- Artefact
- Research
- Transcoding
- Transcoding 1: Lossless Compression
- Transcoding Tool: The Machine of the Computing Girls Today
- Reflection
- Outcome
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
Taken in 1952 June, the Artefact is a photograph depicting a woman investigating data coming out of ARRA, the oldest computer known in The Netherlands.
| Tag | Data |
|---|---|
| IISG Call Number | IISG BG B28/625 |
| Physical Description | Photograph |
| Type | Visual Document |
| Medium | Photograph |
| Materials | Photo Paper |
| Date | 1952, 18 June |
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A black and white photograph of a woman in white blouse and dotted A-shaped skirt is looking at paper with data coming out of the first Dutch programmable computer: the 'ARRA', Automatic Relay Calculator Amsterdam in the Mathematical Center. |
When one of the first computers in the human history were being operated during World War II, coding and programming were known as the work for people who possesses 'picky and precise' mentality. 1 Unlike the stereotypes of programmers in the current society, back then these people were assumed to be women. While it wasn't high-status work yet, the women were involved in mathematical calculations to execute instructions which we can define it as 'programming' in these current times.
In 1960, the proportion of women in computing and mathematical professions was 27 percent in the United States. It reached the peak to 35 percent in 1990, but the numbers fell to 26 percent in 2013 which is below the percentage in 1960. Not only the number figures but also the culture and the societal view have been dramatically changed. Even now in 2020, programming is assumed to be 'men's job — as it needs precision, mathematical abilities, problem-solving skills which are not considered as women's major characteristics.
Eddy Alleda, Dineke Botterweg, Ria Debets, Marijke de Jong, Bertha Haanappel, Emmy Hagenaar, Truus Hurts, Loes Kaarsenmaker, Corrie Langereis, Reina Mulder, Diny Postema and Trees Scheffer formed a group called the Computing Girls in the Netherlands. 2 As they had completed high school with high grades in mathematics, they were considered suitable for computation works.
Some of the Computing Girls at a reunion in 1986. From left to right: Truus Hurts, Dineke Botterweg, Bertha Haanappel, Eddy Alleda
They worked at the Mathematical centre programming early Dutch computers such as ARRA and ARRA II from 1954, guided by Van Wijngaarden who contracted them. Even though they were one of the pioneers of the present computer situation, due to their family forming and to devote to it they didn't use their knowledge in computer science anymore, except Eddy Alleda who worked as a math teacher later on.
Throughout the history, there are many legendary women mathematicians and programmers who highly contributed in development of technology. Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper, Evelyn Boyd Granville, Sister Mary Kenneth Keller, Radia Perlman are a few examples from them.
Grace Hopper, an American computer scientist born in New York in 1906. She was one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark 1 computer. She also popularised the idea of machine-independent programming languages such as COBOL, an early programming language we still use today.
A mathematician Ada Lovelace from England is known as the first coder in history. In 1833, she wrote an algorithm with which the Analytical engine, a design to execute if/then commands invented by Charles Babbage, would calculate the Bernoulli sequence of numbers.
Even though women were the pioneers in programming for machines, the industry became much dominated by men over time. Not only the perspective for the characteristic of 'women' culturally didn't fit into computing anymore, but also women had less chances to be exposed to it for decades in normal households as 'programming' became a high-status job.
Since the artefact is a little sheet of physical photograph, first I looked into the technical aspect of photography.
From the questions of the physical side: How was the reality captured through an analogue camera? How does the image translate on a negative film during that process? How is that image printed on a light-sensitive photographic paper?
To digital: What kind of technology has been used for scanning the piece of paper? How is it saved in a digital space? What kind of compression methods have been used? How do we see them in our eyes?
And back to the physical world again: What kind of methods are available for digital printing? What does it mean to re-print the original photograph? What kind of decisions are made during that process — The paper size? Which printing method (Inkjet? Laser? Gelatine Silver? Photogravure?...)? Colour or B&W(even though the original is B&W)? Fill or centre the image? What kind of paper?
A sketch for understanding the process of taking photographs and turning them into digital files.
How do I bring this artefact to today upholding the historical discourses around it and reflecting a creative interpretation as a designer?
This photograph is not only capturing a historical memory but also cultural discourses around it. I was looking for a way to preserve this image with persistence. During the research about image compression methods, I've found turning images into a lossless format fascinating.
In image compression, there are several methods for lossless compression.
