tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79921379221118222722024-03-13T19:38:13.284-07:00Roald BuhlerThis blog is dedicated to Roald Buhler and celebrates 50 years of P-STAT (R), an applications software program for statistical analysis which Roald wrote with his wife Shirrell Buhler. The first printed P-STAT User's Manual dates back to 1964!
Details on P-STAT's 50th Anniversary, the FestSchrift for Shirrell Buhler, and Gedenkschrift (memorial publication) for Roald Buhler will be posted on-line, or contact pstatinc "at" gmail "dot"com for updates.P-STAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05685154805325998430noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7992137922111822272.post-16866720840669252472013-11-24T09:21:00.003-08:002014-03-20T11:39:12.773-07:00<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Roald Buhler </span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">August 4, 1930 - November 17, 2013</span></b>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Roald Buhler, the primary developer of the P-STAT statistical software program died</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">November 17 in Princeton, N.J. He was a graduate of Oberlin College where he</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">majored in music and minored in pinball and bridge. He started graduate work at Rutgers</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">the year they acquired an IBM 650 computer -- the "cat's meow" of the day. For him <br />com</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">puter programming led not to a degree but to a profession that he loved: a profession</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">where he would be paid to play.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">In 1960 Educational Testing Service hired Roald to work on the RCA 501. Soon he</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">began consulting for Princeton professor Harold Gulickson who needed his data <br />ana</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">lyzed but viewed computers with awe. In 1961 there were no computer application <br />pro</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">grams. If you wanted computer output, you wrote the instructions yourself or you <br />paid</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">someone else to write them for you in assembler/machine language. Eventually <br />Prince</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ton decided it would be cheaper to offer Roald a job. He jumped at the chance </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">without</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">even asking what his salary might be.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">His tenure (1963-1979) at Princeton University was during a period of enormous expan-</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">sion in computing. As Computer Center director (1966-1970), he was responsible for</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">both the choice of the first real "main frame" computer and the construction of the <br />com</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">puter center. The job was a fascinating experience but entailed countless meetings <br />and</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">left little free time for the real fun of writing programs, playing tennis or watching the <br />Prin</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ceton basketball and football teams.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Princeton's resources were abundant. John Tukey was a strong influence and many of</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">his algorithms were included in what was developing into the program of statistical </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">rou</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">tines eventually named "P-STAT"(R). These routines were the easy part. The real <br />work</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">came in preparing real-life data such as medical records or survey responses <br />which</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">were keypunched onto cards or tape. Data cleaning, manipulation and portability <br />is</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">where Roald's programs excelled. P-STAT has been his life's work. It has been <br />commer</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">cially available since 1979 and has customers worldwide.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">His life was not just a working life. The brain that was so brilliant with computer code </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">was</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">also the brain of a musician, a poet with an extraordinary sense of humor, and a </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">word-</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">smith with a zest for life. He was a gentleman, a scholar, an athlete, a good father </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">and a</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">wonderful husband. We will miss him.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">He is survived by Shirrell, his wife of 62 years, 4 children and their partners; Eric and</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Nancy, Sebbie and Chas, David and Karen, Marc and Jenny, and grandchildren Wade</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">and Owen</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">In lieu of flowers, you may send contributions in Roald Buhler's name to<a href="http://wwfm.org/"> WWFM The</a></span><a href="http://wwfm.org/">
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</a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://wwfm.org/">Classical Network</a>, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, NJ, 08550. (online</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">WWFM.org)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">A celebration of Roald's life will coincide with the 50th Anniversary of P-STAT in 2014.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Contact pstatinc@gmail.com for information.</span></span></span><br />
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<u><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Note from Sebbie Buhler:</span></span></i></u><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">P-STAT<span style="font-size: 8pt;"> (R)</span> will continue to grow and support our customers, thanks largely to</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Roald's meticulous documentation of millions of lines of code that he and</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Shirrell wrote over the last 50 years.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">For months I have been thinking about organizing an on-line <i>Festschrift</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">for Roald & Shirrell, in honor of the 50th Anniversary of P-STAT in 2014</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">(the first printed manual was in 1964). Roald knew about, and liked the idea.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">There is an <a href="http://www.legacy.com/guestbooks/trenton/roald-buhler-condolences/168227782?#sthash.56wVJsvL.3l6WFkdc.dpbs" target="_blank">online guest book to send condolences</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">For any additional information, please email <i>PstatInc@gmail.com</i></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CnM6YflwF-M/UpIMBZOw6RI/AAAAAAAAADE/edO7pUwVFhw/s1600/SebRoaldTennisChamps+%25282%2529-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CnM6YflwF-M/UpIMBZOw6RI/AAAAAAAAADE/edO7pUwVFhw/s320/SebRoaldTennisChamps+%25282%2529-1.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Athelete: Roald played tennis, squash, and basketball.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TJOBHxu8zAk/UpIMkXew3jI/AAAAAAAAADM/W1EYA2FkUec/s1600/Roald-Shirrell-Buhler-ElectionNight-6-23-1970-WCBS-TV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TJOBHxu8zAk/UpIMkXew3jI/AAAAAAAAADM/W1EYA2FkUec/s320/Roald-Shirrell-Buhler-ElectionNight-6-23-1970-WCBS-TV.jpg" height="259" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Programmer: Roald collaborated with his wife Shirrell on the <a href="http://www.pstat.com/" target="_blank">P-STAT (R) </a><br />
<a href="http://www.pstat.com/" target="_blank">software</a>, and projects like 1970 WCBS Election Night Prediction.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iMqUZnYNt2E/UpIMwAevPvI/AAAAAAAAADc/hqldvrDf8S0/s1600/Rollo-DanceBand-1950s%253DSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iMqUZnYNt2E/UpIMwAevPvI/AAAAAAAAADc/hqldvrDf8S0/s320/Rollo-DanceBand-1950s%253DSmall.jpg" height="320" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Musician: From an early age he played different instruments, <br />
including a Sax in a Swing Dance Band during College. <br />
In recent years his radio was permanently tuned to <a href="http://www.wwfm.org/" target="_blank">WWFM classical</a>, 89.1 fm </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AUkHy3oV538/UpIMr44jzPI/AAAAAAAAADU/WkJ6xoOseQI/s1600/Roald-Buhler-1960s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AUkHy3oV538/UpIMr44jzPI/AAAAAAAAADU/WkJ6xoOseQI/s320/Roald-Buhler-1960s.jpg" height="320" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Poet and Thinker: spoken and written words were a passion, double dactyls too.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IdV0xpTJqsk/UpIM3SxnILI/AAAAAAAAADk/Qq8vZd9CPcE/s1600/rswedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IdV0xpTJqsk/UpIM3SxnILI/AAAAAAAAADk/Qq8vZd9CPcE/s1600/rswedding.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Husband and Father: He loved his family without question. We miss him terribly. RIP<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ncs3xEVacvw/UpIxbPcee3I/AAAAAAAAAEA/el8xO22PIRE/s1600/Rfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ncs3xEVacvw/UpIxbPcee3I/AAAAAAAAAEA/el8xO22PIRE/s1600/Rfish.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.r-fish.com/" target="_blank">R-Fish </a>was named in Roald's honor in 1982. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.r-fish.com/" target="_blank">R-Fish</a> has united friends and family across the globe.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<br />P-STAThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05685154805325998430noreply@blogger.com