Guide to the Charles A. Jortberg collection
Finding aid prepared by Bo Doub, Kim Hayden, and Sara Chabino Lott
Processing of this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered
through the Council on Library and Information Resources' Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant.
Computer History Museum
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Mountain View, CA, 94043
(650) 810-1010
research@computerhistory.org
October 2015
Title: Charles A. Jortberg collection
Identifier/Call Number: X2381.2002
Contributing Institution:
Computer History Museum
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
18.75 Linear feet,
15 record cartons
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1960-1980
Date (inclusive): 1946-1990
Abstract: The Charles A. Jortberg collection contains materials from 1946 to 1990 which Jortberg amassed during his career in the computer
industry. He worked for IBM, Viatron, and his own firm, Jortberg & Associates, which consulted on high-tech patent litigation
and computer systems integration. The collection includes manuals, reports, catalogs, promotional material, books, articles,
and newsletters from a variety of computer companies, such as Viatron, IBM, DEC, Remington Rand, RCA, Wang, Texas Instruments,
Hewlett-Packard, and others. A small amount of the collection consists of legal documents related to patent applications and
trials.
creator:
Jortberg, Charles A., 1929-1999
Processing Information
Collection processed by Bo Doub and Kim Hayden, 2015.
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
The Computer History Museum (CHM) can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying
any claims of the copyright holder. Requests for copying and permission to publish, quote, or reproduce any portion of the
Computer History Museum's collection must be obtained jointly from both the copyright holder (if applicable) and the Computer
History Museum.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of Item], [Date], Charles A. Jortberg collection, Lot X2381.2002, Box [#], Folder [#], Catalog [#], Computer
History Museum.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Charles Jortberg, 2002.
Biographical/Historical Note
Charles A. Jortberg was born on June 13, 1929, in Portland, Maine. He received his BA from Bowdoin College in 1951. After
graduating, Jortberg briefly served with the National Security Agency and then worked at International Business Machines (IBM)
for 14 years finishing at IBM as Executive Computer Concepts Instructor and Manager of Sales Training in the New England
region. Jortberg left IBM in the late 1960s and moved to Viatron Computer Systems, working as Marketing Manager. In 1974 he
founded Jortberg Associates, a consulting firm specializing in high-tech patent litigation and computer systems integration.
Jortberg died May 12, 2008, at his home in Naples, Florida.
Scope and Content of the Collection
The Charles A. Jortberg collection is made up of items Jortberg collected throughout his career in the computer technology
field. The records span 1976 through 1990 with the bulk of the collection being from 1960 through 1980.
Jortberg collected a large amount of material related to his employers Viatron and IBM. The Viatron records in the collection
date from 1967 to 1971 and include materials that document the company and its products, including memos, notebooks, design
drawings, system descriptions, patents, proposals, reviews, personnel records, business overviews, and expense reports. IBM
materials date from 1946 to 1984 and include manuals, program libraries, parts catalogs, reports, conference proceedings,
and internal marketing documentation. Almost half of the IBM series is made up of manuals for the 7000 series of computers
and its components.
Also included in the collection is a large amount of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) material from 1963 to 1973, with
a focus on the PDP-10, PDP-6, and LINC computers.
As a patent litigation consultant, Jortberg acquired a small collection of legal documents related to patents. The collection
includes transcripts, legal briefs, court opinions, and correspondence related to the patent infringement appeal case Northern
Telecom Inc. v. Datapoint Corp. (1990), and documents related to two patents, including a patent application and court of
appeals briefing.
