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Oral History

The Australian Computer Society is collecting an Oral History of the ICT industry in Australia. It is an important part of their 50th Anniversary Heritage project.

Are you able to share your memories recorded on a mobile phone or an MP3 recorder using a standardised format, as set out below.

ACS will then have the audio files transcribed as a permanent record of our industry and will send a copy to you. The material may also be used in the history the ACS has commissioned. Be aware, the ACS will retain the copyright to this material – see copyright notice below.

Overall Guidelines

  • Use a mobile phone voice recording function, or any device (e.g. iPad) that records MP3 files.
  • Please keep the overall length to 15-20 minutes.
  • Please stick to the questions below. There is ample room for comments and observations.
  • Keep it short! Keep it simple!
  • Send ACS the MP3 file.
  • They will send you a copy of the transcription.
  • Also, please let ACS know of any records (paper or electronic) you’d like to share.

Questions

Preliminary

  • Please state your name and the date of the recording.
  • Your age (optional) and whether you joined the ACS and in what year.
  • If so, how and why you became involved in the ACS.

Memories

  • How did you start in computing?
  • What was your first job?
  • BRIEFLY outline your career.
  • What significant milestones did you witness in the evolution of computing in Australia? Please state when.
  • Who else was involved?

Closing

  • Anything else of relevance.

Copyright notice

Thanks for your submission to the ACS Heritage Project. Our goal is to create a broad-ranging history of the computer industry in Australia.

Your material will be formally curated and made available publicly online. If this causes an issue please let us know.

In the history, your name will be directly associated against this material. It will say simply that you submitted it. If this causes an issue please let us know. Anonymous work is perfectly acceptable.

Many thanks again. If you have any further material you’d like to send us, we would be delighted to accept it.

Action plan

If you have any questions, email: ACS.History@acs.org.au

Send your recording to the same email address: ACS.History@acs.org.au. Maximum total attached size is 20Mb.

Post a memory stick to: ACS History Project, Office Tower 1, 100 Barangaroo Avenue, Sydney NSW 2000. 

Similarly, for any paper or electronic records you’d like to provide.