Author: Hla Min (Lifelong Learner)

by Hla Min

Updated : September 2026

U Tun Aung Gyaw

• Member of Generation Zero at UCC.
• Ph.D from he University of Illinois at Urbana Champaigne
• Worked for several high tech companies before retiring
• Gave a talk on AI at North America Burmese Engineers Association

U Soe Than

• Masters from University of Lancaster in the UK
• Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in the United States.
• Worked at VMI (Virginia Military Institute) and in the Washington, D.C, (District of Columbia).

U Maung Maung Htay

• Masters from Queen Mary College, UK
• Ph.D from LSU (Louisiana State University), Baton Rouge in the United States.
• Worked at VMI (Virginia Military Institute) and Radford University in Virginia.
• Served as Chair of the Regional ACM Programming Contest.
• Offered his expertise (for curriculum development …) at UCSY (University of Computer Science Yangon)

Rafiul Ahad

• Masters from UCC and AIT (Asian Institute of Technology) in Thailand
• Ph.D from USC (University of Southern California) in the United States.
• Worked at University of Maryland, Hewlett Packard and Oracle USA.
• Managed Oracle Cloud Computing Project.
• Gave Key Note speech at an AIT Commencement Ceremony

by Hla Min

Updated : September 2026

• I shared my memories with former sayas, colleagues and students.
• I have revised some posts.

Memories of UCC (38)

Burmese typing, spelling, and word processing

During our lifetime, we have witnessed many examples of “Technical Obsolescence” and “Disruptive Technologies”.

Typewriters

English Typewriter

Remington produced typewriters for English. There are other typewriter manufacturers, but Remington typewriters were widely used in Burma.

Sholes designed the QWERTY keyboard. The two most common letters in the English alphabet are “e” (for vowel) and “t” (for consonant). The frequency distribution of the characters in a given language is used to break “simple substitution” codes in that language. Several people complained that the QWERTY keyboard is not ergonomic, because it requires one to use the left hand (the weaker hand for most people) and to move the finger up to type “e” and “t”. Some, however, believe that Sholes deliberately placed “e” and “t” so that they minimize the chance of keys being stuck (when one hits keys in rapid succession).

The alternate Keyboard designs (Dvorak …) did not have much support. The key issue is the retraining cost of typists.

Burmese Typewriter

Olympia was commissioned to produce Burmese typewriters. The characters in the Burmese alphabet are non-linear. A word often has ascenders and descenders.

The Burmese typewriter have red and black keys.

Red keys are used to type vowels; the carriage is prevented from going forward.

Black keys are used to type consonants.

Backspacing for half a step is necessary on the standard edition to type “tha gyee”. Manual dexterity is needed to type some “pa sint” characters. the office edition has extra keys.

Note :

In my younger days, we had an old Remington typewriter for typing English documents. My parents gave me a brand new portable Olympic typewriter for typing Burmese documents. I could do touch typing.

Evolution of Typewriters and Word Processors

IBM produced Selectric typewriters. Golf ball-like character sets had to be installed and/or replaced. Hence, a variety of characters (including APL, a language developed by Kenneth Iverson and uses Mathematical Symbols).

Iverson is the thesis supervisor of Brooks, Architect for S/360 & OS/360. He described APL in a book, and explained the use with examples. IBM implemented APL/360 on the System S/360.

Wang Computers provided word processors for various languages. Ko Htay Aung worked at Wang for a while on the Burmese language project. He migrated to Australia.

Burma Research Society (BRS) used transliteration for its publications. For example, “k-o-l” combination represents “ko”. The scheme was used on Macintosh.

Note :

I joined BRS as a student member. I received BRS journals. Sad to say, BRS was “shut down” in the BSPP era. John O’Kell (student of Saya Dr. Hla Pelater Professor at the School of Asian and Oriental Studies) and team used the “BRS Transliteration Style” to implement a Burmese Word Processor on the Macintosh.

Input Techniques

There are various ways to handle characters of non-English languages.

Chinese characters were input on the early systems using (a) large tablets (b) three corner method (c) Romaji, …

UCC Projects

UCC had projects to do Burmese word processing.

Saya U Myo Min supervised a project for Ma San Yu Hlaing for collation (needed for sorting).

Saya TAG and his team (Ko Htay Aung, Ko Soe Myint, …) worked on Cromenco System Three for printing and processing. An EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) was burned/programmed to support the Burmese Character Set.

U Soe Win and team worked on Calcomp graph plotter to draw Burmese characters on the plotter.

Skill Sets

The evolution of Word Processing Systems has seen the proliferation of typeface/font families, keyboard layouts, and Unicode support.

We miss the days when we had type perfectly or reasonably well on typewriters using messy carbons.

Also, planning to cyclostyle double-sided printing (odd numbered pages first, then repeat with even-numbered pages) was a skill.

Changes to Burmese Spelling

Burmese Language Commission bowed to higher authorities to revise the spelling at least two times.

TIT တစ် versus TA တ

The then Number One sent a condolence message for Chou En Lai. The message had “TIT” instead of the more commonly used “TA”.

In English, “TIT” corresponds to one and “TA” corresponds to the indefinite article “a” (before a consonant) and “an” (before a vowel).

The higher authorities “deemed” that “TIT” must be used all the time, and not “TA”. Fines were “imposed” on authors and publishers spelling the “established” way. (e.g. “ta”) instead of the “preferred” way (e.g. “tit”) despite the scholars pointing out the old inscriptions at “Bo ta htaung ဗိုလ်တထောင်” not “Bo tit htaung”) pagoda.

CTK (Children’s Treasury of Knowledge) project was “delayed” to “correct” the spellings.