The smallest portion of the collection is made up of manuals, promotional material, specifications, books, clippings and reports,
all published by companies and institutions that did not have enough material in the collection to warrant having their own
series. These include Computer Terminal Corporation, National Cash Register Company, Control Data Corporation, Bunker Ramo
Corporation, and Storage Technology Corporation.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into 11 series:
Series 1, Viatron records, 1959-1974, bulk 1968-1970
Series 2, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) records, 1946-1984, bulk 1958-1973
Series 3, Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) records, 1963-1973
Series 4, Remington Rand Inc. records, 1950-1972
Series 5, Radio Corporation of America (RCA) records, 1959-1971
Series 6, General Electric Company records, 1964-1975
Series 7, Wang Laboratories Inc. records, 1967-1986
Series 8, Texas Instruments Inc. records, 1976-1981
Series 9, Hewlett-Packard records, 1968-1977
Series 10, Legal documents, 1982-1990
Series 11, Publications by others, ca. 1957-1989
Related Collections at Other Repositories
Jortberg Associates, 1989, box 17, folder 46, Helen Willa Samuels Papers, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries, Archives
Department.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Computer Industry
Digital Equipment Corporation
General Electric Company
International Business Machines Corporation
Jortberg, Charles A.
Radio Corporation of America
Remington Rand, Inc.
Univac computer
Viatron Computer Systems Corporation
Viatron records, Series 1,
Bulk, 1968-1970
1959-1974
Series Scope and Content
This series contains records from Viatron Computer Systems Corporation, active from 1967 to 1971, where Jortberg worked as
Marketing Manager. Included in the series are a wide variety of documents including memoranda, employee notebooks, design
drawings, system descriptions, patents, proposals, reviews, personnel records, business overviews, and expense reports. Viatron
employees whose writings are well-represented are Roger M. Robillard, Manager of Viatron's Digital Logic Design Engineering;
Michael J. Flanagan, Manager of Display Engineering; William T. Grinnell, Manager of Peripheral Engineering; David E. Williams,
Manager of Communications Engineering; David H. Rawlins; and Jortberg himself. Viatron was one of the first companies to use
the term microprocessor and one highlight of this series is a 1970 patent application for a product titled microprocessor.
The majority of this series is made up of reproductions of original Viatron documents bound in numbered volumes. Most of these
volumes are organized in a set titled Viatron documents numerical set. This portion of the series is arranged by original
volume number, which is not based chronologically, but by an in-house numerical system created by Viatron and/or Jortberg.
Material dated prior to Viatron's founding are reprints of instructional bulletins published by the National Cash Register
Company. Beyond the numerical set, this series is arranged chronologically.
102734385
Viatron documents numerical set
1959-1974
102734410
Notes, technical papers, and drawings
1968-1969
102734396
Viatron documents selected for review by Robillard and Flanagan
1968-1969
102734406
Jortberg material
ca. 1968
102734399
Terminal 21 drawings
ca. 1968
102734411
Manuals and system descriptions
1969-1970
102734400
Microprocessor patent application
1970
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) records, Series 2,
Bulk, 1958-1973
1946-1984
Series Scope and Content
This series contains manuals, reports, catalogs, program libraries, and conference proceedings related to IBM and its systems
from 1946 to 1984, with the bulk of material from 1958 to 1973. The largest part of this series is made up of operation and
programming manuals for a variety of IBM machines and systems, including accounting machines, punched card equipment, dictation
equipment, electric typewriters, and solid-state computers. The majority of these manuals focus on the 7000 series of computers
and components. A smaller portion of this series is made up of program libraries and parts catalogs for various systems, lists
of IBM marketing materials, reports about data security and company surveys of IBM systems, and the proceedings of IBM's medical
and data security symposia. This series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
102734376
Accounting machine manuals
1957-1967
102734375
Card punch machine manuals
1946-1971
102734391
Catalogs and program libraries
1962-1982
102734374
Dictation equipment manuals
1964; 1970-1974
102734373
Electric typewriter manuals
1961-1967
102734389
IBM 1401 Symbolic Programming System (SPS2) modification memos
1963
102734380
IBM 7000 series manuals and data processing systems bulletins
1961-1965
102734381
IBM 7030 manuals
1960-1963
102734392
IBM 704 FORTRAN manual
1960
102734382
IBM 7040/7044 manuals and data processing systems bulletins
1961-1965
102734383
IBM 7070 series manuals and data processing systems bulletins
1958-1962
102734384
IBM 7080 manuals and data processing systems bulletins
1960-1962
102734387
IBM 709/7090/7094 manuals and data processing systems bulletins
1960-1968
102734386
IBM 7750 manuals
1962-1963
102734379
IBM 8100 brochure and manual
1984
102734388
IBM symposia proceedings
1965-1973
102734377
IBM System/360 components manuals
ca. 1965
102734390
Reports
1959-1964
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) records, Series 3,
1963-1973
Series Scope and Content
This series contains manuals, technical papers, memoranda, and promotional material created at DEC during a ten-year period.
