Synthesized answer
The advent of the copier was crucial for the creation of the EWD series, transforming it into a form of scientific correspondence [1, 2]. This technology made it possible for individuals like Dijkstra to maintain and distribute a record of their work, especially when separated by geographical distance, as was the case with the Atlantic Ocean [2].
The copier's ability to create multiple copies meant that texts could be distributed more widely than before. Dijkstra himself made about two dozen copies of his texts, and recipients were encouraged to make further copies, acting as additional distribution points [2]. This suggests that before copiers, scientific correspondence and the dissemination of ideas were significantly more limited in scope and reach. The passages do not explicitly detail the specific limitations of scientific communication prior to copiers, but the enabling nature of the copier for the EWD series implies a prior constraint on widespread, direct replication of written materials.
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
s of the distribution tree. ) The decision to publish a se1ection from the EWD series in book form was at first highly embarrassing, but as the months went by I got used to the idea. As soon as some guiding principles had been adopted -preferably not published elsewhere, as varied and as representative as possible, etc. Categories: Computers Pages: 381 Snippet: The public part of that output found its place in what became known as "the EWD series", which can be viewed as a form of scientific correspondence, possible since the advent of the copier. (That same copier makes it hard…
Title: Selected Writings on Computing: A personal Perspective by Edsger W. Dijkstra Description: Since the summer of 1973, when I became a Burroughs Research Fellow, my life has been very different from what it had been before. The daily routine changed: instead of going to the University each day, where I used to spend most of my time in the company of others, I now went there only one day a week and was most of the time -that is, when not travelling!- alone in my study. In my solitude, mail and the written word in general became more and more important. The circumstance that my employer…
More questions about this book
- How did Dijkstra's shift to a solitary work environment as a Burroughs Research Fellow fundamentally alter his method of communication and contribution to the computing field?
- Why might Dijkstra initially feel "highly embarrassing" about publishing a selection of his scientific correspondence, and what does this reveal about the perceived distinction between formal publication and informal scientific sharing at the time?
- Describe the unique distribution model of the EWD series. What were its advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional publishing, and what modern-day equivalents exist for this kind of decentralized knowledge sharing?
- Analyze the "guiding principles" adopted for selecting the book's content (preferably not published elsewhere, as varied and as representative as possible). How do these principles reflect both the original spirit of the EWD series as "scientific correspondence" and the aims of creating a cohesive published work?