Censorship

It was not easy to write in those days without facing censorship.

I was requested to contribute a poem or article for the Special Issue of SarSoDaw Nay (Day honoring Poets and Writers). The editor showed me a block (type set of my work), but sadly my work did not appear in the Special Issue. The editor said that some one above ruled that my work quoted “Dhammata” poem (by Ananda Thuriya [A man of infinite valor]). It was a taboo.

It was a crime to write about the setting sun or to use ambiguous terms and references.

MMT (Maung Myint Thein) was the pen name of U Myint Thein (Former Chief Justice of the Union of Burma). His poem was censored, because it had a bird beside a river gazing afar. The higher authorities thought that there was a hidden meaning.

Memories of UCC (39)

UCC Gatherings

Over the years, I attended several mini-gatherings and gatherings hosted by UCC sayas and alumni. They took place in Yangon, Singapore, Australia, and the US.

Gatherings in Yangon Saya Paing and Sayagadaw regular hosts gatherings (usually dinner meeting) at their house in Yangon. Sayagadaw was my classmate at RIT. She is a Textile engineer, but she also drew the design for their house. She also attended CPC course. Ko Thein Oo, Ma Tin May Lwin and several others help organize the gatherings. Ko Thein Oo, Ko Htin Kyaw, Aung Aung (who worked for Microsoft in the US) and several others provide transportation to or from Saya Paing’s house.

Recently, KMD bosses (Ko Thaung Tin & Ma Tin Tin Aye) hosted a surprise gathering at MICT Park for UCC sayas, sayamas and alumni. I missed that event.

There was fun, laughter, songs and dances at UCC’s 40th Anniversary Gathering held a few years back. Dr. Tin Maung (GBNF) was represented by Sayagadaw and daughter. Daw Ngwe Tin, Aye Aye Myint and sisters, … reminded us of the good old days at UCC.

On January 14, 2018, I attended the 5th UCSY Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe as “Generation Zero” representative and the “Most Senior” (not by age). Several attendees started their studies and/or careers at UCC. Glad to know Mu Mu Myint is a senior (Shay Hmee Nauk Hmee) Professor at UCSY. Sad to know that she had a senior moment. When I visited UCSY on January 18, 2018 at the invitation of Bo Htay, she told me that she did not have time at the Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe and felt sorry not to have taken a picture with me. She was surprised when I showed the picture of her, another sayama and me.

Gatherings in the US

Dr. Rafiul, Ko Khin Zaw, Ko Aung Myint Oo & Ma Thida Khin, Ko Sein Myint & Cindy hosted UCC gatherings (especially to welcome sayas and alumni visiting US).

Ivan (M69) hosts joint UCC & RIT Gatherings at his house in New Jersey, USA. He timed the gatherings to coincide with the visits by Saya Dr. Aung Gyi and Saya U Soe Paing to the East Coast of USA.

Gatherings in Singapore

In Singapore, Ko Tin Aung Win, Ko Zaw Tun, Ma Pale … organized buffet gathering. Ko Aung Aung & Ma Kyin Mya are regulars at the gatherings.

Some (e.g. Myint Myint Thein [Susan]) have moved back to Yangon.

Ko Win Latt hosted me while he was working in Singapore. He now lives in Bangkok.

Gatherings in Australia

In Australia, Ko Aung Zaw, Ko Sein Myint Maung & Ma Khin Aye Mu Ko Htay Aung & Ma Tin Tin Hlaing organized the gatherings.

I met Ma Thanda Htwe and “Pha Yaung Daing” (one of the Trio of Candles at UCC).

Ko Sein Tin (who used to bring lunch not only for him but also for his UCC buddies) created a short music video during my visit to Sydney, Australia in 2006.

Final Remarks

I belong to several circles. In addition to the UCC Gathering and mini-PZP (Pu Zaw Pwe for Saya Chit and Saya Ba Hli), I attended the RIT Alumni Annual Dinner and the Old Paulians Lunch Gathering in Olympic Park (used for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games) during my visit to Sydney, Australia in 2006.

Memories of UCC (40)

Museum

Saya U Soe Paing e-mailed me some photos of the historic ICL computer system and mentioned that Ko Thein Oo is willing to contribute to the ICL Museum project.

BCM and CHM

At an ACM (Association of Computing Machinery) meeting in Silicon Valley, I met Gwen Bell (then spouse of Gordon Bell, VAX architect), who founded BCM (Boston Computer Museum).

Gordon brought back artifacts that he had collected while co-authoring the book “Computer Structures” with Alan Newell (known for his contributions to Multi-disciplinary research) during his sabbatical at CMU (Carnegie Mellon University). Gwen developed an exhibit at the DEC office in Boston, Massachusetts. It became known as BCM.

Gwen introduced me to Karen, then Vice President of CHM (Computer History Museum). I volunteered to be a Docent.

When Microsoft bought the division of DEC (where Gordon & his team worked), Gwen had to think fast. Only a limited number of artifacts were accepted for display at the Science Museum. The rest of the artifacts were air-freighted to Moffett Field in Mountain View, California with the hope that the “Computer Museum” will be revived. For several years, the artifacts were displayed at the makeshift Museum in Moffett Field. A group of enthusiasts bought a building on Shoreline Boulevard, Mountain View that was owned by SGI (Silicon Graphics Incorporated, which under-estimated the challenge of reasonably priced GPUs [Graphical Processing Units]) and offered it to be a permanent home for CHM.

In the early days, only ten per cent or so of the artifacts could be displayed at a given time for public viewing. The display items had to be moved back from the Visible Storage to the storage house.

As a Docent, I had to show the visitors and explain [if requested] about the artifacts displayed in Visible Storage. In those days, only ten percent (or so) could be displayed for a period before rolling them out.

