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August, 1975 CIRCLE 33 ON READER CARD Meet Stretch. Itel's new expandable disk storage subsystem. These days, nobody wants their cap­ ital tied up in storage capacity that's not used. But how do you pay for just the capacity you need? With Itel's Stretch, Model 7833/7330, the new modular-design disk storage subsystem that grows with you. Highly flexible in its configurations, Stretch con­ sists of one or two storage control units with up to sixteen 100 or 200 megabyte disk drive units in any combination. ' Start out with a subsystem of just the right size for your present requirements. Then, when you want more capacity, you simply add units. As often as necessary. Fully plug-compatible with the IBM 3330, Itel's Stretch satisfies both today's direct access storage requirements and tomorrow's common data base needs in a multiple systems environment. At less cost. At Itel, we couldn't have acquired over half a billion dollars in IBM computer leasing experience without making you a better deal. :ITEL Your financial alternative. _ One Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, California 94111, Phone (415) 983-0000

2 CIRCLE 55 ON READER CARD DRTRMRTION DATAMATlmJN® VOLUME 21 NUMBER 8 This issue 126,000 copies AUGUST 1975

FEATURES

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, 37 ASSESSING MANAGERIAL POTEI\JTIAL PART I /) Eugene J. Skoff. Another good thing the Civil Rights Act of r.1CC:15uring Employee Potontial ,:os 1964 did was to show that traditional methods of evaluating ~'i4~ Informal evaluations of people often don't "'\ employees don't work. work for hiring, promoting, or determining training needs. Sometimes good people 41 WOMEN SPEAI( OUT ON DP CAREERS are missed - especially if they are women. Sticking to a preconceived game plan Winifred Asprey and Anne Wheeler Laffan. The thought of for personnel evaluations can produce promoting a woman seems never to occur to men. better results for managers and employ­ ees. It can keep the Equal Employment 45 THE IBM 704: 36-BIT FLOATING-POINT Opportunities Commission happy, too. MONEY-MAKER Part II of the Personnel Management series will follow next month. Richard A. McLaughlin. After the 704, neither the industry nor IBM would ever be the same again. 32 EVALUATING PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES 52 INFO 75 Carl L Hall. Going into a job interview cold is as much a mis­ Tom McCusker. The user's user conference also has plenty take for the interviewer as for the applicant. for the dp professional.

NEWS IN PERSPECTIVE 56 MAINFRAMERS 69 SOFTWARE IBM slashes prices, offers new products and reorganizes. Sid Levitz the user is now a vendor.

57 LITIGATION 72 TECHNOLOGY New Los Angeles firm offers 6250 bpi tape drives. The case of the jeweler and IBM and an $11.4 million judgment. 74 ANTITRUST 63 INTERNATIONAL Users are unprepared and unwilling to comment on a Consent International airlines vs. IBM: the solution is to raise overhead or Decree. the volume of the complaints. 80 BENCHMARKS Second quarter earnings; Reorganization at Honeywell; About 65 COMMUNICATIONS face for ADAPSO; A blessing for EFTS? AFIPS opens Washing­ Data link protocols: there's progress in the standards arena. ton office; A breach of international scientific standards?

DEPARTMENTS 7 LETTERS 84 HARDWARE Conferences vs. workers, "a major turn in the industry," criticiz­ IBM finally enters the key-to-disc market; ditto Intel the add-on ing CODASYL, and what ELSE is new? memory market; a time-sharing system bows. 11 PEOPLE 92 SOFTWARE & SERVICES Ann Sargent & Japan; David Gomes da Costa: the world; A Table producing Language from the Dept. of Labor is available; Jerome Geckle: dp manager to president. another IBM System/32 application debuts. 17 LOOK AHEAD 112 ADVERTISERS' INDEX 22 CALENDAR ABOUT THE COVER Programs on EFTS, mapmaking, and telecommunications. Personnel Management deals heavily with structured com­ munications between people - interviews, presentations, 25 SOURCE DATA group discussions. Manolo Momp6's "Gente Hablando en la Reviews of The Cost of Privacy, Management of Information Calle," depicting people talking, gesturing, and interacting, Technology, plus reports, book briefs, and courses. seems particularly appropriate. Courtesy of Ruth S. Schaffner 31 EDITOR'S READOUT Gallery, Los Angeles. The "what ifs" of antitrust.

August, 1975 3 DRTRMRTION.

EDITORIAL STAFF Editor John L. Kirkley Articles Editor Richard A. McLaughlin International Editor Angeline Pantages European Editor ... Nancy Foy Communications Editor Phil Hirsch Industry Editor W. David Gardner Products Editor Michael Cashman The story of a calculator that doesn't do Source Data Editor Daniel P. Schlosky Calendar Editor Gloria Tidstrand Reprints Editor Laura R. Ochinero everything it was designed to do. News Editor Tom McCusker Bureau Managers San Francisco Edward K. Yasaki 50,000 UNITS LATER Los Angeles Edith D. Myers After 50,000 intergrated circuits (the heart of the calculator) were manufactured by a world Washington, D.C. Phil Hirsch famous CHIP manufacturer, someone discovered an error in the algorithm program. This is Pamela Evans New York Angeline Pantages the mathematical formulas electronically built into each intergrated circuit. This error is New England W. David Gardner ONLY apparent in calculating the arc cos of a however, and none of the other Correspondents functions were affected. Rather than discarding these 50,000 chips, a quality calculator Minneapolis James K. Johnson manufacturer, MELCOR, decided to take advantage of the situation. After all, not everyone Southwest Robert F. Alexander needs the arc cos of O. (By the way, NEW chips have since been made by this chip maker and Australia FrederickA. Bland are now available in calculators retailing for $99.95.) Editorial Advisor Robert L. Patrick Technical Advisor Lowell Amdahl Contributing Editors Paul Armer, Howard THE CHIP ERROR AND WHAT IT CAN Bromberg, Philip H. Dorn, Louis B. Marienthal, DO FOR YOU Ray W. Sanders, For a limited time, Chafitz is offering what is sure to be a first in the calculator field, A limited Milton R. Wessel, F. G. Withington quantity of quality calculators with a CHIP ERROR. Due to this chip error the MELCOR 635 EDITORIAL OFFICES is not able to calculate the arc cos of a (which everyone knows is 90 degrees). But, at our un· Headquarters: 1801 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los An­ believable low price, who cares about the error. Just remember that the arc cos of a is 90 geles, CA 90035. Phone (213) 559-5111. Eastern: degrees and you've got a perfect calculator at the incredibly low price of only $59.95. 35 Mason St., Greenwich, CT 06830, (203) 661- 5400. Lakeside Office Park, 599 North Avenue. LOOK AT WHAT YOU DO GET Wakefield, Mass. 01880, (617) 246-2121, 9805 Singleton Dr., Bethesda, MD 20034, (301) 530-7271. A 40 key calculator with 23 functions • 8 digits with scientific notation • Two levels of Southwestern: 2711 Cedar Springs, Dallas, TX 2 parenthesis • Algebraic logic • eX, In, lOX , log, SIN, COS, TAN, VX, x , l/x, n!, l ' 1T' • 75201, (214) 744-0161. Western: 2680 Bayshore Radian and degree calculations • Arc SIN, COS, TAN • 3 button accumulating memory • Frontage Rd., Suite 401, Mountain View, CA 94043, Register exchange • Sign charge • Rechargeable, with NiCd batteries included • Plus (415) 965-8222. Foreign: 8 Pellerin Rd., London N. much more • 16; (01) 249-1177; 64/90 Blues Point Rd., Mc­ Accessories included: A/C adapter/charger, leather case with belt loop, instructions. Also, Mahons Point, NSW 2060, Australia. GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRODUCTION one year parts and labor warranty. 0'/. x _, 'I' X \'/, Art & Production Director Cleve Marie Boutell For the scientist, student, math­ Advertising ematician, engineer, business­ Production Manager Marilee Pitman man! Production Assistant Alberta R. Martin CIRCULATION LIMITED QUANTITIES! 35 Mason Street, Greenwich, CT 06830 Due to the amount of machines produced Circulation Manager Suzanne A. Ryan we will have to fill orders on a first come first Marketing Research serve basis. So hurry, you don't want to goof Manager Deborah Dwelley Publisher James M. Morris by not getting one of these incredible Assistant Publisher F. Douglas De Carlo machines! Circulation audited IoDAY by Business Publications Audit NO RISK TRIAL American Member 1::tABP Business If you can't believe this offer, try Press, Inc. the calculator for 10 days in your DATAMATION is pub- home or office. If you feel it doesn't 14-..... 1 lished monthly on or do everything we say it does, return IIf!1 about the first day of the complete package for a prompt every month by Tech­ nical Publishing Company, 1301 South Grove Ave .. refund. Barrington, Illinois 60010; Arthur L. Rice, Jr., Chairman of the Board; James B. Tafel, President; Gardner F. Landon, Executive Vice President. Remember, you can't calculate Executive, Circulation and Advertising offices, 35 Mason Street, Greenwich, CT 06830, (203) 661- the arc cos of O. But at $59.95 5400. Editorial offices, 1801 S. La Cienega Blvd., . . . . . who cares!!! Los Angeles, CA 90035. Published at Chicago, III . DATAMATION is circulated without charge by name and title to certain qualified individuals who are employed by companies involved with AMERICA'S CALCULATOR automatic information handling equipment. Avail­ able to others by subscription at the rate of $24; COUNSELORS™ $40 Air Mail annually in the U.S. and Canada. Re­ duced rate for qualified students, $14. Foreign subscriptions are available for £16.80 or for the MAIL ORDERS ACCEPTED equivalent of $40 U.S. in most West European cur­ rencies. Sole agent for all subscriptions outside Add $2 per unit when ordering the U.S.A. and Canada is J. B. Tratsart, Ltd. 154 A Maryland residents remit 4"; sales tax. Greenford Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA13QT, En­ gland. No subscription agency is authorized by us 856 Rockville Pike to solicit or take orders for subscriptions. Con­ ORDER NOW BY PHONE troiled circulations paid at Columbus, OH and Rockville, maryland Form 3579 to be sent to Technical Publishing Com­ pany, P.O. Box 2000. Greenwich, CT 06830. © 20852 800-638-2997 Copyright 1975 TeChnical Publishing Company. I!!l Maryland residents call: 301-340-0200 "Datamation" registered trademark of Technical Operators on duty Mon. Sat. 10-5 EST Publishing Company. Microfilm copies of DATA­ 479 MATION may be obtained from University Micro­ MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED films, A Xerox Company, 300 No. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106. Printed by Beslow Associ­ ates, Inc. CIRCLE 95 ON READER CARD 4 DRTRMRTICJN IBM 3340 users: ASk Control Data about anew more cost-effective DATA MODULE for your system:

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August, 1975 CIRCLE 20 ON READER CARD 5

successor version. I hope that all spe­ The ultimate logical operation is, of cific technical points which anyone course, .SHOULD HAVE BEEN .. In appli­ raises toward the end of making the cation this would be used as: standard better will be judged on their (IF (X .SHOULD HAVE BEEN. 5) letters merits rather than on their timing. WOULD HAVE GONE TO 13 K. P. SEIDEL This not only eliminates the need for Fallbrook, California program self-checking" but also re­ Talkers vs. doers Mr. Seidel's Forum, "CODASYL Has moves the requirements for debugging. Daniel McCracken in his article on the Failed COBOL," appeared earlier in It has bothered me for years that mis­ International Conference on Reliable these. pages (November 1974, p. 168). takes could be detected (i.e., "DO" Software (June, p. 93) observes that missing in a DO LOOP), but not cor­ the attendees did not include very Where is he coming from? In reference to Mr. Temperly's letter rected-now, using the .SHOULD HAVE many working-level programmers. (May, p. 10) regarding the .WAS. and BEEN. instruction, this problem can be Some of us did not attend simply be­ .WILL BE. operations, I believe he solved. cause we doubted that we would learn missed the whole point of the extensi­ NEIL SUTTER much of value. bility of the COME FROM statement. Phoenix, Arizona We have found that the bulk of what is written and spoken in regard to programming is obvious (e.g., that the Give 'em, ELSE, 'arry! program's domains he finds himself. Ed. note:' We've had a "mini-ava­ He is not led to a domain in digestible project leaders should actually do pro­ lanche" of letters on Allan M. Bloom's, gramming), oversimplified (e.g., that "The 'ELSE' Must Go, Too" (May, p. steps; he does not have IF filtering the approach should be "top-down"), 123). Because of space limitations, we working for him. or incorrect (e.g., that the GO TO can print only excerpts from a fraction As Dr. Bloom points out, debugging of the letters and from Dr. Bloom's construction is unnecessary), wHile the response: and maintenance are the most cost­ most difficult and challenging problems ly of the code/ debug/ execute/ maintain (e.g., how to cope with hardware mal­ First may I thank Dr. Bloom for his steps. The greater of these is mainte­ function) are seldom discussed at all. excellent article. It has long been my nance, and the perspicuity of structured We trust our own expertise more opinion that the ELSE and nested IF are programming, where the logic "leaps than that of the writers and speakers responsible for making structured pro­ out at you," makes it the best choice because it appears to us that we have grams as unreadable as their GOTO pre­ available today. had experience with a larger and more decessors. JAMES R. DONALDSON complex system than they have. We However, I believe he has over­ Control Data Corporation certainly cannot accept the arrogant looked one important case that cannot Minneapolis, Minnesota claim that they are the "scientists" who be easily written without the ELSE. The have .discovered indisputable truths case occurs when the function per­ ... The afterthought which Dr. Bloom that we mere "craftsmen" must obedi­ formed affects the condition tested, states on machine inefficiency must be entlyaccept. and it is necessary either to use the considered further. In his example, the JOHN G. FLETCHER ELSE, or to save and restore the tested same IF statement would be tested Group Leader item(s). In such cases, the ELSE is numerous times. The rationale for al­ Computer Systems Division often a more straightforward ap­ lowing this inefficiency is that the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory proach. execution and initial coding stages of Livermore, California ERIC PETERSON program development are the least Albuquerque, New Mexico costly. This rationale does not hold Big on small computers under two very important situations. I must say that I found Mr. Marien- First, structured code has shifted much thal's article on small business com­ . Dr. Bloom's "functional program­ of the cost from the debugging and puters (June, p. 62) to be quite re­ ming" is not as good as structured pro­ maintenance processes to the initial freshing, and I agree wholeheartedly gramming. development stage of the process. Sec­ with his suggestion that "we might be A structured program's nested IF'S ond, programs which are constantly or seeing a major turn in the industry." I divide the program into a series of very frequently in the machine mix believe that the advent of these small progressively smaller domains. Corre­ will only compound the number of computers is a godsend to the small- to spondingly, the programmer's atten­ times these excessive statements are medium-sized business. I certainly wish tion is focused, by degrees, on progres­ executed. Therefore, machine efficiency they had been around when I was in­ sively smaller domains. The pro­ is a very important consideration after stalling an IBM 360/20, System/3, or grammer can operate at the level ap­ all in program de~ign. even a 360/40. While they couldn't propriate to his purposes; in Knuth's RICHARD E. STERRY directly replace that 40, I could have words, he "selects a scale" at which to Systems Analyst done a lot more, in much less time, and examine the program. Michigan Bell for much less money. In contrast, a functional program, Southfield, Michigan L. C. JOHNSON although easily understood and modi­ Senior Systems Consultant fied at the individual function level, . . . What is the difference between Associated Management Engineers, does not clearly show the relationship between functions. There is too great a functional programming and Decision Inc. Logic Tables? We have had DLT pre­ Chicago, Illinois gap between the programmer's concep­ tion of the program and the program's processors for a good while. Why pro­ Get me to Codasyl on time realization in code. In one great step, gram it out in longhand? Mr. Blasius ("Countering CODASYL the program is taken from the highest JAMES L. TUCKER Critics," June, p. 169) seems to rule level of abstraction to the lowest. The U. S. Army Management out criticism unless it is "properly programmer has only one scale with Engineering Training Agency timed." Yet one can assume that after which to view the program: the small­ Rock Island, Illinois each of the many previous CODASYL est. The programmer must determine Dr. Bloom responds: I had hoped to start a discussion with my article, and versions of COBOL, there must have for each function, by evaluating its full - it appears that I have. The letters were been critical comment that led to its Boolean predicate, in which of the quite stimulating overall, and gave me

August, 1975 7 The CASE control structure is a logical ing process control statements .... extension of the IF-THEN, with each As to the third point, efficiency, letters condition of interest explicitly stated properly applied, is a systems con­ prior to performing its associated cept. As long as the components of a function. system have any effect on each other, as much food for thought as the On the other hand, as Mr. Peterson there is no way that "optimizing" the writers apparently received. points out, a limited scope IF-THEN­ components individually will result in The letters appear to fall into three ELSE is "often a more straightforward an optimum system. The system itself major areas of interest: functional in­ approach." In a truly binary condition, must be optimized, traditionally con­ dependence, functional hierarchy, and the simple, brief, visually closed IF­ verting each component to a dollar efficiency. Many writers brought up THEN-ELSE construct is certainly no representation within a series of con­ the question of functionally interde­ threat to program clarity. Simply be­ straints (physical limitations, manage­ pendent or "coupled" modules. One cause a program can be written with­ ment directives, etc.). popular criticism was that the code out a GOTO or ELSE shouldn't really On the average, initial coding and segment imply a dogmatic avoidance of both execution are historically the least IF 1= 1 constructs. costly elements of a data processing THEN Mr. Donaldson emphasizes a point system. There are, of course, execp­ 1=2 I should have mentioned-the value tions to this rule-of-thumb-Mr. Ster­ ELSE of functional hierarchy in dividing a ry's frequently-executed programs 1=3 program into a "series of progressive­ may (or may not) be the dominant cost ENDIF ly smaller domains," with "IF filtering components. To be dogmatically for could not be handled ELSElessly by working for" the programmer, allows either program microefficiency or pro­ simple negation, as him/her to "select a scale" at which gram readability/maintainability is IF 1= 1 to examine the program. equally indefensible. To "lean" gen­ THEN In the "functional" code, the de­ erally toward the latter, however, has 1=2 sired "progressively smaller domains" some historical/statistical validity .... ENDIF are present-in functionally hierarchi­ Finally, Mr. Tucker's comment on IF I not = 1 cal modules. This implies a "nest," DLT processors is a good one. . . . If, THEN true, but of the desired variety. I indeed, one has a well-structured de­ 1=3 stated the desirability of having the cision table in which sequence has no ENDIF conditions for execution of a function effect, a DLT processor would be a The two IF groups are quite highly immediately preceding that function. rather easier way to solve the prob­ coupled, with one module changing (The hierarchy is defined by function, lem. Sequence does count, however, both a control and a data variable not by control.) I did not intend to ap­ and problem solutions often require used by the other. I can think of three ply the principle to every executable more flexibility than a DLT processor ways to address this point without statement to yield a completely in­ can provide. 0 recourse to an ELSE .... My recom­ line program of one hierarchical level mended solution, however, is as fol­ -the lowest. I can quite understand lows: Mr. Donaldson's concern if I gave that DATAMATION welcomes cor­ BEGIN CASE impression. The IF is working for the respondence about the compu­ CASE (I = 1) programmer in "scale selection," but ter industry. Please double­ 1=2 not by "filtering" as I defined it. The space your letter when you write CASE (I not = 1) IF-THEN logic does not leave a func­ to 1801 S. La Cienega Blvd., 1=3 tion of equal hierarchical rank out on Los Angeles, CA 90035. END CASE a limb (a BRANCH?) to simplify cod- Picture-Perfect Plots. Fast. How Fast? Zeta's Model 1200 plots up to 3000 increments per second at 2.5 mils-roughly 2~ times faster than other small plotters. Or keep going and choose from other models in our complete line-all of which offer you more .... Versatility - Both 12- and 36- inch models for direct com­ puter and remote terminal interface. Resolution - 2.5 to 10 mil increment sizes. Software - For every major ti meshare com­ puter.... For most major minicomputers .... Over 50 commercial services .... More than 50 in-house systems .... Dollar Value-Our pricing has always been toughly competitive. It still is. Write or call today for literature. Zeta Research 1043 Stuart Street, Lafayette, CA 94549. 415-284-5200. t Zeta -PLOTTING THE FUTURE.

CIRCLE 83 ON READER CARD 8 DATAMATION There are two ways to convert to as.

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August, 1975 CIRCLE 40 ON READER CARD 9 What's new In printers! AskCentronlcs. Just because you need a faster printer doesn't mean you have to leave thefamil~

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10 CIRCLE 75 ON READER CARD CRTt=lMRTICN learning anything. As it turned aut, ever saw them dO' was clean the green they were." tea pats but I'm sure they did ather All af Sargent's cantributians to ANA things toa." were nat in programming. "Lackheed Shartly befare she left Japan, Sar-. people didn't care what I did as lang as I kept gent said, a law was passed prohibiting ANA happy." Part af keeping ANA firms from farcing wamen to' retire at happy was to' affard groups af its em­ age 30. "But in practice," she said, playees an appartunity far daily prac­ "mast Japanese wamen dO' retire by 30 Ten Months In tice in English conversatian. This aver . if they haven't married by then." caffee far her (ANA had purchased a Sargent enjayed her stay in Japan caffeepat just priar to her arrival) and and wauld go back "in a minute" if she Japan green tea far the athers. had the chance. She cammuted abaut One year ago this month, All Nippan There are very few wamen em­ an haur each way, each day from her Airways taak delivery af the first played by ANA, Sargent nated. Thase camfortable ane bedroam apartment Lackheed Model 290 flight data analy­ that are, are yaung, unmarried, and, to' ANA via subway, electric train and sis system. With it they gat Ann W. she guessed, in rather law clerical pasi­ manarail AND 225 steps. This was Sargent, a Lackheed infarmatian sys­ tians. They spake little ar nO' English akay until, last Dec. 29, she fell and tems analyst, laaned to' ANA far six and Sargent's Japanese is limited to broke her foat and was farced to' take manths to refine; and implement the what cauld get her around in a taxi cabs far awhile. "I spent the New systems' saftware and to' train airlines or while shapping. "The anly thing I Year's halidays in the haspital." persannel to madify and extend it. Sargent, 44, didn't start aut to be­ Actually Sargent gat to' Takya ane came a systems analyst. She halds a week befare the system did and she B.S. in language arts ("that translates ended up staying there ten manths in­ jaurnalism") from Califarnia Paly­ stead af six. technic Institute in Pamana and cur­ The 290 system, designed to' pro­ rently is warking an her M.B.A. at Cal duce a variety af. reparts fram data Paly. "I have six classes to' ga." She callected by magnetic tape flight re­ began warking far Lackheed in 1961 carders abroad ANA'S 12 L-I0lls, is as a technical writer. Subsequently she based an a Digital Equipment Carp. taak some IBM caurses to' learn haw PDP-II / 45 with 96K af care. In all, to' use an IBM time-sharing system Sargent created 54 programs far the to' salve engineering problems. Then system. came same Univ. af Califarnia exten­ "There were all sarts af little crises sian caurses in business systems and a at first," she said. The system uses a caurse in assembly language far the Varian Stratas 30 printer! plotter Lackheed Mac camputer. which was suppased to' be saftware Sargent is the mather af twa grown campatible with an 11145. It was but children and is married to' an elec­ nat with RSX, a DEC real-time saftware tranics engineer. package which was handling an engine Naw back at Lackheed she is wark­ canditian monitar partian af the sys­ ing an an ather flight data analysis sys­ tem So' it had to' be madified. tem, similar to' ANA's but slightly Amang ather things, the system will smaller. This ane is for Saudia Air check tapes from the flight recarders ANN SARGENT, Lockheed Aircraft Ser­ Lines af Saudi Arabia. When it's far limit exceedences in things like vice Co., Inc. information systems shipped she wan't gO' with it. "They pitch and angle. "In experience we analyst, initiates a plot program for All take a dim view of wamen in Saudi learned things like, if a certain trans­ Nippon Airways' Fusao Shoo Arabia," she said. ducer is aut, there wauld be apparent limit exceedences cantinuausly. We madified the saftware to' take care af things like these." The World is His Marketplace Sargent said the hardest thing she Saftware is a business af educatian package firm that he faunded in De­ had to' dO' in Takya was teaching a twa and hand halding. When yau're the cember 1966 with $700 and which week caurse in the system's FORTRAN. proprietar af a growing U.K. saftware naw daes abaut $1.4 millian a year. In She taught twa haurs a day to' students campany, that cauld mean having to' 1970 when it was daing $300,000 a, whase camputer knaw-haw ranged spend nearly half af yaur time flying year in cantract programming, the from that af programmers whO' knew around the warld to' keep in tauch with campany affered its first products­ FORTRAN and anly needed to' learn the prospects and distributars. It's a life test toals far IBM ape rating systems differences af this system to' nane at all. that seemingly would require ane to' be and saId 40 within two years. It has "English ability varied fram maderate yaung, unmarried, highly ambitiaus saId 130 capies in 16 natians af an to nan-existent." She made extensive and with a lave far lang haurs and the upgraded versian, called Madule Test­ use af a blackbaard and written mate­ art af salesmanship. A man with all af ing System, which was develaped a rials because "many whO' cauldn't un­ these qualificatians is David Games da year later, and it has made 18 sales af a derstand spaken English cauld read it." Casta, the 31-year-ald managing direc­ third product, a project management But, "When I'd ask if they under­ tor of Management Systems and Pro­ and cantrol system introduced a year staad, they just sat there . . . nO' re­ gramming Ltd. af Landan. agO'. It's newest affering is a data dic­ spanse." Sa, "I vialated Japanese cus­ Games da Casta talked af his 85- tianary package called Datamanager. tam and asked them to' dO' same wark persan campany and its products early It has twa mare system saftware an the baard." In Japan, she explained, this summer in an interview in Las products an the way, saon will affer ane is not suppa sed to' risk embarrass­ Angeles-an his way to' Seattle, Dallas, applicatians packages and is abaut to' ing a persan in public but it was the ChicagO' and Taronta. It's a cantract enter the facilities management busi­ "anly way I cauld find aut if they were programming and systems saftware ness. But it caunts an Datamanager for August, 1975 11 distributors for the new product. who market outside that country It was developed under ideal condi­ (about 35% of his profits are gen­ people tions, Gomes da Costa says, with erated overseas, he says). "For exam­ money from the U.K. government and ple, why should I be paying income a significant portion of its growth. regular input from prospective cus­ taxes while I'm out of the country gen­ Gomes da Costa says he's identified tomers. Dp managers from these pros­ erating business that will come back in 2,000 to 3,000 prospects worldwide for pects met every other month with his taxable revenues?" In the past eight data dictionary software and would be staff to discuss and offer suggestions and a half years, he's travelled to 18 happy with 15 % of that action in the during the two and a half years of its nations and this year will bring that next three years. It's a freestanding development. An interest free loan figure to 22 with trips to Russia, Iran, system, he says, that complements but from the government covered nearly Brazil and South Africa. doesn't have to lock into any other half of the $600,000 development A math major dropout from the software package or data base man­ costs. The government will be repaid Univ. of London, Gomes da Costa held agement system. He says installations out of royalties under an assistance only one job before forming his com­ with traditional files, data bases or a plan administered by the U.K.'s Na­ pany. That was with the Gillette Co. mixture of the two can use the data tional Computing Center. Although in the U.K. where he advanced in 18 dictionary to automate the location of grateful for the help, Gomes da Costa months from a programmer trainee to files and programs in a data base. The says the U.K. should provide more in­ chief programmer. company this summer was lining up centives for computer organizations "That was before I grew my beard." From DP Manager ... to President Six years ago Jerome Geckle was data processing manager our manufacturing facility. We manufacture information­ of Petersen, Howell and Heather, a management services it's the lifeblood of our company." firm headquartered in Baltimore. Today he's president of Geckle's first experience in the data processing field was the company. To what does Geckle give credit for his in 1948 with IBM where he went to school and learned how upward mobility? "I've always believed that machines are to wire the 405. "That was a free school, and, as typically in insignificant," he said. "The problems that we hope to be those days, it was a one room schoolhouse," Geckle said. able to solve with the technology that is available are "IBM could teach all the machines it had to offer in one business problems, or human problems, or government room with one teacher." After school he went to work for problems, or whatever, but they're really not machine prob­ International Harvester "where I could put what I had just lems. Anyone that tends to take the approach that as soon as digested to work." Four years later he accepted a position business learns to use machines, the machines will be suc­ cessful in solving all problems, is kind of looking at things through the wrong end of the gun." Geckle said his company has put hardware and tech­ nology in the background, admitting that "it's a great, wonderful, useful tool," but keeping in mind "the only way that the tool is going to tum a screw or open a bolt or anything else is to have somebody decide that that's what we ought to do." According to Geckle, "The real ability to utilize all the computer hardware that exists or ever will exist depends on people and the ability of people to assimi­ late what the problems are and then apply the technology to solve those problems-and that's really what we've done here." Petersen, Howell and Heather employs. approximately 900 people, 100 of which are in its data processing depart­ ment, and "this year we'll make net after taxes about $6 million," Geckle said. The company's headquarters offices in Baltimore uses a Honeywell 6060 and its branch offices JEROME W. GECKLE "machines are insignificant" throughout the U.S., in Montreal and overseas use "a number of different pieces of equipment," some of which is with Lever Bros. where he worked until 1955, when he IBM, Geckle noted. The dp department keeps track of items joined the data processing department of Petersen, Howell connected with the services offered by the company. For and Heather. In 1969 Geckle became director of the com­ example, the company helps relocate families of large cor­ pany's Planning and Development Department. Soon there­ porations from one city to another. It also provides trans­ after he was named executive vice president of operations.. portation to individuals who are on the road for company He was made president of the company in August 1974. business. The computers keep track of the company's activ­ For those dp managers who want to become president of ities, such as the status of cars, motel and hotel rooms, travel their companies, Geckle offers this advice: "Study the busi­ etc~ ness and spend the majority of your time trying to solve "All the information is recorded and then massaged in a problems in the business world, rather than trying to edu­ variety of ways so we can recommend to clients what type cate the business world in data processing. Recognize that of car should be operated under particular sets of circum­ your ability in accountancy is only a tool, and not an end stances, for example, and when, these vehicles might be all." To grasp beyond the point of being involved in the replaced, and in the interim, they are constantly telling us technical sense in any area of a business "you have to what it costs to do these things," Geckle said. concentrate on the business and not your technical exper­ Most of the output from the company's computers is tise," he advised. communicated directly to its clients. "It actually becomes a Geckle is an honorary lifetime DPMA member and a past product," Geckle pointed out. "If you want to compare us international vice president. He's also a CDP and spent three to a typical company, our computer in many ways is part of years on the CDP Advisory Committee. *

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Capability. Quality. Value. The technological achievement under the keyboard is still the reason TIs professional calculators offer so much quality and math pow-er for the money.

