Artifact Details

Title

The World's First COBOL Compilers

Catalog Number

102639620

Type

Moving Image

Description

In December 1960, for the first time in history, the same high-level language program was successfully compiled and executed on computers from two different manufacturers. The machines were the UNIVAC II and the RCA 501, and the language was COBOL.

Harold Lawson worked on the UNIVAC compiler in Philadelphia PA, and Howard Bromberg worked on the RCA compiler across the Delaware river in Cherry Hill, NJ. In this talk they discuss the development and design of the compilers, as well as the events that led up to the historic demonstration.

The seminar is a special tribute to Rear Admiral Dr. Grace Murray Hopper. Both speakers were privileged to have worked for and learned from the legendary computer pioneer who was instrumental in the concept and design of the COBOL language and its compilers.

This lecture was held at the Gates Computer Science Building, Stanford University.

Date

1997-06-12

Participants

Bromberg, Howard, Speaker
Lawson, Harold W. (Bud), Speaker

Publisher

Computer History Museum

Place of Publication

Palo Alto, CA

Format

VHS

Category

Lecture