Thanks in part to the “Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation”, CHM could now exhibit 20 sections (from pre-computer era to the Internet age).

In addition, there are special exhibits (e.g. autonomous vehicles, computer chess, Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine, …)

Retired engineers from IBM, DEC … worked on the “Restoration of Computers” Project.

They restored three old computers using the original specifications and genuine parts (as much as possible). They are on display in working order.

Final Remarks

Having “ICL Museum” will be a significant step towards recording and preserving the History of IT (Information Technology).

Memories of UCC (41)

History

I am glad to learn that several people felt young and remembered the Good Old Days at UCC.

Some read all my posts and even commented on some of them.

I love history (History of Computing, History of University Engineering Education in Burma/Myanmar, …).

Professor Harry D. Huskey used us as beta testers of his draft on the History of Computing. I became hooked and later volunteered as Docent at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, USA.

I was a member of the team that compiled and published “History of Myanmar Engineering Education” in December, 2012 just before the celebration of SPZP-2012. Ko Ohn Khine (M70) and I compiled a CD for the book supplement.

Why should we study History? Dr. Than Tun said, “So that one would not be stupid or dumb.” There’s an old adage, “History repeats itself”.

A historian presents facts. He should not give his opinion. The historian from Smithsonian said, “There is no single correct history. There are often multiple competing histories.”

Meeting Sayas and Librarians

I first met Dr. Than Tun at the Recreation Center of Rangoon University. I was in High School, but my uncle Eric Than Lwin (Lecturer in Economics & Librarian for Social Science Library) took me to the Main Campus many times. Daw Myint Myint Khin was an Assistant Librarian. She later transferred to RIT as Librarian. U Thaw Kaung, another Assistant Librarian, became Chief Librarian of the Rangoon University Central Library (RUCL).

The early librarians of RUCL include BBS U Khin Zaw (“K”, father of Ko Wint Khin Zaw) and U Thein Han (Saya Zaw Gyi, co-founder of “Khit Sann Sar Pay”).

Sayagyi U Ba Than, Saya U Soe Paing, and Saya U Thaw Kaung supported the HMEE Project.

Thanks

I am grateful to my spouse, who said “You should pay back to your alma mater and your country.”

Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt (M60) said that I should record my oral stories and put them to print for posterity. Sayamagyi Dr. Mie Mie Thet Thwin (Rector of UCSY) asked me if I could help for a commemorative issue of the 30th Anniversary of ICST/UCSY.

My beloved parents said, “Anything that’s worth doing is worth doing well”.

I hope that the readers can help “fill in the blanks” with details and correct errors and inconsistencies in my posts. Collectively, we can turn the posts into a reasonably good document worthy of printing (or at least publish as an eBook). The readers can suggest topics that I should add or elaborate.

Memories of UCC (42)

Epilog

Computer Science & Technology is continually evolving.

There are two (or more) early definitions of Computer Science. (1) It is the study of phenomena surrounding Computing. (2) It is the study of Algorithms and Data Structures.

The first definition has the same flavor as a definition of Physics. It says, “Physics is the study of natural phenomena.” It is general.

The second definition sounds restrictive, but it covers a lot of topics and application.

There is a book called “Program = Algorithms + Data Structures”.  Professor Donald Knuth (Stanford University) thought that he could finish his 7-volume book “The Art Of Computer Programming” in a couple of years. It was an underestimate of the growth of Computers, Computer Science and Applications. It took over two decades to complete and revise the first three volumes and part of the fourth volume. One reason was that his book contributed to the growth of the Design and Analysis of Algorithms.

I Am Imperfectly Perfect

I have covered some topics in the early days of Computing in general and UCC in particular.

I missed out several people in my original posts. I have added names of the staff and students in my revised posts, but it would not be exhaustive.

I did not cover in-depth the PDP-11 configuration and use, the introduction of PCs (e.g. Cromemco System Thee, IBM PCs, Osborne Portable Computer), and robots (e.g. Hero).

It would take a long time and I would not be able to fill in all the blanks.

Jules Verne is attributed for the saying, “If one can dream, others can fulfill”.

I have a personal experience. In 1999, I started “RIT International Newsletter” and dreamed that Sayas and alumni will get reconnected electronically and physically. With the help of five Golden Sponsors, donors, volunteers, supporters and well-wishers, the First RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP (Saya Pu Zaw Pwe) was held in San Francisco in October 2000. The world-wide SPZPs were subsequently held in Singapore in 2002, 2007 and 2010, and in Yangon in 2004, 2012 and 2016. I havepaid back to RIT . I am now paying back to UCC.

Thanks to my family members for supporting me in the endeavors to pay back to the institutions and my mentors that helped me develop to where I am today.

I am confident that sayas and alumni of UCC, ICST & UCSY will enhance my posts into a reference document that historians will envy.

by Hla Min

Updated : September 2026

Some found their soul mates while working or studying at UCC.

