Computing in the Nordic countries started in late 1940s mainly as an engineering activity to build computing devices to perform mathematical calculations and assist mathematicians and engineers in scientific problem solving. The early computers of the Nordic countries emerged during the 1950s and had names like BARK, BESK, DASK, SMIL, SARA, ESKO, and NUSSE. Each of them became a nucleus in institutes and centres for mathematical computations programmed and used by highly qualified professionals. However, one should not forget the punched-card machine technology at this time that had existed for several decades. In addition, we have a Nordic name, namely Frederik Rosing Bull, contributing to the fundaments of punched card technology and forming the French company Bull. Commercial products such as FACIT EDB and SAAB D20-series computers in Sweden, the Danish GIER computer, the Nokia MIKKO computer in Finland, as well as the computers of Norsk Data in Norway followed the early computers. In many cases, however, companies and institutions did not further develop or exploit Nordic computing hardware, even though it exhibited technical advantages. Consequently, in the 1970s, US computers, primarily from IBM, flooded the Nordic market.

Presents a valuable segment of computing history

Reflections, Thoughts, and Episodes.- An Interview with Börje Langefors.- The Pioneer Era in Norwegian Scientific Computing (1948-1962).- The Role of IBM in Starting up Computing in the Nordic Countries.- Computerisation of the Icelandic State and Municipalities.- Technology transfer, Modernization, and the Welfare State.- A Failure Revisited: The First Finnish Computer Construction Project.- On the Politics of Failure.- Birth of Computer Science Education and Research in Finland.- The Advent of the First General-Purpose Computer in Iceland.- Early Curricula in Computer Science at the University of Iceland.- Research and Curricula Development at Norwegian Universities.- Introducing Information Technology at Norwegian Regional Colleges.- Nordic Cooperation within the Field of Computing.- Cooperation as a Driving Force in Nordic It.- History of the Nordic Computer Industry.- The Datasaab Flexible Central Processing Unit.- of Computers in Norwegian School Mathematics.- From Programming to System Design.- The Birth of It in Upper Secondary Education in Norway.- It for Learning: A Need for a New Approach?.- The Early Nordic Software Effort.- Algol-Genius.- The Birth of Simula.- Club Activity in the Early Phases of Microcomputing in Finland.- MIPROC.- From Binary Strings to Visual Programming.- Ferranti Mercury at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment.- Making Computing Available.- Scip: A Scandinavian Project on Systems Analysis and Design.- Is Scandinavian Information System Development Becoming Passé?.- Significant Applications.- Applications and Technologies for Maritime and Offshore Industries.- Applications and Technologies for Maritime and Offshore Industries.- Nordunet: The Roots of Nordic Networking.- Where Were the Women?.- When Computers Became of Interest in Politics.- Development in the Growth Base of the 'Oulu Phenomenon'.- The Norwegian Computing Center and the Univac 1107 (1963-1970).- The Wegematic 1000 Computing Center,1959-1964.- Concluding Remarks.