The largest part of this series concerns DEC's PDP-10, including manuals on the computer series, a paper by Robert Bishop
on PDP-10 timesharing in a laboratory environment, and an anthology of papers titled "PDP-10 Applications in Science," vol.
2 (1971). Other DEC products with significant documentation are the PDP-6 and LINC (Laboratory INstrument Computer) with
manuals for both and promotional material on the PDP-6. Computing machines that are present in the series, but less represented,
are the PDP-14, Type 646 Line Printer, PDP-7, PDP-4, 630 Data Communication System, and Discfile Control Type 270. This series
is arranged chronologically.
102734372
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) manuals
1963-1973
102734402
LINC wiring tables
1964
102734371
PDP-6
1964-1967
102734378
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) technical papers, promotional material, and
catalogs
1964-1973
102734401
LINC assembly and adjustment
1966-04
102734364
PDP-10
1967-1973
102734367
PDP-10/6 field service tech manual
1971-04
Remington Rand Inc. records, Series 4,
1950-1972
Series Scope and Content
This series contains manuals, training guides, promotional materials, news clippings, specifications, and technical papers
related to Remington Rand Inc. and its products from 1950 to 1972. The bulk of this series focuses on UNIVAC, with operations
and programming manuals, reports, brochures, product overviews and specifications, articles, and training materials specifically
related to UNIVAC systems and components. A smaller group of materials focuses on other Remington Rand products, including
articles; manuals for the BIOR compiling system, Type 315-1 collating reproducer, and the high-speed printer model 46; and
brochures for several punched card machines. This series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
102646303
An Introduction to the UNIVAC File-Computer System
1951
102734352
Articles and clippings
ca. 1955-1956
102734353
BIOR manuals and specifications
1955
102646140
Introducing a New Language for Automatic Programming Univac Flow-Matic
1957
102734356
Manuals
ca. 1955-1961
102734361
Promotional material
ca. 1950-1958
102734359
UNIVAC educational materials
1957-1961
102734363
UNIVAC manuals
1956-1972; bulk 1955-1956
102734354
UNIVAC reports
1954-1957
102646141
UNIVAC Scientific Computing System Model 1103A
1957
102734357
UNIVAC unit and system descriptions
1965-1972
Radio Corporation of America (RCA) records, Series 5,
1959-1971
Series Scope and Content
This series contains manuals, specifications, promotional material, and technical papers published by RCA, primarily from
its Electronic Data Processing Division from 1959 to 1971. Manuals and promotional material regarding RCA's Spectra 70 series
comprise the bulk of these records, including instructional documents on programming, maintenance, and different operating
systems. Other RCA products featured in this series are the RCA 501, 301, and 601. Also of interest is a report by RCA to
the Travelers Insurance Company recommending computing solutions relevant to business needs. This series is arranged chronologically.
102734362
RCA 501
1959-1966
102734355
RCA 301 and 601
1960-1964
102734358
RCA manuals
1963-1971
102734351
Spectra 70 series
1966-1969
102734360
Travelers Insurance Company correspondence and reports
1967-1969
General Electric Company records, Series 6,
1964-1975
Series Scope and Content
This series contains manuals, abstracts of library programs, and promotional material related to General Electric Company
and its products from 1964 to 1975. The majority of material in this series consists of manuals and specifications for a number
of GE systems, including those created for system users, and those created as service guides for technicians and GE employees.
