ABSTRACT

In the 1970s, Brazil sought to establish State policies aimed at technological autonomy in the field of Informatics, resulting in the origin of a national industry of computers. This paper will explore another measure that has been little explored by historiography: the control over imports of data processing equipment. Our research intends to show the control exerted by the Commission for Coordination of Electronic Processing Activities (CAPRE) and to discuss how its technicians performed the analysis of user requests, resulting in decisions that either allowed or not the installation of the requested systems. When analysing computer purchase contracts and evaluating the intended uses for the imported systems, they defined the ‘merit' of each order and sought to raise users' awareness on the problem of technological dependence. They reveal different discourses on the technological modernization (‘efficient/lowercost' imported technologies versus ‘self–determination/autonomy' views influencing society’s perceptions on Informatics in the country.

摘要

1970 年代，巴西寻求制定旨在实现信息学领域技术自主的国家政策，从而产生了民族计算机工业。本文将探讨另一种史学鲜有探讨的措施：对数据处理设备进口的控制。我们的研究旨在展示电子处理活动协调委员会 (CAPRE) 施加的控制，并讨论其技术人员如何分析用户请求，从而做出允许或不允许安装请求系统的决定。在分析计算机采购合同和评估进口系统的预期用途时，他们定义了每个订单的“优点”，并试图提高用户对技术依赖问题的认识。