotiated and propagated uses and innovations related to Unix systems? This begs the question of how Unix-related research and development was legitimized – or played a part in the legitimization of computer science experimentalism in the scientific field and beyond. We would also like to highlight practices of resistance, the failure to acknowledge, ignorance of or even the limits of the Unix system, its software tools and hardware environment (beginning with the famous PDP and Vax machines from Digital Equipment where the first Unix versions were implemented). With a focus on occupational computer uses, we call for analysis which aims to explore and clarify:
– the role of developers, users, and user associations – from the point of view of pioneers as well as helpers, maintainers and other witnesses of the implementation of Unix;
– the context, process, and people who determined its propagation, appropriation, and development over time;
– the meaning of concepts of Unix philosophy and ethics such as “openness” and “autonomy”, from a social, political or economic point of view.

2. Philosophical and epistemological perspectives
We will foster research and reflection at the crossroad of the theoretical foundations of computer systems and engineering pragmatism, between the philosophy of computer systems and Unixian practices.

Protagonists in the conception and diffusion of Unix often claim to have a ‘Unix philosophy’ . But beyond statement of principle, what was the real influence of this idea on the technical choices underlying the system’s developments? What are the ethical, moral, and philosophical motivations – alongside the social, political or economic dimensions discussed earlier – underpinning the adoption of Unix or pretending to extend it (for instance in relation to the notions of sharing, modularity or freedom)? How is the idea of ‘openness’ attached to Unix practices and heritage (free software, open source) conceived? What are the theoretical developments to be drawn from it (for instance with the idea of open software)?

The logical and mathematical foundations of Unix should be readdressed. Do the fundamental concepts of Unix have an ontological or metaphysical significance beyond the sole research aim of technical efficiency? What role do aesthetics play in the formulation of general principles and technical choices? How can we analyze programming languages such as C and its successors, scripts, software, and generally speaking, the proliferating source codes of Unix? How do we consider the system, the software environment, as well as the hardware in which Unix is implemented and executed?

Such philosophical questions also cover the modalities of the transmission of Unix, extending to the investigation of the respective roles of theory and practice in the teaching of the system, the teaching of knowledge and tools underlying the system or supporting the system.

3. Unix heritage and ‘heritagization’

France is now the home to multiple initiatives taking place to build and preserve a material and immaterial heritage of computer science and technology – such as ‘Software Heritage’ at INRIA, a global software archive in progress. The Museum of Arts et Métiers gave impetus to the MINF initiative (‘Pour un Musée de l’informatique et du numérique’) and coordinates the ‘Patstec Mission’ dealing with contemporary scientific and technological heritage preservation, including computer science. At an international scale and with a grassroots perspective carried by the community of Unix users, the TUHS (The Unix Heritage Society) demonstrates the current interest in the specific heritage linked to Unix. We encourage reflections on this heritage and its specific features:

– What is the place of Unix in the construction of computer science heritage? Is it possible to map Unix systems and their heritage, from the standpoint of machines, languages and software? What has already been collected? What corpus, data bases, and/or platforms with a patrimonial mission are concerned with Unix and to what purpose?
– How are the questions of training, constitution and diffusion of a Unix culture incorporated in the effort to collect heritage? How do we evaluate and put forward the importance of immaterial heritage attached to Unix, considering the effects of community and memory in its history and for the writing of its history?
– What are the practices and modalities advocated by the unixian heritage itself? What has been its influence on the field of computer engineering and research as well as diverse fields such as: popularization of science and technology, ‘hacker’ movements and many ‘maker’ practices today (Lallement, 2016)?
Communications and discussions will be held in French or English.

*Schedules*
Please send a one-page abstract (maximum 500 words) with a short biography by June 30, 2017 to: camille.paloque-berges@cnam.fr; loic.petitgirard@cnam.fr. Accepted contributions and speakers will be notified by July 15, 2017.