• Aung Aung & Kyin Mya
• Aung Myint Oo & Thida Khin
• Boe Ba Shan & Phyu Phyu Win
• Htay Aung & Tin Tin Hlaing

• Kyaw Zwa Than & Khin Khin Kyu
• Myint Oo & Tin Tin Hla
• Myint Swe & Nge Ma Ma Than (GBNF)

• Myint Zaw & Nwe Nwe Win
• Ngwe Soe & Nu Nu Yee
• Sein Myint & Sao Mon Sint
• Sein Myint Maung & Khin Aye Mu
• Soe Than & Wai Wai Than
• Than Maung Maung & Khin Si Thoung
• Than Tun & Hla Hla Win (GBNF)
• Thaung Tin & Tin Tin Aye
• Thein Oo & Than Than Tint
• Win Hlaing & Thida Kyi
• Win Myint & Nu Nu Aung

Posts

• Memories of UCC
• Paying back to my alma mater

by Hla Min

Updated : September 2026

Prolog

In the early days, there were no computers in Burma. IBM (International Business Machines) based in the USA and ICL (International Computers Limited) based in the UK had presence in Burma. Both companies were not ready to introduce computers to Burma. They were supposedly content with leasing unit-record equipment (calculators, tabulators, …) using punched cards (which were “reused” as wrappers of “zee thee htokes”). The companies maintained the machines with their staff. U Aung Khin was the IBM representative in Burma. U Kyaw Tha was the ICL representative in Burma. They were highly paid compared to the Government employees. Due to the policies then in place, IBM might not have “incentives” to introduce computers and computing technology to Burma.

In the early sixties, Saw McCarthy Gyaw (Burma Railways) wanted to “upgrade” to an ICL computer, but the Coup d’etat in 1962 and subsequent restriction of foreign currency exchange (and budget planning rules) “effectively derailed” the idea of “computerization in Burma”.

In the mid sixties, Saya Chit (Dr. Chit Swe) was Head of the Mathematics Department at IE (Institute of Economics). Saya Chit proposed the need of a computer for teaching and research to Saya Nyi Nyi (Dr. Nyi Nyi, then Secretary [Deputy Minister] of Education). Saya Nyi Nyi suggested the scope to be “extended” for a computer to serve the staff and selected students of the Universities and Institutes. Thus, the UCC Project was conceived”. Saya Chit later became Professor at Mathematics at RASU. Saya offered space at the Mathematics Department for the early volunteers of the UCC Project. Saya later obtained permission to use Mandalay Hall for use by the UCC Project before the UCC Building could be completed in Thamaing College Campus.

Saya Chit served as the Founder/Director of UCC. He initiated the academic and training programs. He stressed the importance of technology transfer, leapfrogging technology, knowledge sharing (internally and externally), and challenging the staff and students to try their best. Saya Chit requested Saya Paing (U Soe Paing) to help design and implement the UCC project. Saya Chit also inquired the mother of Saya Myo (U Myo Min), who was working at IBM UK after completing his CA (Chartered Accountant) if Saya Myo would be interested to come back to Burma and help with the UCC project. Saya Paing “recruited” his friend Saya Lay (U Ko Ko Lay, GBNF) to help with the UCC project in general and with the UCC Building Design and Implementation in particular.

It took a long time for UCC up and running. UNDP would be the Funding Agency. UNESCO would be the Executing Agency. Saya Paing’s articles can be downloaded from SCRIB-D.

Note : For several years, Saya Paing tried to recruit his top students — including my cousin U Thaung Lwin (EC66) — to help with the project and become the pioneer computer engineers.
U Thaung Lwin, who was “Top of his class”, received an offer to join IBM BURMA. It was Good News and Bad News. The Good News was that he was offered a reasonably high salary (based on the then salary of engineers joining the Government Departments). The Bad News was that he would have to wait a long time until the first computer was purchased and installed at the CSO Computer Section, He had to maintain the “leased” Unit Record Machines for several years.

Saya TAG (Dr. Tun Aung Gyaw, EC69) was the first and longest volunteer for the UCC Project. Saya Paing transferred from the Department of Electrical Engineering (EE) at RIT to UCC as Manager of the Systems Division. Saya Lay transferred from PWD to UCC. Saya Myo joined UCC. The three served as Managers for Systems, Operations, Applications (Scientific, Business …) .

I was fortunate enough to be a member of GENERATION ZERO along with my mentors and Saya TAG. Saya Paing left UCC in the eighties to pursue a career as Technical Adviser and Consultant for the UN projects in several countries. Saya has documented his experiences from the early States Scholarship in the USA to the UN assignments.

Since there are blanks to be filled in the history of UCC, DCS ICST (Institute of Computer Science and Technology) and UCSY (University of Computer Studies Yangon), several people asked me to take the challenge or at the very least motivate others to share their experience and journey regarding IT in Burma.
Relying on (a) my memory, which is reasonably good but imperfect,
(b) my story telling skills which I inherited from my father, “THIN SAYA”, “MYIN SAYA”, and “KYAR SAYA”, (c) my training in “Communication and Leadership” from Toastmasters International to become a DTM (Distinguished Toastmaster), (d) my experience as a freelance writer, editor, translator, editor, coach, mentor, I have tried my best to prepare material in the form of readable chunks.
I am confident that other interested sayas and alumni will help enhance the document with photos and anecdotes.

GBNF

The following is a partial list of GBNF (Gone But Not Forgotten) from UCC. Some descriptions are brief. Some entries have been covered in detail in other posts.

• Dr. Chit Swe — Founder-Director of UCC; Saya passed away in Sydney Australia in 2019