Engineer ... Scientist ... Business- complex calculations. You don't designed to take a beating. It's a man ... Geologist ... Chemist ... Stat- have to learn special entry methods quality calculator. And you know it istician ... Student ... whatever your or difficult-to-master key sequences. as soon as you get your hands on field, if you're doing more than basic There's a betterway-TI's algebraic one. The heft and solid feeltells you mathematics, consider an SR-50A or entry system lets you key your prob­ it's a fine-quality instrument even SR-51A from Texas Instruments. * lem just the way you would say it. before you press a key. Naturally. You don't worry about The SR-50A and SR-51A are hu­ SR-51A: simple arithmetic to losing data in stacks, or keeping man engineered, too, for maximum complex statistics. track of what is in each stack, or comfort and efficiency. For a hand or Sheer math power. Log and trig and remembering if the stack is full. The a desktop. Keys have positive-action, hyperbolics and functions of x. The way you learned math is the way tactile feedback. And the big, SR-51A has these and also statistical it's done. On both the SR-50A and bright displays are easy to read functions. Like mean, variance and SR-51A-you can command tremen­ at your desk or on the go. Slim. standard deviation. Factorials, per­ dous math power with confidence­ Compact. Light. In your briefcase mutations, slope and intercept. from the beginning. Power and or on your belt, you'll hardly notice Trend line analysis. And there's a accuracy you can really put to work. just 8.3 ounces. random number generator. Plus 20 Answers are calculated to 13 sig­ preprogrammed conversions and in­ nificant digits, rounded off and dis­ New, low SR-50A and verses. Check this list for a closer played to 10. And for maximum SR-51A prices. look at the real math power you can accuracy, all 13 are held inside for Technological leadership and qual­ get in both the SR-51A and the subsequent calculations. ity craftsmanship are why Texas SR-50A: Scientific notation is automatic Instruments can offer so much value when you need it. For numbers as at low prices. And now, with new FUNCTION SR-51A SR-50A m price tags, the SR-50A and SR-51A Log,lnx yes yes large as ±9.999999999 x 10 '. Or as 99 are better values than ever before: Trig (sin, cos, tan INV) yes yes small as ±l. x 10- • Hyperbolic (sinh, cosh, tanh,INV) yes yes mantissa $99.95 for the SR-50A. $149.95 for Degree-radian conversion yes yes I the SR-51A. Deglrad mode selection switch yes yes Decimal degrees to deg .min.sec. yes no SR-51A Preprogrammed Conversions Polar-rectangular conversion yes no yx yes yes L,lyy' , 1L,lL,-J FROM TO eX yes yes sign I decimal point decimal I exponent mils microns 10x yes no integer exponent inches centimeters sign x~ yes yes feet meters Vx yes yes Quality craftsmanship. yards meters Vy yes yes Quality - it's built in right from miles kilometers 1Ix yes yes the start. Texas Instruments de­ miles nautical miles x! yes yes signs and manufactures every crit­ acres square feet Exchange x with y yes yes ical component. From high-purity fluid ounces cubic centimeters Exchange x with memory yes no fluid ounces liters % and Ll % yes no silicon semiconductor materials to gallons liters Mean, variance and standard yes no integrated circuits to light-emitting­ ounces grams deviation diode displays to circuit boards to pounds kilograms Linear regression yes no keyboards. So, we design-in and con­ short ton metric ton Trend line analysis yes no trol quality - not just monitor it - at BTU calories, gram Slope and intercept yes no every level: Materials. Components. degrees gradients Store and sum to memory yes yes degrees radians yes yes The complete system. Recall from memory To assure you reliable perfor­ °Fahrenheit °Celsius Product to memory yes no deg .min .sec. decimal degrees Random number generator yes no mance, every calculator is subjected polar rectangular Automatic permutation yes no to severe environmental and relia­ voltage ratio decibels Preprogrammed conversions 20 1 bility testing prior to release to pro­ Digits accuracy 13 13 duction. In production, everyone is Algebraic notation yes yes thoroughly tested, then "burned­ See them at your nearest TI calcu­ (sum of products) in", then thoroughly tested again. If lator retailer. Or, send for our new Memories 3 1 there's any problem, we want to fact-filled color brochure. It details Fixed decimal option yes no Keys 40 40 find it before it gets to you. the outstanding capability of both Second function key yes no Inside, steel machine screws an­ the SR-50A and SR-51A with full Constant mode operation yes no chor all important structural feature descriptions, sample prob­ elements - plastic welds and glue lems, entry-method Performance, accuracy and efficiency. fastenings aren't good enough. A considerations and ~o Both the SR-50A and SR-51A de­ double-tough Mylar** barrier keeps more. Write, Texas In- VI liver answers you can trust. Quickly dust and moisture from getting un­ struments, MjS358, and efficiently. To problems ranging der the keyboard. The case is high­ P.O. Box 22013, Dallas, from simple arithmetic to highly strength, injection-molded plastic Texas 75222

* The SR-50A and SR-51A are our popular SR-50 and 82073 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SR-51 in handsome new case designs © 1975 Texas Instruments Incorporated INCORPORATED **Trademark of DuPont

August, 1975 CIRCLE 30 ON READER CARD 15 All magnetic media will perform head wear to be less than 23.5 micro­ possibility of head crash being to industry standards. And most of the inches in 92 hours of head-loaded caused by unevenness is completely time, for most of the applications in operation. And if your drive is eliminated. the field, that's performance enough. updated, don'tworry; Flexydisks are We test. We do scratch tests to But what about those ti mes when you coated and finished on both sides. check coating thickness, impacttests have to push your equipment a little Just to be sure. to determine head crash resistance, harder? Like when you have to To keep time and use from taking detergent tests to check resistance to exceed normal head loadings, or theirtoll, we protect our Flexydisks in a wear and temperature variations, and when your storage environment special self-cleaningjacketand liner. drop tests to make sure nothing goes leaves a lot to be desired. It's for this This little packaging extra cuts down outofwhackduring shipment. If any­ reason that BASF exceeds industry on friction and the possibility of errors. thing can go wrong, we'll make it hap­ standards with our Flexydisks, Our Systems 3 and single disk pen here rather than on your drive. Systems 3 disks, and single disk cartridges are two more areas where One more point. We don't cartridges. We make a product better a little over-engineering on our part charge a premium price for premium than you need, because there could gives you an extra performance edge. performance. You're already paying be times when you need it. Take our coating methods ... as for BASF quality ... you may as well Take our Flexydisks, for packing densities get higher, coating have it. For more information on BASF example. Each one is 100% certified, thickness gets more critical. So we've Flexydisks, Systems 3 disks, or single and pre-formatted for immediate use. discarded conventional coating and .disk cartridges, write to BASF Systems, Flexydisks have a clean, debris-free polishing methods in favor of an Crosby Drive, Bedford, MA 01730 surface like our premium 2000/ A.D. exclusive process using our own ... or call our nearest regional office: computer tape. A special dual­ BASF-designed equipment. The in Los Angeles, (213) 386-7023; purpose coating gives increased disk result. .. asurfacesoflatthatthe in Chicago, (312) 343-6618; and in and head life. Our tests have shown Clifton, NJ, (201) 473-8424.

~-l You're already paying for BASF quality, you might as well have it.l~?_J CIRCLE 12 ON READER CARD ~ LOOK AI-EAD BILLION DOLLAR QUESTIONS ••. The froth in the wake of Xerox' announcement that it will quit the mainframe computer business is three big questions, and none of them is why Xerox did it. It was a logical business decision -- to get rid of an earnings drain in bad times. A former Xerox Data Systems executive summed up the feelings of many_ "As a Xerox shareholder, I'm delighted. As an ex-XDSer, I'm saddened." Agree­ ing in milder terms was prominent Xerox stockholder ,Max Palevsky ~ founder of Scientific Data Systems which became XDS when Xerox acquired it in 1969. "In the long run, given their (Xerox) managerial problems, it probably was a wise· move." The Puzzlers: Why now, and with such apparent suddenness, with XDS' orders up~ new product announcements coming thick and fast, and with an increased level of advertising (Xerox' ad agency had to make hasty substitutions for brand new computer ads it had prepared for September trade journals)? Why did Xerox acquire SDS, for nearly a,billion dollars, in the first place, a move chairman C. Peter McColough has flatly admitted was a mistake. Palevsky agreed in an initial reaction to news of the Xerox move, which ,reached, him in, the Hawaiian Islands. Now in the motion picture buSiness, he was seeking location sites for a new film of Ernest Hemingway's posthumously published Islands. in the Stream. Choosing his words carefully, Palevskyconnnented: "Considering the amount of money it cost the company (Xerox), I can't help but say it was a mistake." And the third question: What, if any effect will the Xerox move have on the Justice Dept. 's antitrust suit, against IBM? Palevsky believes it will impact the suit. "Here's another company (like GEand RCA), enormously successful and with enormous resources, that couldn't compete in a market 70-80% dominated by a single vendor." Earlier., in testimony at the trial, Palevsky said he was unable to raise venture capital on Wall Street for SDS, because Wall Street thought it impossible to compete with IB'M •

•. • MAY MOVE A GLACIER The Xerox debacle can't help but intensify the pressure on the Justice Dept. to step up its efforts in the IBM case, which has been moving with glacial speed. The case has been recessed for most of the summer with proceedings tentatively scheduled to resume Sept. 22 •. Strangely, the Justice Dept. has been resisting Congressional attempts to give.it more funds to beef up its meager ,antitrust efforts, so with that attitude it's difficult to imagine the government getting very serious about the case. Some pressure has been building in California, where a Memorex attorney told a federal court judge presiding over a group of private antitrust 'cases against IBM that "the Department of Justice bottled that case up for six years. There's no hope in the government. It

UNDER THE FROTH In the rest of the ;wake of the Xerox announcement tumble those individuals most directly affected, the XDS users and XDSemployees. They seemed equally stunned in the first days following the black Monday news in July. Most users were in­ formed by phone by their local reps. "Why," said one, "in this last year,we've had the best support ever. Everything's looked better including delivery, up­ time, software development, new hardware offerings." Xerox users feel they have special cause for concern -- different from that of users abandoned by RCA and GE. "We picked Xerox equipment because it fit our concept,tf one said. "If we were to go to other equipment it would mean starting allover again with a totally new concept. 1I The Xerox Users Group scheduled an early August meeting during which it will formulate a position paper outlining user requirements which it will present to Xerox and which it hopes Xerox will make available to any potential buyer. As for employees) they seemed stunned but not bowed or bitter. In a short spot in a local tv newscast~ introduced by a beaming anchor man with the label "pink slips from a blue chip," one young lady interviewee said, nit was like a bomb dropped on us at the last minute." She was smiling as she said it. LOOK ArEAD

UCC'S HELP FOR DATRAN -- STOPPED AT $40 MILLION liThe long and the short of it is that I'm not going to sell anything more to finance Datran~" says Donald G. Thomson~ president of University Computing Co., the Wyly Corp. computer services and software subsidiary. Thomson~ the 45 year old former ITT management whiz, took over the subsidiary in 1972 when it was $4.2 million in the red and put it nearly $7 million into the black last year. It's aiming at a $7.5 million profit this year, despite the sale of two opera­ tions -- Keystone Computer Associates, a Philadelphia contract programming company, and the UCC Energy Group, the latter a highly profitable operation. Together with the sale in 1974 of its aerospace services division to LTV Aero­ space Corp., uec has netted $40 million for the parent to help keep its fledgling Datran digital switch transmission subsidiary alive. Thomson has trimmed his hectic 14 hour-a-day schedule as UCC's boss to a more leisurely five hours and soon will involve himself in the management of the parent. And Swiss financier Walter Haefner was in Dallas July 26 to pow wow with Wyly officers over the financial needs of Datran, which he's loaned several million dollars, but which now needs another $10 million to operate through the year. Haefner is considered the likely source of that money (July, p. 92).

GSA SAVES THE ARMY If anyone ever questioned General Services Administration's ability to save money in computer procurement, he need look no further than the Army's controversial Project Alpha logistics program. The GSA, we figure, was able to fill orders for IBM 65s for about one-third the price the Army had been paying for the equipment by purchasing directly from IBM. The Army was paying $2.7 million each for the 65s it bought from IBM while the GSA procured three 65 mainframes from Continental

Information Systems, Greyhound t and Itel at substantially lower prices. The com­ parison isn't exactly apples with apples. The $2.7 million figure the Army was paying included core, peripherals, and some service while the $500-$600K the GSA paid the independent bidders was for mainframes alone. Ironically, Comcisco of Chicago, the leasing firm that had protested the original 65 procurements, won none of the business.

MAYBE IT'S UNSINKABLE General Automation, which appeared to be sinking badly just a few months ago, now shows every sign of getting ready to steam ahead again--much more quickly than had been thought possible. The Bank of America was preparing to receive the first 440 in late July and GA was hoping to announce three n-channel MOS machines -- the 110, 220, and 330 -- in the fall to replace its ill-fated SOS machines. A bigger, more sophisticated mini tentatively called the 660 currently is scheduled for February announcement. The MSI machine would compete with DEC's PDP-ll/70. On the low end, GA is working on an Intel based microcomputer that would probably replace the 1260.

PRIVACY AND THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY Insurance could be the first industry to be studied by the now complete Privacy Protection Study Commission created by the Privacy Act of 1974. William O. Bailey, executive vice president of Aetna Life and. Casualty Co. and a presidential appoint­ ee to the seven man commission, suggested his industry for study because its in­ volvement with the privacy issue "runs the gamut. We're employers, users of personal information, and statistical gathering agencies, and we have heavy inter­ face with government agencies. II . Bailey was named to the commission in June along with David F. Linowes of Laventhol, Krekstein, Horwath and Horwath, and Willis H. Ware of the Rand Corp. Linowes has been named chairman and Ware, vice chairman. The commission has had two meetings and has scheduled a third after Labor Day.

THE 1403 PRINTER STILL IN WIDE DEMAND More than a decade after its introduction, IBM's venerable train printer, the 1403, brings close to top dollar on the used computer market--about $30,000 or some $8,000 below the original IBM asking price. One company to take note of the 1403's (Continued on page 82) Introducing the Hewlett-Packard 2000 ACCESS.

The unique multi-terminal RJEsystem that increases the capability of Plus multiple I·BM and CDC on-line computers. _ peripherals. ~iJ - Up to 7 line printers (200-1250 LPM) "'~;Y,r1W0'i?t1titWf/-n - Up to 7 card readers (300-600 CPM) - IBM-and CDC-compatible magnetic tape drives - 5 to 120 Megabytes of on-line 32 on-line disc storage. terminals for:

- HASP multileaving RJE to IBM - UT200 RJE to CDC - Data entry - Data base update - Information retrieval - Concurrent program development Hewlett-Packard's 2000 Access - Local processing System is the low-cost way to enhance the capabilities of your IBM 360/ 370 or CDC computer. For complete information call your nearby HP field engineer. Or write.

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August, 1975 CIRCLE 52 ON READER CARD ·19

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$0 $l00m $200m $300m $400m $500m SUPPORT The above graph represents equally configured systems Single source responsibility-another big comparisons based upon currently available published information. benefit of packaged systems. We train your people, we service the system, and we SIX SYSTEMS: Virtual memory all maintain it. We built the operating system the way. and we know how to keep it working for you. We've named our systems, Sl10, S120, S210, Each of the new HARRIS Virtual Memory S220, S230 and S240. They're expandable systems is a complete package. From systems, upward compatible, each with our dependable hardware to field-proven soft­ powerful field-proven virtual memory ware to responsive support. operating system, VULCAN. And they all talk Now you have a choice. Let HARRIS show you FORTRAN IV, COBOL, RPGII, and EXTENDED how easy it is to make the right one. Write BASIC. Remote Job Entry to large host Harris Computer Systems, 1200 Gateway processors is available. Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309.

COMMUNICATIONS AND HARRIS mI -. I INFORMATION HANDLING ~ CIRCLE 42 ON READER CARD calendar SEPTEMBER ABA Payments System Policy Conference. Sept. 7-9, San Francisco. Limited to 500 top banking executives, this meeting sponsored by the American Bankers Assn. will concentrate on the theme, "EFTS-An Emerging Reality." Program participants include members of government, the banking industry, and other financial institutions. Fee: $200, members; $300, nonmembers. Contact: Frank P. Curran, ABA, 1120 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Western Electronic Show and Convention (WESCON), Sept. 16-19, San Francisco. An estimated 28,000 persons will attend this conference sponsored by chapters of IEEE DELTA TERMINALS and Electronic Representatives Assn. More than 300 com­ panies will have displays of components and microelectron­ ics, computers and communications, and production, pack­ AND LIGHT PENS aging and instrumentation equipment. The $5 registration fee covers attendance at all program sessions and exhibits. Contact: William C. Weber, WESCON, 3600 Wilshire Blvd., MAKE YOUR Los Angeles, Calif. 90010, (213) 381-2871. Int'l. Symposium on Computer Assisted Cartography,Sept. SELECTION EASIER 21-25, Washington, D.C. Purpose of this meeting, spon­ sored by the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping We make it easier to select the right terminal, in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of the Census, is to and easier to select the right information exchange information on application problems, software and hardware in computerized cartography. Fee· is $60. on the terminal's display. Contact: Dorothy Bomberger, U.S. Bureau of the Census, We've always made it easier for you to match your Washington, D.C. 20233, (301) 763-7094. video display to your video display problem, by offer­ European Computing Conference on Communications & ing terminal features such as: Networks, and on Interactive Systems & CAD, Sept. 23-25, London. These concurrent conferences are sponsored by • 7 x 9 dot matrix for the most readable upper/lower ONLINE, BruneI Univ., Uxbridge, Middlesex, England. Dis­ case characters in the industry cussions of the immediate future of data communications, • Custom keyboards designed for your special needs and a review of interactive computer methods in relation to • 3072 character memory communications and networks will highlight the meetings. Fee: approx. $250 and $200 for each conference, respec­ • 27 line by 80 character display tively. Conference fee for delegates wishing to attend ses­ • Exclusive PAGING capability that permits sions at both meetings is approx. $300. recovery of top and bottom line rolloffs Telecommunications Assn. Conference, Sept. 23-26, San These and many other unique and useful features in Diego. Exhibits of telecommunications products and ser­ DELTA 5000 video display terminals work to save vices by more than 70 companies and workshops and panels on advanced data communications, special carriers, and time, money and effort, add convenience, minimize error trends and regulations, among others, will be geared to the possibilities and eliminate unnecessary computer time. TCA '75 theme, "Telecommunications-Beacon to Bits." We want to make one more point about simplifying your Fee: $25, members; $50, nonmembers, prior to Sept 9. selection. Our new light pen takes the time and tedium Contact: TCA 1975 Conference, 424 South Pima Ave., West Covina, Calif. 91790, (213) 332-6611. out of selecting required information on the display OCTOBER screen. The light pen is easy to use, accurate, and it can 5th Annual Conference, Assn. of Computer Programmers save considerable time. All DELTA 5000 terminals are . and Analysts, Oct. 1-3, Itasca, Ill. "Awareness: Past, available with a light pen as an option. Present and Future" is the theme, to be highlighted with Now that we've told seminars, workshops and vendor demonstrations on struc­ tured programming, chief programmer teams, computer you how easy it is to Delta output microfilm, minicomputers, privacy, certification, and simplify your terminal • Data licensing. Fee: $90, members; $100, nonmembers, advance; selection, we'd like to Systems add $10 after Aug. 31. Registration for single sessions show you with a Corporation available. Contact: Martin A. Morris, Jr., 13th floor, 1 N. demonstration at your ~ Dearborn, Chicago, Ill. 60670, (312) 732-4696. Woodhaven Industrial Park convenience. Contact Cornwells Heights, PA 19020 Conference on Applications of Computer Graphics in us today to set one up, (215) 639·9400 Engineering, Oct. 1-2, Hampton, Va. The NASA Langley or for literature or ap- DELTA DATA SYSTEMS, LTD. Research Center and Institute for Computer Applications in plications assistance. London: 01-580-7621 Science and Engineering sponsor this meeting. No fee. VISIT US AT BOOTH NO. 2525 - INFO 75 Contact: David D. Loendorf, Mis 132C, NASA Langley Service in 42 locations in the U.S., and 13 European countries and Canada. Research Ctr., Hampton, Va. 23665, (804) 827-2513. :§: CIRCLE 79 ON READER CARD 22 DATAMATION August, 1975 CIRCLE 67 ON READER CARD 23 New economic picture! The $3995 E4010-1: a graphic example of great new prices.

Tektronix presents a new terminal, difference: at $3995 *, it's $700 rulings character set. That's a % free options, and a great 4023 . cheaper than the 4010-1. And at savings of over 22 • % $3795, our E401 0 is a full $400 lease plan. You'll save up to 22 ! Right now our terminal family can cheaper than the 401 0·. We're calling it our All in the Family solve your budget problems-and Sale, because price savings can be The easy copier. Copy compatibility do a lot more problem-solving found up and down the Tektronix comes a whole lot easier with our every day. Talk to your Tektronix family of graphic and alphanumeric new 4631 hard copy unit ... Sales Engineer soon. Or terminals. designed to deliver supedor write: performance and easier mainte­ Take our new E401 0-1. It's very nance, while saving you $400 to Tektronix, Inc. similar to our standard 11" hard Information Display Division copy-compatible graphic terminal, $900 over any of our previous models. P.O. Box 500 with the same high quality graphics Beaverton, Oregon 97077 we're famous for. New standards. We're attaching the The E is for Economy. Designed usually optional $350 rulings character set to our 4023 alphanu­ without a cross-hair cursor, it still TEKTRONIX® allows all graphic input from the meric terminal. Now you can quickly keyboard itself. It's a small distinc­ format standard forms at no tion, but a very distinctive price additional cost. CIRCLE 61 ON READER CARD Lease for less. We've also made a $50 reduction-to $140-in the monthly lease for the 4023 with

'All prices domestic USA only. A catalog of 26 new and revised research reports on dp and office prod­ ucts is also available. The reports de­ scribe characteristics, prices, specifica­ tions, and users' evaluations, of hun­ source data dreds of models of CRT terminals, minicomputers, proprietary software SOURCE DATA provides information formation on computer communica­ systems, and data communications on books, courses, references, reports, tions in Canada, analyses of the Cana­ periodicals, and vendor publications. facilities to word processing systems dian computer industry, a directory of and office copiers. Canadian suppliers and services, and The reports are mostly $10 each, or federal and provincial government pol­ can be obtained as part of Datapro's icies and practices. It claims to be the information service. Details of trial only Canadian information service subscriptions are given. DATAPRO RE­ that collects raw data on the Canadian SEARCH CORP., Delran, N. J. dp industry, analyzes, summarizes, and FOR COPY CIRCLE 204 ON READER CARD presents it in one place. Introductory c---·--···-·---.·----·------, one-year subscription: $95. THE EDP Automatic Editing Typewriters Minicomputers in Business GUIDE, 987 Clarkson Rd., Mississauga, The market for automatic editing Considering minicomputers? A 24- Ontario L5J 2V8. typewriters will grow from $306 mil­ page report, Minicomputers in Busi­ lion in 1974 to about $1.25 billion in ness Data Processing Applications, Free ADL Publications 1980, according to the report, Word details business dp needs and shows A catalog lists -offerings of compli- Processing-A utomatic Editing how minicomputers can meet those mentary copies of ADL publications in Typewriter Industry. These typewriters needs. Application examples and sys­ the areas of management consulting, are one of eight categories of the word tem diagrams are used to discuss mini­ research, and engineering. All the pub­ processing market whose total esti­ computer-based systems in media ex­ lications were written by ADL staff mated revenues will reach more than change, disc, subsystems emulation, members and discuss topics of interest $4.6 billion in 1975, with IBM and text editing, etc. Advantages of mini­ in business and technology. "Beyond XEROX dominating with 80 % of the computer systems and future trends 1984: A Technology Forecast," by total. These and other analyses and are presented. FORMATION, INC., Mt. Frederick G. Withington (originally in forecasts of specific products and the Laurel, N. J. DATAMATION, January 1975), "Ten whole industry are presented by the FOR COpy CIRCLE 200 ON READER CARD Reasons Why Corporate Marriages report, which is part of the Industry Fail," by Allen H. Seed, III, and "Fu­ Analysis Service of CSI, or may be pur­ Data Base Systems ture Telecommunication Interfaces," chased separately for $495. CREATIVE What are the benefits and costs asso­ by John P. Thompson are sample arti­ STRATEGIES, INC., San Jose, Calif. ciated with DBMS/ DMS? 'How do you cles offered. ARTHUR D. LITTLE, INC., 95129. select DBMS/DMS software? Oan DBMS/ Cambridge, Mass. FOR DATA CIRCLE 205 ON READER CARD DMS be cost justified? Answers to FOR COpy CIRCLE 203 ON READER CARD these and other questions are given Small Keyboard to Disc in a 10-page report, A Quick Look at Systems DBMS and DMS. Divided into a man­ Facsimile Equipment Guide A special evaluation package on small agement summary and a technical out­ The small, easily operated business keyboard to disc systems is available. line, the report discusses data require­ facsimile which uses telephone lines to Analyses of Inforex 1303, CMC 3, CMC ments, evaluation, performance analy­ transmit information has, because of 5, Consolidated Computer Key Edit sis, and implementation. CACI, INC., technical improvements, become a 50, and Mohawk 1200 are included. New York, N.Y. more flexible and reliable machine at Price: $12. MANAGEMENT INFORMA­ lower cost. The AUERBACH Guide FOR COPY CIRCLE 201 ON READER CARD TION CORP., 140 Barclay Center, Cher­ to Facsimile Equipment reports on 13 ry Hill, N. J. 08034. products covering the industry's major The Information Connection facsimile devices. In-depth technical, c--.------... --_ .. -..... - ...... ----..... m_ ..... _...... ] To help in understanding the growth of analytical, and marketing information computers, terminals, and remote tele­ is given, including a specification chart processing in industry and govern­ listing most of the product's lines on [oo©:k\~----J ment, the csc report, The Information the market, and a supplier directory. Connection, explores "some of the cur­ Price: $19.95. AUERBACH PUBLISHERS rent thinking as well as . . . some basic INC., 121 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, The Cost of Privacy concepts of how to make the informa­ Pa. 19107. tion connection work." Three articles by Robert C. Goldstein Honeywell Information Systems cover program management (the de­ 40 Guest St., Brighton, Mass. sign and implementation stage of com­ Free Datapro Literature 02135, (1975) 150 PP. $10 (Specify Order No. 0099) puterization), data base development Datapro Research Corp., with over (from the viewpoint of Infonet, CSc's 17,000 subscribers worldwide, has pub­ This book is the doctoral thesis of the remote teleprocessing Information lished a 32-page booklet, 21 Answers, author at the Harvard Business School. Network Div.), and the management which is a guide to its services-refer­ It presents a methodology to estimate of change (in terms of computer-as­ ence works, monthly report supple­ the cost to data bank operators of sisted decision making). COMPUTER ments, newsletters, and "dial-up in­ present and future privacy legislation. SCIENCES CORP., Los Angeles, Calif. quiry service." Sample report pages on It is the first attempt at an analytic FOR COpy CIRCLE 202 ON READER CARD specific dp products, classes of prod­ approach to a significant problem, and ucts, vendors, product surveys, users' is a very valuable contribution. The Canadian Dp ratings of products and services, and early part summarizes the history of An information service, The EDP case histories of product usage are personal privacy-in the context of Guide, issued quarterly, provides in- given. computer-based record systems-and