*Organizing committee*
Isabelle Astic (Musée des arts et métiers)
Raphaël Fournier-S’niehotta (Cédric, Cnam)
Pierre-Eric Mounier-Kuhn (CRM, Paris 1)
Camille Paloque-Berges (HT2S, Cnam)
Loïc Petitgirard (HT2S, Cnam)

*Scientific committee*
François Anceau (UMPC-LIP6)
Pierre Cubaud (Cédric, Cnam)
Liesbeth de Mol (STL, Lille 3)
Claudine Fontanon (CAK, EHESS)
Gérald Kembellec (DICEN, Cnam)
Baptiste Mélès (Archives Henri Poincaré, CNRS)
Giuseppe Primiero (Middlesex University)
Lionel Tabourier (LIP6, Paris 6)

*Partners*
– Project « Hist.Pat.info.Cnam », HT2S, Cnam – Research program supported by the Excellence laboratory History and Anthropology of Knoweldge, Technics and Beliefs (HASTEC), and in partnership with the laboratories CEDRIC (Cnam), DICEN (Cnam), and the Center Alexandre Koyré (EHESS).
– Musée des arts et métiers and « Histoire de l’informatique » (« History of computing » seminar) seminar.
– « Source code » seminar (CNRS, Cnam, Université Paris 6).
With support from the DHST/DLMPST for the History and Philosophy of Computing (HAPOC)

*Bibliography*
Kelty, Christopher M. 2008. Two Bits: The Cultural Significance of Free Software. Durham: Duke University Press Books.

Lallement, Michel. 2016. L’âge du faire, Seuil.

Mélès, Baptiste. 2003. « Unix selon l’ordre des raisons : la philosophie de la pratique informatique ». Philosophia Scientiæ 17 (3): 181‑98.

Salus, Peter H. 1994. A quarter century of UNIX. Addison-Wesley. Reading.

Toomey, Warren. 2010. « First Edition Unix: Its Creation and Restoration ». IEEE Annals of the History of Computing 32 (3): 74‑82.

Summer School: On Computer Simulation Methods
September 25-29, 2017, High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS)
Website: https://regi.hlrs.de/2017/summer-school/index.jsp

Organizers: Michael Resch, Viola Schiaffonati, Giuseppe Primiero, Andreas Kaminski

Second Call for Applications

Topic

The transformation of science through computer simulation is often considered to be a methodological one. A lot of literature has been dedicated to determining the relationship between computer simulation, experiments or theories as the classical sources of knowledge. This relation is both methodologically and technically complex. On the one hand, it is difficult for philosophers, social scientists, and historians to gain detailed insight into the methods used among practitioners. On the other hand, for computer scientists and practitioners in general, the methodological limitations and design constraints that simulation techniques impose on hypothesis formulation and testing may not be obvious. The summer school addresses these problems by offering lectures and tutorials on computer simulation methods for scholars from the humanities, social sciences, and computer science.

Schedule

The morning sessions will include lectures by faculty members, focusing on the philosophical, methodological, and technical aspects of different simulation techniques (including numerical methods, software techniques, visualization, agent-based modelling, and computational experiments). These will be followed by project presentations by participants. The afternoons will be dedicated to hands-on tutorials by practitioners. Finally, in the evenings, distinguished scholars will offer lectures on the most inspiring and exciting issues in this increasingly important research area.

Instructors (confirmed and requested)

Nicola Angius (Sassari), Petra Gehring (TU Darmstadt), Andreas Kaminski (Stuttgart), Johannes Lenhard (Bielefeld), Giuseppe Primiero (London), Michael Resch (Stuttgart), Viola Schiaffonati (Milan), Angelo Vermeulen (Delft)

Who is it for?

Researchers (especially but not exclusively postgraduates) from the humanities and social sciences who are interested in learning more about the methodological dimensions of computer simulation;

Computer scientists and practitioners in simulation who are interested in deepening their knowledge on the foundations, methods, and implications of their techniques.

Prerequisites for participation?

Technical skills (knowledge of programming languages, simulation experience) are helpful, but not required. Acquaintance with the literature in contemporary philosophy of science is useful, but will not be assumed.

How to apply?

The number of participants is limited to 20. To apply, email kaminski@hlrs.de.

All proposals must be submitted by May 30, 2017 and include:

short curriculum vitae;

description of your research (max. one page);

questions or topics you are interested in regarding the summer school (just a few lines).

Participants will be notified by June 30, 2017.

What are the costs?

There is no fee, but participants will have to cover their travel and hotel expenses. The organizers will happily help participants organize their journey and hotel stay.

The DHST/DLMPST Interdivision Commission on the History and Philosophy of Computing (www.hapoc.org) will offer two bursaries of $250 each to support travel and accommodation costs of young researchers. To apply for this funding, please forward your application to

Liesbeth de Mol liesbeth.demol@univ-lille3.fr

Giuseppe Primiero G.Primiero@mdx.ac.uk

by May 31, 2017. Applicants will be informed of decisions pertaining to both funding and proposal submission at the same time (June 30, 2017).