**************** August 26, 2007 *************************************

DECedOut/DRA donates to the Ken Olsen Science Center at Gordon College

On July 9, 2007 the Board of Directors presented a $2500 check to Dan Tymann, Executive Vice President for Advancement Communications and Technology at Gordon College, Wenham, MA for the Ken Olsen Science Center. At that time the five of us got a �hard hat� tour of the building as it is being constructed. If you want to increase the amount of our donation, send a check or money order payable to DRA to Bob Moore, 28 Fernglade Rd, Burlington, MA. Donations received at any time will be earmarked for KOSC.  Bob Moore, DRA President 781-270-0252
	Jack Mileski, Marilyn Goodrich, Dan Tymann, Bob Moore, Nancy Kilty, and Anker Berg-Sonne

***************  February 14, 2007 ******************************

Anyone seen a PDP-3 lately?

I'm trying to discover what became of the PDP-3. It was originally built at the Scientific Engineering Institute (SEI) in Waltham, MA, and later transferred to someone at MIT. Gordon Bell wrote in 1978 that it was running at an unspecified location in Oregon, but yesterday he told me that he doesn't remember where that was. I am working on a book on the history of stealth and the Lockheed Blackbird. The PDP-3 was used at SEI to process radar data for the A-12 Blackbird. Thanks very much, Paul Suhler (949) 856-1450 or Paul.Suhler@quantum.com

**************** February 8, 2007 *********************

The Compag Big Band comes to Souhegan HS for Jazz Night

The Souhegan High School (Amherst NH) Music Department is proud to present the second Souhegan Night of Jazz on Thursday February 15th, 2007. The concert will feature jazz ensembles from Souhegan HS, Pinkerton Academy, Manchester Community Music School and Plymouth State University. The concert will conclude with a performance by the Compaq Big Band.

The Compaq Big Band began as the DECbigband, formed in March 1975 as one of many employee clubs at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) of Maynard, Massachusetts. The only requirements were a love of big band music, dedication to work hard each week at practices, and a willingness to perform without compensation. Throughout the mid-1970s and 1980s the group performed at a number of Digital corporate functions each year, then branching out into community outdoor concerts and benefit dance events in the Greater Boston area. The band quickly reached the point where it required no monetary subsidy from Digital, and went on to expand its role as a self-funding group with a nonprofit philosophy.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s the band experienced a period of membership turnover mirroring the changes taking place at Digital, and indeed throughout the computer industry. It soon became clear that for the band to survive, let alone prosper, it would need to complement its Digital employee ranks with talented, local area jazz musicians. The band expanded its performance schedule to include public functions and venues in the Greater Worcester and Southern New Hampshire areas. The band also took the opportunity to incorporate more, and more challenging, charts into its growing music library.

In late 2000 the DECbigband became the Compaq Big Band, a reflection of the changing times. Several current band members are DEC, Compaq, or HP alumni who maintain a connection to the company tradition and culture. The remainder of the band is made up of various area jazz musicians who embrace the band's nonprofit operating philosophy. Check out www.compaqbigband.com for more information.

**************************  8/16/06  **************************

8/16/06  Nashua Telegraph article about Roy Stone.   

From punch cards to hard drives, computer programmer has seen it all in 50 years

There's an embarrassment of riches when trying to choose the most significant difference between the computer

 on the desk of Roy Stone's home office in Wilton and the monster he dealt with after graduating from Worcester 

Polytechnic back in 1952. Stone, 72, hit a half-century of programming computers this summer - an amazing milestone, 

although one  that is surprisingly common among the cadre of can't-quite-retire engineers living in the area.

Roy has been an active DRA member and produced the DECedOut newsletter for several years.

**************************  7/19/06  **************************

      A note to us all from Gordon College:

"The response to Gordon College's A Salute to Ken Olsen has been overwhelming. The day was a wonderful occasion to 

celebrate Ken and the Digital Equipment Corporation family.

We were reminded of the role Digital played in the history of launching the technology age and Ken's professional accomplishments and personal
passions, of which Gordon College is proud to be a part.  We strive to engender in our students both the technical knowledge to succeed in the sciences,
and to foster hearts of servant leadership-both qualities that Ken exemplifies.

Ken Olsen, Digital and the DEC culture are inseparable. That's why we hope you will honor Ken Olsen by making a gift today to the Digital
Equipment Corporation Loggia of Technology in the Ken Olsen Science Center. 
We invite you to show your appreciation and help make the Digital loggia possible.

The Digital Equipment Corporation Loggia of Technology will welcome visitors into the new Science Center highlighting Digital's many contributions 
to the computer industry along with some of Ken's memorabilia and papers.  A recognition plaque will list the names of Digital contributors.

Each donor giving a gift of $100 or more will receive a DVD of A Salute to Ken Olsen and video footage of the day's events.

Please click here for more information.

Gordon was pleased to honor Ken Olsen. We thank you, the Digital family, for helping him write the next chapter of Gordon College."

We also have 50-75 autographed copies of  Images of America: DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION by Alan R. Earls.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, which was available at the "Salute to Ken Olsen" on June 17, you may order it directly from
Gordon College as long as supplies last. Send your name, address and check for $22 (no charges, please) to Development Office, Att: Judy
Kent, Gordon College, 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham MA 01984.