August,. 1975 2.5 proach" is never mentioned; the term, chapter's presentation however could in fact, remains undefined. Since the be strengthened, for example, by ex­ source data limited material here can hardly reach panding and itemizing present costs beyond an academic environment, it is and projected savings of each sub­ the legislative treatment of it. difficult to see it as "on-the-job train­ sidiary. The student could thus be in­ The author has created a simulation ing." troduced to aspects of a dp budget as model that contains terms for the vari­ The text supposedly can supplement well as cost considerations for time­ ous provisions that might appear in any management text and, depending sharing and service bureaus. privacy legislation. Since his work was on the level of students, enrich the Most of the cases are built arQund completed before the Federal Privacy study of dp management. Underpre­ mismanagement and organizational Act of 1974 wM passed, the results pared students will have trouble with problems. The most disturbing thing presented clearly pertain to no extant undefined acronyms and technical jar­ about all the case studies however is law. Costs are determined in terms Qf gon, such as SCERT, PERT, exception that not enough facts are given to al­ manpower, data storage, processing reports, etc. low a decent evaluation of the prob~ time, data transmission, and capital. The table of contents may lead the lems. Nevertheless, the continual pre­ The model characterizes a data system reader to believe he has found a unique view and review of 17 different orga­ in terms of 29 attributes. For represen­ diversity of interesting subjects not nizational charts is one of the book's tative examples of six types, the model dealt with in other books. Cases di­ more attractive aspects. is used to estimate cost by each pos­ rected at inept management, vendor­ This book could become an excel­ sible legislative provision and the total user relationships, and management re­ lent instructional or supplemental book cost to each system. sistance are here and covered quite in a revised edition if (1) the bumpy For organizations faced with having well. However, cases directed at analy­ writing style is smoothed out and the to assess the impact of privacy legisla­ sis, design, and decision-making mod­ text reads less like a progress report; tion, this work is an important meth­ els address the subjects poorly; and the (2) more facts are given in case studies odology. For his test cases, the author, often mentioned MIS is inadequately for completeness; and (3) acronyms of necessity, had tQ obtain estimates of covered. and buzzwords are either explained or various model parameters by ~ ques­ The chapter on financial implica­ discarded. tionnaire and interview technique. A tions of dp is one of the better case -Douglas A. Colbert particular organization could, of studies. It involves several subsidiaries Mr. Colbert is the author of "Compu­ course, supply its own cost parameters of a small corporation with decentral­ ters and Management for Business" for the model and obtain correspond­ ized control, one with its own dp oper­ and "Data Processing Concepts." ingly more accurate results; further­ With more than 15 years in the field, ation and the others purchasing ser~ he now serves the City of San Fran­ more, the model can clearly be adapted vices outside the corporation. The cisco as a senior systems analyst. to actual legislation. The author prop­ erly cautions that the language of legis­ BOOK BRIEFS lation is sometimes vague, and that the model represents his interpretation No Place to Hide gardless of which Qne is used or en­ thereof. by A:lan LeMond & Ron Fry cQuntered, and Part II is. devoted to St. Martin's Press, 1975 The author and his book are each to 278 PP. $8.95 specific analysis of seven languages: be commended for a significant con­ FORTRAN, ALGOL 60, COBOL, PL/ 1, LISP The book jacket asks the question: tribution to a troublesome problem. It 1.5, SNOBOL 4 and APL. "Are you being bugged?" The authors, is to be hoped that organizations will in this "guide tQ bugs, wire taps, sur­ exploit his approach and thereby pro­ FORTRAN to PL/1 Dictionary, veillance and other privacy invasions," vide important cost guidance to future PL/1 to FORTRAN Dictionary answer with a resounding "yes," doc­ legislative efforts. by Gary DeWard Brown ument ways and means used to collect Wiley & Sons, 1975 Recently some of the material for 204 pp. $10.95 and use information on individuals and this book has appeared in another pub­ organizations, and give advice on how NumerQus examples dQt this cQncise lication. It would be better for the dp to prevent or thwart such invasions of book ,that explains FORTRAN and PL/1 person to read the complete treatment privacy. With newspapers and radio in terms of each other, much the way a and explain it to his management along broadcasts daily uncovering new ac­ foreign language is taught, and is in­ with his own local cost parameters. counts of unauthorized use of informa­ tended for use as a reference work and -Willis H. Ware tion, and privacy legislation compelling a refresher. Each programming Ianr­ Dr. Ware, a senior computer scientist new attention in Congress, this book is guage is summarized in the first half; at the Rand Corp., is one of the three timely and informative. the second part of the book describes White House appointees to the seven features of the languages in detail, side member Privacy Protection Study Programming Languages: Commission established by the Fed­ Design and Implementation by side down the page. Exercises are eral Privacy Act of 1974. He also presented at the end of each chapter. serves as chairman of the AFIPS Spe­ by Terrence W. Pratt Prentice-Hall Inc., 1975 cial Committee on the Right of Pri­ .330 pp. $13.50 Systems Analysis and Design vacy, and is co-recipient of DPMA's 1975 Computer Science Man-of-the­ Intended as a teXctbook for college stu­ by Leon Youssef Reston Publ. Co., Reston, Va., 1975 Year Award. dents-an elementary background 228 pp. $10.95 knowledge of one high level language Management of Information This teXct presents basic concepts, with Technology and a basic knowledge of machine Qr­ the emphasis on applications, for uni­ ganization is presumed-this volume by Elizabeth B. Adams versity and college business students in Petrocelli/Charter, 1975 seems well organized and thorough in 196 pp. $10 various specialties. Divided into three its approach. The two central concerns par:ts (the first two deal with funda­ This collection of 16 short case studies of the book are computer program­ mentals and descriptions of informa­ on dp management is presented as "on­ ming language design and the interplay tion flow and systems design), the the-job training" for the student, offer­ between language design and imple­ book presupposes some previQus dp ing a "systems approach" to solving mentation. Problems and examprles are knowledge. The last third of the book real-world problems. However, how to abundantly used; Part I builds a solve problems using the "systems ap- framework for analyzing languages re- (Continued on page 102)

26 DRTRMRTION ONLY ALL OF THE ABOVE CAN OFFER ALL OF THE BELOW: General Automation's new family Including Free Standing (FSOS), Disk­ Communicate with an expert. of low-cost, expandable remote batch Based (DBOS) and Real Time (RTOS) General Automation didn't get terminals offer more capabilities than operating systems. into the communications business any competitive systems produced by Name your configuration. yesterday. We are already the major any terminal or minicomputer supplier of minicomputer systems for manufacturer anywhere. We can provide any hardware front end processors, distributed data Here's what we mean by configuration, including any kind of systems,Telex message switching capabilities: peripheral equipment you could ask systems and PABX control systems for Talk to any computer. for. Our RBT family consists of three the world's largest international com­ basic communications systems (base munications companies. We're also the Our software emulator packages prices range from $19,500 to $30,000): make our terminals multi-lingual. number one solver of tough commun­ They can talk to IBM 360/370 HASP RBT-1 is an intelligent batch ications problems in more than a dozen or 2780 work stations. They'll also communications terminal used for different industries. emulate a Control Data User Terminal. entering, transmitting and receiving We provide virtually everything Or a UNIVAC 1004 system. data between a remote location and a you need to build or expand a data central computer. communications system. We can show Data spooling included. RBT-2 combines communications you the best ways to get the most out Our disk-based emulator packages terminal capabilities with a batch­ of your communications dollar. have data spooling. Which saves you oriented satellite data processing Give us a call at (714) 778-4800. transmission time. Which saves you system. Or write to one of the addresses below. money. RBT-3 is a complete communica­ tions system plus multi-programming­ More operating systems. oriented stand-alone data processing Most RBTs have one or two system offering concurrent batch and COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS BY operating systems. Ours have three. real-time operations. GENERAl AUTOMATION HOME OFFICE: 1055 South East Street, P.O. Box 4883, Anaheim, California 92803. Telephone (714) 778-4800. EUROPE: General Automation, S.A., 24 rue du Sergent Bauchat, 75012 Paris, France. Telephone (1) 346/7973. CANADA: G.A. Computer Ltd., Ontario.

August, 1975 CIRCLE 46 ON READER CARD 27 For your total business

Accounts Payable

~-.: General Ledger

Under Datashare control • The Datapoint 5500 • 300 lpm printer • 2 large disk units

Accounts Receivable

Sales Order Entry

Inventory Control data processing needs: Datapoint' s New, Expandea Datashare System • Datapoint 5500 Central Processor/Mass Storage Disk Units • Datapoint 3600 Remote Terminal/Hardcopy Terminal Printers • Datashare III The new Datashare system, from as a highly efficient data communi­ Datashare Central Processors Datapoint, builds on the success of the cations link to a central computer and Peripherals initial Datashare based on the complex.) Fully compatible with software Processors Datapoint 2200 processor. The concept created for the Datapoint 1100 and Datapoint 2200 with 16K remains the same - a compact central 2200 systems. memory computer with associated peripherals The Datapoint 3600 - a low-cost Datapoint 5500 with up to providing the people who need it most video terminal with upper case/lower 64Kmemory compute power at remote work stations case capability, a unit designed for Data storage for a variety of business data entry and efficient satellite use with a Datashare Cartridge disk (2.4 mil. char. processing needs - but capacity for configuration. (Datashare also works storage on replaceable disks), work throughput and diversity of efficiently with other Datapoint units 4 max. 2.4-9.6 mil. char. applications have expanded greatly with such as the 1100 and 2200 and all storage on 2200 or 5500 the new version. For businesses whose ITY-compatible terminals.) The Mass storage disk 20-40 mil. workload has outgrown both available optional 120 CPS belt printer serves as char. storage on 2200 equipment and availablH budget, a hard copy outlet for work stations 25-200 mil. char. storage Datashare represents a real break­ where printer information is desirable. on 5500 through. Nowhere else can you get such Datashare III - the enhanced System Printers: a total business data processing master control system that extends 300 LPM Drum Printer capability at such a modest cost. Let's Datashare capability to 16 remote 60-120 LPM Matrix Printer take a closer look at these new elements stations, allows users at these stations 60-120 LPM Belt Printer and what they can do for you. access to the expanded number of 30-60 CPS High quality print The Datapoint 5500 - a compact peripheral units that may be associated servo printer but powerful business processor that with the 5500. Version III offers incorporates the very latest integrated greatly improved file creation and Communications to terminals circuit technology. Physically the same handling capability, including advanced Direct wire, 1200 Baud size as the Datapoint 2200 and 1100, file protection/security and virtual Leased line, 1200 Baud the 5500 offers 64K high-speed internal memory techniques. Dial up, 300 Baud memory and an advanced processor Additional Datashare components Card Reader architecture with a wide variety of have been added but the Datashare 300 cpm printers, tape units and disk systems philosophy remains the same - to Magnetic tape drives (see list), It can supply up to 16 provide the business user a low-cost, 556,800 and 1600 bpi work stations Simultaneously with highly productive way to disperse a 7 and 9 track compute power. In one typewriter-sized powerful data entry and data processing Cassette tapes unit the 5500 provides the basis for an capability among departments and field Integral to 2200 and 5500 independent "computer utility" offices. Either as an independent system processors operation (even while it serves optionally or as part of a larger computer/ User terminals communications network, the new, Datastation 3600 terminal expanded Datashare is available now Datapoint 1100 intelligent to help your organization. For further terminal information contact the Datapoint sales Any TTY -compatible terminal office nearest you or write or call Terminal printers Datapoint Corporation, attention: 120 cps Belt Printer Marketing Department, 9725 Datapoint Any Datapoint/ System printer Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78284 used with Datapoint 1100 (512) 690-7151. and 2200

DATAPOINT CORPORATION

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Home Office: 9725 Datapoint Drive. San Antonio, Texas 78284 (512) 690-7151· Sales Offices: Atlanta/(404) 458-6423· Austin/(512) 452-9424· Baton Rouge/(504) 926-3700 • Boston/(617) 890-0440 • Chicago (312) 454-0990 • Cincinnati/(513) 481-2600 • Cleveland/(216) 831-0550· Dallas/(214) 661-5536· Denver 1(303) 770-3921 • Des Moines/(515) 225-9070 • Detroit!(313) 478-6070 • Greensboro/(919) 299-8401 • Hartford/(203) 677-4551 • Honolulu/(80B) 524-3719 • Houston/(713) 688-5791 • Kansas City/(913) 321-5802· Los Angeles/(213) 645-5400· Milwaukee/(414) 453-1425· Minneapolis/(612) 854-4054· Nashvilie/(615) 885-3014· Union, N.J./(201) 964-8761 • New York/(212) 736-3701· Orlando/(305) 896-1940· Philadelphia/(215) 667-9477· Phoenix/(602) 265-3909· Pittsburgh/(412) 931-3663· Portland/(503) 761-2250 • Salt Lake City/(801) 487-8201 • San Diego/(714) 460-2020 • San Francisco/(415) 968-7020· Seatlle/(206) 455-2044 • Stamford/(203) 359-4175 • SI. Louis/(314) 291-1430 • Tulsa/(918) 664-2295 • Washington, D.C./(703) 790-0555 • International: TRW /Datacom-International/Los Angeles, California, TELEX 691286 (213) 475-6777 • Sydney. Australia/(2) 922-3100. Vienna, Austria/0222/36 21 41 • Brussels/3762030 • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil/222-4611 • Toronto/(416) 438-9800· Copenhagen/(01) 966-366 • Guayquil, Ecuador /394844· London/(1) 903-6261 • Helsinki/90-661 991 • Paris/(1) 657-13-31 • Hanover Germany /(0511) 634-011 • Rotterdam/(1 0) 216244 • Hong Kong/(5) 243-121 • Tel Aviv, Israel/(03) 410565· Milan/316 333· Tokyo/264 6131 • Beirut!348 340/1 /2 • Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia173901 ·0510/153490 • Makati Rizal, The Philippines/877294 • Singapore 92765. Tehran, Iran/8538857· Johannesburg/724 9301 • Las Arenas, Spain/63 64 00 • Stockholm/(8) 188295 • Lyss/Byrne/(32) 844240· Taipei, Taiwan1768-1114

August, 1975 CIRCLE 17 ON READER CARD 29 Soap and water wastes time and money. Clean-up with NCR Paper.

NCR Paper lacks carbon and that means you can't smudge a Nobody else offers a choice business form on NCR Paper, even if you try. Carbon paper, however, is eminently smudgeable. This smudging can create two distinct deep blue or black print problems. If it smudges on the copy, you can't read it. If it smudges on the typist, he or she has to wash up before tackling the next form. Eliminate both problems by specifying NCR Paper in either a deep blue or a black image. You'll save money, because NCR Paper NCRp¥~® lowers forms "use" costs, 90% or more of any business form's total cost. Switch a difficult form to NCR Paper now, and see for yourself. Today it makes sense to stretch all your business forms papers-even ours. We have a free poster and booklet with a number of paper-saving and money-saving tips. Write mr::I1'':1 APPLETON PAPERS DIVISION LU~La.3 GENERAL OFFICES: APPLETON, WISCONSIN 54911 "Paper-Stretchers," Box 359, Appleton, Wisconsin 54911.

30 CIRCLE 27 ON READER CARD DRTRMRTION Editors Readout

John L. Kirkley I Editor

People who rely on conventional wisdom often find themselves bankrupt, duped, Dealing with. or deluded. That's why we felt a current piece of computer industry mythology-the idea the "What Ifs" of that edp users are apathetic regarding the IBM antitrust trial-needed our investi­ gation. Daily fire fights, crashing out reports ... these are the preoccupations of IBM Antitrust the dp manager, not the lethargic legal battle being waged at Foley Square. Angeline Pantages, DAT AMA nON's international editor and East Coast bureau manager, talked to a number of individual users and user organizations. Her report on ,their reactio,ns-or lack of them-appears on page 74 of this issue. Superficially, the conventional wisdom seems to be right. The dp manager is a busy person with not much time left over to even gain an understanding of the complex issues involved, much less take a stand. And, with the exception of DPMA, the user groups, including Share and Guide, have made no commitment to help their members with analysis, information, or any other aids toward clarifying the implications of this important case. (User groups, and membership organizations like AFIPS, are notoriously leery of gut-level controversies like this. Better to stay with issues like privacy-they're topical and chances are they won't bite.) But perhaps users and user groups alike have a more fundamental problem, a problem caused by the complex dynamics of this case. Now six and a half years old, the trial is set against a constantly shifting background of organizational and product maneuvering on the part of IBM and a fluid industry that is still struggling to achieve some level of maturity. To fully understand the issues involved and to predict with some accuracy the consequences of the trial, an individual or organization must combine the characteristics of a trial lawyer, economist, indus­ try historian, and soothsayer. That's a tall order. But this is precisely what the dp manager must become. The stakes are too high: the outcome of this historic trial could cause major upheavals in our industry, substantially affect the type of technology available to the user, and even shape the nature of the edp job market. Contingency planning based on an understanding of the "what ifs" is absolutely necessary. What "what ifs?" Well, here are some samples: -What if IBM'S market share is limited to 55%. -What if IBM is broken into five or six equally balanced companies-mini- IBMS. -What if IBM agrees to divide itself into a common carrier satellite company with a communications division, a small computer and office products company, a data processing company and an oem peripherals company, all grouped under an IBM holding company. -What if IBM is divided functionally (separate divisions for marketing, manu­ facturing, software, leasing, maintenance, etc. ) . -What if IBM is accepted as a natural monopoly and a Federal Computing Commission is created to regulate the giant, or perhaps the entire industry. -What if IBM, like Kodak, is required to notify its competitors of standard specifications well in advance of product announcement. -What if the entire computer industry is transmuted into a laissez faire environment. We think that Share and Guide and other user organizations should examine the possible outcomes and implications of the trial and let their members know how their careers and corporations may be affected. And AFIPS, whose membership includes DPMA, the IEEE Computer Society, and ACM, should break its silence. AFIPS may not be able to lobby because of its nonprofit status, but it can provide much-needed information and clarification to its members and interested parties in both industry and government. Conventional wisdom also says that a consent decree, if it happens, will occur before the end of this year. According to the provisions of the Tunney bill, persons wishing to protest the settlement will only have 60 days to react before the settlement becomes final. The time for preparation is now. *

Reader commentary appearing over the past months in our regular feature "IBM and the Structure of the Industry" has been packaged into a single reprint. Some IBM/Industry yet-to-be published submissions are also included along with a chronology of major events in the antitrust trial. Free copies are available by writing to DATAMATION, Repri.nts Available 1801 South La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90035. * August, 1975 31 Evaluating Prospective Employees by Carl L. Hall

The procedure is intense, but it draws out more information than unstruc­ tured interviews.

Finding and keeping good dp person­ the System/ 3 ? nelis getting harder to do. Personnel offices seldom understand the require­ The evaluation chart ments of the dp department, and The second step in the interview know even less about the technology . process is to set up a chart which will involved. It is the dp manager who, facilitate the comparison of the job has the thorough background and requirements with the actual qualifica­ knowledge to evaluate the job candi- tions of the particular job candidate date. . (see Table 1). Such a chart provides a The personal interview is the most rough score of how the interviewee accurate method of choosing good matches the predetermined require­ people. However most managers can . ments for the job. These requirements still improve their interviewing tech- ' are listed in the vertical column on the niques in order to elicit relevant infor­ left side of the chart, and a sample of mation from prospective candidates, dp positions are listed at the top. A and help those candidates reveal their weighted "score factor" is shown in the best qualifications for the job. columns under the position titles. My background has included the Each score factor represents the principal responsibility for recruiting achievement level a person must have and hiring dp personnel at all levels, The fourth step, of course, is the to meet the requirements of the job. including project managers, system evaluation. The score factor is weighted on a scale analysts, programmers, operators, key­ For the first step of defining exactly of one through five, so that the value punchers, maintenance engineers, etc. what the job requirements arc, one also represents its relative importance. There are several steps to the inter­ should particularize the technical The "minimum total points re­ view process that I follow. The first knowledge, aptitude, personality traits, quired" is an estimate of the minimum two actually occur before the inter­ stability, etc., needed for the job. These a candidate must have before a suffi­ view. They are (1) to determine the requirements should be weighted to cient match has been achieved. (This is particular job requirements, and (2) to show their relative importance in per­ not a total of the various point require­ set up an evaluation chart to compare forming the particular task. It is also ments, but somewhat less, to allow for these job requirements with the abili­ very important to evaluate the trans­ the less than perfect but nevertheless ties of the particular candidate. The ferability and possible equivalence of satisfactory candidate.) third step is to conduct the actual in­ these requirements. For instance, can The successful applicant will fulfill terview with the specific needs and ob­ experience in operating the NCR 101 two requisites. First, his point total will jectives clear in the interviewer's mind. offset a lack of experience in operating meet the minimum for the position,

Attributes Rating Required for the Position Senior Senior Computer Programmer Senior Systems Systems Systems Systems Operator Trainee Programmer Programmer Analyst Analyst Programmer Programmer Specific experience with a system like ours 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 General experience with computers 2 2 3 4 2 2 4 5 General business experience 1 1 2 3 4 5 2 2 Some college education 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 College degree 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 Logic ability 4 5 5 5 4 4 5 5 Cybernetic ability 1 3 3 4 5 5 4 5 Maturity 1 1 2 3 4 5 3 4 Reaction reflex 3 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 Patience 2 2 3 4 5 5 3 3 Constructive imagination 1 2 2 3 4 5 4 5

Minimum total points required: 15 20 25 32 34 37 33 37 Table 1. By assigning weighting factors for personal attributes, critical ski lis. Since prospective employees are not expected to the manager doing the hiring can outline the skills required for earn every point available in every category, the minimum total each dp position. The low numbers represent attributes which points required for each job are lower than the sums of the are not too important to those particular jobs, the 5's represent numbers in the columns.

32 CRTRMRTION indicating that he has, in general, suf­ Therefore, except for the more tech­ Factor testing ficient abilities in most areas, and that nical aspects, !this factor receives a Some of the factors comprising the his deficiencies are balanced by his low score on importance. requirements for a particular dp posi­ strengths. Second, if the position re­ Logic ability. This is a measure of tion can be tested during the interview. quires a factor of five for a particular the person's ability to think clearly, Such tests are really no more than a category, the candidate will not score without confusion and without accept­ further probing of the job candidate's less than four in that category. Similar­ ing '1onrelevant information. abilities that most interviewers normal­ ly, if a factor of four is needed in a Cybernetic ability. The term "cyber­ ly engage in. However, the questioning category, the candidate will not score netics" usually refers to the study of can be more pointed and focussed less than three. Items with lower point the interaction of the parts of a system, when the interviewer prepares for it, so values need not be treated as stringent­ specifically at the juncture between that when the interviewer hones in on ly. man and machine. A person's cyber­ the candidate, the results are really a netic ability is the ability to consider a sort of test of that particular attribute Evaluation factors system as a whole, while at the same required for the job. Specific experience. This factor time placing each part into its appro­ Here are some tests I have found measures the individual's specific ex­ priate frame of reference-especially useful: perience with any particular language, the macro parts called computers and Experience test. Ask the candidate system, hardware, etc. In most cases, people. Lack of this ability on the part to describe the systems worked on, the this factor is of little importance be­ of systems design personnel has, in my programs written, and the relationship cause of the overriding value of other estimation, caused more system fail­ of the programs to the rest of the factors that make a person able to per­ ures than any other single factor. system. A rote recitation of the in­ form in data processing. The real value Maturity. "Maturity" is generally tricacies of the system proves nothing of experience is measured by the per­ required in direct proportion to the except that the applicant has a good son's ability to profit by it. Managers extent that quick decisions and failure memory. Forgetting details also who think they should hire only COBOL to admit mistakes can impact the or­ proves nothing except that he may programmers who have used DOS/VS ganization. Difficult to define accurate­ have more important things on his because that is what they themselves ly, it is definitely not measured by one's mind, or more likely, is nervous. use t can be compared to someone who age. As you question him about the pro­ hires only chauffeurs who have driven Reaction reflex. The reaction reflex grams and systems, probe for under­ Cadillacs for at least a year, regardless describes how a person reacts when standing of the reasoning underlying of the availability of other drivers who faced with the unexpected and un­ the various parts. Are there any may have better safety and skill known. Some may feel the need to improvements he would make? What records. "cover up," react with anger, or jump are the strengths and weaknesses of the Experience with some computer sys­ to conclusions; others may take the system? What mistakes were made, tem. While experience with a particu­ time to think the problem through and what would he have done to lar computer system is not important, and attempt a reasonable solution. improve the situation if he could? The some experience with some computer Patience. Patience is important. In answers, and more important, the rea­ system is generally required for all the dp profession, many are required soning behind the answers provide pos­ positions. to produce prodigious amounts of itive indication of the value of his General business experience. In the work in a short time. Short cuts are experience. business dp field, this factor increases often taken which later loom like To find out whether his experience in importance as the responsibility switchbacks in the mountains-no will be of value to you, postulate some level rises. Some feel experience in a room to turn around, no way to make problem in your business, and ask for a specific business is also important, further progress without much lost top-of-the-head solution. which may be true, especially for sys­ time. Thus the ability to work the The key to the value of experience tems analysts. (If so, one should make problem out and lay all the proper lies in the ability of the individual to that a factor on the chart.) Most have foundations is highly important, espe­ assimilate principles so that when found that a good, broad business cially in systems analysis. faced with similar problems in different background brings something to a Constructive imagination. Many settings, he can apply his previous ex­ company that a single long experience people have imagination, but it may be perience. cannot, in terms of imagination, poten­ so unconnected to reality that it is of Logic test. Among logical thinkers tial, and just plain good ideas obtained little value. The ideal would be to have are two major categories, the "straight­ elsewhere. fertile ideas combined with an ability liners" and the "spiralers." Generally Some college education. This factor to sort out what is of value to the the straightline thinkers move easily includes successful completion of at employer. from one conclusion or fact to the least one semester of college work. (Continued at bottom of page 36) Some college work may indicate the candidate's innate abilities, but can never be considered preparedness for A Sample Interview performance. (In scoring, persons with The groundwork has been laid, you dp department will interview the pros­ degrees are given the number of points have worked out your requirements, pect and compare reaotions afterward. for "some college education" in addi­ This step is skipped with great peril!) tion to points for the degree.) prepared your chart, and have an ap­ pointment to see the prospect. What Let's assume the candidate has three College degree. This factor is rather now? How is it possible in just one years experience in programming, all controversial of late. My experience, meeting to find out if this person at one place. He states he wrote the pro­ and that of others, seems to indicate matches your requirements, or even grams and performed minor systems that a computer science degree actual­ harder, how does this person compare work in the areas of accounting and ly has a negative correlation with a with the many more you hope to inter­ management reporting. He has used person's preparedness for dp work. view? (Hopefully, at leasttwo from the DOS jvs, writing in COBOL. He is a col-

August, 1975 33 get everything we wanted in this thing A Sample Interview because the systems man hadn't put it in the master file, but we were able to get what we could out of it, and so lege graduate with a major in man­ they balanced the journal against the each sales manager gets a report that agement and a minor in accounting. In ledgers to make sure that all the trans­ fits him. college he studied BAL and COBOL pro­ actions were on it. I: Dh-huh. If you had to design a new gramming. He also states that he has I: What would you do if you had to management system, what would you just begun to write programs to be used design that form? How would you go do? on-line for a new data entry system. about it? You say you didn't under­ C: Well. I would first get to know my At the point where this excerpt be­ stand it because the systems man did company better. My problem here was gins, the candidate has been put at it, but how would you have done it? that this was the second system I had ease, the parties concerned are now His total experience didn't seem to be done. I did the accounting first, so I more or less acquainted, and the time of much value, but this question will knew the company a little better, but I is ripe to begin the testing. In abbrevi­ better determine what value his experi­ would've learned more about my com­ ated form, the questioning might go ence is to us. pany's products and organization, and something like this: C: Well. I would have gone up to I probably would have included some accounting and sat down with them, organization information on this thing. The experience test and our systems man didn't always do A little maturity showing, also good use Interviewer: Joe, tell me a little bit it that way. He wouldn't tell us what about this accounting system that of experience. was going on very much. But I I: Now, getting back to programming, you've worked on. Your paper here would've found out what they were did you have any trouble learning to says that you wrote programs for the doing already because I think this program when you first got out of col­ general accounting system. Did you form didn't really do what they lege. write the ledger programs? wanted. Oh, yes. I found that programming Candidate: Yes. I had to design the c: I: And then would you have made any in real life was completely different system which transfers information changes, do you think from your ex­ from what we did in college. It's a from the tapes which contained the perience in just writing this. good thing I knew accounting though, payments into the general ledger. c: Yes. I would've put a journal num­ because those accounting guys would I: How many programs were there? ber on every transaction and I would have really got me if I hadn't studied There were three. c: have had a detailed list available with a accounting. I: Tell me about those programs. breakdown by ledger by day so that we I: What do you mean by that? Well, one searched the transaction c: would have balanced this thing daily C: Because I had this degree in ac­ tape daily and transferred transactions instead of waiting until the end of counting, they listened to me. The sys­ into a monthly'tape. The second one the month. Yeah. And I probably tems man, you see, has a degree in built the master general ledger tape. A would've included the operation of computer science and he didn't really third program actually printed out putting the daily transactions into the understand accounting at all. He had these transactions for the accounting monthly ledgers with the programs everything set toward the machine. people to use. which handled the transactions in the I: And how did the accounting people first place instead of having separate Cybernetic empathy use these printouts that you produced? programs. I: What do you mean, set toward the c: I don't know. They just went to He obviously needed to be awakened. machine? accounting. He has potential and has demonstrated C: Well, he had a beautiful machine At this point, it seems that his experi­ that he learns even from a bad experi­ system. The machine ran very beauti­ ence with the accounting system is not ence. The first Experience Test did not fully and the tapes moved fast and the of much value. Let's find out why. show enough, so we'll lead into a sec­ discs were used heavily and he was able I: Well, how did you find out what to ond. to do the whole job in just a short put on those forms? How did you amount of computer time. The only know where to print what informa­ A second experience test problem was that nobody could read tion? I: Good. Now would you tell me a the reports when they were done. c: The systems man designed the little bit about this management report­ I: Huh? What do you mean nobody form, and gave me a layout of the ing that you had. could read the reports! form so that I could print it the way he C: Yes. Every month we made a re­ C: Well, there were no headings on wanted it. port which went to the sales managers. them hardly, and when there were, I: Will you tell me a little bit of what It was broken down by salesmen's ac­ they were in cryptic language-so information was on that report? count numbers. Each of our salesmen when he wasn't looking I changed c: There was a ledger number, and has a separate account number which some of them to English. there were debits and credits. tells the manager what he sold, and I: Okay. What sort of information were what he sold was also broken down by "Maturity" test these debits and credits? the type of item it was, and the amount I: Ohhh! Well, how did you get away c: I don't know. They were just debits of profit the company had made; this is with this in your company? Didn't and credits. a standardized number. they get a bit upset? I: You say in college you had an ac­ I: Well again, you seem to know more C: No. I didn't rub it in their faces, I counting minor and you studied man­ about that than you did about the ac­ just quietly made the changes. In fact, agement. counting anyway. Did you design the in some cases I went to some of the c: Yes. I know what a debit is and a system or what happened? guys who wanted the changes--espe­ credit is, but I don't know how the c: The systems man gave me a layout cially this fellow in the management, accounting people used it. There were and I didn't really understand it too (the sales manager there) -he just such things as, you know, payments on much, so I snuck over to the sales simply went and asked for what I told account and general disbursements, manager and I talked to him a little him he should ask for because I told and things like that, and there was a bit and asked him about it, so we got him the computer could do it. They'd journal number on there, too. I guess a few of the things in. We couldn't peen telling him, you know, that it

