Matt Adereth on the January 1965 issue of The Computer Journal

This issue contains one of the most important techniques in numerical optimization, the Nelder-Mead simplex method. My qCon talk covers the modern distributed version of this algorithm, but in this talk we’re going to try and understand the historical context by looking at everything else in the journal, from the other papers to the letters to the editor to the advertisements.

Transcript

1. JANUARY 1965 V O L U M E S E V E N N U M B E R F O U R Published by THE BRITISH COMPUTER SOCIETY F I N S B U R Y C O U R T , F I N S B U R Y P A V E M E N T , L O N D O N , E.C.2 T h e COMPUTER J o u r n a l Presented by Matt Adereth Papers We Love QCon Edition June 26th, 2017
6. © User:Nicoguaro/ Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-4.0
10. JANUARY 1965 V O L U M E S E V E N N U M B E R F O U R Published by THE BRITISH COMPUTER SOCIETY F I N S B U R Y C O U R T , F I N S B U R Y P A V E M E N T , L O N D O N , E.C.2 T h e COMPUTER J o u r n a l
15. The Computer Journal, Vol. 7, No. 4 DUST HEREXOUID BE DISASTROUS! B.V.C.CENTRALVACUUMATION keeps the computer room dust free! A dust free computer room is of vital importance. A hose to a vacuum connection point is the answer, and all the dust is piped away to a central dust collection plant. One of the major advantages of this system is that all dust is immediately extracted from the room . . . from walls, floor, ceiling, equipment . . . and cannot be recirculated as is often the case with ordinary cleaners due to exhaust air disturbance. Ask about B.V.C. Central Vacuumation to-day. These photographs are reproduced by courtesy of the C.E.G.B. Please send me full details on fixed plant. The British Vacuum Cleaner & Engineering Co. Ltd., Dept. C.J./3 Goblin Works, Leatherhead, Surrey. Tel: Ashtead 6121
16. The Computer Journal, Vol. 7, No. 4 Notes on the Submission of Papers Communications. Papers submitted for publication should be sent to one of the honorary editors: E. N. Mutch, The University Mathematical Laboratory, Corn Exchange Street, Cambridge, or H. W. Gearing, c/o The Metal Box Company Ltd., Woodside, Worcester, They will then be sent to members of the Editorial Board who will advise on subjects within their particular experience. The author will be informed as soon as possible whether the paper has been accepted for publication, the date of the journal when it will probably appear, and of any modifications suggested by the referees. General. Submission of a paper to the Editorial Board will be held to imply that it is an original article not previously published; that it has been cleared for publication so far as military or commercial secrecy is concerned; that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere; and that if accepted for The Computer Journal it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or any other language, without the consent of one of the Editors. Contributors who reside outside Great Britain are requested to nominate somebody in Great Britain willing to correct their proofs. Papers from such contributors should be accompanied by a statement of the number of reprints required. Authors' names should be given without titles or degrees. Women are requested to give one Christian name in full to avoid confusion. The name and address of the laboratory or other institution where the work was performed should be given. Typescripts should carry the name and address of the person to whom the proof of the paper is to be sent and should also give a shortened version of the paper's title, not exceeding forty-five letters and spaces in length, suitable for a running title in the published pages of the work. Form of papers submitted for publication. The onus of preparing a paper in a form suitable for sending to press lies in the first place with the author. Proper attention to detail in the preparation of the typescript before it is sent to the Editors will shorten the time required for publication. Papers not in satisfactory form may have to be returned to the authors for revision. Papers should be in double-spaced typing on one side of sheets of uniform size with large margins. A top copy and one carbon copy should be submitted. Each paper must be accompanied by a summary of its contents which will be printed immediately below the title at the beginning of the paper. Pages should be numbered consecutively in arabic. Footnotes. These should be typed immediately below the line to which they refer. The sheet should be ruled in ink for its whole width above and below the footnote. Footnotes should be used sparingly and should be brief. Tables. Each table should be numbered consecutively in arabic and should have a general heading typed at the top, as well as the necessary headings to columns, etc. Column headings must be sufficiently brief to permit convenient setting up in type. Careful attention should be paid to layout so as to avoid tables of excessive width; the printing area of the Journal page is 7" x 9", in two columns. Headings should be chosen so as to make the tables as far as possible comprehensible without reference to the text. Tables should not normally be included in the text but should be typed on separate sheets. More than one table may be included on a single sheet, but tables should not be split between sheets. Their approximate position in the text should be indicated in the margin of the text. Mathematical formulae. These must be clearly written, avoiding symbols or arrangements which are difficult to set up. Figures. Diagrams and flow-charts to be set up in letterpress must be carefully drawn so that all rules are parallel to one edge of the page. The Monotype system does not economically permit the composing of diagonal rules. Directional arrows must be clearly