• Dr. Tin Maung — Succeeded Saya Chit as Director of UCC; During his tenure, Department of Computer Science & Institute of Computer Science and Technology (ICST) with Saya as Rector were established.
• U Ko Ko Lay — Co-founder of UCC; Saya served as Operations Manager, Scientific Applications Manager, Professor at DCS and ICST
• U Aung Zaw — Wrote lecture guides and manuals with Saya Paing and me; Taught at UCC, CSO, Asssumption Univeristy and Sydney; Passed away in Sydney, Australia in 2021.
• U Mya Thein — Transferred from the Department of Commerce, Institute of Economics to UCC as Business Applications Programmer; Retired as Business Applications Manager; Taught at UCC, DCS and ICST, but also at ITBMU (International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University).
• U Kyaw Nyein — Scientific Applications Programmer; Taught Numerical Methods and/or Numerical Analysis; Joined UN; During a UN assignment, his team was relocated due to war/conflict in the area.
• U Win Naing — Science Scholar; 1st batch of M.Sc. (CS) with Systems Option; Scientific Applications
• U Hla Min (EP70) — Chief Operator; Attended post-graduate course in UK, where he met his beloved; Early casualty (passed away at the tender age of 30+).
• U Soe Myint (M72) — Retired as Pro-Rector of ICST
• U Khin Maung Aye (M73) — 1st batch of M.Sc. (CS) with Applications Option; Railways
• U Myint Aung (Admin) — Would often drive the E-2000 ferry.
• Daw Khin Lay Myint (Admin) — Joined UCC as Secretary; Became BC.
• U Shein Soe Myint (EC83) — Served in various capacities (Engineering, Teaching …); Passed away in Singapore while doing his Ph.D.
• U Thein Tan — Attended M.Sc.; Close friend of U Zaw Tun.
• U Aung Aung Thein — served in various capacities at UCC (Engineering, Teaching)
• Daw Kyu Kyu Lwin — Ad hoc Tutor for Mathematics; Operator / Job Assembler; Transferred to SSB (Social Security Board) Computer Section.
• Daw Win May Thaung — Operator / Job Assembler; Cousin: Ronnie Hla Maung (SPHS)
• Daw Khin Mya Swe — M.Sc. (CS); Passed away in Lesotho
• Daw Khin Toe Nyein — M.Sc. (CS); Classmate: Daw Pale (Pearl) Shein.
• Daw Thida Aung — M.Sc. (CS); Classmate: Daw Thida Khin.
• Daw Khin San Hlaing (Cynthia) — UCC Librarian.; M.Sc. (CS); Worked at (or attended) AIT; Passed away in Australia
• Daw Nge Ma Than — Taught at UCC, DCS and ICST; Prisoner of Conscience; Spouse : U Myint Swe.
• Daw Aye Aye Kyi — Operator / Job Assembler;Spouse: U Han Nyunt (SPHS)
• U Maung Maung Gyi — Chief Operator
• U Maung Maung Lay — Computer Operator
• U Aung Myint — Computer Engineer
• U Soe Thein — Business Applications Programmer

Courses at UCC

Saya Chit was Founder/Director of UCC and Professor of Mathematics Department at RASU. Saya Chit arranged UCC to conduct degree and post-graduate diploma courses under the aegis of the Department of Mathematics, RASU. UCC also conducted training courses for computer users. Several distinguished Professors from US, UK and Europe lectured at UCC as part of the “UCC Project”.

Saya Chit was succeeded as Director of UCC by Dr. Tin Maung (son of U Kar).

Academic courses

The courses given under the aegis of Department of Mathematics include :

• M.Sc. (CS)
• DAC

Courses for computer users

• COC (Computer Orientation Course)
• CPC (Computer Programming Course)
• Elective for Honors and Post-graduate in other disciplines
• Intensive training (e.g. for the Population Census Data Processing)
• Special training (e.g. for those selected as State Scholars)
• Planning (e.g. for departments intending to purchase computers)

Three Win Myint

There were three people at UCC (Universities’ Computer Center) named Win Myint.

Win Myint (1)

He was a High School Luyechun from Beik (Mergui). He was caught off guard when the then new Education System used the ILA (Intelligence Level Aggregate) to determine the admission to the Universities and Institutes. He found himself studying Philosophy along with others who supposedly had “low” ILA scores.

Instead of using the marks directly, the ILA uses a “distribution” of the marks for each subject and gives a score from 1 to 20. The ILA system helped students with balanced marks. By having marks in the top tier for each subject, a student can get a good score.

But a student with low marks in a subject (e.g. Burmese or English) would be penalized by the ILA system.

Philosophy is derived from Phil (love of) and Sophy (Wisdom). The highest degree is called Ph.D (Doctorate of Philosophy). It is ironic that students with low ILA scores were forced to major in Philosophy.

Ko Win Myint is an exception. He was determined to pursue a challenging career. Since he wanted to learn and work with computers, he enhanced his typing skills for both English and Burmese. It was a requirement for the position of Secretary at the newly formed UCC.

Grapevine says that his interview at PSC (Public Services Commission) was fast and smooth. When he said, “I am Bet Thar (or similar meaning ‘I am from Beik (Mergui)’”, the PSC Chairman who was from Beik validated Ko Win Myint’s appointment as Secretary.

He not only typed very fast, but he learned Computer Science and Applications quickly and proficiently. He became a programmer.

Win Myint (2)

• He majored in Mathematics and received Masters.
• He was from SLR Settlement and Land Record dept.
• He got appointment in UCC as programmer and then got UNV post at PG.

Win Myint (3)

He operated the cyclostyle (Gestener). The lecture guides were printed mostly on Sittaung paper and some on the Ye Ni paper.

Lecture Guides

“Introduction to Computers”, “Introduction to Computer Programming” and several Guide Books were written by Saya U Soe Paing, Saya U Aung Zaw and me. We thank Ko Win Myint (1) and Ko Win Myint (3) for the production.

Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint wrote :

I had a different story about getting a job. I had only done 8 month internship, one of the tutors in medicine was transferred out. When Saya U Ba Than asked whom the professors wanted to replace her, they asked for me. I was called in by the Rector about posting me as tutor. When I told him I could not join not having finished my internship, he was so upset that “You want to erase with your feet, what I has written by hand”. I was made to report for duty. I went back and with the professor’s permission, I returned to finish my internship to get my medical registration.