34 DRTRMRTION couldn't. to set up a block for printing and so got a chance for a job. You try to He has successfully handled the "ma­ forth. encourage him without giving him turity" test, now to see if· the logic test false hopes because you haven't made shakes him up. The blackboard exercise your mind up at th.is point, really. The candidate goes to the black- A logic test board, begins to draw and completes A cybernetic test I: Changing the subject now, I want to the assignment. It become obvious that The interview continues: present you with a bit of a problem, he has never been asked to write a I: Now we have had a problem here in and don't be afraid if you haven't seen three-way merge with processing and the past. I hope we;ve got it solved this problem before. It's just to try to printing all going at once. He is flus­ now, but I would like to see how you find out a little bit what you're made tered at times, and asks questions. The would have solved it. out of. I know that in our previous interviewer gives him encouraging help First, let me explain that in our basic discussions you talked about merging but does not tell him how t'O do it. system all our orders come into the tapes and all that sort of thing, and I When the assignment' is done, there computer. We really should be on-line, know that in school you studied writ­ are several flaws in it. The interviewer and we are looking for programmers to ing merges. Now, most of these (I gently questions him about the flaws help us get on-line with this system. notice) you've had t'O read in a master by the technique of asking, "What All our orders come into a data file and a single transaction. file and happens if-." The candidate in tum entry group and they edit these orders match it up by some key and produce answers these questions, looks some­ and mark them with account numbers some results. Now, I'm going to ask what ,dismayed, but goes back and and make sure that the account num­ bers are on properly and the order is properly filled out, and that sort of thing. And then the orders are entered into the computer by card~. The computer checks credit and checks Ithe item number against the item master and picks up the prices, and all that sort of usual stuff. Then it produces orders and eventually transfers the data into the general ledgers, produces sales re­ ports and invoices, statements, etc. We have several different types of entry which have to be made, but be­ cause of the diversified and indepen­ dent nature of our businesses, we can't even get our item numbers to follow a consistent system between the different departments, S'O it gets pretty complex. We have programmed pretty fairly, but our order eritry people find it so complex that they make a lot 'Of errors. They tend to put the account number where the item number sh'Ould be and vice-versa. They used t'O have a system where the item number was six digits, and now its seven and so on. Now we think we've solved ~he prob­ lem, but I would like to hear how you would solve it. C: Well now, I would think that you'd have to have some kind 'Of error check­ ing on the computer that w'Ould check the cards to make sure that they were properly entered. You may want to have someone read all those docu­ you to go t'O the blackboard there and questions the interviewer. ments bef'Ore you keypunch ,them, be­ draw a bl'Ock diagram where you have After much erasing and use of cause if you get them in the computer three tapes come in. chalk, the candidate ,has generated a it can become expensive if tpey g'O in Okay? Ready to go? Go to the black­ really fine three way merge in general wr'Ong. board and draw a block showing the bl'Ock style. I: Yes, but people are expensive, too. three tapes. One tape has the master He did well on the logic test, showing H they're just checking and proving it file and tW'O transactions al1d you're maturity and that elusive resourceful­ isn't always all tha't good, you know. going to read these in, match them ness also. His "reaction reflex" is good. C: Yeah, people do make a lot of together and you're going to create There is now some discussion of a mistakes. Well, it depends upon how another output tape. As each transac­ little bit of the personal thoughts and many errors they make, you know. tion is read and processed you're going philosophies of the candidate. You Then you'd want to have an edit in to print a list off the printer, just a knew all this bef'Ore, but you discuss your computer that would stop it­ simple list with the stuff broken down his hobbies a little bit and take five to stop the stuff from getting into it, I across. Now, I don't want you to get ten minutes to calm him down and would think. You could put a check into details on how you are going to help him to get his breath back after digit on some of the stuff, and you make the printer work, but I want you the problem of wondering if he's still could ... ~ Well hey, you know what August, 1975 35 for additional facts but, when denied, A Sample Interview will continue to work without excuses. When the disappointment of failure is presented, he will admit his mistakes you really need is a cr.t that would edit random seems to be so much easier and accept the. test as a learning expe­ the stuff as they entered it, and then because you don't have to worry about rience. Remember this can be a great the people would be reading these doc­ merging tapes like this problem I just uments, and they would enter these had to do .... psychological blow since the person feels the job is on the line. He is in no things as they thought about them, and He agrees with you. Because his cur­ position to realize that getting the right the computer could be programmed to rent supervisor is not providing healthy answer is not as important as how he come back and tell them. training, this is a surprisingly good re­ went about it, and his reaction to He can relate men and machines. ply. stress. I: That's what we thought about, and The interviewer breaks in, but tries Cybernetic test. Place before the that's what we're going to try to do, not to show the candidate he is satis­ but I'd like to know how you'd solve fied with things at this point. The can­ candidate a written specification, not of a system or a program, but of a this problem on the cards. didate has done well so far, but it is function known to be computerizable c: Oh! Okay. Well, let's see-of probably worthwhile to give him one in part, but which will also require course you'd want to keypunch them more non-blackboard exercise in think­ as soon as you could, and you'd want ing through the design of another sys­ people to interface. The output should be some function report and the input to have them run through the com­ tem as a test of his constructive imagi­ should come directly from people. puter as soon as possible, and you'd nation. At this stage in the testing, the want to have the errors go back to the interviewer would be verifying what he The candidate will work with the interaction of the hardware system and people who made them. thinks he knows about the candidate. Hey, that's the answer. If the people the people system; he must take into consideration both the human and the could see right away what errors they Evaluation made, then they would probably begin I would score this individual as machine. It is less important that the to do it right. And, of course, you want follows: candidate come up with a particular to try to' bring consistency wherever Specific experience 0 answer than for him to take proper you could, because you know if you're General experience 2 consideration and make a reasonable going to have different things, it's kind General business experience 2 attempt to have the machines serve the of a mess. You'd want to have forms. Some college education 3 people. The key to success here is that You'd want to make all the preprinted College degree 1 "people characteristics" are considered forms you could and use the old terms Logic ability 4 and accounted for, yet some sort of if you can and then translate them into Cybernetic ability 3 reasonableness is maintained for the new terms. And you'd want to have the Maturity 4 computer system. computer-Oh! Yeah sure, if you've Reaction reflex 5 got a discount code ... Oh! yes, you Patience 5 Conclusion have discount codes and you have cer­ Constructive imagination 4 The ideas presented in this article tain types of customers who get dis­ have worked successfully for the au­ counts. You can have the computer Total 33 thor. More or different classifications check that sort of thing. could be added with appropriate tests Programming would be kind of The candidate is obviously weak on in order to match the individual re­ rough. In fact, the edit program might good experience, but he has made quirements at each shop. Mistakes in be the most difficult one. If you're very good use of what experience he's hiring personnel are the most costly of going random though (like you told had. He is qualified to be a senior all. Hopefully those who read this arti­ me), that would help, because you see programmer, but because of his tal­ cle will be stimulated to evaluate their random-in my limited experience, ents we might try to hire him as a techniques and make improvements most of mine has been sequential-but systems analyst trainee. * where necessary. ?'f: EVALUATING------next, making direct progress toward yet to be solved. The important thing is the goal. not whether he solves the problem at The spiral thinkers move around the this point, but the approach he takes. target, getting closer all the time, and Caution-this test is sometimes always getting there. They are usually negated by "sleepers," those who work best at developing intricate plots for quietly and say little. They are some­ large novels! times the most desirable people. The Both types of logical processes are interviewer must use deft questioning followed by all of us at one time or to get them to reveal their method. Of another, but for dp work, it is the course, the purely intuitive person who straightline thinker who gets the work cannot recite his steps when asked Mr. Hall has hired approximately done quickly, well, and leaves his work might become a problem employee un­ 200 people at various dp levels in the kind of condition that others can less trained to elucidate his logic. since 1963, for ITT, Union Carbide, follow. "Maturity" test. Pick an area where and other companies, with only five To determine which logical process the candidate has very little experience, failures due to either inability to do the job or personality disorders un­ the candidate follows, if any, present and postulate some problem which is detected at the interview. He has him with a verbal description of a sys­ basically simple, yet tricky. If the an­ also been a systems analyst, a tem but leave some glaring holes. It is swer comes too easily, try again. project manager, and manager of best to use diagrams if possible. Also systems and computer services in Most of the time the mature person a medium size shop (about 40 peo­ present the applicant with a problem will start with the facts and begin direct­ ple). which has recently been solved, or is ly to work on the problem. He may ask

36 :0 FlTFlMRTIC N Assessing Managerial Potential by Eugene J. Skoff

The technique is tough, but even the "losers" get something valuable from it.

One of the most critical and persistent tries. In addition to use in management concerns of top dp management is and supervisory appraisal, selection, identifying, selecting, and developing and development, it has been used for or promoting qualified staff to fill the evaluation of salespeople, ,law en­ vacancies as analysts, project leaders, forcement officers, school adminis­ supervisors, or other managers. Too trators, governmental officers, and a often, too late, and at great tangible wide variety of others. and intangible costs, it is discovered Today over 1,000 organizations, that an otherwise qualified technical large and small, many on the Fortune superstar develops "people problems" "500" list, use assessment center tech­ when thrust into a position of authority niques. The idea is not really new then, over others, or when dealing with peo­ but it does seem new to dp. Only one ple outside the context of his imme­ pilot assessment center seems to have diate responsibility. used it. The center was operated in a When senior dp management is con­ large midwestern dp installation (an fronted with identifying human inter­ installation large enough to have 230- action skills Or leadership potential, systems. analysts and 120 persons in what options. are available beyond computer operations). Here's how it educated guesses? There are the tradi­ was done, and the results of doing it. tional approaches such as psycholog­ more traditional methods. Not only is ical tests, past performance- records, it superior in predicting leadership suc­ Establishing the purposes experience, seniority, or combinations cess, but 'also in gaining: The pm-pose of the center, in the of these, but all these approaches have ( 1) increased precision. in man­ pilot operation, was to answer two a poor batting average. power planning; questions: Which of the Systems Su­ The inefficiency of the- traditional (2) greater insight into effective pervisors have the best potential to approaches is nowhere more emphati­ management and supervisory skills; succeed at the next level position of cally illustrated than in the mounting (3) improved skill in interviewing, Systems Manager? What are the spe­ court activity resulting from the Civil observing, and appraising relevant cific development or training needs of Rights Act of 1964. One of the major leadership potential; each supervisor in making them into revelations of federal involvement and ( 4) more effective training and de­ potential managers? court activity is that the traditional velopment activities (because training For clarification, in this shop the approaches often fall very short on programs can be tailored to the su­ Systems Manager is one who is respon­ issues of job relevance, objectivity, rec.. pervisor's or manager's development sible for feasibility studies for new ap­ liability, and predictability of job per-: needs) ; plications and for systems design. formance. (5) more efficient allocation of Sometimes called a Manager of Systems training and development resources; Analysis, this person assigns and directs The assessment center ( 6 ) greater insight and motivation personnel, consults with and. advises For the past 18 years, the "assess­ for self-development efforts; and other departments on systems and pro­ ment center" technique has been gain­ (7) increased departmental morale cedures, and reports to the Manager of ing widespread use and recognition as (as a result of senior management's Data Processing. A Systems Supervisor a very effective tool in finding man­ genuine interest in the career mobility assists in planning, organizing and con­ agerial talent. The technique is a highly of its staff). -trolling the activities of the section and controlled, two to three day procedure The assessment center technique in assigning personnel to projects. Oth­ in which a team of carefully trained originated in World War II when it er installations may call this person a assessors (usually company managers) was used by the Office of Strategic Lead Systems Analyst; he or she may observe and evaluate candidates, typ­ Services for the selection of agents. In act as systems projects manager, and ically for supervisory or management 1956, AT&T introduced an adaptation may also coordinate the activities of roles. of the technique in the Bell System: the section with other sections and Research has demonstrated the su­ The technique has since spread widely departments. periority of the assessment center over to a variety of businesses and indus- The assessment center technique

August, 1975 37 POTENTIAL In the exercise, the participants as­ flexibility, tenacity, and persuasiveness sume the roles. o,f consultants whose could be judged. services are sought by a bank facing a 5. In-basket Exercise: In this final also offers possibilities for evaluating decision about computerization. The exercise, the participants, acting as candidates for lower level dp leadership participants' are given a large volume newly appointed managers, were re­ positions such as lead systems pro­ of information regarding the bank's quired to make decisions and disposi­ grammers, lead applications program­ business and financial situation and tions on several items that might typi­ mers, or lead computer operators. An various personnel issues to be consid­ cally be found in a manager's in­ equally exciting possibility is the use of ered. The participants must sift basket. The contents of the in-basket the center to evaluate nonsupervisory through all this data, prepare recom­ consisted of 28 items such as letters, personnel, for example, to determine mendations, and then present logical memoranda, reports, budgets, notes on whether a systems analyst has the addi­ arguments to back up the recommen­ personnel problems, and other items tional necessary human relations skills dations in an oral presentation. requiring action. Within 21;2 hours, to become a senior systems analyst. After all the "consultants" have the participant must sift through con­ made their individual oral presenta­ tents of ,the in-basket determinin.g Determining critical skills tions to the "board members" of the priorities and actions, planning meet­ After the purposes of the center bank (the assessors), all the partici­ ings, routing letters and memos, etc. were established, the next step was to pants meet as a group to arrive at a After the in-basket was emptied, an conduct a thorough job analysis of the consensus recommendation to resolve assessor interviewed the participant to target position "Systems Manager." the bank's computerization problem. probe into reasons for actions, and to The aim was to determine those ob­ This exercise gives the assessors the give the participant an opportunity to servable behavioral elements or "di­ opportunity to observe each super­ explain his rationale for decisions. This mensions" which are critical to that visor's oral presentation skills, com­ interview averaged about an hour. person's successful performance. The munication skills, and problem solving The in-basket problem provides the job dimensions were established by re­ ability, in addition to other critical assessors an exceptional opportunity to viewing existing job descriptions and managerial behaviors such as leader­ see the participant's critical administra­ by discussions with managers both in ship, stress tolerance, flexibility, per­ tive skills such as planning and orga­ the target position and at one or two suasiveness, independence. initiative, nization, management control, use of levels above it. Examples of some of etc. delegation, judgment, and flexibility. the dimensions identified were: leader­ 3. Supervisory Training Committee ship, planning and organization, de­ Exercise: In this exercise, the super­ Training assessors velopment of subordinates, stress toler­ visors assumed the roles of managers Five Systems Managers were trained ance, problem analysis, and decisive­ who are asked to recommend a subor­ to serve as assessors. Assessor training ness. dinate to attend a departmental pre­ (and the operation of the center itself) supervisory training program. Within took place on company premises. Un­ Selecting the exercises 45 minutes, the supervisors (acting as less cost savings are paramount, it is The next step was to carefully select a team of managers) must make more desirable to conduct assessor a combination of exercises or simu­ judgments on the' proposals of other training and the. assessment of partici­ lated managerial tasks which would team members, and allocate training pants offsite, preferably in hotel or elicit and measure the critical man­ funds. Each "manager" is assigned a motel facilities where job related inter­ agerial dimensions. candidate and given extensive personal ruptions can be controlled or elimi­ The five exercises used consisted of a and work background information. nated completely. Fortunately in {his background interview, an analysis/ oral The participant's primary task is to: 1) case, neither training nor assessment presentation, a supervisory training convince the committee that the can­ quality in the pilot center were dimin­ committee problem, "characteristics of didate should be nominated for train­ ished by on-site disruptions. a good supervisor" problem, and an in­ ing, and 2) aid the committee in mak­ The focus of assessor training was basket problem. ing the best final recommendation. on the assessors: (l) becoming thor­ 1. Background Interview: The This exercise provides additional oughly familiar with the critical job background interview, a vital compo'­ opportunities to observe each partici­ dimensions, (2) developing interview­ nent of any assessment center, is the pant's leadership skills, problem analy­ ing and observation skills, (3) actively only time in the process when the fo­ sis ability, judgment, persuasiveness, participating in each of the selected cus of attention shifts from the "here flexibility, communication skills, and exercises, (4) writing reports, and (5) and now" to the participant's back­ other critical managerial skills. learning how to reach final assessment ground. This interview is the primary 4. Characteristics of a Good Sys­ center decisions. All of the training source of information on such critical tems Supervisor Exercise: This was a exercises were videotapedl to provide job dimensions as motivation, work leaderless group discussion in which immediate feedback, and equally im­ standards, independence, interest in the participants were required to iden­ portant, to provide assessors with in­ self-development, career orientation, tify and list in order of importance the sight into their own personal man­ etc. The interview is conducted only specific behaviors that distinguish a agerial strengths and development after careful preplanning on the part of successful Systems Supervisor from an needs. (The training and overall expe­ the assessor, and can be conduoted in unsuccessful one. The group has to rience of being an assessor is one of the 11;2 to 2 hours. reach a consensus on these behaviors most important and outstanding side 2. Brookville Community Bank and their relative rank in the list within benefits of the assessment center Problem (analysis/ oral presentation one hour. procedure. ) exercise): This exercise was assigned This group discussion provided as­ Once managers have been trained, as homework, and the participants sessors with insights into each partici­ they can be called upon again and were given two hours for the problem pant's strengths and weaknesses in the again to serve as assessors in subse­ analysis and preparation of their oral understanding and appreciation of the quent centers. Further, it is advisable presentations. Seven to ten minutes duties and responsibilities of a Systems to train as many assessors as can be were allowed for the oral presentations Supervisor. In addition, each partici­ accommodated by the facilities avail­ and 45 minutes allotted for a following pant's leadership ability, problem anal­ able. It is not unusual to train twice as group discussion. ysis ability, judgment, decisiveness, many assessors as are needed because

38 DRTRMRTION of the developmental impact of the file Df each supervisor's strengths and tively received by the assessors. Here is training process. weaknesses-providing the framework a small sample of some of the com­ After the training of the assessors for later devel.opmental actiDn-and at ments: "Observing the participants was completed, the actual operation of the same time yielded an overall judg­ provided more insight (regarding the center was begun. Ten systems su­ ment of the supervisor's potential to managerial potential Q.f supervisors) in pervisors volunteered to participate. succeed in a managerial position. a week than years of casual work rela­ (The usual ratio of assessors to candi­ In summary, the actual time span tions." Higher management should dates is one to twO'. Whatever the ratio, from the planning stages to the assessor "place a great deal of weight on as­ the assignments are scheduled SO' that discussions was about 17Vz days. Of sessment center results when consider­ assessors see different participants in this, 5 days were required for planning ing candidates for promotion." The each exercise, and all assessors see each the center and developing the critical assessment center can "to a great ex­ participant at least once.) job dimensions, 5 days for assessor tent objectively measure a candidate's During the assessment, the manager­ training, 2Vz days for the actual con­ capacity for management." assessors -observed and recorded the duct Df the program, and 2 days for The survey of the candidates indi­ behaviors of the supervisors as they the final assessor discussions. An addi­ cated that they toO', in general received performed on the five exercises. All the tional 3 days. were required "for. the the pilot program in a positive light. exercises except the background inter­ center administrator to prepare indi­ However, some understandably had view and the in-basket were video~ vidual reports on each supervisor, initial apprehension about attending taped. The supervisors were later given summarizing and reflecting the as­ the program. Others expressed concern an opportunity to' view playbacks Df sessor discussions and findings. about the long term effect their center their tapes and critique their perfor­ performance would have on their fu­ mances. As in the training of assessors, Feedback interview tures. Some described their assessment this videotape feedback provided dra­ Each supervisor who participated in experience as "stressful," "irritating," matic insight for the individual par­ the pilot program was given personal and "tiring," but the experience was at ticipant on his particular strengths and feedback on his performance. The cen­ the same time "challenging," "competi­ weaknesses. ter administrator and the supervisor's tive," "stimulating," and "interesting." After the supervisors had completed immediate superior were present at the The participants alsO' made con­ all the exercises, they returned to their session. The supervisor was permitted structive comments regarding the exer­ regular work. However, the assessors to read and discuss his own report~ The cises and improvement of feedback supervisor's managerial strengths and content. They all agreed that "the pro­ development needs were emphasized gram was very worthwhile," that "the and tentative development plans were program measured important qualities discussed. in their organization's management to After the feedback interview, the a considerable extent," that they "en­ supervisors and their immediate su­ joyed all Dr most Df the exercises," and periors met to work out mDre fDrmal that "the videotape feedback was high­ development plans. ly beneficial."

Reaction to the pilot program Positive results Immediately after the completion of The pilDt assessment center program the pilot center and after the super­ satisfactorily achieved the purposes for visors had all received their feedback which It was designed. First, manage­ interviews, a questionnaire survey was ment was provided with a carefully administered to both assessors and par­ evaluated pool Df managerial talent ticipants. The purpose of this survey from which it could later draw to' fill was to prDvide top management with Systems Manager positions. an estimate of the receptivity and im­ Of the supervisors whO' participated pact of the pilot program, and to pro­ in the center, 60% were considered by and the center administrator worked vide essential information for making the assessors to have abDve average an additional twO' days to' discuss the adjustments in future programs. The pDtential for moving into the Systems performance of each participant and questionnaire covered such points as: Manager pO'sition. Of this 60%, 40% to make their final evaluations and quality of assessor training, capability have been promoted to'· Systems Man­ decisions. of assessor staff and center administra­ ager positions, and 20% are eligible tion, adequacy of the job dimensions, when position openings Dccur. Of the Assessor discussions adequacy of assessment exercises, ac­ 40% who were! rated below average Over the two day period, each of the curacy of center decisions, adequacy managerial potential, some have trans­ supervisors was evaluated separately. of feedback, center facilities, and opin­ ferred to other departments of the di­ Each aSsessor presented his exercise ions regarding the us\!fulness of as­ vision and others have left the 'report Dn a particular supervisor to' the sessment center, decisions and the company. other assessors. After comparing and assessment concept itself. Due to the recent promotions of the discussing the observed behavior across The survey data from the manager­ above average participants, it is toO' ail the exercises, the assessDrs reached assessors revealed some criticism re­ early to determine if the assessors' pre­ a consensus rating on the supervisors' garding the adequacy Df some of' the dictions have been borne out. Whether strengths and weaknesses relevant to' job dimensions definitions, in addition or not to expand the pilot program into the job dimensions. to construotive suggestions on some of a full blown divisional assessment cen­ Then, in the final step, the assessors the exercises. The assessors were ter program also hinges. on a future made an overall review of the informa­ unanimous in the opinion that an off­ evaluation of these predictions. tion presented on each supervisDr and site rather than a company location The program further increased the came up with a global rating of the should be used for conducting future leadership potential of Systems Super­ supervisor's potential' for succeeding in centers. visors by pinpointing their develop­ the Systems Manager position. Thus, Overall however, the survey revealed ment needs and by providing the op­ the assessor discussions yielded a pro- that the pilot program was quite posi- portunity to act on these needs before

August, 1975 39 POTENTIAL come by careful assessor training and ing people for promotion-up to three strategic assignment of assessors to times more valid and predictable than candidates. other methods.3,4 Moreover, studies they assumed managerial assignments. show an absence of sex and racial bias, A final possible benefit to the com­ The personal impact which is not true of traditional meth­ pany with an assessment center pro­ What are some of the problems that ods.5,6,7 (For cost references, see gram is that it may have a competitive attend this technique? One of the ma­ numbers 8 and 9. For the use of cen­ edge in attracting and recruiting high jor concerns of management is the par­ ters in small firms, see reference 10.) caliber talent. The intelligent, talented, ticipant who does poorly in the. center, Finally, the method has demonstrated and ambitious dp professional may but the "loser" has not, after all, really a great deal of acceptability by the consciously seek out a company whose lost. Probably, for the first time in his Equal Employment Opportunity selection and appraisal procedures career, he has been given the opportu­ Commission. provide a fair and objective opportuni­ nity to "show what he can do;" in ty to display his or her leadership return he has received the benefit of an 1. Dodd, W.E. and Kraut, A. I. , "Will Manage­ objective and fair appraisal. If he can't ment Assessment Centers Insure the Selection talent. of the Same Old Types?" Proceedings, 78th cut it as a manager, it is better to find Annual Convention, APA, 1970, pp. 569-570. Costs-benefits out now rather than build false hopes 2. Byham, W.C., "The Assessment Center as an Costs of assessment centers are on a managerial career path that will Aid In Management Development," Training unique to the organization in which never be realized-or if it should ma­ and Development Journal, Dec. 1971. 3. Huck, J.R., "Assessment Centers: A Review they are conducted and largely depend terialize, would probably lead to of External and Internal Validities," Person­ on what is included in arriving at cost failure. nel Psychology, Summer 1973, 191-212. figures. Some of the factors are: the Moreover, weaknesses that are rec­ 4. Cohen, B., Moses, J.L., and Byham, W.C., objectives of an assessment center pro­ ognized early are very often amenable "The Validity of Assessment Centers: A Literature Review," Journal 0/ Industrial and gram, length of the program, number to formal development, and the moti­ Organizational Psychology, Summer 1973. of candidates to be assessed, organiza­ vated loser, by acting on his develop­ 5. Huck, J.R., "Research Finds Equality for tionallevel of candidates and assessors, ment needs, can turn out to be a win­ Females and Blacks in Assessment," Assess­ lost time (if any) on the job (some ner. Mollifying the candidate who does ment and Development, Vol. 1, No.1, De­ velopment Dimensions Press, 1973. centers are conducted on weekends), poorly in a center can be accomplished 6. Meyer, H.H., "Assessment Centers at Gener­ cost of exercises and material, travel by expert planning before the feedback al Electric," Paper presented at Development costs, facilities used (onsite or motel), interview and by providing him with Dimensions, San Francisco, Calif., 1972. and use of outside consultant. alternative technical career paths if 7. Moses, J.L., "The Development of an Assess­ ment Center for the Early Identification of Published figures on costs range possible. Finally, all does not hinge on Supervisory Potential," Personnel Psychol­ roughly between $375-$500 per assessment center outcomes, since the ogy, in press. candidate. data generated by them should be used 8. Byham, W.C., "Assessment Centers for Spot­ Although assessment centers are not to supplement other departmental ap­ ting Future Managers," Harvard Business Re­ view, July-August 1970, 150-160. inexpensive, the benefits to be gained praisal procedures. 9. West Valley College Center for Supervision are considerable. In addition to bene­ Another concern of management and Management Development, "Behavior fits cited above, the superior predictive may be the attitudinal disposition of Based Selection Model: An Interim Report efficiency of the assessment center the participant while he is going on IPA Funded Project." Campbell, Calif., Nov. 1, 1973. techniques over traditional approaches through the procedure or after he has to. McConnell, J.H., "The Assessment Center in is major. And the centers essentially completed it. Probably of most con­ the Smaller Company," Personnel, March­ offer twofold benefits: they fill both cern to management is whether the April 1969, 40-46. organizational appraisal and develop­ experience was viewed as harmful, that ment needs. Finally, there is the sav­ is, exploitative or possibly degrading. Conclusion ings of long-term costs, both tangible Participants however feel less used and These and other issues indicate that and intangible, of supervisory or man­ less humiliated when they have been the assessment center approach may agerial failure. Such costs can far ex­ evaluated on their own merits and on not be the final solution to problems of ceed the comparatively modest per exercises which they can see are direct­ management appraisal and develop­ capita investment required to conduct ly related to higher performance. ment. However, there is no doubt an assessment center where failure about its superiority over traditional risks can be substantially reduced. References approaches. * Assessment centers are not the Another concern expressed by man­ prerogatives of large companies or agement is that the assessment proce­ corporate giants. Smaller companies dure tends to produce conformists of have the same managerial appraisal little initiative and independence. Re­ and development needs, and many search at IBM indicates that partici­ have effectively applied assessment pants who did well in their assessment center techniques in their smaller set­ center were more independent and less tings. There are several options avail­ conforming than those who were not able (such as doing some of the exer­ selected for center participation.1 This cises at home) that can result in much is, according to assessment center ex­ time and cost savings. pert W. C. Byham, "because the as­ One constraint in a small shop sessment center method brings out a would be the; availability of enough broader range of data about the indi­ assessors or candidates to justify an vidual than is typical from interviews assessment center. Another important and other conventional means, deci­ Dr. Skoff is an industrial/organiza­ consideration and possible barrier to sion-making is not restricted to the tional psychologist in private prac­ tice as a management consultant objectivity of appraisal in the small superficial characteristics often asso­ in Chicago. He received his Ph.D. shops is that assessors may be the im­ ciated with an " 'organization man'."2 from Loyola Univ. in Chicago and is mediate superiors of candidates or may The assessment center technique has a member of both the American otherwise know the candidates. How­ and IllinOis Psychological Associa­ been found to be consistently superior tions. ever, these constraints can be over- to the traditional methods of evaluat-

40 DRTRMRTION Women Speak Out on DP Careers Winifred Asprey and Anne Wheeler Laffan

Women in data processing take pride in their work and find satisfaction in their jobs. But is the way to the top closed to them?

