Article: Louisiana issues statement on the death of Dr. Ray P. Authement

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Originally Posted by HelmutVII

Given that he was instrumental in starting the computer science program at the University it's almost fitting.

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I've never read that claim.

He never used a computer himself while at the helm of UL. (per Don Allen interview.)

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Originally Posted by Turbine

I've never read that claim.

He never used a computer himself while at the helm of UL. (per Don Allen interview.)

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I think Dr. James Oliver was the driving force behind the Computer Science program at UL.

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Originally Posted by ragin50

I think Dr. James Oliver was the driving force behind the Computer Science program at UL.

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If the president doesn't support it, you don't get it. Don't we know how that works.

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Originally Posted by CajunVic

If the president doesn't support it, you don't get it. Don't we know how that works.

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UL had a nationally recognized computer program long before Authement took over in the 1970's.

What I don't know is if he held influence in this area in the decades before taking over.

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Originally Posted by Turbine

UL had a nationally recognized computer program long before Authement took over in the 1970's.

What I don't know is if he held influence in this area in the decades before taking over.

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Dr. Authement was instrumental, along with Dr. Oliver, in getting the computer school on track. I don't have to read anything about it I was there and saw it.

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Originally Posted by HelmutVII

Dr. Authement was instrumental, along with Dr. Oliver, in getting the computer school on track. I don't have to read anything about it I was there and saw it.

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Like I said, first "I" read it, I figured you had a source of some kind.

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Originally Posted by HelmutVII

Dr. Authement was instrumental, along with Dr. Oliver, in getting the computer school on track. I don't have to read anything about it I was there and saw it.

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You used the IBM in Martin Hall?

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Originally Posted by CajunAmos

You used the IBM in Martin Hall?

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HA Yeah. Don't drop your computer program and data file that you spent HOURS punching out on computer cards on the key punch machine. Then there was MULTICS. One of less than ten made by Honeywell. One was at MIT the others were with the Defense department and other government agencies. It took some getting used to doing work on a terminal and not having something in your hands. I still have some computer cards. I need to find them.

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Originally Posted by HelmutVII

HA Yeah. Don't drop your computer program and data file that you spent HOURS punching out on computer cards on the key punch machine. Then there was MULTICS. One of less than ten made by Honeywell. One was at MIT the others were with the Defense department and other government agencies. It took some getting used to doing work on a terminal and not having something in your hands. I still have some computer cards. I need to find them.

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I had an upperclassman tell me about debugging my Fortran programming before going through the keypunch process. It kept me from spending so many late nights having to keypunch multiple times.

On the MULTICS, I understood we had a graduate working at NASA that got us the computer for the price of picking it up at the train station. First time I ever ran into computer gaming. Zork could be addictive, even without graphics.

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Originally Posted by CajunVic

Really sad that such a great man will be relegated to a virtual send off.

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If you step back and think about his legacy, in a way, it is sort of an appropriate send off. Virtual send off in a computerized world.

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Originally Posted by HelmutVII

Dr. Authement was instrumental, along with Dr. Oliver, in getting the computer school on track. I don't have to read anything about it I was there and saw it.

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I was as well!

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Originally Posted by HelmutVII

HA Yeah. Don't drop your computer program and data file that you spent HOURS punching out on computer cards on the key punch machine. Then there was MULTICS. One of less than ten made by Honeywell. One was at MIT the others were with the Defense department and other government agencies. It took some getting used to doing work on a terminal and not having something in your hands. I still have some computer cards. I need to find them.

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I found a stack of old computer cards.. They re called Hollerith Cards after Herman Hollerith. He started a little company called IBM.