in the late 50s people were not just trying to find a name for the discipline "computing" but - at least one - also got annoyed about the use of the word program.

we need replacements for all forms of the word "program." Let me cite two recent examples from Electronic News. "Gates offers Automatic Programmer" headlined an article about a device to provide unattended operation of a radio station. "Programmer Specs to Spin' AF Auto Test" leads off an article on automatic electronic test equipment for weapon systems. It's even possible these days to discuss "the Dynamic Programming programming program, paul armer | cacm january 1959

well, today everything became a "program".

what's in a name, 1958

What is your reply when someone asks your profession? Computing Engineer? Numerical Analyst? Data Processing Specialist? To say "Computer" sounds like a machine, and "Programmer" has been confused with "Coder" in the public mind (if your particular segment of the public knows what you are talking about at all!)

It would help our profession to be widely recognized if it had a brief, definitive, and distinctive name. This should be general enough to cover a variety of subfields--from numerical analysis to data processing, but specific enough to imply that computing applications are involved. Consider the solid professional sound of such terms as "Petroleum Engineer" or "Nuclear Physicist." What can we use that will be equally clear-cut--and at least half as impressive? So far our ideas have been supremely uninspired. Any suggestions? (signed) Editors of DATA-LINK (Los Angeles ACM Chapter Newsletter)

[Several names have been suggested to represent various phases of our profession. Though the sug- gestions are inevitablty facetious I list them for your attention: Turingineer, Turologist, Flow-Charts-man, Applied Meta-Mathematician and Applied Epistomologist.--Editor] | acm april 1958, letters to the editor

it took me several tries to pronounce turingineer, but i have it now. one might add: spreadsheet-man

one suggested: "hypologist" for the man and "hypology" for the field. (1959)

Since it is common practice to name a scientific profession by some descriptive Greek root .. | p.a.zaphyr, westinghouse electric corp.

the report | gabriel.

interesting read. but: is it possible? having heard gabriel earlier this year, my first question. in this report the word impossible plays a minor role ... as far as i can tell right now. (guess, it played its role as a hook) ... but "understanding" gets its stage.

fcs