Students who used the Cyber 175/750 timesharing system after the output room closed learned a “magic card” to put in their card deck to cause output to be printed on the self-service printer across the hall (open 24/7). What command was on the card?
What was the first research laboratory established in the computer science department at MSU? What research laboratory was established in 2008?
What year did the CPS department at Michigan State University change its name to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)?
(“Prippies” from the 1975-1985 years may remember this one.)
The PRIP Lab used two Harris computers for several years. What were their names?
The first computer at MSU was MISTIC, the MIchigan STate Integral Computer.
Above, Richard Reid, professor emeritus of computer science and engineering at MSU, works on MISTIC.
Catherine and James both correctly answered our June 5 trivia question. Catherine points out that MSU was Michigan State College close to the time that MISTIC was built. And, in part, she’s right about the machine still existing here:
In 2006, MSU Academic Technology Servies (ATS, then ACNS) put together a celebration to mark 50 years of computing at MSU. They created a beautiful Web site, museum display, and time line of MSU computing history. The museum exhibit is now over, but parts of MISTIC are still on display in the Computer Center.
The Web site ATS created has more historical photos and a video of a panel discussion with MSU computing pioneers, including Richard Reid, Julian Kateley, Glen Keeney, Elizabeth Unger, Lawrence W. Von Tersch, and Henry Blosser.
Does anyone else remember MISTIC? We would love to hear from you.
Here are three trivia questions to hold us over until Monday. Thanks to the CSE faculty and staff who submitted these!
You’re invited to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the computer science and engineering department at Michigan State University!
The Department of Computer Science and Engineering will host activities during homecoming weekend this year, so please mark your calendar for Friday, October 3.
Meanwhile, we invite you to take part in activities leading up to the event.
We hope to see you at homecoming. Go State!
Welcome to CSE trivia!
Trivia will include general computer science questions or anything related to the MSU computer science department from the early days to the present.
To answer a question, just leave a comment. To submit a question, please send it to glasskim AT cse . msu . edu. Feel free to comment on older trivia questions as well.
Hint: Some of the answers can be found on the CSE 40 year anniversary site.
Trivia will be updated daily Monday — Friday during Fall semester 2008. We may be inclined to offer prizes if enough people are interested in a contest!
What was the name of the first computer at Michigan State University?
CSE@MSU 40 Years 