Chronology - 1970s: The Evolution of The University of Waterloo Continues

1973

The Computer Systems Group (CSG) was officially established by the UW Board of Governors on 6 February 1973. In that year, the group was given a constitution and by-laws. Its mandate allowed it to act as an independent software distribution business within the university; all profits from software sales and other sources were re-invested in computer research at UW. Ultimately this initiative would lead to the creation of the University of Waterloo's spin off company known as WATCOM.

UW Special Collections. GA 133-917. Wes Graham Fonds. Series 4.1: UW Files to 1973. Minutes of Computer Systems Group Meeting, Held Monday 11 June 1973, 2.

UW Special Collections. GA 133-917. Wes Graham Fonds. Series 4.1: UW Files to 1973. Constitution of the Computer Systems Group – University of Waterloo, 3.

Left to Right: Paul Dirksen, Wes Graham, George Hill, Sandra Bruce, Jim Dodd, and Peter Sprung
Left to Right: Paul Dirksen, Wes Graham, George Hill, Sandra Bruce, Jim Dodd, and Peter Sprung. Photo: UW Archives/Don Cowan: 21 October 1973

The CSG developed WATIAC, a hypothetical computer, and the WATMAP assembler at the request of AA/CS. The integrated system was used to teach assembly language and machine architecture to Mathematics and Computer students.

The CSG also created a Waterloo version of Pascal at the request of AA/CS. The compiler helped teach programming to second year students. Pascal was the language of choice for educating students about programming, but previously it had proved to be slow and unreliable. (Ponzo 91).

In 1973, the CSG augmented the WATFIV compiler with structured programming constructs and character variables. The new system was known as WATFIV/S. The S stood for "structured programming" and it was an immediate marketing success for the new CSG. (Cowan, Graham, Mackie 28).


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