Soon, my friends and I had to go for interview with PSC. The Chairman of PSC was U Khin Maung Phyu. Both he and Dr U Ba Than were classmates with my father. As I went in U Ba Than said to U Khin Maung Phyu, “Ko Khin Maung Phyu, he is Ko Kyaw Myint’s son and I have already posted him to Department of Medicine.” U Khin Maung Phyu said, “How is your father?” I replied that my father was good. Then he said that I could go !!! Must be the shortest interview in PSC.

History

I love history including History of Computing and History of Myanmar Engineering Education.

Why should we study History? Dr. Than Tun said, “So that one would not be stupid or dumb.” There’s an old adage, “History repeats itself”.

A historian presents facts. He should not give his opinion.

The historian from Smithsonian said, “There is no single correct history. There are often multiple competing histories.”

I am grateful to my spouse, who said “You should pay back to your alma mater and your country.”

Saya U Tin Maung Nyunt (M60) said that I should record my oral stories and put them to print for posterity. UCSY sayamas requested me to write for 30th Anniversary of ICST/UCSY.

My beloved parents said, “Any thing that’s worth doing is worth doing well”.

I have shared my memories about the early days of Computing in Burma.

I am revising the posts.

I hope that the readers will help “fill in the blanks” and correct errors and inconsistencies. Collectively, we can turn the posts into a reasonably good document worthy of printing (or at least publish as an e-book).

Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint wrote :

When we conducted the Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality Study, the data analysis was from me at UCC. Ko Ronnie Myo Min and many UCC staff helped us with the data analysis.

Dr. TOKM added :

The next project we did was “Risk Approach in Delivery of MCH Care”. We did a prospective study on the risk of mothers dying during pregnancy and child birth. As the outcome was measured by “relative risk” and “absolute risk” it was much easier to analyse the data.

Our team used 1MB handheld Sinclair computer for our study. Our team did not have monitors nor printers. Your nephew Peter (Khin Tun) worked out RR and AR on Sinclair, read the result on Saya U Tin U’s old TV and copied out the results by hand. Peter still had a copy of the final report. I left my copy at home and got lost.

UCC Gatherings

Over the years, I attended several mini-gatherings and gatherings hosted by UCC sayas and alumni.

Yangon

Saya U Soe Paing regularly hosted gatherings (usually dinner meeting) at his house. Sayagadaw Daw Saw Yu Tint (Alice, T69) was my class mate. She also attended CPC course.

U Thein Oo, Daw Than Than Tint, Daw Tin May Lwin and several others help organize the gatherings.

U Thein Oo, U Htin Kyaw, U Aung Aung and several others provided us transportation to or from Saya Paing’s house.

UCC 40th Anniversary Gathering

• It was the Reunion of Staff, Teachers (Past and Present) and Students.
• Daw Ngwe Tin, Aye Aye Myint and sisters, Maung Myint, who maintained the UCC building rooms were among the attendees.
• Dr. Tin Maung (GBNF) was represented by Sayagadaw and Saya’s daughter.
• There was fun and laughter, music and dances, and good old memories.
• Daw Khin Lay Myint joined UCC as Secretary and then worked as Administrator Officer. She is now GBNF.
• U Soe Myint (M72) joined UCC as Operator. He served as Shift Lead, expert in Mechanical Drawing and AutoCAD, and retired as Pro-Rector of ICST. He is also GBNF.

UCSY Gathering

In January 14, 2018, I attended the 5th UCSY Acariya Pu Zaw Pwe as “Generation Zero” representative and the “Most Senior” (not by age). Several attendees started their studies and/or careers at UCC.

Sao Yan Naing, son of Dr. Saw Naing (SPHS59), gave me a ride to the Pu Zaw Pwe. He is a nephew of Dr Myo Khin & a cousin of Soe Lin Maung (UCC).

Sydney in 2006

During my visit to Sydney in 2006, I met several UCC alumni.

Saya U Aung Zaw (GBNF) and Daw Kyawt organized a Reunion and mini-PZP for Saya Dr. F Ba Hla (GBNF) & Saya Dr. Chit Swe (GBNF). They were helped by U Sein Myint Maung & Daw Khin Aye Mu, U Htay Aung (Victor) & Daw Tin Tin Hlaing to name a few. I met Daw Thanda Htwe and “UCC Pha Yaung Daing”.

U Sein Tin hosted a dinner and also created a short music video.

USA

Dr. Raiful Ahad (Fremont), U Khin Zaw (Cupertino), U Aung Myint Oo (EC84) and Daw Thida Khin (Fremont), U Sein Myint (EC76) & Daw Sao Mon Sint (New Jersey) and U Toung (EC69, Connecticut) hosted UCC gatherings (especially to welcome and alumni visiting US).

Ivan Lee (M69) hosts an annual joint gathering for UCC and RIT sayas and alumni at his home in New Jersey.

Singapore

U Tin Aung Win (C80), U Zaw Tun and Daw Pale Shein organized buffet gathering. U Aung Aung, & Daw Kyin Mya are regulars at the gatherings.

U Shein Soe Myint (EC83) is GBNF.

Some (e.g. U Win Latt, Daw Myint Myint Thein) have moved from Singapore.

Activities

Table Tennis (Ping Pong)

U Saung Tin (CSO) and U Thein Oo are excellent players.

Volleyball

Rafiul Ahad (who was 3rd in Burma in Hurdles) hurt his knee.
Daw Nwe Nwe Win (Judy) is often the sixth member of an all-male team.

Soccer

UCC team (including Saya U Ko Ko Lay & U Kyaw Nyein) played against other teams in and around Hlaing Campus.

UCC Dobat

U Win Hlaing played the Dobat. Others (e.g. Maung Myint, U Hla Pe) would play Wah Let Khote (bamboo clapper) and Ya Gwin.