How do women view their roles in the (3) The pool of women candidates computing field? A one-page question­ qualified for the lofty jobs is small or naire sent to 425 women in the U.S. nonexistent because of the generally who hold, or have recently held, pro­ accepted policy that promotions should fessional jobs in the computing field or come from within the company, and who use computers extensively as a women are, as yet, on the lowest rungs research tool, received a 77 % re­ of the management ladder. sponse. Almost all the respondents had A 23 year old graduate candidate such strong views about their roles that for an M.S. in computer science, who they added thoughtful comments, also holds a job in a systems develop­ many at great length. Presented here ment group of the Dept. of Commerce, are the results of the survey and a has had an "eye-opener" in the past sampling of the comments. several months. "By and large," she says, "women who do attain manage­ The questionnaire-and ment positions are aggressive, super­ comments competent and competitive, and Table 1 (p. 42) shows the questions scorned by males as 'unfeminine' and on the survey to which answers of "yes" 'know-it-all' types." or "no" were requested, and the per­ From a woman who conquered: "It centage of "yes," "no," and blank re­ world today,. and what can be done was only after I reached middle man­ sponses. Respondents -leaving a question about those roles. agement that I saw men acting as blank always gave comments since they Views on their roles included views though they were threatened by my thought the question was too complex on management opportunities, salaries, position being filled by a woman. Now for a simple yes or no. and problems uniquely feminine. In that I am in higher management, I do Two-thirds of the women respond­ reflecting. on what can be done 'about not, on my level, see anyone acting ing felt they had equal status with their those roles, the respondents discussed threatened-only happy to have some­ colleagues in pay, promotions, and attitudes and viewed the future with one with whom to share the work and overall. Seventy percent felt they had hope tempered with stern warnings. responsibility." opportunities for advancement to a Reverse discrimination is a grow­ senior level, but only slightly over half Mirror, mirror on the wall, is my ing concern: "Male backlash occurs thought there were opportunities. for role a fair one after all? because they believe women are being women to hold highly responsible On management opportunities, con­ promoted unfairly. In IBM, the men management positions. Interestingly, sensus reigned on some points: , are reacting to the words which man­ the "yes" answer to management op­ (1) Although women today can at­ agement sPQuts, not the reality. The portunities came preponderantly from tain low and low-middle management reality is that fewer than 5 % of all the youngest age group--a sign 'of the positions rather easily, men have a managers are women, an especially times, or youthful optimism? monopoly on the higher management poor record because IBM has an un­ Far more informative than these positions, often through a "buddy" usually large number of women capa­ statistical results were the comments, system. ble of holding management positions." both favorable and unfavorable, on the (2) A large number of companies role of women in the computing field have a program on the books to put Salaries which the last item on the question­ women into responsible management "Equal pay for equal work PE- naire invited. The women felt strongly positions, but only "seeing will cause RIOD!" expresses the desire on salary, about their roles in t~e computing believing. " a goal definitely closer to realization

August; 1975 41 WOMEN today than ever before, though still far Witness the following from a recent­ from universal. ly promoted 37 year old project man·· ager who holds an M.S. in computer Percent Response By Age Group science: "If asked about equal pay, the 20-29 Years Old 30-39 Years Old 40 Or Over Total company responds that women are Questions Yes No Blank Yes No Blank Yes No Blank Yes No Blank Equal Status with paid in the same range as men. I'm Colleagues in: paid at the bottom of the range. Pay? 64% 25% 11% 74% 17% 9% 66% 22% 12% 69% 21% 10% Enough said." Promotions? 68% 21% 11% 70% 18% 12% 60% 23% 17% 66% 21% 13% Overall? 72% 21% 7% 69% 18% 13% 63% 23% 14% 68% 21% 11% A related sentiment comes from an Opportunities To Hold over-40 analyst: "Pay increments seem Highly-responsible to be the least amount that can be Positions in: Senior Level? 71% 17% 12% 66% 20% 14% 73% 19% 8% 70% 19% 11% given to keep the woman from getting Management?~~~~~~~~~~~~61% 31% 8% 56% 29% 15% __~~~~~~~~~~~~ 53% 30% 17% 56% 30% 14% too unhappy." Table 1. The majority of women in computing, according to responses to these ques­ However, almost 75% of the 114 tions, believe they enjoy equal status with men in pay, promotions, and overall. How­ women in the 30-39 age group indi­ ever, only 56% believe opportunities exist for women in management level positions. cated that their salaries were on a par (Blank refers to respondents who wrote fuller comments to the questions than yes or with male peers. Typically: "I think it's no allows.) a great field-the work is exciting, the salary opportunities are very good. I have never found women being paid less for the same work as happens so THE ALMOST often in other fields." Salary problems related to family POCKET TERMINAL situations generated considerable com­ At 3.8 pounds its portability may put some ment. For example: "Jealousy on the suit pockets to the test. However, two fit nicely in a part of some supervisors occurs when briefcase so we call it "almost pocket size". they see both a husband and wife working and together earning more And an ASCII keyboard, a bright 32 character alphanumeric LED than the supervisor." Or: "I've been display, acoustic coupler/modem, NI-CAD batteries, a one-year war­ ranty, virtually indestructable case and a $1200 price tag all go told: 'You deserve more, but we can't together to make it a potent little terminal. give a wife a larger raise than a hus­ band's.''' Severely condemned were Salesmen can now talk to the home office computers from a higher salaries offered on the basis that phone booth. Technicians can diagnose ailing computers "he has a family to support." from their bedside. And time sharers can share time from any location-with a surprisingly reasonable Problems uniquely feminine investment in terminals. And that's not all. .. just ask us. Availability of part-time employ- The MCM personal almost pocket computer terminal ment or of work on a contract basis is a low-priced, versatile and very was cited as a major attraction of the very portable package. computing field by women with family responsibilities. "I love my work and MICX)N especially enjoy my half-time arrange­ MICON INDUSTRIES, INC. ment," said one young computer pro­ 1440 29th Avenue Oakland, CA 94601 grammer. "It's the best of both worlds (415) 535-0833 for a woman with children." An older woman recalled: "For sev­ eral years while my children were small, I worked for an organization called Computations, Inc., sometimes known as 'The Pregnant Program­ mers,' all of whose employees had small children and worked at home." Yet as many women were critical of companies that have a policy of hiring only on a full-time, work-at-the-plant basis. A. Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry responded: "Because of special de­ mands by children or the 'head of the household' and his job, some women are forced to retreat to half-time work. Many computing jobs are quite adapt­ able to half-time, but management often is not." An outstanding problem peculiarly feminine is the question of travel. A dp analyst for the State of New Mexico complained: "I have been denied at­ tendance at IBM schools, seminars, and conferences out of town because of the additional expense and the 'impropri­ eties' involved when a woman travels

CIRCLE 63 ON READER CARD 42 J:JRTRMRTION with several men." A programmer for a woman's opinion and a different Concluding reflections analyst at Union Carbide reports: reaction to anything she says." Women in the computing field view "Business travel for men and women Many voiced the complaint that their roles enthusiastically. While the together is frowned upon, and there­ men refused to take a woman's career added comments to the questionnaire fore women are rarely allowed to seriously. A systems designer for a na­ did include many a tale of unfair travel." tionally known bank, who has worked prejudices, the very fact so many re­ One large computer firm refused an in computing for almost two decades sponded underlines the hope women overseas assignment to a woman even and is well known for her contribu­ hold for their roles in the future. Being though she was the best qualified for tions to ACM, presents this analysis: a relatively new discipline, indeed the job, simply because she proposed to " ... lack of promotion is due not usu­ younger than almost all the partici­ take her spouse and children along. ally to overt, conscious discrimination pants in this study, the computing field Males were expected to take their fam­ on the part of men, but to the rather is free of built-in prejudices that ilies along at company expense; fe­ interesting fact that the thought of abound in other fields. Although crit­ males were not. promoting a woman simply seems ical of still existent shortcomings and never to occur to them regardless of aware of a multitude of yet unrealized goals, most of the comments ended Mirror, mirror on the wall, can how competent she is." my role be fairest of them all? Typical of male attitudes that drew with a laudatory sentence: "I enjoy my Women fault women for irritating the most scorn: "Managers refer to work and my life, though, and I attitudes. According to a seasoned pro­ their female employees as 'their girls.' wouldn't trade with any man." fessional technical writer over 40 who Men supervisors find their females The computing field attracts, chal­ holds degrees in both English and 'cute little dingbats' and use man­ lenges, rewards the most able women. physics: "Women, in general, do not nerisms and nicknames to indicate The best summation, reflecting the atti­ believe that a woman can be as intelli­ these attitudes." tude of so many, comes from Betty F. gent as a man." An engineer with A computer specialist in field engi­ Maskewitz, Director of the Radiation Raytheon, M.S. in mathematics and neering who lived and worked abroad Shielding Information Center at Oak six years of computing experience, has for a dozen years before returning to Ridge: "Computing is a wonderful this explanation for the female role: this country a couple of years ago, cast field for women-an exciting field for "Sometimes I think women are just too a uniquely perspective eye on the fu­ anyone regardless of sex or an)' other polite. Anxious to be valued as part of hire of the female in the computer stupid qualifier." :n: the team, a girl will uncomplainingly field: "What I have noticed is the way do all the work necessary to get a job the 'American ideal' concerning done. She usually ends up doing more women [the meek, sweet helpmate] than a fair share of the menial stuff has perm'eated even the business world. herself rather than trying to palm it off If you don't fit this mold, people (both on someone else. Often managers in­ men and women) unconsciously try to terpret this to mean she is content to force you into it. . . . My second stay at her level and not advance." observation is this overwhelming need A former analyst for a computer to 'protect' our young women. This is firm, now a candidate for an M.B.A. at done with only the best of intentions, Harvard Business School, declares: "A and the men and women who do this woman must be willing to work as are truly hurt when their protection is conscientiously as a man, including rejected as being paternalistic or dis­ odd hours, a common requirement in criminatory. What is even worse, so the computer business. Personal prob­ many of the women expect equal rights Dr. Asprey is director of the com­ lems must be left at home. While I was on one hand and this protectiveness on puter center and professor of a project supervisor, I sometimes had the other." mathematics at Vassar College. While a visiting staff member at to reprimand female team members for Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory being preoccupied with their outside­ Increased numbers in New Mexico, she performed the office affairs. That never was a prob­ "How do we solve some of these research for this article. lem with male team members." problems and improve the situation? First, by sheer numbers-critical mass. Threat or promise We must have more well trained and How do women see male attitudes well educated women entering the toward them as coworkers? A senior field. This education process starts as level person at Sperry-Univac, man­ far back as high school. Most people ager of Marketing Technical Services, do not enjoy being different from their observed: "Most men in the field, be­ peer group; therefore, we must obtain ing gentlemen in the true sense of the the critical mass necessary so that these word, are more gracious in their deal­ girls do not feel alone and uncom­ ings with us than with our male col­ fortable in their studies for their future leagues." Women in their thirties most profession. Second, we will approach often cite sociological forces: "Young­ this critical mass faster if these young er men (under 35) are not as threat­ women have role models they can emu­ Ms. Laffan has six years of dp ex­ ened by competent female colleagues. late .... We who are already in the perience, and her job currently in­ Perhaps conditioning since childhood field must make ourselves seen and volves documenting software. After heard so that these young women have graduating from Vassar and raising was somehow different for both men four Children, she returned to com­ and women in this age group." the same, chances to gain experience puting and obtained an M.S. in On the critical side comes a com­ and groom themselves (in the profes­ computer science at Worcester ment from a member of the above-40 sional sense) as our young men. They Polytechnic Institute. "The comput­ ing field," she says, "holds great group who has been working only for must see that they can live normal, potential for women." the last five years: "There is less regard useful lives as professional women."

August, 1975 43 "When you gamble, do it for en­ Results: A real system solution to the We think the SINGER* Model tertainment, and never with more application problem. A low-cost, com­ 1501-40 Intelligent Terminal is the than you can afford to lose." pact system using tape cartridges for solution for the user who requires These words from a well-known system loading and removable data reliable random access to files at Las Vegas gambler make a lot of media (applications for which flop­ the source location. Our Data En­ sense - and not only in Las Ve­ pies were designed) and a 2.5 mega­ try language provides the ability gas. How valuable is the data you byte hard disc for random access into to handle multiple formats while must gather and process in order data files and tables (for which flop­ monitoring the validity of large to keep your business running pies were not designed). All the ad­ amounts of data. Printout and smoothly and efficiently? Can you vantages of proven technologies and communications capability are really afford to gamble with it? a new industry standard for cost per­ available, of course. formance. Many users who need access to It's all part of our SINGER Series information at data capture time 1500 System. The one that has think floppy disc systems are the over 5000 installations solving answer. problems right now. But because this system was designed to fill a BUT WHY BET UNTIL YOU'VE special need, we gave it a special STUDIED ALL POSSIBILITIES? name-the FLOPPY KILLER! The unfortunate history of the in­ Think we're kidding? Stop in at contact heads of a floppy disc in Booth 2501 at Info '75 in New York random access applications is all City and see for yourself. See how too well known by now. The tech­ serious we are about the serious nical novelty of the floppy has alternative. been just that - a novelty. This game has not been fai r to the A phone call will get you the story user, so Singer set out to even up on why we made the floppy a stiff. the odds. * A Trademark of The SINGER Company

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44 CIRCLE 15 ON READER CARD DRTRMRTION The IBM 704: 36-Bit Floating-Point Money-Maker by Richard A. McLaughlin, Associate Editor

It changed the whole industry's conception of what a computer is and how it should be used.

There is no other place where man's sale was concurrent with, and at least compared to the 701 s that most early special technical genius is as well dis­ partly responsible for, IBM'S rise to users ran them only 40 hours a week played as in the building and use of prominence over Univac. And there and had spare time available. The computers. In computers the imagina­ was a good deal more that could be problems then being attempted were tive powers of great minds from Bab­ claimed for it. scaled to the size which could be han­ bagc to von Neumann have been The machine belonged to what we dled by the 701; since that machine channeled through could only run our best engineer­ about a half hour ing and manufac­ between failures, turing skills into m OSlt j cbs were eminently practical small. The 704 pro­ tools for aiding cessor was about other minds in the three times as fast creation of ,other as the 701 's, and tools. since it could some­ Part of the com­ times run for days puter's TOle in the without blowing a tool-building pro­ tube, iii could do a cess is to work in great deal more the design and cre­ wO'rk and it was ation of the ma­ sO'me time before chines which will most users loaded it replace it. It has to capacity. handled this role extremely well. As First delivered in 1955, the IBM 704 was the most powerful machine of its time, The first index a result, the pace of so powerful that IBM's market forecasting staff thought only about six could be sold. registers this cycle of self­ Because data pro­ obsoleting has. been so rapid that the now refer to as the first generation of cessing has expanded sO' rapidly many passing of computers is seldom noted computers. Its processor and other log­ of today's users have never worked on and only rarely recorded. Frequently ic circuits were built using vacuum a computer older than an IBM 360. the importance of one machine's con­ tubes. Transistors had been invented, Those who have worked on second­ tribution is missed entirely. This seems but wouldn't be used in computers for generation equipment like the IBM 7094 to have happened with the IBM 704. years. Still, vacuum tube technology will probably one day call themselves Although the first 704 was delivered had matured by the mid-'50s to a point pioneers. It may be difficult for those less than 20 years ago, in December of where logic circuits built using tubes "pioneers" to imagine what program­ 1955, it is possible that only one model were relatively fast and reliable, and ming was like on a first-generation lived to see 1975. That machine was in tubes or no tubes the IBM 704 was the mainframe. Tulsa, in a service bureau, and it was most powerful machine of its time. Scientific programmers working on turned off for the last time on April the IBM 701 and their commercial-ap­ first. The first large scale core plication contemporaries working on The event went almost unnoticed. The 704 was IBM'S first core mem­ the 702 lacked some of the most basic The people who had built it had long ory machine. Its predecessor, the 701, hardware and software features. One since lost track of it. More, when ques­ had an external drum memory and a thing those two early first-generation tioned about what made the 704 small internal memory composed of processors lacked was an index regis­ different or important, most of its little crt tubes called Williams tubes, ter. Even programming a simple loop builders and users had forgotten. which were highly unreliable. Core had was a chore. What whole new worlds Yet there was much the 704 should been delivered for the first time by must have opened when the 704 pro­ be remembered for. It represented a Univac in September of 1953, with the vided three registers for indexing and milestone in the architecture of com­ model 1103, but Univac's core was an instruction, TIX, for "transfer and puters, in their application, and in their only 1,024 words. The 704 could be increment index." acceptance. One of the first industry ordered with 4K, SK, or 32K words, One thing the index registers did was associations was formed around it or in giving the machine the right to the to give IBM a clear advantage over anticipation of it. Many of the systems claim of being the world's first reliable Univac. Univac had been running facilities now taken for granted were large scale mainframe. head-on with IBM, actually holding the developed on it or for it. Many of The 32K core size was such a de­ upper hand at the start. The IBM 701 today's concerns, like standardization parture from previous limitations that had met stiff competition from the and compatibility, were first seriously early users thought it looked infinite. Univac 1101, 1102, and 1103. The addressed by its users. Its widespread In fact, the machines were so powerful "commercial" 702 had faced the Un i-

August, 1975 45 THE IBM 704 vacl. Univac had been offering a built-in function for repeating instructions, plus some multifunction instructions like "multiply and accumulate" which gave some additional power to its n 00 series machines, but Univac had no index registers and the index registers were better. Still the 1100 series machines proved good competition for the 704. Accord­ ing to Dr. Gene Amdahl, who was the designer and project manager for the 704 (and many later machines in IBM'S line), the 1103A with its ability to repeat instructions was "as big an ad­ vance over their earlier machines as 36 bits the 704 was over the 701. Univac was Instructions 91 really very good competition in those days," he says. "No one else was." Add time, fixed 24 usec (Today Amdahl, as president of Add time, floating 84 usec Amdahl Inc., is trying to provide some to 32K words of ,that competition for IBM.) Core access time 12 usec The first floating-point The 704 was the first commercially Drum to 16K words available machine to offer floating­ Drum access time 12 msec point arithmetic hardware. Although Amdahl had built an earlier machine Tape transfer rate 15 KC at the Univ. of Wisconsin which had Card reader 150 or 250 cpm floating-point, and although there may Card punch 100 cpm have been other handmade machines with the functions, none of IBM'S com­ 150lpm petition offered it. The first IBM channel The 704 had one on-line card read­ er, one punch, and one printer. Though these devices might have been originally visualized as the primary 1/0 devices, they couldn't run fast enough to keep up with the speed of the pro­ cessor. Off-line card-to-tape and tape­ to-print devices soon came into. being so the cpu could be released for com­ putation. This was necessary because the 704 had no channels, nor had any other machine of its time. The first IBM channel, a real-time channel for use in missile firing control systems for early ICBM'S, later did ap­ pear on the 704. It was added to the machine in the field by a bright young IBM engineer named Bob Evans, now President of IBM'S System Communi­ cations Div. The original plan for the 704 included channels, but that part of the design wasn't finished in time and was held back until the 709 was announced. (The channels were the major thing that made the 709 different from the 704.) Still, for the record, the 704 was the first IBM machine to get a channel. According to Dr. Amdahl,' the 704 also had some built-in capabilities which have not yet been fully recog­ nized. "Its table look-up instructions never caught on. Using them you could program with tables, for instance

46 J:)RTRMRTION take a BCD word in the accumulator, Aviation, and in the· end GM and North convert to binary, do a math opera­ American joined in a common devel­ tion, do a table look-up for a carry, re­ opment. The result was two systems turn to BCD and do some checking. The which were strongly related, called GM feature was used for binary to decimal 110 System and the North American conversion, mostly, but it was more Monitor. One of these two operating powerful than that." The power was systems, or a third produced in parallel never exploited, and the function now at G'E by a programmer named Don exists only in vestigial form for charac­ Shell, was used in nearly every installa­ ter translation in the 370 line. tion acquiring a 704. Most of the rest of the machine's Shell went on to be the chairman of hardware features were not remark­ the SHARE working committee which

able. Its line printer, card reader, and produced the Share Operating Systemt punch were derived from standalone or SOS, the monitor which carried the eam equipment. They were the same IBM line up to the introduction of pieces used later on the 709s, 7090s, IBSYS on the 7090. Patrick has played a and 7094s, and were closely related to number of roles since then, including units on the even earlier 650s and Card being one of the founders of Computer Programmed Calculators. Sciences Corp. and one of DATAMA­ One piece of hardware seemed TION'S contributing editors. Mock strangely advanced for the time, a crt stayed at North American for some display with a 35mm camera to record time, later joined' esc, and is now that the screen image. The crt could pro­ firm's pr,incipal scientist. duce plots or show intermediate results The start of SHARE of computations, and of course it was In Mock's words, "The whole damn often used as a novelty to show off the thing about the 704 is SHARE, and system. (As a comment on the state of SHARE'S pushing IBM into the software the art in '54, it took the whole system, business." Those computer users who a roomful of gray boxes, just to drive were to buy 704s gathered to discuss the 'cft-a job that now can be done data processing ·as a formal organiza­ with a microprocessor chip.) But the tion of IBM customers some time after crt and camera were not introduced the 704 was announced but before any with the 704; they had come into IBM'S had been delivered. At the time, most line with the 701 and 702. 'of them had 701s, but Mock and some othe'rs are convinced that' the 704 an­ The first operating system nouncement provided the impetus for Although the ma,chine was impres­ SHARE'S formation. Their first meeting sive for its hardware, the 704 even was in Los, Angeles. Frank Wagner more strongly influenced the future was the president and Fletcher Jones, development of software. It was for another North. American employee this computer that the thing we call an and csc founder, the first secretary. operating system was developed. Some Though the group had little influ­ minor control of the flow of 110 and ence on hardware development, ac­ computation had been done on 701 s, cording to Mock, they were effective in but the amount was small and many forcing IBM to distribute and support argue that what was done was per­ software for its machines-a respon­ formed in anticipation of the 704 rath­ sibility which previously had not been er than solely to make the earlier ma­ assumed by the company. chine more productive. The story of the development of the The first modern assembler operating system includes more than SHARE was an effective body. Itsuc­ software history, though, for it was ceeded, for instance, in moving IBM t'O one of the earliest examples of shared drop the development of its· Assembly software development and of the pro­ program for the 704 in favor of one liferation of a standard software produced by Roy Nutt of United {\ir­ package. craft. Nutt's free-field, variable format, The 701 's "control program" was a symbolic assembler is the granddaddy single-stage affair. A General Motors of all modern assemblers. Many as­ programmer named Bob Patrick pro­ semblers existed before his was written, posed the idea of a three-phase moni­ including one for the IBM 650 called tor which would control batched input, SOAP. In fact, assemblers of one form batched execution, and batched out­ or another-regional assemblers, rela­ put. It was predicated on the new ver­ tive assemblers, fixed format assem­ sions of magne,tic tape dfives IBM had blers, and one done by GE'S Don Shell just introduced for the 701, the mod­ called CAGE-proliferated. N utt's SAP el 727s. A great improvement over had many advantages over all of these, earlier tapes, these drives would pro­ including the use of symbolic notation vide the reliability and speed required and the ability to do arithmetic on the for spooling input and output and for symbols. SHARE saw its advantages, and storing portions of the monitor. after making some last-minute conces­ The idea appealed to Owen Mock sions to allow easier conversions for and some others at North American GE, pressed IBM to drop its New August, 1975 47 THE IBM 704 upped the sites to 12. I told them it had manufacturing quantities, and there­ to be larger. They came back saying fore tremendous profits. The 704 York Assembly Program in SAP'S favor. '18.' We made all those and were being turned out to be a 36-bit floating-point pressured to make more. They came money-making machine not much less The first compiler back a month later and said '32.' Close efficient than the Treasury Dept's. Though programmers had the index to 160 or 180 were finally built." printing presses. Unexpected success registers and even assemblers, one If the numbers at first surprised IBM, with the 704 and its brethren begot thing they lacked at first with the new the company responded quickly under money which begot more success. And hardware was a higher level language. T. J. Watson, Jr. Some say it was when Univac ceased to be the leader, ceased Higher level languages hadn't been in­ his appraisal of the computer market even to be a substantial threat. vented. That too was left for the 704 proved out that his father started step­ user community. ping back and letting him run more of The Tulsa machine The first true compiler was FORTRAN. the business. Whatever the actual For all their high cost and competi­ Its inventor was John Bachus, an IBM events, the 704 and IBM took off. tive importance, the machines are project team leader who still works for worth almost nothing now if any are the company. He brightens noticeably The money-maker left. Their decline in value was rapid, at the memory of the 704 project and According to Amdahl, the 704s too. The Tulsa machine is a perfect recalls his greatest fear was that the were the most profitable program in example. The mainframe was first ac­ hardware guys wouldn't put in floating­ IBM'S history in terms, of percentage quired by Bell Aerosystems. Accepted point hardware. (An ungrounded fear, profit vs. revenues. That may be a from IBM on December 1, 1957, it according to Amdahl, who says that gross understatement. The 704 may rented for about $33,250/month. It his plans for the machine always in­ have been economical in terms of price was used by Bell for rocket engine cluded floating-point even if IBM'S vs. performance, but they were not design, trajectory analysis, and inven­ formal plans didn't. Bachus was still cheap. A mInImUm configuration tory control. By the early '60s it had half right. The 705, the commercial would have had an equivalent pur­ been so far outshone by newer equip­ counterpart of the 704, didn't get float­ chase price of $1.25 million. A typical ment that it was warehoused. ing-point. It was considered too sophis­ configuration would have been worth Next it was acquired by Pan Ameri­ ticated for commercial users.) $2 million. can Petroleum in Tulsa for an un­ FORTRAN wasn't rapidly accepted for IBM, like any large, smart company, known price in 1964 as an upgrade of all its advantages over lower level lan­ estimates how many machines of any the firm's 8K system. It worked dili­ guages, recalls Dr. Barry Boehm, an type it will sell, and prices them in a gently there until November of 1967, early user who is now at TRW. "I was at way that recovers the development cost just 10 years after its first installation, Convair Astronautics around '57 or as well as manufacturing costs and when it was sold to Southwestern '58. Donn Parker was down there marketing costs. If more machines are Computing Service-its last user-for then; he brought FORTRAN into Con­ sold than estimated, the profit per­ $1. vair. There was a cataclysmic rift. I centages get much higher. In the case It toiled away at Southwestern from remember he even had the people on of the 704, the development expenses 1967 until April 1 of this year doing his side wearing 'FORTRAN' t-shirts." were maintained very low. Amdahl's largely the same work it did at Pan crew was held to 25 people while the American, that is, oil exploration and The birth of compatibility 705 project ran with 150. So the ma­ production research. (Southwestern Once all the components were as­ chine would have been priced to re­ operates as a service bureau for firms sembled-the reliable hardware, an cover the purposely low development wishing to set operating system, an assembler, FOR­ up natural gas process­ costs by the time less than 16 or 18 ing plants, among other things. Cus­ TRAN, and SHARE-things happened units were sold, but 10 times that many very quickly. Once compatibility be­ tomers have come to them from as far actually went out the door. away as Teheran, Iran, customers who tween installations had been assured Not only were there 10 times as only wanted results and might not have by common languages, a library of many 704s as expected (at $2 million known or cared what computer did the routines and programs rapidly devel­ each), but at least 50 very similar and processing. ) oped. Program reliability, now a great therefore cheap to develop 709s were concern, was assured then by a simple Price makes all the difference in ob­ placed (at about $2.6 million). To­ mechanism-that of attaching. the solescence, however. And price even­ gether, they brought in about a half tually killed this 704 as it had all the programmer's name to the name of the billion dollars of 'revenue at a high routine. others. The machine cost $8001 month, percentage profit. roughly, to power and cool. The 7094 Getting a jump on Univac On top of that, the 705 (about 175 which is replacing it (no sense upgrad­ Hardware and software thus as­ units placed at $1.6 million each) ing two generations at a time) will be sured, sales of the machines began to shared the technology and components cheaper to operate as well as more roll in. Far more machines were sold of the 704, further reducing manufac­ powerful. than IBM originally anticipated. Awed turing costs for both. by the machine's 24 usec add time, Then came the second-generation Misconceptions die hard IBM'S marketing management had 7090 series (over 400 machines at The fact that the 704 made it nearly thought the machines to be so power­ about $3 million each) which was the 20 years should dispel some miscon­ ful that only a few customers could same architecture done in transistors ceptions about what has happened make use of them. and which used some of the same pe­ over the hardware generations. One "About four or five months after I'd ripherals (again building up the manu­ very popular misconception about first­ been given the charge to do it," faoturing numbers and the profits) . generation vacuum tube machines is Amdahl says, "we had our first meet­ There were at least 80 of the 705 that they were unreliable. Not exactly ing with the people from market fore­ follow-on, the 7080, made (at $2.2 true. Gene Usdin, of Southwestern, casting. They said 'probably about six million each?) and the list can go on admits to being rather laissez-faire machines.' I told them 'no way. We through the 7010, the 7030 (Stretch), about maintenance with the machine. sold about 17 model 701s. Go back the 704X and 707X lines. "The only time it gets PM is when it and look at it. We'll at least replace all The point is that IBM realized tre­ doesn't work," he said. And "we clean those.' Six to eight weeks later they had mendous leverage by increasing its the tape drives about once a year. The

48 DRTRMRTION

THE IBM 704

727s are very forgiving." Most of the incidents Marty Sadler, operator / programmer l maintenance technician at Southwestern, remem­ bered had to do with water problems. The 704 is air cooled, but broken pipes had dripped water on one or two, put­ ting the machines down for maybe half a day. What would water dripping into a 370 do? Probably much worse. Tubes burned out at the rate of about one per day, on this particular cpu. This was true of the machine during its last month of operation and as far back as anyone at either South­ western or Pan American (now Amoco Production Co.) could re­ member. Tube replacement usually took only a minute or so. Finding the problem was also easy; in the worst case, with an operator who didn't know how to diagnose the problem, someone would turn the lights off in the computer room and look to see which tube wasn't glowing. Air conditioning was more of a problem. Sadler remarked that if the machine overheated due to an air con­ ditioning failure, the 704 would power down automatioally-and a bell in the back of the cpu would ring as it did­ and everyone would rush to open doors and fan the tubes to cool them. Another myth that might be dis­ pelled by the 704 is that of the migra­ tion of programmers who desert those shops which are not leading edge. Also not exactly true. Us din claims he's had no trouble keeping programmers-for one thing, they like the hands-on use of the machine-and at least one pro­ grammer learned the assembly lan­ guage so he could code new jobs for the "obsolete" system.

