CODE: The Language of the Future: a Collection Tracing the History & Development of Computer Programming

An extensive collection of materials on the history and development of computer programming. Computer code may be the single most important - and mostly widely used - language on the planet. This collection reveals how this versatile tool was forged, ranging across the decades from its earliest days to the most advanced developments.

The collection features many of the foundational discussions of computer programming, including works by Grace Hopper, Alan Turing, Haskell Curry and Kathleen Booth. Many of the most famous programming languages are represented: ALGOL, Ada, Fortran, COBOL. Specialised programs for the space race and the proto-internet are also included.

Many of the items are unique survivals, and some have significant provenance, notably a document from the early days of computing at Manchester, in the time of Alan Turing and Max Newman. In total 42 items are offered, dating from 1940 to 1987.

Computer code is the language that drives innovation, empowers problem-solving, and shapes the digital landscape of our modern world. This expertly curated collection brings together the foundational documents from the period in which computer code was first invented, and the technical reports that allowed the implementation of new codes onto early mainframe computers. This is a collection of ‘grey literature’ – vanishingly rare materials that show the hard work that went into creating the language of the future.

We will be happy to send a detailed PDF catalogue on request.