Donlaba

UCC used to celebrate Thingyan and Su Paung Donlaba.

UCC had a Su Paung Donlaba for several years at Kaba Aye Sun Lun Gu Kyaung and other monasteries.

The Donlaba monks would be offered Soon at the UCC Thingyan.

There would also be Water Throwing and occasionally “Ye Pet Khan” to selected mandats.

Ad Hoc Trips

U Aung Zaw led some trips (e.g. to Maw Tin Zun).

Soul Mates

Some found their soul mates while working or studying at UCC.

• Aung Aung & Kyin Mya
• Aung Myint Oo & Thida Khin
• Boe Ba Shan & Phyu Phyu Win
• Kyaw Zwa Than (Jaws) & Khin Khin Kyu (K-cube)
• Htay Aung & Tin Tin Hlaing
• Myint Oo & Tin Tin Hla
• Myint Swe & Nge Ma Ma Than
• Myint Zaw & Nwe Nwe Win (Judy)
• Sein Myint (Bei Gyi) & Sao Mon Sint (Cindy)
• Sein Myint Maung & Khin Aye Mu
• Soe Than & Wai Wai Than
• Than Maung Maung & Khin Si Thoung
• Thaung Tin & Tin Tin Aye
• Thein Oo & Than Than Tint
• Win Hlaing & Thida Kyi
• Win Myint & Nu Nu Aung

Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ) wrote :

Ko Soe Myint Gyi was one of the very humble people I have ever known. He spoke very soft, never see him angry nor heard him raise his voice. Even though I am some years junior to him (he’s M72 and me EC76) he always treated me with dignity and respect. I really miss him, may his beautiful soul rest in peace.

Anniversary Soon Kway

U Thein Oo and Daw Than Than Tint Soon Kway at Yaw Sayadaw’s Kayung Daik.

Attendees include

• Saya U Soe Paing and Daw Saw Yu Tint (Alice, T69)
• U Myint Swe
• Daw Tin Moe We (Sweetie)
• Daw Myint Myint Thein (Susan)

Dr. Htay Lwin Nyo (GBNF)

• He matriculated from SPHS in 1968. Hewas admitted as Roll Number One to 1st BE.
  He was selected RIT Luyechun.
• He graduated among the top of the EP74 class.
• He studied Computer Science at UCC.
• He received a Ph.D. in EE from Syaracuse University, New York.
• His final job was as Part Time Professor at San Jose State University (SJSU).
• He used the spare time for his hobbies :
  (a) Tinkering old cars (b) Painting (c) Cooking (d) Stock Market (e) Writing movie scripts
• He did not miss a class. When he did not show up for a few classes, the students were alarmed and requested SJSU authorities to check his home. They found the doors locked. After a few days, they broke in to find him lifeless on his bed. Postmortem indicated an aneurysm.
• Since he was single and had no next-o-kin in the USA, SJSU asked the Burmese Community to help. Members of the “RIT Alumni International” and BAPS helped with the fund raising for the final journey of HLN.
• I was honored to push the incinerator, and later to scatter the ashes in the ocean. There was no next-of-kin of HLN in the USA. KMZ remembered that Kyaw Swa Than (Jaws, UCC) was HLN’s cousin. The missing link was supplied by some alumni (including Ko Ko Kyi). KMZ set up special web page for HLN. My poem was also posted there. I wrote about HLN’s Sea Burial for BAPS Newsletter.

HLN Memorial Pages

U Khin Maung Zaw (EC76, KMZ) set up the “HLN Memorial Pages” in the ex-RIT web site (which is now defunct). I wrote a poem “HTAY LWIN NYO“.

I also wrote “A Sea Burial for Professor Htay Lwin Nyo” for the BAPS Newsletter and the RIT web site.

Ko Ko Kyi (EC72) wrote :

Ko Hla Min, sad to read about Htay Lwin Nyo’s sea burial. I played a small part in notifying his first cousin Myo San Than in Toronto, when my brother called me from Birmingham, UK and informed me about HLN’s demise. Apparently, someone from California had contacted a friend of my brother’s and asked him to inform me, as he knew that HLN had a cousin living in Toronto. I informed HLN’s cousin Myo San Than, who called his elder brother living in Winnipeg, Canada. Subsequently, this cousin went to the US for HLN’s funeral. HLN was a good friend of mine, although he was two years my junior at RIT.

Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76) wrote :

I was actually a former classmate of HLN’s younger brother Aung Lwin Nyo in St. Paul’s High School [SPHS (6) Botataung]. All their brothers were OPs, HLN was 2 years senior to us, Old Paulians. I did not know HLN that well until we met again, the third time, at UCC. Of course he was part of our rival group while at RIT. Both of us ended up in US, he was several years earlier than me.

We met again when he moved to West Coast, namely San Jose, California while I was in Seattle. We visited him in San Jose, went Yosemite among other places, he visited us in Seattle, went up to Vancouver, Canada. Couple of years moved, he became upset with me for a reason unknown to me at the time, refused to take my calls. I eventually met him on one of my visits to California, forced him to tell me why he did not want to talk to me any longer. According to him, there were some rumors back in Yangon about his demise, his parents were very upset and he surmise that it could have been me who spread these rumors. I had to swear to him that those were nothing to do with me at all, as I lost contact with everyone, family and friends, back in Burma at that time.

