When Computers Were Human

When Computers Were Human recounts the history of human computers - workers who performed complex mathematical calculations by hand before the advent of electronic computing machines. The book spans from the 1750s through the 1950s, focusing on the teams of people who tackled astronomical, ballistic, and scientific computations for government agencies, universities, and research projects. The narrative follows key figures who organized and managed computing groups, from astronomers charting celestial movements to physicists working on the Manhattan Project. Through their stories, the book documents how computing work evolved from a small scientific specialty into a large-scale operation employing thousands during World War II. The text examines the social dynamics and workplace culture of computing groups, which often employed women and minorities at a time when they had limited professional opportunities. It details the tools, techniques, and organizational systems these workers used to complete massive calculation projects with precision. At its core, this history illuminates questions about the relationship between humans and machines, and how the meaning of computation has transformed over time. The book preserves an important chapter in the development of modern computing while exploring themes of labor, gender, and technological change.

Readers value the book as a detailed history of human computers, particularly women mathematicians, who performed calculations before electronic computers. Reviews highlight Grier's research into the social context and working conditions of these overlooked professionals. Likes: - Rich personal stories and first-hand accounts - Coverage of women's contributions to computing history - Technical details balanced with human elements - Documentation of computing projects from WPA to ENIAC Dislikes: - Writing style can be dry and academic - Some sections get bogged down in mathematical specifics - Organization feels scattered at times - Limited coverage of human computers outside US/UK Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (126 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (22 ratings) One reader noted: "Finally gives credit to the armies of people who made scientific computation possible before machines." Another criticized: "Important history but difficult to get through the dense academic prose."

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly The story of African-American women mathematicians at NASA mirrors the human computers in Grier's work through their mathematical contributions to the space program.

The Information by James Gleick This history traces the evolution of information processing from human messengers through computing machines, intersecting with the era of human computers.

The Universal Computer by Martin Davis The text connects the work of early logicians and mathematicians to modern computing, including the transition period of human computational workers.

Computing Before Computers by William Aspray This collection documents the methods and tools used for calculation before electronic computers, including the organized human computation systems.

The Computer Boys Take Over by Nathan Ensmenger The book examines the transition from human computers to electronic computing through the lens of the emerging computer programming profession.

🔸 Before electronic computers, the term "computer" referred to people - primarily women - who performed complex mathematical calculations by hand for scientific and engineering projects. 🔸 David Alan Grier is the grandson of one of these human computers, who worked at the University of Iowa computing orbital paths in the 1930s. 🔸 During World War II, over 100 women worked as "human computers" at the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School, calculating ballistic trajectories for artillery shells. 🔸 The Harvard Observatory employed dozens of women computers from 1877 to 1919, paying them 25 cents per hour to analyze astronomical photographs - these women made groundbreaking discoveries about the universe. 🔸 The human computing era lasted nearly 200 years, from the French Revolution through the 1960s, involving thousands of workers who created mathematical tables, analyzed data, and solved complex equations without electronic aids.