The end Of course they eventually became obsolete and had to be replaced. But the 704s did their job. They demon­ strated the feasibility of many hard­ ware and software advancements, Maxell M-90 Data Cassettes ranging from core memory to operat­ ing systems. They and other machines end all read and write errors due to dropouts. from the same mold made hundreds of We don't spot-check the M-90. We pains­ high impact resistant styrene. The four carbon millions of dollars for IBM. They did takingly examine each and every one. impregnated guide rollers make tape guidance more, too. They put IBM hardware and Sure it takes more time, but it's worth it. errors almost non-measurable. IBM-compatible ,software in hundreds We developed a memory system-data Basically, the M-90 is the best data of prominent, leading edge, rich U.S. handling cassette that makes sure your clever cassette made. It gives you the chance to run corporations at a critical time in the thinking stays just as clever. ahead of the pack (where you want to be). competition for the computer business. All Maxell M-90's are inspected and Or don't use it and then wait for dropouts to Finally, on April 1, 1975, someone certified to insure dropout-free operation. leave you with hay on your face. stored the right bit pattern in the dis­ And our new low-resistance, static-free binder Maxell Corporation of America, play registers of what was probably the protects reliability, pass after pass. Moo~achie, N.J. 07074. Avail- maxell last operating 704 so the lights could The cassette shell is made with tough, able In Canada. ® spell out the message "THE END." One last picture was taken. The Power Off button was pushed. Somewhere in the back of the cpu a bell sounded. :/{: CIRCLE 92 ON READER CARD 50 DATAMATION the job. And ours do the job better. At the end of every day, our computers automatically report to the computer center in the home office. And by the begin­ ning of the next day, the central computer sends each store the latest prices and new stock information. Data General computers not only make order-taking easier and more accurate, they also cut the time needed to take an order by 30% and reduce inventory carrying costs, pricing errors, and bad debt losses. RCA Records put our computers in the hands of their operating management so they could do order processing and inven­ tory control without getting caught up in the complications of a big computer. One of the largest banks in the Northeast put a Data General computer in their trust department to give their portfolio officers access to vital investment information in their large IBM computer. And our computer does the job for much less than it cost for the It's hard for one computer to be all large computer to do it alone. things to all people. So instead of giving people reasons why So if your big computer can't do what your big computer can't do something, write somebody wants done, get a small computer for our brochure, "The Sensible Way to Use to do the job. Computers:' A Data General computer. Then when somebody starts complain­ At Lowe's Companies {agroupof 130 ing about your computer, you'll know enough building material stores) the central com­ to tell him where to go. puter knew the current prices and stock levels of the 7,000 items in stock at each store. But the salesmen didn't. NAME DAT-875 So Lowe's data processing management TITLE put Data General computers in their stores FIRM to give the salesmen all the information they needed. Our computers cost a third less ADDRESS than the IBM 370 it would have taken to do CITY STATE ZIP

Data General, Dept.G, Route 9, Southboro, Mass. 01772 (617) 485-9100. Data General (Canada) Ltd., Ontario, Data General Europe, 15 Rue Le Sueur, Paris 75116, France. Data General Australia, Melbourne (03) 82-1361 /Sydney (02) 908-1366.

CIRCLE 59 ON READER CARD INFO 75: Its for the Users User-Almost Second annual user-oriented conference and exposition also plays to the dp professional. Sixteen conferences and an exhibit of 130 companies.

INFO 75, a conference and exposition 120 exhibitors and another 30 to 40 about computer applications, will use were considered likely to sign up by computer technology to help its the end of August. They seem, accord­ audience locate the applications. A ing to Wolcott, to represent the same system called a "$electronic Directory" wide mixture as in the 1974 affair­ will be installed at the four-day exposi­ firms representing everything from cpu tion in New York next September to peripherals and data base systems to help visitors locate rapidly the more microfiche readers and visual aid than 10,000 applications. the sponsors displays. think are offered by the 130 exhibitors. One of the exhibitors is IBM, ex­ INFO 75 next Sept. 8-11 is the sec­ pected to display a "new product" de­ ond offering by Clapp & Poliak, the veloped in Atlanta. That could be the show management company, of a large­ firm's recently announced System/3 scale user oriented conference and model 12 semiconductor computer or, exposition. The first, INFO 74, which according to some speculation, its long­ was co-sponsored by the American Dates: Sept. 8-11 awaited minicomputer which has been Management Associations, attracted Exposition: New York Coliseum, 11 under development in Atlanta under 10,453 personS! to New York's Coli­ a.m.-5 p.m. (Mon-Wed.) the code name Peachtree. seum in September of last year. A con­ and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thurs­ current conference drew just under day. Much for the dp pro 3,000. "In today's uncertain economy, Conference: Americana Hotel, New Although the conference portion of the conference should draw about the York. INFO 75 is billed as appealing to the same as last year," says Richard S. Registration: Exhibits, $5, ($1 with computer user's user, there is much Wolcott, a vice president of Clapp & exh i bitor's courtesy that is directed strictly to the dp pro­ Poliak who is general manager of INFO card). Conference, four fessional. In fact, the topic given 75. However, he's hoping for a larger days and show, $120; heaviest coverage at the conference­ turnout at the exposition, "perhaps on two days and show, with 70 speakers over a four-day the order of 15,000." $70; one day and show, period-is "EDP Technology." Some $45. He's added innovations and made 30 speakers also will be featured on some changes to assure the larger Information: Information and copies another four-day session entitled "EDP of adva nce program: turnout. Although the conference­ Management." Clapp & Poliak, Inc., Also on the program are confer­ which is really 16 conferences within a 245 Park Ave., New conference-is being held at the Amer­ York, NY 10017, Tel. ences addressed to manufacturing, in­ icana hotel, eight blocks away from the 212-661-8410. surance, banking, retailing, minicom­ exposition site at the New York Coli­ puters in business, hospitals and health seum, it's been programmed so that care organizations, transp'ortation, conferees have mornings or afternoons Tymshare, Inc., which operates the records management, telephone com­ off to attend the exposition. (Ex­ time-sharing network. Visitors will be munications, public utilities, financial, hibitors complained last year that the invited to request up to three applica­ office systems and marketing and sales. conference kept potential exhibit vis­ tions at a time. Operators will key the The Society for Management Informa­ itors away.) He's also added a shuttle requests into the Tymshare network tion Systems (SMIS) will hold its an­ bus service between the hotel and Coli­ from four terminals in the registration nual convention at the same time and seum which was not available last year. area of the Coliseum and these re­ in the same hotel as INFO 75 and each A mail advertising program was quests will be matched with thCl ex­ group is offering the other discounts launched early this summer when the hibitors providing the applications and for participation in their sessions. sponsor mailed more than 300,000 in­ printed out on two 600 lpm printers. The SMIS' opening session Sept. lOis vitations to prospects, including 88,000 Each application name will contain an billed on the INFO 75 program as a dp managers, corporate information additional five-word descriptor. Wol­ joint session of both groups. Two other officers, and systems executives in cott said the system has been designed SMIS sessions on Sept. 11 are also billed computer using industries. Last month to handle as many as 600 people an as joint sessions: one is entitled "Or­ Clapp & Poliak was preparing to follow hour. (Tymshare two years ago auto­ ganizing the Information Function for up with copies of the program. mated the tricky job of conference Effectiveness and Efficiency in Assist­ time scheduling at a large conference ing Top Management Decision Mak­ Tymshare's file of the American Society for Informa­ ing." The other is "Organizational Im­ The innovation Wolcott likes to talk tion Science. People attending keyed in plications of MIS Implementation.?' most about is the Selectronic Direc­ their special interests at a terminal near The "general chairman" of the joint tory. Applications offered by exhibitors the registration desk and out came a list SMIS-INFO 75 sessions is HerbeI1t Z. (Service Bureau Corp., the CDC sub­ of the sessions that matched their Halbrecht, president of a New, York sidiary, has up to 2,000 in its library) interests. ) recruitment firm called Halbrecht As:­ will be collected in a file maintained by In mid-July, INFO 75 had signed up sociates, who also is to be chairman of

52 DRTRMRTION four other sessions that are part of Sept. 8, will end with a panel by the tems. The program opens with a INFO. 75. The sponsors have issued a participants. plenary session, "How Top Manage­ detailed program that, hopefully, will In the data communications ses­ ment Satisfies its Information Needs to guide attendees through the maze of sions, papers worthy of note are "De­ Plan and Manage a Complex Com­ related and non-related conferences. sign and operational requirements for pany." William H. Stieger, Kennecott Explains Wolcott, ruefully: "Last network management," by Sal Catania Copper Corp., who organized the year, we promoted the conference of Coopers and Lybrand; and "Con­ manufacturing program, is chairman more so than we did the show. It is siderations and early experience in of a seemingly interesting session on otherwise this year." using Datran's Datadial service," by "Engineering the Job"-the use of Earl C. Young of Republic Financial computer technology to get work They're used to computers Services, Inc., Dallas. (Two other moving. The conference, however, does bear speakers were being sought as the pro­ Insurance: Five sessions cover sub­ down on some exceedingly pertinent gram was being put together in July to jects relative to insurance company topics for the ultimate user of informa­ discuss their experiences with Telenet's management. A sixth addresses the tion processing systems-the user that packet switched service and the tele­ timely subject, "Privacy of the Indi­ Wolcott says supposedly "defines to the phone company's Dataphone Data vidual's Data in a Life Insurance information technologist the tasks that Service. There also is to be a session on Company-Short and Long Range have to be done." He's a smarter user new data link control protocols.) Systems and Cost Performance Con­ today, according to Wolcott. "He's like Max A. Butterfield, of the Social siderations." The cast of speakers: the kids who have grown up with tele­ Security Administration, is to head a Carole Parsons, of the Administra­ vision. To him there never was a time session on new mass storage systems tion's Domestic Council on the Right when he was without computers." featuring speakers from suppliers of Privacy; Attorney William A. Fen­ A brief rundown of the conference Ampex Corp. and Control Data Corp. wick of Palo Alto; and TRW Credit topics: and from users from Ketron, Inc. and Data lobbyist Cheri L. Cole. EDP Technology: A four-day con­ G. A. Saxton & Co. Retailing: Retailers talking to retail­ ference that examines trends in soft­ EDP Management: Nine sessions ers. An interesting session, chaired by ware, communications, reliability, se­ that cover subjects such as education, Morton Weitz, president of the curity, data base administration, data cost reduction, five-year plans, securi­ Datamor division of Korvette, Inc., entry, auditing, graphic displays and ty, recruitment and dealing with top discusses the information system in the fourth generation system architecture. management. Norman Gelbwaks, a vice retail operation. IBM'S Paul Gibfried is A pioneer in microprogramming, president with Chase Manhattan Bank, chairman of what could be a crowd­ Laszlo L. Rakoczi, now with Tym­ will head a session on the provocative drawing session: "Putting it all To­ share, Inc., Cupertino, Calif., will de­ subject: "What does it take to get the gether-the Total Retail System." liver a paper in the fourth generation approViaI of top management in pre­ Minicomputers in Business: An in­ architecture session, entitled "A non­ senting an information systems pro­ teresting travelogue through manufac­ manufacturer looks at the fourth gen­ posal?" David Allen of CBS leads a ses­ turing, offices, distribution, business eration." Univac's Norman Weizer will sion on the "Five Year Plan-Key to and banking where minicomputers are discuss fourth generation software, and Effective Information Systems." used. The four-day session opens with George A. Champine, also of Univac, Manufacturing: Some 40 speakers, an introduction to minis and how will discuss the tradeoff considerations most representing management (not they're used in business. in configuring such fourth generation dp management) discussing topics re­ Hospitals & Health Care: This seven­ systems. That session,_ on opening day lated to manufacturing control sys- session program is highlighted by a session on a topical issue: "Auditing the Elusive Measure of Quality in Health Care." Headed by Dr. Conrad E. Herr, Rutgers Medical School, it discusses information systems support for PSRo.'S quality-of-care measure­ ment, certification of length-of-stay, and facility feasibility all in the context of current and coming legislation. Transportation: The trucking peo­ ple discuss fleet management and the energy people discuss car pools. Office Systems: A three-day "mini· course" on office systems management with part of the discussion addressed to "word processing" systems. The thrust: rid the office of paper. "Most offices are deluged with paper, and attempts to improve office operations just gen­ erate more paper," says Paul G. Truax, general chairman of this program. Marketing and Sales: This program includes a look into how top consumer marketing executives satisfy their in­ formation needs. The speakers are information managers Rex Struble, of Anderson, Clayton Foods of Dallas, Richard S. Wolcott, general manager of Info 75, and scenes from 1974 event which and Robert Weller of General Mills in drew 10,453 to New York coliseum. Minneapolis. @

August, 1975 53

for the peripheral manufacturers to news in perspective chase;" He sees users being urged to take a mix of 3330, 3350, 3344 and 3340 drives, some rented, some purchased.

Buy old equipment? Who will buy? The dp manager of a Main framers big multinational firm "won't look at the reductions" because the IBM new product announcements are coming thick and fast and he sees no reason to IBM: New Stock buy old equipment now. A manager in a West Coast bank isn't interested be­ cause the price cuts signaled not only new products but new technology. He Coming in expected enhanced 3330s rather than a fixed disc replacement. A manager of Prices slashed on 90 products to stimulate sales a furniture manufacturer's installation While the East Coast was flooded this most notable, since IBM immediately of­ laughed, "Spare me the details. We bicentennial summer, IBM was flooding fered the users other alternatives, or don't have an IBM disc on site and our the computer industry with announce­ complements, in the 3350 and 3344 disc IBM printers would cost a fortune to ments. In a seeming "everything must drives. maintain if we purchased." go, new stock coming in" sale, IBM It's understood the IBM salesman, IBM might expect some help in pur­ slashed purchase prices by 10 or 15% on who is being given quota points for chases from a few leasing companies, if various 370 and System/3 central pro­ converting users from rental to pur­ DPF Inc. is an indication. DPF is consi­ cessors and on a host of peripherals and chase, is armed with computer printouts dering offering a package deal to users, terminals. . explaining each customer's alternatives. in which DPF would buy the customer's A few days later IBM began announc­ A mathematical exercise will show what system, using his accruals and the re­ ing new products to replace some sale IBM has done. duced price. What's new is that DPF items. And in the same period it an­ Users can accrue toward purchase usually makes its best deal by offering nounced a far-reaching international 40-60% of their monthly rental or lease independent, rather than IBM, peripher­ reorganization of its small computer costs-for up to three years and 50% of als. The IBM price is good enough to (General Systems) and Office Products the purchase price. For example, a user consider, eliminating the aggravation of divisions. This was close on the heels of with a 125 cpu with 98K bytes that has a multiple-vendor package, says DPF. a massive reorganization of the Data been installed since April, 1973 (first Itel's Dick Lussier says to us a 10% price Processing Products Group. shipments), would have accumulated reduction only means 1-2% in the pack­ If that wasn't enough, the giant com­ $61,983 in rental accruals, $64,476 in age deals lte1 offers users, so would have puter company reported its unexciting lease accruals. Knock that off the re­ no competitive effect on them. second quarter revenues which were up duced price of $201,650 to get his cost Regardless of who is saying what, fi­ a scant 7% over the corresponding today. nancial analysts see IBM'S outright sales period in 1974 (see p. 80). With a 3330 mod 11 (two-spindle, 400 revenues increasing nearly 10% as a per­ The price cuts and new products were megabyte), if the user received the first centage of total revenues in the third a welcome sign for stockholders and fi­ nancial analysts, some of whom now PARTIAL LIST OF REDUCED ITEMS think that IBM'S growth in the last six months of 1975 will jump 15% over the 10% off: corresponding 1974 period. They see the 3330,3333,3340,3830,2305,2319 disc storage & control units price cuts being done just for that rea­ 3410,3411,3420 (including 6250 bpi version) mag tape units & control son-to stimulate purchase when the life 3203,3211,2213 printers cycles of major products are tailing off 3881, 3886, 1287, 1288, 1231, 1232 optical readers and new ones are about to begin. The 15% off: models 115, 125 and System 3/6 and 10 115, 125, System 3/6 & 10 cpu's cpu's were each cut by 15% in purchase 3704, 3705 communication controllers price. The System 3/12 was announced 3735, 3780, 2780, 2740, 2741 terminals immediately after for the small com­ 3275, 3277, 2265 display stations puter user to consider as an upgraded 3284, 3286, 3288 printers alternative to buying his installed 6 or 10 model, or to opting for the Honey­ shipment in March 1974, he would have and/or fourth quarters. That's 10% of well Liberator 3, ICL 2903, Burroughs accrued $17,355 under rental and more than $3.5 billion a quarter. One B 1700 and Univac 90/30. The 115 and $14,200 under lease. So right now he'd analyst also points out that IBM has been 125 haven't been replaced, but the 118 give IBM about $50,000 for that disc realigning its pricing policies in the last and 128 were rumored in the mill for ($67,860 purchase without accrual). He few years to prevent purchase cycles fall announcement. At least one IBM could also opt to buy the bigger, faster from impacting its long term growth watcher thinks that market will be 3350 B2 (635 megabyte) fixed disc drive curve. Hourly maintenance and systems handed over to the General Systems for $49,500, or rent it for about $500-600 engineering services have increased by Div. and there will be no 370 replace­ less than the 3330 mod 11. IBM seems 18% in the last 18 months. Monthly ment. to have made the pricing on the two maintenance fees have jumped 10%. systems fairly comparable. Purchase prices were raised only 2% for Ninety products A technical expert at a leasing com­ all but the three largest 370s (8%), while The price reductions covered 90 dif­ pany sees the price cut/new product rental has jumped for most 370s and ferent products. But the 10% discounts combination as an effort to "fragment System/3s by 10 and 12%. Program on the 3330 and 3340 disc drive were the market, creating a moving target products were hiked just 2%, but may

56 DATAMATION increase in price as the newer versions sales, systems engineering and main­ ed a wholesale grocery concern $53,200 come out. tenance forces around the world. for breach of warranty against IBM, and Hypothetically, IBM now has created in 1969, a federal district court in St. Reasonable ratio a worldwide resource-independent Paul awarded an automotive and elec­ IBM has clearly been bringing down U.S.-controlled organization for small trical wholesaler $480,811 in damages the purchase: lease ratio, which was computers and office products. Still against IBM in a fraud suit. about 50: 1 when 370s were first an­ under World Trade, IOD ultimately nounced. Some see this as a stimulus to could be slid out from under it. In fact, Suit for back rent purchase, and others see it as part of if World Trade Corp. were split from Ironically, the Catamore case was ini­ that redistribution of revenue sources. IBM, the worldwide GSD-OPD operation tiated by IBM which sued the jewelry "It gives the appearance that IBM has could still be a single entity under its company for $68,000 for back rent. IBM created a better purchase:lease ratio," own or IBM'S control. was awarded that amount by the jury says one analyst. "It is a marketing strat­ In the same vein, when IBM reorgan­ in the case. "The jury's decision that Ca­ egy that could accomplish much, includ­ ized the Data Processing Products tamore must pay the amount it owes IBM ing satisfying legal critics who say IBM'S Group it realigned software responsi­ is correct," said IBM chairman Frank T. purchase:lease ratio has not been 'com­ bilities in a way to suggest a brand new Cary. "However, we completely dis­ mercially reasonable'." IBM. While corporate staff of the group agree with the jury's decision on the IBM says that none of its moves have took on systems design and definition, counterclaim and we are going to ap­ been made to satisfy the Justice Dept. the System Products Div. took on the peal." An IBM spokesman said the com­ One source felt that the reason IBM put implementation of operating systems puter company was appealing the deci­ the 115 and 125 on sale was to eliminate along with its manufacture of compo­ sion to the first circuit federal court in that system from the 370 line and hand nents and general purpose computers. Boston. While attorneys specializing in it over to the small computer General The language and data facility (IBM, computer industry issues were still as- , Systems Div., with its ever-growing Sys­ GIS) development went to the periph­ sessing and interpreting the importance tem/3 and /32 line. eral-making General Products Div. Te­ of the decision a few weeks after it was And that, IBM watchers say, could be lecommunications access methods, job announced in early July, there seemed tied with IBM'S reorganization of GSD entry, and network support software to be general agreement that the case and OPD internationally. First, these di­ went to the System Communications was unlikely to be eventually appealed visions have been given overseas prod­ Div. Some can see these divisions as to the U.S. Supreme court, because the uct management responsibility, which separate profit centers offering their issues of the. case do not fall in the area used to be controlled by the two World own hardware (each manufactures dif­ of interest of the highest court in the Trade operations, Europe/Middle East! ferent hardware) and software. "Can't land. Jury decisions are generally diffi­ Africa (EMEA) and Americas/Far East you just see a 3350 fixed disc system cult to reverse, so the Catamore attor­ (AFE). Then IBM superimposed an Inter­ with an indestructible untouchable IMS neys believe their victory will hold up. national Operations Div. (IOD), run by recorded on it selling as one 'bundled' In addition there is always a possibility vice president Steven Warren, to give firmware item?" wondered one IBM of a settlement in the case. functional guidance to General Systems watcher. Although the landmark decision is and Office Products. That guidance "In fact the way IBM is organizing," not generally thought to be likely to takes 400 persons located in New York's that watcher said, "it could become a carry great legal precedent, it could Westchester County and involves pro­ holding company over a set of subsi­ carry great psychological precedent. To ductivity of marketing, manufacturing, diaries-a marketing company, a regu­ wit: the Catamore case showed that a and service, and assessments of business lated common carrier in satellite trans­ relatively small company with limited plan performances. mission, a communication system com­ resources could enter into legal battle In each of 17 countries, IBM has ap­ pany, a general purpose computer com­ with a huge corporation and win. IBM, pointed a general manager of the two pany, a peripheral and data base sys­ for instance, was represented by Ed­ divisions, who will report to the country tems company and a small computer/ wards & Angell, leading Providence law general manager and the International office products company." firm. One of the attorneys on the case Operations Div. Office Products and -Angeline Pantages was former Rhode Island governor and General Systems already have separate former secretary of the Navy John Cha­ fee. IBM'S prestigious New York law Litigation firm, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, was in­ volved in the case, too, as was the office of IBM'S legal counsel in Armonk. An Case of the Jeweler and IBM: Jury Accepts accountant representing IBM said his Oral Agreements in $11.4 Million Finding firm's bill in the case would be about The computer, as some computer users member jury delivered a unanimous de- $llO,OOO, which is considerably more know, can be an instrument of horror cis ion on the basis of compensatory than the $68,000 IBM was attempting to when it doesn't do its job, although it damages. Punitive damages were not collect from Catamore. is commonly depicted in the folklore of cited, and the precise charges that fig- On the other hand Catamore was re­ the business world as an instrument that ured in the verdict were not spelled out presented by two young attorneys. brings joy and efficiency to the happy as is the custom in jury verdicts. Christo, Catamore's lead attorney, is fellow that has one. "The real issue here is corporate re- just 27 and barely three years out of law The unhappy user now has some vi- sponsibility," said Thomas K. Christo, school, and his associate attorney, prior carious commiseration, if not hope, in Catamore's attorney. "And the real to the case, specialized in real estate law. the form of a federal district court deci- point is that the law is there for users sion in Providence, R.I., in which a who have been abused. If computer Started in '68 small jewelry company has been award- users have a just grievance, jurors or Essentially, the background of the ed $11.4 million in damages from IBM. courts will rule in their favor." case is this: Catamore, a firm that The Rhode Island jewelry company, While the Catamore decision was not logged more than $7 million in sales in Catamore Enterprises, Inc., had charged entirely the first of its kind, it was by 1969, had been interested in acquiring IBM with fraud, negligence, and breach far the largest settlement of its kind. In its first computer since 1968 following of contract and warranty. The six- 1968, a Boston U.S. district court award- meetings with the firm's president Rob-

August, 1975 57 end of the trial: "This is the case that can alert every Chairman of the Board news in perspective of every large corporation that they can­ not shun the law; that they cannot step ert Catanzaro and an IBM salesman. by the fact that IBM announced "unbun­ outside of the law ... It goes against our A 360/20 model 4 with 12K storage dling" in the midst of protracted deal­ grain to believe that things like this can was ordered, but later was upgraded to ings with Catamore. happen in America, but we have to try a 360/20 model 5 with 16K storage. De­ During the 57-day trial-which jnci­ and understand that they do happen." livery of the machine, however, was de­ dentally, was the longest jury trial iri the Christo attempted to link up top IBM ferred. After the machine was delivered, history of the state-Christo hammered management with the fraud issue by in­ it was later replaced by a 360/25. The away at IBM on the issue of fraud. Chris­ trod ucing evidence incl uding docu­ whole issue was complicated somewhat to told the jury in his summation at the ments that indicated top IBM manage-

"It's Not Business; It's Religious Warfare"

It is February of 1975 and a thin, "We do the attacking" representing IBM was told by his doc­ unshaven student carrying a box ap­ "We beat them at their own game tor to withdraw from the case in the pears at an administrative office at because we do the attacking," says middle of the trial. Brown Univ. in Providence, Rhode Christo. "What we're doing is in Island. every sense guerilla warfare in the Five turned it down "I'm supposed to deliver this for courts. Our biggest weapons were Christo took the case when Taylor, the trustees' meeting," the student surprise, inventiveness and hard, a software specialist who had been says. "Where is it?" solid work. We were a gang of working 0[1 the case as a paralegal, "University Hall" is the answer. marauders." contacted him. The two men had And, in that moment, the student has While the number of Christo's once worked together as editors on the information he wants. "marauders"-two fulltime attorneys Computerworld, a publication where The "student" who is not a student and three full time paralegals-was Taylor continues as a columnist. Five at all but attorney Thomas K. Chris­ not exactly overpowering against the other attorneys had turned down the to, has the information he has been withering legal fire power of IBM, case before Christo took it. Christo seeking. He had received an anony­ their victory was overpowering in­ took the case "on consignment" mous phone call and the voice on the deed. -without pay. If the appeal holds up, other end of the line had told him Throughout the case, Christo dis­ however, Christo stands to receive a the Brown Univ. trustees would be played a sense for the jugular that very handsome fee. (Before the ver­ holding a secret meeting to discuss made "Jaws" look like a story about dict in the case was delivered, the the delicate issue of removing ten­ a pet goldfish. He adopted a prosecu­ judge said "whether it would stick on ured faculty members. torial manner, hammered away at appeal I don't know ... ") IBM'S Thomas J. Watson Jr., a witnesses on the stand and, as he Christo, a former systems analyst, Brown alumnus and trustee, was ex­ strutted around the courtroom, he views the case as a landmark in the pected to attend the meeting, since made a habit of sitting on the IBM computer consumer area. He says he he is known to have an intense inter­ attorneys' table. Moreover, his man­ doesn't represent vendors and has est in the issue and since he seldom ner had to be all the more galling two other user suits currently against misses a trustees' meeting. to IBM, which has long had a pen­ two other major mainframe firms. Christo wants to subpoena Watson chant bordering on mania for hiring "We like to think of ourselves as a to compel him to appear in court in towering six footers. Christo is 5 ft., consumer movement for the com­ connection with the case in which 5 in. tall, and weighs 120 Ibs. The puter user," he said. Christo is representing Catamore young attorney exudes self confi­ Christo had initially filed antitrust Enterprises against IBM. University dence without appearing to be cocky. charges against IBM but these were Hall is staked out-two private detec­ More important, though, there was later withdrawn although Catamore tives and two federal marshals all a total commitment to winning the has the option of pursuing them in carrying walkie-talkies and subpoe­ case displayed by Christo and the the future. Christo feels that it's ex­ nas. others on the team-Rosann Madan, tremely difficult to "nail" large cor­ "We really thought we had Wat­ the attorney who worked with Chris­ porations on antitrust charges be­ son," said Christo in discussing the to, and the three paralegals, Claudia cause "that's the legal game they incident recently. "But he didn't Aufenhauser, Tom Buchan and Alan know best," and because of the mas­ show up. Someone must have tipped Taylor. sive difficulties of proving market him off." "Other lawyers may look at this as share. The incident tells a great deal business," says Christo. "It's not; it's He reasons that since the deck is about why Christo and Catamore religious warfare. We all gave up our stacked against winning antitrust won the landmark case against IBM social lives, our families, and our sal­ cases, it makes more sense in user and-perhaps-a great deal about aries. There wasn't a waking moment suits to challenge on the basis of the why others seem to lose when they during the past year and a half when older 'common laws like, say, fraud face IBM in the court. In a typical I wasn't thinking of this case and and negligence. "In the final analy­ legal encounter with IBM in a court nothing else." Indeed, Christo be­ sis," says Christo, "it's not the Tel­ case, the opponent is not so bold as came so involved in the case that he exes of this world with their antitrust to be "staking out" Thomas Watson, neglected to pay his phone and elec­ complaints who get the short end; it's one of the most prestigious persons tricity bills at his Boston office with the users, and the consumers right in the computer industry. Typically the result that both services were shut down to the general public." the IBM opponent finds himself off. -W.O.G. smothered under piles of motions, There were indications that the documents, and briefs, unable to get case was not an easy one for the IBM to the real issues in the case. lawyers either. The lead attorney

58 CRTRMRTION HOW TO JUSTIFY THE COST OF OUR 580 TO YOUR BOSS.

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INTERDATA XEROX IBM DEC DG 8/32 550 370/158 11/70 Eclipse

WORD LENGTH 32 bits 32 bits 32 bits 16 bits 16 bits INSTRUCTION TIMES (Register to Memory) Integer Add 1.25 1.8 .9 1.8 2.5 Multiply 3.54 6.2 2.0 3.9 8.8 Divide 5.8 14.4 9.9 8.3 11.2 Floating Point Add 2.3 6.1 2.4 8.25 5.5 Multiply 3.0 9.1 2.3 11.25 7.2 Divide 5.35 23.3 8.9 12.25 7.9 HARDWARE I/O Yes Yes Yes No No MAX. DMA RATE/SECOND 6MB 4MB 6.7MB 4MB 2MB DIRECT ADDRESSING RANGE 1MB 1MB 16MB 64KB 64KB GENERAL PURPOSE REGISTERS 2 stacks 4 stacks 1 stack 2 stacks 1 stack 16 each* 16 each 16 each 8 each 4 each PRICING (Basic Configuration) CPU + 128KB Memory $51,900 $128,700 N/A $54,600 $32,500 CPU + 1048KB Memory $179,400 $478,700 $1,905,700 $163,800 N/A *(6 'Additional Stacks Optional)

program development capabilities. Software that FOR MORE MEGADATA, CLIP AND MAIL. has an optimizing macro assembler, MACRO CAL. And software with a sophisticated · Interdata, Inc., Oceanport, NJ. 07757 telecommunications access package, IT AM, that allows you to treat remote communications · 0 All that power sounds marvelous. Send me more terminals and computers as if they were simply information on the Interdata 8/32 Megamini. local devices. . · 0 You may have hit on the solution to my megaproblem. Have a representative call me. Now, with all of this available, you can concentrate your efforts on the real problem at hand - your · Narne ______Title _____ application. · Company ______THE MEGAMINI: NOT JUST A COMPUTER - · Address ______BUT A SYSTEM. · City ______State __ Zip ___ The Interdata 8/32 Megamini gives you a full range · Telephone ______of peripherals, software and advanced features to choose from in tailoring your system: 166MB disc systems, fast line printers, 1600 BPI tapes and • Subsidiary of Perkin-Elmer graphic CRT's. Plus software modules like FORTRAN, BASIC, EDIT, AIDS and many more. .• ...... Oceanport, N.J. 07757. (201) 229-4040 DATA/75 .