The demonstration of RLE compression in real life
https://classic.csunplugged.org/image-representation/
I've used two existing tools for this, the first one is Image → Binary, the other one is Binary → Image.
| (1) https://www.dcode.fr/binary-image | (2) https://onlinebinarytools.com/convert-binary-to-image |
|---|---|
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Image to Binary
The original text can be found below. (warning: very long text)
Image to Binary -
Binary to Image
Several personal decisions had been made in this process.
- Since the image is large I had to specify the customised resolution.
- 50% threshold was recommended as default.
- Binary characters to display.
Despite the effort of programmers and creators, unfortunately, the ARRA I couldn't operate for long. It only worked once in front of the mayor of Amsterdam producing a single, correct line of data. The women programmers continued to work for ARRA II, however, the majority of them got married which means they were expected to choose to devote their life to their family.
This process of ARRA's short life and death made me think of the ephemeral history of women in computation being left only as a short period for a long time until now.
Looking at the photograph of the huge machine that this programmer is checking an outcome from, I thought, what if, I build the ARRA again, as a female programmer myself. What if I program it to work as a revival of the historical moment — preserving the important visual form of the photograph, which depicts a woman next to a machine.
The ARRA contained 1200 relays connected at the back of the machine. Also, with drum memory it could execute the 16 coded instructions. It was able to represent binary numbers as decimal, using a paper punch tap reader and a teleprinter as input and output.
For this transcoding, I aimed to recreate the machine for today.
- It will enable image processing that users can insert their photos and make outputs by manipulating the images themselves.
- The way of image processing will reflect my whole research for this subject.
- By users re-creating their own images and videos digitally sorting pixels and pixels, I wish it continues to live for proliferation.
I've programmed in a node-based software TouchDesigner using a visual language of wiring, connecting from commands to commands.
An example of operating TouchDesigner
As you see above, TouchDesigner requires wiring operators to make the software you program run. I find the visual representation of connecting parts to excecute the program is very similar to the physical parts being connected at the ARRA machine with wires and electrictity.
Welcome to The Computing Girls Today!
This digital machine is programmed to revive the ARRA, the first computer invented in NL and its programmers Who were called 'computing girls'.
ARRA couldn't live long as a functional machine, same as the 'computing girls' who had to quit their jobs as a programmer to devote their life to their family.
By you recreating your photo with this machine, I wish this machine continues to live for proliferation.
You can give the photograph wind from different sides, and also shake it.
Change the slider of the UI and see the result on the right. Understand the process behind it. Save, export and share your new photo with your friends!
The UI includes 3 parameters that user can manipulate. Wind Horizontal, Wind Vertical and Shake. The Reset button will clear the previous effect. All of them simulates physical manipulation to the input photo.
Inside the UI: the three parameters
| Zoom into one of the parameters | The logic and math inside of the parameter |
|---|---|
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Click the image to watch the demo video of operating the machine. (YouTube)
| Example of a photo inserted | Example of an outcome |
|---|---|
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TouchDesigner: A free software for both Windows and Mac with certain restrictions such as a resolution and a revenue limit.
Things that I'm happy with:
- Managed to build the working software with an easily interpretable UI.
- With the process above, I've learnt the logics of how programs can be built in an efficient and productive structure.
- Made a personal, meaningful journey throughout the research learning the important history which is very relavant to myself.
- Learnt to write an understandable and well-structured documentation for anyone to freely access.
Things could have been improved:
- I believe that re-building the operative machine as a female programmer myself adds a reflection of this research to the project. However, I also think I could have found more connection to the history and applied to the outcome.
- To improve the part above, it could have been a performance that myself operating the machine interacting with the audiences. I find it very pity not being able to do so due to the current COVID-19 situation.
- Although TouchDesigner is free to download, it's not as accessible as web.
The outcomes of operating this virtual machine will be vary depending on the user's choices. Here there are two examples from the photos of ARRA and the Computing Girls.
| Example outcome 1 | Example outcome 2 |
|---|---|
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Download the TouchDesigner .toe file, a virtual machine created as an outcome of the this research.
[1]: Thompson, Clive. “The Secret History of Women in Coding.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Feb. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/02/13/magazine/women-coding-computer-programming.html.
[2]: “Unsung Heroes in Dutch Computing History.” "Computing Girls" | Unsung Heroes in Dutch Computing History, www-set.win.tue.nl/UnsungHeroes/heroes/computing-girls.html.