So one could imagine my despair when I received a call, a year or so later, from Maurice Chee (M75) that HLN was found dead in his apartment, asking me if I knew him and also requested me to make an announcement on www,ex-rit,org site. I had to explain Maurice the background story, told him I would not do so until I have a solid information. I ended up calling HLN’s head of department at SJSU, San Jose State University. She assured me that they went to HLN’s apartment, broke it inside with the help of the Police. Sad news indeed. While Maurice Chee, Ko Banny Tan (M70), U Hla Min and RIT Alumni at BAPS, Bay Area alumni group, started working on the funeral, I called a friend, HLN’s cousin, in Manitoba, Canada, Kyaw Zwa Than (ex-UCC), to get the contact of HLN’s family back in Rangoon. I finally spoke with the elder brother, Ko Kyaw Lwin Nyo, who requested us to proceed with the funeral.

PS: I met HLN’s elder brother for the first time, this passed November 2018, at the OPA, Old Paulians’ Association, dinner. My OP friends told me that Aung Lwin Nyo met similar fate, passed away while in his bed some years back. Myo San Than (as mentioned in U Ko Ko Kyi’s comment) is the younger brother of Kyaw Zwa Than. KZT’s family : KZT, his wife KCube (Khin Khin Kyi) and their two sons, Alex and Nicholas, have since moved to Denver, Colorado, USA.

Daw Nge Ma Ma Than (GBNF)

• Ma Nge (Theresa, GBNF) is the youngest child of U Aung Than (brother of Boyoke Aung San & Arzanee U Ba Win).
• She matriculated from MEHS.
• She graduated from RASU.
• She studied and taught at UCC, DCS and ICST.
• At UCC, she and Judy (Nwe Nwe Win) were considered as “UCC Twins”. Grapevine says that some guy approached them and gave each a copy of his “Yee Zar Sar” (love letter).
• She found her love life U Myint Swe (ex-UCC).
• During the Adhamma Era, she, her brother and U Myint Swe were detained by the higher authorities.
• She became a Prisoner of Conscience.
• I last met her at the 5th Acariya Puzaw Pwe of ICST.
• Her health declined, but she kept on smiling. She did not complain about the aches and pains.
• U Myint Swe reported the journal of her hospitalization and medical treatment.
• Even in her final days, her thoughts were with former Prisoners of Conscience.

U Soe Myint (M72, GBNF)

• M72 friends call him “Phone Gyi Soe Myint”. At UCC, he is known as “Sunlun Soe Myint”.
• His father U Thein Nyunt (Retired Secretary of Religious Affairs) was a friend and an early devotee of Sayadaw U Vinaya. U Soe Myint also served as Kappiya from his younger days.
• He came to see me during my last visit and shared his knowledge about U Lokanatha (Italian American monk) and how he provided financial support to buy the land for Kaba Aye Sun Lun Gu Kyaung.
  He gave me a “Chone Hte” (for monk) to take back to the US.
• On a subsequent visit to Yangon, we were sad to learn of his untimely demise.
• On the fateful day, he made two trips to the Kaba Aye Sunlun Gu Kyaung monastery, because he forgot his donation on his first trip. He also visited his nephew & niece who were having dialysis treatment. May be because of his karma or because of the trips he took that day, he passed away around 3 AM.

Four Decade Old Photo

• Win Hlaing
• Henry Maung Maung (Census, GBNF)
• Kyu Kyu Lwin (GBNF)
• Khin Si Thoung (Busi Baung – USA)
• Khin Khin Win (Five Star Line – USA)
• Phyu Phyu Win (Singapore)
• Win May Thaung (GBNF)
• Tin Tin Yi (Port Authority)
• Hla Hla Win (Wa – GBNF)
• Aung Myint (AM, GBNF)
• Soe Myint (Sunlun, M72, GBNF)

Seven of the eleven in the photo are GBNF (Gone But Not Forgotten)

Annotation by KMZ, AM, Judy, Sweetie

Epilog

Computer Science and Technology is continually evolving.

There are two (or more) early definitions of Computer Science.

• Computer Science is the study of phenomena surrounding Computing.
• Computer Science is the study of Algorithms and Data Structures.

The first definition has the same flavor as a definition of Physics. It is general to say, “Physics is the study of natural phenomena.”

The second definition might sound restrictive, but it still covers a lot of topics and application.

There is a book called “PROGRAM = ALGORITHMS + DATA STRUCTURES”.

Professor Donald Knuth (Stanford University) thought that he could finish his 7-volume book “THE ART OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING” in a couple of years. It was an under-estimate of the growth of Computers, Computer Science and Applications. It took over two decades to complete and revise the first three volumes and part of the fourth volume. One reason was that his book contributed to the growth of the Design and Analysis of Algorithms.

• I have covered some topics in the early days of Computing in general and UCC in particular.
• I missed out several people. I mentioned many names, but did not elaborate on some of them.
• I did not cover in-depth the PDP configuration and use, the introduction of PCs, and robots.
• It would take a long time and I would not be able to fill in all the blanks.

• I believe an idea that characterizes Jules Verne. “If one can dream, others can fulfill”.
• I had a personal experience to support that idea. In 1999, I started “RIT International Newsletter” and dreamed that sayas and alumni will get reconnected electronically and physically. With the help of sponsors (including five Golden Sponsors), able and dedicated sayas and alumni, volunteers, supporters and well-wishers, the First RIT Grand Reunion and SPZP (Saya Pu Zaw Pwe) was held in San Francisco in October 2000. The world-wide SPZPs were subsequently held in Singapore in 2002, 2007 and 2010, and in Yangon in 2004, 2012 and 2016.

I have paid back to RIT.

I am now paying back to UCC, DCS and ICST.

Thanks to my family members for supporting me in the endeavors to pay back to the institutions and my mentors that helped me develop to where I am today.

I am confident that sayas and alumni of UCC, ICST & UCSY will enhance my posts into a document that historians will envy.