August, 1975 CIRCLE 51 ON READER CARD 61 There is only one dry COM system. It offers fast easy set-up, s~eds through-put and turn-around, and cuts rejects.

Now get 3M's LBR - exclusive dry,processing and laser-beam technology­ the most advanced COM available. The Laser Beam writes directly on microfiche or 16mm microfilm (no photographing a CRT here!) The Recorder works with tape from almost any computer. Simple once-only forms alignment speeds job set-up and through-put ... reduces rejects and film-wasting re-runs. The Dry Processor needs'no chemicals, no cleaning, no plumbing, no drains. It can be located in the EDP room so you can check and dispatch microfilm quickly ... return tape to the library at once. And LBR dry processing is up to five times faster than wet chemical processing - yet reliably produces clear, sharp film frame after frame. Let 3M show it to you. Write Microfilm Products Division, 3M Company, St. Paul, MN 55101 and ask about the dry COM LBR.

? ...... - happened was Bob (Catanzaro), despite his best efforts, bit off more than he news in perspective could chew. He stubbed his toe. Worse than that, he fell on his face." "What does it all boil down to?" Fan­ ment knew that unbundling with its O.K. to oral agreement ning asked in his summation to the jury. higher prices and potential disruption One area of the decision that appears was corning for users and potential users " ... We boiled that down until the only to be particularly important is the idea including Catamore, yet IBM'S lower thing he (Catanzaro) really didn't get that the jury accepted an oral agreement management levels were not informed. was programming, application pro­ between IBM and Catamore as evidence. This meant that Catamore wasn't gramming or tailored library packages. Like most computer users and potential warned of the possible difficulty that Why didn't he get them? Because his users, Catamore had signed a machine could be associated with unbundling. own people didn't write them. IBM never services contract which covered the promised to write them." hardware of the system. Software issues Locked in During the trial, the IBM attorneys are commonly made orally and the Ca­ Catamore charged that IBM had maintained that Catamore had agreed tamore case may have set something of "locked in" the jewelry company by with various changes and upgrades in a precedent in this matter. The jury also convincing Catamore to change its in­ equipment. IBM also argued that Cata­ appeared to have accepted the idea of more had slipped in failing to train an ventory system from a manual system admitting as evidence a warranty orally employee to perform programming for to an eight-digit numeric system for use made. the jewelry firm and that was the cause with the IBM computer. Once converted, The jury was not specific on the of the software snafu. however, Catamore could not use its charges it found against IBM. However, The IBM attorneys also argued that former inventory system and the new based on the guidance given by the system was virtually useless when the Catanzaro began to take over additional and new business enterprises and these judge in his instructions to the jury, the delivery of the computer and its success­ consensus is that the jury did not find pulled him away from giving proper at­ ful operation were delayed. The jewelry in the area of fraud but did find against firm claimed it never received an opera­ tention to his computer operation. Fan­ IBM in the areas of breach of contract ning told the jury: tional production control system as and warranty. On the final issue of neg­ "Well, I want to suggest to you most promised. ligence, it was not clear how the jury sincerely and without being nasty, with­ Christo maintains that IBM had uti­ ruled. -W. David Gardner lized a "bait and switch" policy with out being ornery, without being recalci­ Catamore in which the jewelry firm was trant. I want to suggest to you that what "baited" with a small machine, and, after it was locked in by a new inventory system, was "switched" to larger and International more expensive equipment. Catamore said IBM was never able to Airlines vs. IBM: Raise Overhead deliver a hardware-software system that was able to perform as IBM had once Or the Volume of the Complaints promised for delivery in December of An epic squabble between IBM and 14 ferent than those for domestic flights in 1969. Catamore alleged that it was airlines, led by British Airways, has had the U.S.; Australia's Qantas on a five­ strung along for months on end by IBM. another public airing following a meet­ stop flight from London to Sydney Finally, Catamore charged that prob­ ing May 13 between the protagonists. doesn't want many passengers for the lems stemming from the computer The airlines, locked into IBM hardware London-Paris leg if it can fill the seats began to collapse the firm and that Ca­ and the IP ARS software, are accusing IBM more profitably. This turned out to be tarn ore president Robert Catanzaro was of sloppy work and high-handedness, a major difference from a computing hard pressed to save his faltering com­ while IBM responds with its customary viewpoint. On the rate side, IP ARS was pany. attitude that gentlemen don't· air their designed 10 years ago to handle a "Bob Catanzaro left his family and problems in public. growth in volume, but no one antici­ moved into the factory and lived there," The problems have been growing gra­ pated the proliferation of special fares Christo told the jury. "He worked 80 to dually, and part of the trouble is the we know today, with excursion fares, 90 hours a week ... he was trying to increasing complexity of the airlines affinity fares, stopover premiums, and save his business. There was a pile of business, with its proliferation of fare seasonal rate changes. invoices and the pile of inventory and structures, particularly internationally. they couldn't match it and it was chaos IBM'S three standard offerings for air­ Leader of the band and it was disaster." lines are PARS, developed originally in British Airways not only worked on the Finally, in April of 1972, the IBM conjunction with American Airlines in original IPARS but also sold its own equipment was removed. The firm re­ the U.S., then IPARS a PARS derivative packages of airline software to a number turned to manual systems and has also in which BOAC (now British Airways) of other airlines, and is thus the leader ins tailed a PDP-II. Christo said that only was the original partner, and more re­ of the band of frustrated airline users a concerted and intensive effort by Ca­ cently, for smaller airlines, cp-Sim/E, today-and the one known to be in the tarn ore had saved the company from which runs under Dos/vs on configu­ deepest trouble. KLM, Swissair and Ali­ failure. rations as small as a pair of 3701 125s. talia are also understood to have major The complexity of the international problems, while the other 10 (including Denial by IBM business is not only the rate structures Qantas and Pan Am) are mainly there On the other hand, IBM vigorously but also the pool partnerships by which for a show of force. Their turrent com­ denied the Catamore charges. Stephen British Airways, for example, writes plaints center around three issues: Acp8, A. Fanning, Jr., the attorney represent­ tickets for Air France-an arrangement VM, and Hypervisor. ing IBM, pointed out that the case had that is not allowed in the U.S. U.S. and "At first, IBM simply didn't want to started as a simple collection suit but international !eletype systems are dif­ know," says BA'S Peter Hermon. The then had escalated to a $250,000 coun­ ferent, which affects the data com­ airlines grew increasingly obstreperous terclaim by Catamore, and finally to a munications support, and the al­ and after a January meeting with IBM'S $26 million counterclaim. gorithms for long-haul airlines are dif- top brass from Paris, the airlines leaked August, 1975 63 64 CIRCLE 10 ON READER CARD CRTRMRTICJN numbering scheme. Balloting on N4335 news in perspective probably will begin next October or No­ vember and be completed six months later. the story to the London Times. By the 'no comments' than usual. Inside, with There are some differences between time they reconvened on May 13 IBM top Armonk officials involved, there is IBM'S SDLC protocol and the two ISO pro­ was asking for their suggestions, and a a lot of task-forcing going on. The air­ posals. For example, the IBM discipline formal IBM response was due late last lines rejected a sophisticated presenta­ allows up to eight information frames month. tion about the merits of IMS software, to be transmitted across a link before Acp8 is the latest version of Acp4, in which IBM tried to show that IMSI and the receiving terminal has to return an which was the original PARS concept IMS/vs had drastically improved the ACK or NAK, N4335 permits transmission created for American Airlines and other quality and reliability of IMS over the of up to 128 frames before the first U.S. carriers at a cost of about $100 mil­ past several years-a point that is likely ACK/NAK. But these differences aren't lion. There were interim Acp5 and Acp6 to be made much more publicly after considered likely to produce serious and so on, but Acp8 was a disaster. the end of the year, when IBM turns the problems for users or manufacturers. Hermon says: "There were lots of spotlight onto IMS as the answer to errors we had discovered in Acp4 and every user's problems. But in this case Elsewhere, a delay fixed. Not just a few of these but dozens British Airways had already tried to ISO'S sc6 subcommittee is still work­ of them reappeared in Acp8. We consid­ run its reservations and technical sys­ ing on one other element of its proposed ered this evidence of somewhat slipshod tems in IMS on its dual 168 systems, and HDLC standard. This part is called work." Although the airlines don't want failed notably. "codes of practice." Essentially, it de­ to go into details, one of the most The Hypervisor/vM solution from scribes how to use the commands and serious malfunctions is understood to be IBM was late, and the vendor admitted responses for various applications. Acp8's inability to cope with today's it would give only 50% usage of cpu's. There is still some disagreement re­ much more detailed uses for IPARS on More important, IBM admitted privately garding the codes-mainly between the the fares side. to seven of the airlines that it saw no U.S. delegation and the other partici­ real breakthrough to improve the usage pants, so it may be a while before this We'll call you for at least another two years. section is finalized. According to Hermon, IBM is now fix­ With all the problems, the likelihood Also, the U.S. wants to add more ing the errors carried over from earlier that other vendors (notably Univac) commands and responses. Reportedly, ACPS. The other Acp8 problem is that could capitalize on the battle is very the U.S. will support the elements of the users were never consulted during low. The airline users have too much procedure as now drafted, but will seek its 'development. "We told IBM not to money (and all the training of their peo­ changes after they are adopted. Thus, come back with Acp9 or ACP 10 when ple) tied up in IBM hardware and soft­ even if ISO promulgates a data link con­ they felt like it; we want to be able to ware. All they can do is increase the trol standard before next summer, as tell them not only what we need, but volume of their complaints, and hope seems likely, its value will be limited. when we need it." that IBM will involve them more closely Meanwhile, work on ADCCP, the pro­ According to another airline, in Au­ in· planning for future systems. posed U.S. link control standard, re­ gust and September last year the four -Nancy Foy mains in limbo, pending further pro­ airlines who are harnessed to Acp8 (BA, gress at the international level. There is Swissair, KLM and Alitalia) were gen­ general agreement within the American erating at least twice the number of Communications National Standards Institute (ANSI) that major breakdowns that IBM'S CE'S and the U.S. standard should be identical, software people specializing in airlines Protocols: Progress if possible, with the international stan­ could handle. IBM too often had to re­ dard. "But what that really says is, we spond that it didn't have the resources in Standards Arena want them to agree with us, rather than to cope-a response that angers users Development of a standard link control vice versa," explains one source. And so these days, when IBM'S liquidity and protocol for data communications net­ work on a domestic standard has been profitability are so well known. Thus works took a significant step forward sidetracked while U.S. standardizers the situation deteriorated still further. this summer when two key components have been wooing their international as­ The major problems, though, are like­ being considered by the International sociates. ly to be in the alternative IBM has pro­ Standards Organization (ISO) reached a The major disagreement at the mo­ posed, with classic disregard for the final ballot. ment seems to involve the codes of prac­ budgets of the users. This is to replace Meanwhile another new com­ tice. sc6 is supposed to meet in Wash­ Acp8 with a combination of VM and Hy­ munications protocol surfaced-Bur­ ington next October, and this difference pervisor-a solution that would depend roughs Data Link Control (BDLC). Bur­ will be a major item on the agenda. Pos­ on full time use of two large cpu's. The roughs said the protocol has been de­ sibly, work on ADCCP will resume after- trouble is that the airlines seem unwill­ signed to be compatible with ISO'S High ward. . ing to accept a solution that can only Level Data Link Control (HDLC), with utilize, at best, 50% of the cpu power IBM'S Synchronous Data Link Control A federal standard? -and that's the kind of overhead this (SDLC) and with the proposed U.S. link Charles C. Joyce, Jr., assistant direc­ solution carries. control standard called Advanced Data tor of the Office of Telecommunications Hermon says: "Both VM and Hyper­ Communications Control Procedure Policy (OTP), said in an interview that visor have attractive goodies, but they (ADCCP). if ANSI doesn't revive ADCCP soon, he carry such enormous overheads that Voting on Draft International Stan­ will launch an effort to develop a feder­ their use is virtually ruled out." dard (DIS) 3309.2, which defines the al standard. During the next 12-18 frame structure of the proposed link months, said Joyce, the feds plan to ac­ Armonk task-forcing control scheme, was due to be complet­ quire several functionally-similar tele­ The publicity surrounding the issue ed Aug. 12. The second component processing systems, and there is a need since March has forced IBM to cope in (N4335), "elements of procedure," de­ to make them interoperable-so that a goldfish bowl, and the company has fines the commands and responses to be users of one system can communicate responded with even more tight-lipped used on the link, as well as a frame with others. "We can't wait for ANSI for-

August, 1975 65 New IBM . data entry system helps operators work faster with greater accuracy.

A sloped keyboard, a sharp, bright display panel and quiet operation are some of the human engineering factors enhancing 3760 productivity.

66 . DATAMATION A high-capability data entry system which Up to 24 keyboards can operate concurrently reduces the required number of time-consuming with one controller, which handles such tasks tasks performed by the operator has been an­ as formatting, editing, checking and error cor­ nounced by IBM. The system can result in sav­ rection before data is transferred to the com­ ings in the costs of data entry, an area with a puter. There is virtually no need for special data heavy concentration of data processing entry programming. personnel. The system features IBM 3760 Dual Key Expanded supervision capability. Entry stations operating with a 3791 controller, The system allows the key entry supervisor which is linked to a System/370 virtual storage to monitor jobs in progress and formats being computer via direct channel attachment or data used. Production statistics, reflecting through­ communications lines. It can relieve the put by jobs and by operators, are also available operator of v.arious entry, editing and ver­ to the supervisor. ification routines. This makes possible Security features of the 3760 include pass­ fewer keystrokes per transaction and words restricting access to system functions and greater operator productivity. limiting files to authorized personnel, and op­ tional keylocks. The super- Improved error correction. visor can retain positive Accuracy can be improved control over all work at through automatic checks and ed­ all times. its which can detect many errors at the time of entry Efficiency and flag them for the oper- through SNA. ator. Fewer errors reach When data is trans- the computer, reducing ferred to the computer, costly correction time. the 3791 controller oper- Data editing and check- ates as part of IBM's new ing capabilities are pro- System Network Arch- videdatthe3760keyentry itecture (SNA). The SNA stations, each of which ac- family of hardware and commodates two oper- programming allows ter- ators.As material is keyed minals with different from source documents, Source documents can be placed in the line of sight functions to be part of the the operator is guided and with the displaypanel,aconveniencefor the operator. same network, use the prompted by an easy-to-read display panel. same communications lines, and access a variety Other operator-oriented features, such as quiet of application programs in the host system. This operation andline-of-sight design, reduce fatigue can mean greater flexibility in the use of data and contribute to high keystroke rates and communications networks and terminals, while productivity. reducing line costs and computer overhead. Because of its potentially significant contri­ No intermediate media. bution to data entry productivity, the high capa­ The new data entry system operates offline bility 3760 can be cost-justified for many for data entry and online for data transfer. Keyed centralized key-punch departments, both local transactions are recorded on disk in a nearby and remote. For an evaluation of your present IBM 3791 controller, ready for computer entry. operation, and for full information, consult your This makes intermediate media such as punched local IBM Data Processing Division office. cards, diskettes and tape unnecessary, resulting Or write IBM Corporation, Dept. 83F-D, 1133 in improved data handling and throughput and Westchester Avenue, White creating the potential for significant cost Plains, N.Y. 10604. saVIngs. Data Processing Division August, 1975 67 CUT YOUR AIR FREIGHT COSTS IN HALE

Ship 3,000 pounds for the cost United's UDaylight Savings" of 1,500 pounds. from New York City, for example: We call this United's ((Daylight Weight of LD-3 (Max.) Savings." You can save 50% or more on contents (lbs.) 1500 2100 2700 3000 3160 high density shipments. We figure the Density Obs. per rates point-to-point, per container. So the cubic foot) 10 14 18 20 21 flat more weight you load in each container, To: charge * Cost per 100 pounds the less you pay per hundredweight. Chicago $112 $ 7.47 $ 5.33 $ 4.15 $ 3.73 $ 3.55 San Francisco 333 22.20 15.86 12.33 11.10 10.54 You save from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. Los Angeles 318 21.20 15.14 11.78 10.60 10.06 To get our ((Daylight Savings" rate, 'Based on airport·to-airport Time of Tender "Daylight Savings" rates. just get your shipment to us between These rates were .effective Jan. I, 1975, and are subject to change. 4 a.m. and 4 p.m.-our least busy time. All you do is load our big lower deck container and give it to us-we'll reward you with our big discount.

No.1 in the US. sky (8/ UniTED AIRLinES CARGO 68 DRTRMRTION news in perspective , ------, ever," he added. I I "Indefinite" support BCS speaks Burroughs chairman Ray W. Mac­ Donald said his company's BDLC can be incorporated into an existing network I a capacity I using the company's present com­ munications control procedures. Bur­ roughs will support both new and old I management I procedures, he added, while neglecting to mention how long such support would be provided. A company spokes­ man, when asked about this, said sup­ I language I port for Burroughs' character-oriented communications protocols would be provided "indefinitely." Another Burroughs spokesman said I that your I BDbC consists basically of a 24-bit con­ trol portion, followed by up to 256 char­ acters (bytes) of information, followed management I by a 16-bit cyclic redundancy check and I ending with a boundary flag. The first 24 bits contain the same flag-address­ can understand. I control format included in SDLC, HDLC and ADCCP. All the commands and re­ I sponses in the BDLC control section are Not only that but BCS helps you measure and fine tune your compatible with those in SDLC, the multi-programming system. As DP manager, you can explain spokesman said, but IBM offers "a few" I your needs, problems and plans in uncomplicated terms. Like how much work your system can handle ... how much I not included in the Burroughs version. The missing ones can be provided by it actually is handling ... where performance is good and bad. Burroughs, however. BDLC supports the same "Go Back N ARQ" error retrans­ SARA-for System Analysis and Resource Accounting - is a I Boeing Computer Services' exclusive. SARA reflects the I mission scheme used by IBM, and also can be modified to utilize a "selective dynamics of your multi-programming system. For example, repeat" procedure, which is more effi­ production standards and system capacity are measured in cient in some applications. I Computer Resource Units Per Hour. These CRU's are a I BDLC will be available beginning the composite of each usable system resource and are last quarter of this year. Initially it will repeatable every time the same job runs. As SARA computes be offered with Burroughs' Tc3500 and your system's thruput, turnaround, and production Tc3600 terminals and with the new B776 I performance, you can relate complex computer problems to I remote concentrator / controller an­ all levels of management in simple CRU Per Hour terms. . nounced in June. During 1976 and '77, Changes can be compared to prior processing statistics. BDLC software will be released for Bur­ I SARA works quickly ... and economically. We know. We use I roughs' entire computer line SARA to measure our performance with many of our more (B700-B7700). than 1,000 customers and The Boeing Company. For more Price of the BDLC software "has not details, please call us now or mail the coupon today. yet been established," said a company I I spokesman. -Phil Hirsch Or see us at INFO 75 in New York - Booth 2611.

Name~ ______Title ______

Organization ~ ______Phone~ _____ I Software I Levitz the User Address ~ ______Is Now a Vendor I City ______State ______Zip _____ I Can a long time furniture man make it in the data processing business? Sid Levitz thinks so. The name Levitz I We can help. I is to furniture what McDonalds is to hamburgers. Until last year, Sid was I :$-J BOEING COMPUTER SERVICES. INC. president of the family business, Levitz Furniture Co., a national chain of retail I P.O. Box 708, Dover, New Jersey 078010(201) 361-2121 I furniture stores. He feels his back­ ground ideally suits him for the niche in the dp field he's picked for himself. He's formed Integral Systems Associates CIRCLE 87 ON READER CARD August, 1975 ,------~69 DX980... the operable system from Texas Instruments

The most powerful operating system for a minicomputer is also one of the easiest to use. Why? Check these features ... "cookbook" job control language, sophisticated file manage­ ment for three file types, 400-megabyte disc capacity ... and more!

DX980 general-purpose operating system supports TI's Model980 series minicomputers in various applica­ tions including batch processing, interactive terminal processing and real-time applications ... simultane­ ously or each one individually. System Description DX980 features a modular organiza­ tion. General executive functions are included in the nucleus, while specialized functions are embodied in the subsystems. With this arrangement DX980 can efficiently manage multijob, multi­ task, memory, and I/O functions ... all concurrently. In addition, the system contains a sophisticated file manage­ ment feature for handling linked sequential, relative record, and key indexed files. Another important feature of Hardware line printer, a 300-cpm card reader ... DX980 is system resource manage­ The hardware configuration needed and, of course, DX980 operating sys­ ment, which includes dynamic for these requirements is designed tem. This configuration enables users memory allocation. around a TI Model 980 series mini­ to have a $65,500 minicomputer These features combined make computer with supporting periph­ system that can support tasks DX980 ideal for multiprogramming erals. A general-purpose system ca­ normally assigned to computer sys­ applications using Fortran IV or pable of interactive terminal proces­ tems costing $100,000 or more. assembly language for any number sing and batch processing could This just may be the best bargain of large arithmetic operations. include four TI Model 912 Video Dis­ you have come across for your appli­ Supporting Software play Terminals, a moving-head disc cation. To find out more, contact the For such applications, supporting with 2.28 million bytes of storage, a TI sales office nearest you. Or write software includes a Fortran IV Model 979 magnetic tape drive, a 980B Texas Instruments Incorporated, compiler; SAPG, a two-pass computer with 48K 16-bit words of P.O. Box 1444, M/S 784, ~ assembler; and DXOLE, an overlay error-correcting MOS memory, a Houston, Texas 77001. Or .; link editor, in addition to a number "Silent 700*" Model 733 ASR Data call (512) 258-5121, Com- VI of utility modules. Terminal, a 132-column medium duty puter Systems Marketing. Improving man's effectiveness through electronics

Arlington, Va. (703) 527·2800 • Atlanta, Ga. (404) 458·7791 • Boston, Mass. (617) 890·7400 • Chicago, III. (312) 671·0300 • Clark, N.J. (201) 574·9800 • Cleveland, Oh. (216) 464·2990 • Dallas, Tx. (214) 238·5318 • Dayton, Oh. (513) 253-6128 • Denver, Co. (303) 751·1780 • Detroit, Mich. (313) 353·0830 • Houston, Tx. (713) 777·1623 • Minneapolis, Minn. (612) 835·5711 • Orange, Ca. (714) 54],9221 • Orlando, Fla. (305) 644·3535 • San Francisco, Ca. (415) 392-0229 • Sunnyvale, Ca. (408) 732·1840 • Amstelveen, Holland 020·456256 • Bedford, England 58701 • Beirut, Lebanon 353188/353189 • Cheshire, England 061 442·8448 • Copenhagen, Denmark (01) 917400 • Essen, Germany 02141/20916 • Frankfurt, Germany 0611/39 9061 • Freising, Germany 081611801 • Milano, Italy 683034 & 6899215 • Quebec, Canada (313) 353·0830 • Paris, France (I) 630·2343 • Slough, England 33411· Stockholm, Sweden 62 71 59/6271 65· Sydney, S. Australia 831·2555' Ontario, Canada (313) 353-0830· Tokyo, Japan 402·6181 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS -Trademark of Texas Instruments INCORPORATED

70 CIRCLE 39 ON READER CARD DRTRMRTION news in perspective FREE which initially is marketing a turnkey invited to make this system available ••.. /...... I .• system for furniture retailers. through other dealers, the same as any • • •• •• Levitz sees ISA as more than a com­ other system designer, collecting a roy­ ••• •• pany. He sees it as a marketing plan and alty each time his system is installed." -.-.. • ••. ....~EGArnl\ll1 as an association. "As an association it's Levi tz believes service burea us can one I would have joined had it existed benefit from association with ISA be­ before but it didn't so we had to start cause "many service bureau customers it." are purchasing in-house systems; the His primary marketing target is the service bureau can either fight the trend first-time system user. He sees ISA as or join it. The service bureau that al­ consolidating for this user-giving him ready has the hardware and operating a single source for-the efforts of the system available is in the best position to sell this customer rather than have competition steal the customers com­ ~ pletely." Service bureaus, he explained, can Send for the facts sell their customers small distributive processing systems whereby the data behind the most collection is made on the customer's powerful minicomputer site, and the summary information is transmitted to the service bureau where ever-the Interdata . the large crunching can be done. 8/32 MEGAMINITM It all started with furniture and, of course, more specifically with Levitz This free brochure can help save Furniture Co. Some four and one-half your company money in plant years ago Sid Levitz decided the furni­ automation, scientific computation ture chain, which was growing fast, and data communications. needed some kind of a management in­ formation system. A consulting firm The Interdata 8/32 Megamini is the called in to help recommended a Cali­ most powerful 32-bit minicomputer fornia software house, Integrated Busi­ you can buy. Combined with this ness Computing, Inc., headed by Tom power, the Megamini offers your Moch. Moch and Levitz worked closely company unequalled flexibility and together on the Levitz system and Moch reliability. Yet it is compactly is now a principal in ISA. Levitz knew the furniture business packaged and designed to sell at a and Moch knew data processing. In the comparatively modest price. course of developing the Levitz system, This brochure details the capabilities each learned a lot about the other's area of the Megamini. It describes its of expertise. performance, architecture, software, Levitz tends to be cynical about "data peripherals-the entire spectrum of . processing guys," both users and ven­ dors. He feels they tend to emphasize tools available for your own hardware and the data processing func­ Megamini system. tion at the expense of end results. But Send for this free 28-page brochure FOR THE FURNITURE RETAILER: Tom Mach he excepts Moch. "Tom Moch is the today. Just mail the coupon. Or circle (left) and Sid Levitz, furniture man turned only data processing guy I've ever met the reader service number computer man, inspect a report generated who thinks like a businessman." by a turnkey system they developed for fur­ ...... niture retailers. Sir: 0 Please send me the free Inventory control Megamini brochure. turnkey system designer; hardware One of the functions of the Levitz sys­ manufacturer; mechanical field service tem is inventory control including the o Have an Interdata representative organization; operating system develop­ pinpointing of the kinds of things that contact me. er; local software company; and local are moving and those that aren't. Moch Name------­ service bureau. demonstrated businessman-like thinking in talking about FISH. "You've heard of Title For vendors too LIFO (last in first out) and FIFO (first in Company ------­ For the turnkey system designer, ISA and first out) in inventory accounting." as Levitz envisions it, is an organization he said. "We've identified the FISH (first Address ------­ that can offer national marketing for his in, still here)." City------system. For a software company that as­ The Levitz furniture chain has 60 State ______Zip ------sociates with ISA the organization offers stores, three separate national offices, commissions on sales of turnkey sys­ and seven group offices. When the sys­ Telephone ------tems, the economies of large-scale buy­ tem is complete, and it nearly is, each D 8/75 ing on hardware even for the company's store will have a mini and its own com­ custom systems, and "if an associate plete data base. The minis are polled i:1W"-r:El:a,~-r~ does a unique custom system that has each night by telephone via Autopoll, Mail this coupon to Megamini , market potential nationally, he will be ,a system developed by Moch's IBe and Interdata, Inc., Oceanport, N.J. 07757 CIRCLE 90 ON READER CARD August, 1975 71 seven major functions: inventory con­ trol for buying and sales; inventory con­ news in perspective trol for security and accounting; sales recording and statistics; accounts receiv­ summary data is fed into a 3701158 at had one under development. They able and cash receipts; personnel and GTE Data Services in Los Angeles. The opted for this and a General Automa­ payroll; accounts payable and disburse­ national and group offices have termi­ tion SPEC 16/65 as their cpu. They had ments, and general ledger. Cost of a sys­ nals through which summary data can some problems initially but now, they tem will be under $2,000 per month on be accessed at any time. claim, with some modifications of their a five to seven year lease purchase plan. When they first started developing own, the operating system is working ISA currently is installing its first turn­ the system they were going to use Sys­ fine. In addition to the 16/65, with a key furniture system in a store in Tuc­ tem/3s but they soon gave that up as 960 nanosecond cycle time and from 32 son. They hope to have this running too expensive and turned to Mesal2s to 48K words of storage, a basic system smoothly by the end of September. Le­ produced by Martin Wolf Inc. of San uses Wangco drives with 10 megabytes vitz says he will not sell a system to any­ Diego. of storage, a Tally 200 Ipm printer and one who has not seen it running and Levitz is proud of the Levitz system, ADDS crt's. General Automation puts the talked to a user. particularly with the economies of using systems together for ISA and provides From furniture they've moved into "a few minutes of crunching time" on enclosures. GA also provides servicing. other turnkey systems. Levitz' big con­ a service bureau 370/158. He's disap­ cern is that a potential user-someone pointed that the furniture chain is going Fortran used familiar with the vertical industry to be to bring this function in-house. They've The furniture system is programmed served as he is with furniture retail­ ordered two System/3 Model ISs which in commercial FORTRAN and is done in ing-be closely involved with system de­ Levitz feels "will balloon their costs and what Moch calls a "menu structure." sign. Having been approached by an won't do the job." When a user gets on he is shown a electrical distri butors association, In selecting hardware for the turnkey "menu" on the crt of the different sub­ they're working with the association's furniture system, they decided a good ject areas for which there are programs. help on a system for that industry. They operating system which would support He selects one and is shown another feel this will lead naturally into a system virtual, real-time operation with concur­ "menu" of the kinds of things he can for electronic distributors. rent foreground and background, was do within that area. He picks one and ISA also offers a basic bookkeeping the key. "We'd been spoiled," said gets another menu and on and on until package that IBC developed. One pur­ Moch, "having done most of our work he gets the specific function he wants. chase of this package led to a vertical with a large 370 system." They were It's a big system with 330 separate turnkey system for the farm feed in­ looking now at minis. They found that programs, 173,000 different machine dustry. A feed company was buying the no hardware manufacturer could sup­ instructions, more than 50 different bookkeeping package and Moch, in ply the kind of operating system that screen forms, and more than 50 dif­ working with the firm, found it could they wanted but General Automation ferent reports available. It accomplishes be expanded to cover things like how to mix feed to get the proper nutrients at the lowest cost. They also have a municipal informa­ tion system for small cities. This came from the outside. George Tamas, the system designer, heard about ISA and came to them for marketing help. Levitz has backed his faith in the ideas behind ISA with financial commit­ ment. He says he's invested half a mil­ lion dollars in development of the furni­ ture system and he's committed to GA for 100 SPEC 16/65s over a one year period. The firm has three demon­ stration systems up and running at its Harbor City, Calif., headquarters and "a number" of potential associates al­ ready lined up. Maybe "the name Levitz will become as big in data processing as it is in furniture. -Edith Myers

AUGUST 25·30, 1975 Technology INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF COMPUTERS, AUTOMATION EQUIPMENT AND COMPUTER PERIPHERALS-PALACE OF THE REPUBLIC, BUCHAREST, ROMANIA This Exhibition organised by the W.O.G.S.C., in conjunction with the Romanian Chamber of New L.A. Firm offers Commerce, the first of its kind in Eastern Europe, will display equipment of an advanced nature. Companies from the U.S.A. and Europe, some of them the largest in the world, are taking 6250 bpi Drives part in the Exhibition which is under the High Patronage of H.E. the President of the Socialist A fledgling Los Angeles company has Republic of Romania, Mr. Nicolae Ceausescu. become the second independent periph­ ENQUIRES TO The Exhibition Organiser eral manufacturer to offer 6250 bpi tape Dr. J. Rose, c/o College ofTechnology, Feilden Street, Blackburn BB2 1LH, drives. Lancashire, England (0254 64321) Actually the drives are the first prod­ or to uct of Gulliver Technology Corp. And Professor C. Bilciu, Department of Economic Cybernetics, University of Bucharest, Calea Dorobanti 17·19, Bucharest, Romania. the company stresses that it "is not in Admission tickets (free) available from Dr. Rose or the Exhibitors. business to compete head-on with IBM." It plans to market to the "other" com- CIRCLE 88 ON READER CARD 72 DRTRMRTION 3 .0 SRMPLE SRLES PERFORMRNCE PLOT 27.9 BLRNK BRR = DOMESTIC SRLES SHADED BRR = INTERNRTIONRL SRLES .9 25.7 DR SHED LI NE = RDVERTISING EXPENSE ~ Q: l.L 25 24.4 cr 0 23.7 .8 ..J (j) 23.0 ..J z 0 21.9 22.1 0 :2 21.2 1.J... ..J .7 0 ..J (j) l::- Z (j) .6 :2 17.2 ..J w - --$ ..J 16.8 --~-- ..J cr 16.0 (j) i: .5 ..J w cr (j) z z w :2 0... I- $-- --~-- --~ I .4 x cr I W Z \ ;' Q: $-- --~-- --4 C) w 1 Z I- .3 ~ (j) I- 0 \ Q: Z , , w cr , .2 > 0 ::; 5 ~-- --~-- --4 cr I- (j) w .1 l:: 0 0 0 .0 JRN FEB MAR APR MRY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC MONTHLY DRTA FOR 1973 One plot is worth thirty pages of printoat.