indicated. Where a diagram involves curves, diagonal rules, or other detail which cannot be set up in type, it must be well drawn in indian ink and clearly lettered on plain white paper, Bristol board or faintly blue-lined paper. The diagram should be approximately twice the size of the finished block. The size limits for finished blocks are: width, single-column 3i", double-column 7"; depth 9". Each diagram should be on a separate sheet, packed flat and bearing the author's name on the back. For photographs, glossy prints are required; clips should not be used and care should be taken to avoid heavy pressure when writing on the backs. Figures should be numbered consecutively. Legends should be so written that the figures are as far as possible compre- hensible without reference to the text. The approximate position of the figures should be indicated in the margin of the text. In cases of doubt, a rough draft should be sent to one of the honorary editors for a decision as to the best method of reproduction, before the fair copies are prepared. References. These should be given in the text thus: Barnett and Robinson (1942), (Culbertson and Thomas, 1933); where a paper to be cited has more than two authors, the names of all the authors should be given when reference is first made, e.g. (Osborne, Mendel and Ferry, 1919); sub- sequent citations should appear thus (Osborne et al., 1919). Where more than one paper by the same authors has appeared in one year the reference should be given as follows: Osborne and Mendel (1914a); Osborne and Mendel (19146); or Osborne and Mendel (1914a, b); (Osborne and Mendel, 1914a, 1916; Barnett and Robinson, 1942). At the end of the paper references should be given in alphabetical order according to the names of the first authors of the publication quoted, names with prefixes being entered under the prefix, and should include the author's initials, year of publication, title of paper, the name of the journal, volume and first page number. References to books and monographs should include year of publication, the title and edition, town of publication and the name of the publisher. Examples:— CRANDALL, S. H. (1954). "Numerical Treatment of a Fourth Order Parabolic Partial Differential Equation," J. Assoc. Comp. Mach., Vol. 1, p. 111. ROYSTER, W. C, and CONTE, S. D. (1956). "Convergence of Finite Difference Solutions to a Solution of the Equation of the Vibrating Rod," Proc. Amer. Math. Soc, Vol. 7, p. 742. CRANDALL, S. H. (1956). Engineering Analysis, A Survey of Numerical Procedures. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. Authors are asked to check their references for accuracy before submission of the paper. Proofs. The authors are responsible for seeing that their typescripts are in final form for publication. Proofs are sent to authors in order that they may make sure that the paper has been correctly set up in type, and not that they may add new material or make corrections to the text. Otherwise increased printing charges are inevitable. Excessive alteration may have to be disallowed. The symbols used to indicate corrections should be those laid down in British Standard 1219:1945; a shortened version is also published (B.S. 1219c: 1945, Is. 6d.). Reprints. Twenty-five reprints are supplied free of cost. Additional reprints may be purchased if the Editors are notified on the appropriate form when the proof of the paper is returned. within their particular experience. The author will be informed as soon as possible whether the paper has been accepted for publication, the date of the journal when it will probably appear, and of any modifications suggested by the referees. General. Submission of a paper to the Editorial Board will be held to imply that it is an original article not previously published; that it has been cleared for publication so far as military or commercial secrecy is concerned; that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere; and that if accepted for The Computer Journal it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or any other language, without the consent of one of the Editors. Contributors who reside outside Great Britain are requested to nominate somebody in Great Britain willing to correct their proofs. Papers from such contributors should be accompanied by a statement of the number of reprints required. Authors' names should be given without titles or degrees. Women are requested to give one Christian name in full to avoid confusion. The name and address of the laboratory or other institution where the work was performed should be given. Typescripts should carry the name and address of the person to whom the proof of the paper is to be sent and should also give a shortened version of the paper's title, not exceeding forty-five letters and spaces in length, suitable for a running title in the published pages of the work. Form of papers submitted for publication. The onus of preparing a paper in a form suitable for sending to press lies in the first place with the author. Proper attention to detail in the preparation of the typescript before it is sent to the Editors will shorten the time required for publication. Papers not in satisfactory form may have to be returned to the authors for revision. Papers should be in double-spaced typing on one side of sheets of uniform size with large margins. A top copy and one carbon copy should be submitted. Each paper must be board or approxim limits for double-co separate s the back. For ph not be use when writ Figures be so wri hensible position o the text. In case the honor reproduct Reference and Rob where a p names of first mad sequent c Where m appeared Osborne a or Osbor 1914a, 19 the paper according quoted, n and shou title of pa number. include y publicatio CRAND Four
22. Thanks! @adereth