A smaller portion of this series includes product brochures and a catalog of abstracts describing available timesharing programs
for the GE-400 series. This series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
102734393
GE-400 series time-sharing library programs : program abstracts
1967
102734395
Manuals and specifications
1965-1973
102734394
Promotional material
1964-1975
Wang Laboratories Inc. records, Series 7,
1967-1986
Series Scope and Content
This series contains manuals, educational materials, catalogs and program libraries, and newsletters related to Wang Laboratories
Inc. from 1967 to 1986. Manuals make up the bulk of this series, and include product service guides geared toward Wang employees,
and operation and reference manuals for users. Another large part of this series is made up of educational materials in the
form of math and programming workbooks. The smallest portion of this series consists of Wang Printout newsletters, a marketing
publication that combines computer industry news with Wang product and company information. This series is arranged alphabetically
by folder title.
102734368
Catalogs and program libraries
1968-1969
102734370
Educational materials
1967-1969
102734366
Product service manuals
1971
102734369
Reference and operations manuals
1967-1986
102734365
Wang Printout newsletters
1975-1979
Texas Instruments Inc. records, Series 8,
1976-1981
Series Scope and Content
This series is made up of manuals related to the Texas Instruments TI-990 series of computers from 1976 to 1981. The largest
portion of this series consists of manuals for operating systems, diagnostics, programs, hardware, and programming languages.
Also included are system and hardware manuals specific to the TI-990/4, TI-990/5, and TI-900/10. This series is arranged alphabetically
by folder title.
102734350
TI-990 diagnostics manuals
1978-1981
102734349
TI-990 operating systems manuals
1978-1980
102734348
TI-990 programs, hardware, and languages manuals
1978-1980
102734347
TI-990/10 manuals
1978-1979
102734345
TI-990/4 manuals
1976-1977
102734346
TI-990/5 manual
1979
Hewlett-Packard records, Series 9,
1968-1977
Series Scope and Content
This series consist of manuals and promotional material related to Hewlett-Packard products from 1968 to 1977. Manuals make
up the majority of material and include operation and service manuals for HP systems and components. The rest of the series
is made up of promotional material, such as brochures and booklets that provide an overview of various products. This series
is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
102734398
Manuals
1968-1975
102734397
Promotional material
1968-1977
Legal documents, Series 10,
1982-1990
Series Scope and Content
This series is composed of trial documents and patents from 1982 to 1990. Half of the series is made up of materials related
to Northern Telecom Inc. v. Datapoint Corp. (1990), an appeal to a patent infringement case. Materials include trial transcripts,
legal briefs, court opinions, and a small amount of correspondence related to the trial. The other half of the series consists
of documents related to patents number 4,326,265 (variable function programmed calculator) and 4,942,516 (single chip integrated
circuit computer architecture). Materials include the patent for 4,326,265 and the patent application, court of appeals briefing,
and other documents related to 4,942,516. This series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
102734403
Northern Telecom Inc. v. Datapoint Corp. (1990)
1988-1990
102734404
Patent records for single chip integrated circuit computer architecture
1988-1990
102734405
Patent records for variable function programmed calculator
1982
Publications by others, Series 11,
circa 1957-1989
Series Scope and Content
This series contains manuals, promotional material, books, and reports published by companies and institutions other than
the ones included in the previous series from circa 1957 to 1989. The majority of the series consists of manuals and brochures
for products by Computer Terminal Corporation, National Cash Register Company, Control Data Corporation, Bunker Ramo Corporation,
and Storage Technology Corporation. There are two books included in this series, one on the history of Bell Laboratories and
one on VLSI systems, and two reports on microprogramming. This series is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
102709720
Analog VLSI and neural systems
1989
102734409
Manuals
1966-1968; 1979
102709665
Mission communications : the story of Bell Laboratories
1975
102703261
Personal computers 1976-1981 - Vol. I : the home computer
1977
102703262
Personal computers 1977-1983 - Vol. II : desktop computer marketer
1978
102734407
Promotional material
ca. 1957-1972
102734408
Reports
1979-1983