There is no shortage of data. The smallest minicomput­ FORTRAN software make plotting as easy as plug­ er can swamp you with a stream of alphanumerics. But ging in. Simple subroutines allow programming of words and numbers aren't information. Not when they virtually any graphic representation with a few words are buried in pages of printout. of instruction. Why not use an electrostatic line printer that So if you use your computer to organize informa-:­ draws? Plotting translates pounds of data into a picture. tion, improve productivity, or aid decision-making, And that data compaction does more than cut paper consider the line printer that draws-The Versatec cost. It helps you interpret printer/plotter. information. Isolate com- plex variables. Spot ----VERSATEC trends. Reveal subtle .". Making information visible. changes. Pictorialized in­ formation is powerful Versatec 2805 Bowers Avenue proof, too. Charts, Santa Clara, CA 95051 diagrams, maps, and (408) 988-2800 other graphics are Send me your 16-page brochure. My special interest: persuasive. o Line printing Adding print/plot o Plotting capability is practical. o Plotting software Printing up to 1000 lines o Permanent copy from CRT display per minute, the Versatec My.computer model: ______- printer/plotter costs less than an impact printer of Name ______comparable speed. Maintenance cost is about Telephone ______- one-third that of impacts. Company ______~ ______And.it's far quieter. . You get a complete Address ______output package. Versatec computer-matChed con­ City __-..,- __-'State ___--'- __ Zip ___~ trollers and Versaplot™ ™Versaplot is a Versatec Trademark

CIRCLE 78· ON READER CARD The situation became evident early news in perspective this summer in interviews with users, professional societies and user groups that were asked to address these ques­ puter manufacturers. Its prices, says quently in the early days of developing tions: Would the computer-using com­ president Dan O'Neill, formerly chief their business plan. They selected the munity be willing and ready to respond engineer, computer tape products, for name Gulliver, initially, on a temporary to the specifications of a Consent De­ Ampex Corp., will not only be under basis but, by the time they were ready cree this year? Would it be ready with expert, researched opinion within the 60 those of IBM but will be from 10-20% to incorporate, early this year, they'd de­ below those of the only other indepen­ cided they liked it. "It's different and days that the courts allow for comment? dent now offering 6250 bpi drives, we're different," said O'Neill. They had The answer is that very few individu­ Storage Technology Corp. to add the technology corporation part als would be prepared, if willing, and O'Neill said a big reason for the low to avoid conflict with the restaurant. none of the societies and user groups yet cost of the Gulliver drives is the fact Gulliver plans to market primarily to have the mechanism in place to inform they're sticking to the speed range be­ oem's and it's starting life with two their membership, let alone gather opin­ tween 45 and 125 ips which means they healthy oem orders, one for $1 million ion to funnel to the courts. In fact, no user-oriented organization could be can m~ke their drives smaller. Their col­ and one for $200,000, both from con­ umns are only 12 inches long, about half troller manufacturers who will sell the found that has even held a panel session that of the columns in IBM and STC 6250 drives with their controllers. "This'll or workshop on the issue. bpi' drives. The entire units measure 19" give us some end user penetration right One was contemplated, but then by 24W'. O'Neill believes Gulliver has away," says O'Neill. -E.M. dropped, at the National Computer 20 areas of design in its drives that can Conference last May in Anaheim. ?e patented and patent applications are George Glaser, then president of the Ill. sponsoring American Federation of In­ In spite of the fact that its drives are formation Processing Societies (AFIPS), smaller in size than those of the only Antitrust said the possibilities in the IBM case competition to date (Lilliputian?), Gul­ were so varied that the proposed "what liver Technology Corp. did not take its Users Unprepared and happens if' session would have had to name from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver al­ Unwilling to Comment select only a few scenarios. AFIPS, he though O'Neill thinks they might want said, would have appeared to be taking to make a connection in future promo­ Most of the computer-using community a position and its nonprofit status jeop­ tion. The name came instead from a res­ would be a mute bystander should the ardized. taurant in Marina del Rey, Calif., where Justice Dept.'s antitrust trial against IBM the principals of the company met fre- end this year with a Consent Decree. Issue was dodged The large IBM user organization, SHARE, also skirted the issue in its task force study on future requirements in computing, called SILT. It considered a variety of technical, economic and polit­ The high cost ical factors, but not the IBM legal issue. Tom Steel of Equitable Life Assurance Society, a member of the SHARE task of a head crash. force, openly states the issue was dodged. On that task force, he explains, Head to disk crashes cost crashes. They reduce ex':' was an IBM employee restrained from money-in damaged heads cessive run times caused discussing the case and several data pro­ and damaged disks. In lost by alternate track seeks. cessing managers from large companies information and lost com­ They're automatic, there's that would never have allowed their puter time. Worse yet, a no manual handling that can participation if the issue were part of damaged disk can go unde­ damage the disk. And no the study. Appearing to take a pOSition tected and can damage improper cleaning to spread was the problem. other drives which in turn debris over a wider area. Corporatio~ lawyers traditionally can damage other disks. Kybe cleaners-approved prohibit their employees from comment You can protect your data, by disk pack and drive man­ in legal issues. But an added silericer in equipment and time invest­ ufacturers. For complete this case has been a controversial IBM­ ment with Kybe disk pack details contact: inspired "gag order" by the trial judge cleaners. They remove David N. Edelstein. (July, p. 70). Gener­ debris that can cause head ally, only the parties in the case are af­ 1~1:lliXJ~,~ fected by it, but several users feared to 132 Calvary Street. Waltham, Mass. 02154 talk to a reporter because they were on Tel. (617) 899-0012; Telex 94-0179 the witness list. (Equitable's Mr. Steel Sales Offices Boston-(617) 899-0012 takes a more rational interpretation of Chicago-(312) 658-7391 IBM Houston-(713~524-3111 the ruling: as an witness on stan­ Los Angeles- 213) 980-8365 NewYork-(21 ) 594-9273 dards, he will not comment on IBM'S be­ Wash. DC-(703) 527-2292 havior in the standards arena. He says IBM'S behavior "has nothing to do with" the question of what will happen to the user.) But even if there were no silencers, most users simply do not have the time to deal with a set of speculations. "This thing will drag on so long, it's beyond

CIRCLE 91 ON READER CARD 74 DRTRMRTION If you sell a data processing service, do what Reynolds and Reynolds did. One of the largest on-line information services And their customers for accounting and inventory companies considers three factors most important in services got what they wanted -an easy-to-use rating terminal suppliers: hardware reliability,' service system that delivers what they want when they want it. support and reasonable economics. We assure operability of all our terminals through Reynolds and Reynolds is the leading data pro­ centralized diagnostic and local maintenance cessing service for automobile dealers. They chose us services, and Reynolds and Reynolds people like because, quite frankly, we offer more than machines. that. The wayTermicare@ provides over-the-phone Since 1972, our sales, service and engineering diagnostic help also appeals to this nationwide team has worked closely with Reynolds and Reynolds leader iO providing accounting and inventory executives and systems planners to provide the services for auto dealers. One toll-free call gets proper match between equipment and application, immediate response from Termicare and aSSistance hardware and software and people and systems. from the closest of our 400 service locations. Nearly 450 of our EDT 300s and 33s are part of Reynolds and Reynolds describes its VIM" Reynolds and Reynolds' new system called VI Mil. terminal system as the best in the business. And that The specific terminal configurations in VIM II were has a lot to do with why they deal with us. put together for particular applications. Call me today. Z.v. Zakarian, 800-631-7050 Reynolds and Reynolds wanted -and (New Jersey 201-529-1170). got -configurations that matched Or write to 70 McKee Drive, job requirements with no wasted cost. Mahwah, New Jersey 07430.

A business like ours is "We offer Reynolds not about to do business & Reynolds a lot more with anyone but the best:' than just machines:' Robert H. Meyer, Z.v. Zakarian, President President Reynolds & Western Union Reynolds. Data Services Company

• • • ... data serVices CDmpan~ w~5t~rn union

August, 1975 CIRCLE 31 ON READER CARD 75 thing about examining the issue because of its nonprofit status. It has opened a news in perspective Washington, D.C. office (see p. 80) and Glaser said in a June interview that the office may be used to inform the mem­ my economic life," says Dr. Martin So­ companies. bership on any Consent Deciee or judg­ lomon of the Univ. of Kentucky. Users Still to be addressed, though, is the ment and to funnel the opinions of indi­ have their day-to-day operations to question of who will speak with force viduals to the courts-but only as long worry about, the profit and loss state­ for the user if IBM is dissected or if the as these opinions are not construed as ment and the budget. Data base stan­ customer is faced with new circum­ those of AFIPS. dards loom large in Solomon's opinion. stances that are costly and technically The Data Processing Management "There's more thought on that issue disruptive. AFIPS is unlikely to do any- than on what the government is going to do," Solomon says. Steel says that Equitable Life has looked into the implications. "It would I be irresponsible if we did not." But use~i~t:L~~~; t~Sr~~~, W~y~~n~~va~o:,eso~:~Pp:r~rm_ listed what they would like and not ance, etc.-through an alteratIOn of there are "so many possibilities and we like to see happen in the wake of the IBM, no matter what form. . don't have the resources to examine current antitrust case against IBM. -Overseas, some users thmk they them all," he adds. "Once it becomes - To a manager, the user would would benefit from a separation of necessary, we'll put together a task force like IBM to give him more advance IBM orId Tr~de Corp. from the do- to evaluate our responses. We hope V! information on products, software mestlc IBM. FIrst, the U.S. govern- we'll have sufficient understanding to and standards-either via law or ment restrictions would not apply as do the job." through laissez faire. In the latter they do n?w, so th.ey could ~et mor.e case big users think they could con- advance mformatIOn, speCIally taI- Question too big? trol 'IBM better with less government lored products (rather than the "one The user is gagged, or he doesn't have control. world" product line), and pricing time, or the question is just too big. Or - None would like regulation of and support policies more d~~er- he feels "the world won't be so drama­ any part of IBM. Many think any reg- mined by the needs and competItIOn tically different after the case that it will ulation or breakup would naturally of each country. These users want make much difference to the way users result in higher prices, and expensive more control over what IBM do~s, operate." Users and user groups have haggling with regulatory commis- and want to see separat~ financ~al survived transition through the revolu­ sions. reporting so they can tell If IBM pnc- tionary '50s and '60s, through the 360 - None believe their technical ing is netting too much profit. # model announcements, unbundling, the problems would be solved-reliabil- demise of mainframes and peripheral

r------~------1 : Up your productivity. l l with ADABAS : I the Adaptable DAta BAse System I ADABAS has all the functions and features I needed in a generalized data base management I system and provides . . . I FLEXIBI LITY I EFFICIENCY LEARN MORE ABOUT I EASE OF USE I I ADABAS is the lowest total cost ANSWER to I your organization's need for data base technology iiif.o I NewYorkCity ,.,~ I September8-11 ~ I I ~Pott:!yJilrclf.! I fclQ I (703) 620-9577 I I "Buy your hardware from the biggest and your software from the best." I L . ------____ J '~--~--~----~------CIRCLE 94 ON READER CARD 76 ORTRMRTION Association (DPMA), so long held as a the international board by regional vice the group "preferred not to comment" weak sister by other societies, sounds presidents. The association also plans to on the question of whether such a study considerably more daring. It feels it establish contact in Washington. "We was an appropriate issue for a user must playa role in helping and repre­ will set up vehicles for communication group. senting its membership in this issue. this year. We have the kind of people Some other user groups seem willing "We need to be concerned," says presi­ who want to do it, too." to bring up the issue to their member­ dent Ralph Leatherman. "Internally ship. The Univac Users Assn., busy with IBM is organizing already to do whatev­ Another look its own problems, such as a proposed er it needs to do without skipping a beat. As for the user groups, SHARE presi­ merger with the Univac (RCA) group, is We must keep the membership alert. As dent Shirley Pratch says that while she willing to take up the question. So is users, we have experience in knowing is personally interested, SHARE is not the Honeywell Users Group, according what it takes to run an installation. currently doing such a study. However, to president William White. They say Knowing what IBM does for us, we can the executive board of the group recent­ they are aware that whatever happens relate 'what happens if.' We missed a ly went off on a three-day retreat to dis­ to IBM will affect their own vendors. bet with unbundling. Keeping the user cuss SHARE'S goals and plans, and the One thing that was found in the sur­ informed is the kind of thing that will fate of IBM was to be a major underlying vey: most would be willing to meet with make him say, 'DPMA is managing my theme of the meeting. users, vendors, lawyers, economists and interests.' We must create the climate Other SHARE members feel that the other concerned individuals to discuss that DPMA is essential for the managers' user group "should be embarrassed" by the subject and find out the many ef­ professional advancement." its lack of attention to the issue and in­ fects that changing IBM would have. Outgoing DPMA president Ed Palmer, dicated that they would bring it up at And if they can't do that, they would speaking generally, said, "We must get the next general meeting in New York be willing to spend their own time ready to be able to provide DPMA posi­ this month. Still others were dubious studying the results of such a meeting. tions on important issues. We must stra­ that SHARE would consider it, being to­ Historically, the consumer in antitrust tegize on how to present opinions. If we tally disenchanted with the user group issues has been the last to know, to don't, somebody else is going to do it as not even fulfilling its "bit-diddling" speak out, to respond in a judgment, for for us." function. And still others felt that SHARE all the reasons noted above. The com­ JUst as AFIPS, the DPMA doesn't want would be relatively unaffected by most puter consumer is not unique. Evident­ to become a lobbying organization, but things that could be done to IBM, except ly, however, there is a cadre of the con­ it doesn't want to be mute either. splitting it into multiple IBMS of equal cerned that would do something "if we Both Leatherman and Palmer noted balance. ("Which one would we deal knew where to start on the issue." A that the association is getting well or­ with?") pan-industry meeting is a suggestion. ganized to communicate up and down Similarly, the major IBM user group, -A.P. its ranks, having more than 270 chapters GUIDE, is not conducting any study. divided into regions and represented to President Al Burris told a reporter that

The worldwide fortnight for Data Processing, Communication and Office Organization in Paris Sicob.September 18 th to 26 th CN IT - Paris La Defense 26th International Exhibition of Data Processing, Communication and Office Organization Sicob is an international meeting. It presents the most up-to-date equipment for management, fully demonstrated on the exhibitors' stands. In 1974, 83 000 square meters, 25 countries represented by 1673 companies, 267237 visitors coming from 99 countries. Data Processing Convention. September15 th to 19 th Palais des Congres - Porfe Maillot The convention of software. A dialog between users and suppliers for data processing optimization. In 1974, 2000 delegates, 130 conferences and panel discussions, simultaneous translation. _ For information, apply: French Trade Shows. French Chamber of Commerce in The-United States Inc. 1350 Avenue of the Americas. New York N.Y. 10019. Tel.: 1212) 582-4960. Telex: 237757 Fren Ur.

CIRCLE 93 ON READER CARD August, 1975 77 • In

Don't think big. When you're working with a computer printout just remember the Xerox 7700 reduction duplicator, and you'll make it small fast. The Xerox 7700 reduction duplicator with its Computer Forms Feeder automatically feeds, copies, reduces and collates unburst 11 x 14Vs computer printout into neat8Yz x 11 sets. At a copy a second. On ordinary paper. Which means you only need a single ply original to generate copies. Saving you expensive multiply forms, and multiple passes on the computer. The 7700 also takes care of all your day-to-day copying work. Like making size-for-size copies. Or reducing any oversize document up to 14 x 18 down to a normal size 8Yz x 11. Of course, when you fmally do make it small just remember, it was Xerox who gave you your first big break. XEROX

XEROX® and 7700 are trademarks of XEROX CORPORATION. CIRCLE 4 ON READER CARD

News in Perspective or 97 cents a share from $33,930,000 or mentation of EFTS action is of interim 87 cents. value, there is an urgent need to avoid implementation of EFTS action such as BENCHMARKS . . ~ Reorganization at Honeywell: Honey­ to warrant interference with the pro­ well Inc. has reorganized its computer ceedings of the EFTS Commission or Second Quarter Earnings: IBM, NCR marketing operations. The company with potential recommendations of that and Honeywell were down while Bur­ will operate via a national accounts commission. Accordingly, ADAPSO urges roughs and Control Data were up in operation, a Western operation, and an all those involved to limit action to rea­ earnings for the second quarter of 1975. Eastern operation. A central marketing sonable testing and experimentation, IBM'S slip of 2.9% to $468.8 million or operation organization to provide sup­ and report their data, views and recom­ $3.14 a share from $482.6 million or port services will be set up effective mendations to the EFTS Commission." $3.28 a share a year earlier, was not as Sept. 1. Before the reorganization Hon­ The paper noted that the EFTS Commis­ great as most security analysts had ex­ eywell computer marketing had been sion is still not appointed. pected. The 1974 second quarter was the via Eastern, Western, Southern, and highest in the computer giant's history. Central operations. NCR'S slip also was slight-to $18,472,000 or 76 cents a share from $19,867,000 or A Blessing for EFTS? There are t:i,JSe 84 cents. Honeywell's decline was sharp­ About Face for ADAPSO: The Associ­ who say that IBM entering a marker has er, a 48% drop to $10.6 million or 55 ation of Data Processing Service Orga­ the effect of blessing that market. If this cents a share from $20.4 million or nizations (ADAPSO) which· had opposed is true then those politicians who would $1.07. Burroughs and Control Data both experimentation in and implemen­ like to slow down the development of were up 13.3% and 10% respectively in tation of electronic funds transfer sys­ electronic funds transfer systems (EFTS) their second quarter earnings. Control tems (EFTS) has reversed itself in part. might as well give up. IBM is in that mar­ Data, rebounding from a 28% decline The association still supports a ban on ket now with both feet with introduction in the first period, earned $11.7 million implementation of EFTS but now, it says, of two new terminals, the 3606 and the or 69 cents a share in the latest quarter, it will support the concept of EFTS test­ 3608 that can be used in retail stores to up from $10.7 million or 64 cents a year ing. In a new position paper ADAPSO validate credit cards and personal ago. Burroughs was up to $38,438,000 said, "While testing and experi- checks and can be linked to a bank to transfer funds from a customer's savings or checking account into a merchant's account. AFIPS Opens Washington Office: The American Federation of Informa­ tion Processing Societies, Inc. (AFIPS) launched a "Washington Activities Pro­ A Breach of International Scientific gram" with opening in late June of a Standards?: In spite of objections of Washington, D.C., office in Suite 420, the Special Interest Group on Artificial 2100 L St., N. w., Washington D.C. Intelligence (SIGART) of the Association 20037. Director of the new office is Phi­ for Computing Machinery (ACM) (Dec. lip S. Nyborg, a graduate of the Univ. '74, p. 17) the International Joint Con­ of Michigan where he received his Juris ference on Artificial Intelligence is still Doctor Degree and a former director of scheduled to be held next month in Tb­ the university's Law School Computer lisi, USSR. But there will be some things facility. At an official inauguration of missing. Jack Minker, chairman of the the new office AFIPS past president department of Computer Science, Univ. George Glaser (see accompanying pho- of Maryland, one of the first to raise objections to the Soviet site on grounds selection of the city was "unsatisfactory and ill considered" won't be there. And a panel session he proposed to the pro­ gram chairman of the IJCAI won't be quite as he'd envisioned it. Minker pro­ posed a panel on "Cybernetics vs. Ar­ tificial Intelligence-Pros and Cons" and suggested as panelists himself, Dr. Alexander Lerner, a noted Soviet cyber­ neticist, Dr. John McCarthy and Dr. Bertram Raphael. The program com­ mittee agreed to hold the panel but Minker was not accepted as a panelist by Soviet members of the committee. Now, it seems, Dr. Lerner won't be on it either. A New York Times story on June 8 noted "Alexander Lerner, a 63 year old mathematician, was called in by the KGB last Monday and informed that he would be barred from accepting tographs) expressed his views on infor­ Sciences and Technology, National an invitation to join American scientists mation processing as a national re­ Bureau of Standards; Dr. Brockway at an international meeting in the Soviet source. Waiting their turn to do the McMillan, vice president of military Republic of Georgia this fall. Mr. same were (left to right) Sen. John C. systems, Bell Laboratories; and Profes­ Lerner told Western reporters that he Culver of Iowa; Dr. Ruth M. Davis, sor Allen Newell of Carnegie-Mellon had also "been advised to withdraw his director of the Institute for Computer Univ. application to emigrate." # 80 DRTRMRTION

LOOKAH:AD·

(Continued from page 18) wide acceptance is Grumman Data Systems which recently began selling interfaces to hook l403s onto systems of eight other computer markets. With 12 installed, it thinks it soon will be installing them at a rate of 10 a month. Its first Burroughs product--the G l403!B--is to be installed next month in . the Washington D.C. area and a G l403/U-9000 for the Univac 9000 series and some of. the 1100 line is about to be announced. Most of the dozen installed. have been on minicomputers and some large Xerox and CDC systems. The controliers to interface the 1403s with these systems are developed by a tiny Santa Monica com­ pany, Spur Products, which last December sold the manufacturihg and marketing rights to Grumman. Spur's Ray Lorenz, a former engineer with Dataproducts, says the interfaces were developed "with full cooperation" frommost6f the main­ framers. The exception was Burroughs which repeatedly refused to turn over technical details, despite the insistence of large users wanting to replace the B9240buffereddrum printer line with the IBM 1403 (July '74, p. 18). Lorenz built the interface with information from "a user with technical knowledge. U

SDLC FOR NON-IBM SYSTEMS While development of an international standard for. link control protocol moves ahead and development of a national standard seems stalled, (see p. 65) a new Sunnyvale, Calif.~ company is concentrating on teaching.users and vendors how to manufacture and use the current "de facto" standard? IBM's Synchronous Dat:aLink Control (SDLC) in non-IBM systems interfacing with IBM equipment and protocol.; The firm, Telecom Computer Technology, is headed by Saroj K. Kar who has held project management positions with.Maiconi Inc., Singer Business Machines and Memorex and has been a member of the Data Communications Standards Subcommittee X 3534 of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Kar has planned a series of fall se~nars on designing and planning systems for SDLC and IBM's Systems Network Architecture (April, p. 51). First will be held Sept. 8 in Palo Alto, Calif., with others to follow in major cities throughout the country.

BUT DOES IT CHECK THE BOUQUET? The Electronic Wine .Captain is billed by its developers as the forerunner of "the computer in the kitchen. if Sheila Hoffman & Associates, which has had the "captain" under development for.. three years, is testing two units in the Los Angeles area, one in the liquor department of a Von's supermarket and the other in a Vendome liquor store. Designed for use by customers, the "captains" con­ sist of Sanders crt's atop Photophysics printers with tape drives for memories. A customer planning on entertaining at dinner chooses first from among meat, fish and poultry and pushes an appropriate button. If meat is the choice, 12 types of meat main courses are displayed on the crt and another choice is made. From there .the customer pushes buttons for the number of people to be fed, de­ sired price .per person and desired price range for the wine (there are four). Another button brings it all together, A menu appears on the crt, complete with vegetables and other accessories and four suggested wines appropriate to the main course, by label, in the desired price range. This stays on the screen for a couple of minut'es, then theprinberprints out a. shopping list showil1.g the shopper exactly what to buy such as how many cans of peas and. pounds ... of meat.

RUMORS & RAW RANDOM DATA IBM and Comsat are.. committed to take in additional partners in their CMI.. Satel­ lite Corp.) and while there had been ,no inkling ()fth~partners ' identity, at this writing, the names of American Express and'Southern Pacific Communications Co. were among those making the rounds •• oKey-to-disc maker General Computer Systems'of Dallas next spring will begin shipping large communications oriented 1:"emote data processing'systemssimilar in concept to IBM's 3790. First customer test installations for'the 16K (expendable to 256Kbytes) memory systems, code­ named "Harold" will be in MarCh ••• Another key-to-discmaker, Computer Machinery, . Los" Angeles, wil announce a new system this month, the 1800, which will extend the systems architecture of itl; 16 and 18 systems to medium and low range users. BaSic price will be $950/month plus $70 perkey station. ANOTHER PAGE FROM TALLY'S RELIABILITY STORY

Consistent print quality line after line. The Tally technique minimizes mov­ Steadfast reliability. A 200 line ing parts. The one-piece Tally print per minute printer you can drive as comb prints one horizontal dot row hard as you want without fear of at a time. The paper advance as­ failure. A line printer that assures sembly progres'sively steps the you consistent, unwavering print paper vertically one dot row to quality and line registration. complete the matrix character. It's Reliability made possible by simple. It's reliable. the unique Tally comb matrix Join Tally's growing list of print technology. A technique that customers. Write for our brochure. eliminates wear and tear while de­ Tally Corporation, 8301 S. 180th livering "locked-in" precise print St., Kent, Washington 98031. registration. You get straight lines all Phone (206) 251-5643. the time. You get clean and consistent print quality all the time. And with no preventative maintenance except for routine cleaning. TALLY® for the long run

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U4.0Ii no tHo)­ UIt.OIl­ Ii? 00- U.M­ In.to- 500.00:' 3Udlll,- n;oo "'.([0n.IlO .".IHI lU.i!\l ••• 00 .,'1'.110 hardware Off-line IBM Key-to-disc System designed for centralized data entry, but Welcome back to at least 1970. IBM is can also be used in decentralized appli­ With data communications recognized now saying what its competitors said cations----:-one or a few units located in as the fastest growing segment of fully five years ago about the ad­ the data processing industry, various user departments as far as Burroughs Corp. has just unveiled vantages of key-to-disc techniques: 2,000 feet from the controller. a new control procedure called "[They] can significantly improve The 3760 can fill in the full name of Burroughs Data Link Control, BDLC. productivity in entering large volumes a state on a record in response to a two­ BDLC is very similar to IBM's SDLC, of data into a computer system by digit code entered on the keyboard. In or Synchronous Data Link Control, helping operators achieve new levels of addition, customer or account num­ which is not too surprising, as a keying speed and accuracy." The at­ bers and product or item numbers can general consensus has it that bit tractive looking 3760 is a two-position stream techniques are better than be checked automatically for ac­ block transmission procedures for key entry station that includes the key­ curacy. Other automatic functions in­ the communications task. The re­ boards and shares a gas panel for dis­ clude entering the date on a record, sult of participating with ANSI,. playing entered data and control infor­ performing arithmetic operations and ECMA (European Computer Manufac­ mation to both sides. Two or three of checking data to determine whether it turers Association), and the Inter­ the 37 60s can be linked to form a data is within specified numerical ranges. national Standards Organization, entry pool of four or six operator posi­ is a modular structure that can be After each record is finished, data is modified, if necessary, to conform tions, and one 3791 controller (intro­ duced with the 3790 communications transferred to the 3791 's disc and to any standard eventually adopted. stored for later batch transmission to Burroughs will support older co~ system in February 1974, p. 104) can munication techniques for the fore­ support up to twelve 3760s, or 24 op­ the computer. Error records discovered seeable future to allow its users erator positions. The 3760 is basically by a. mainframe application program to make a planned transition to the more efficient technique.

An upcoming issue of Datamation will feature a comprehensive sur­ vey of hardcopy terminals. If your firm manufactures one or more of any speed, or is planning to introduce one during this year, please write for a product ques­ tionnaire so that it can be includ­ ed. Datamation Magazine, l80l~. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles,' Calif. 90035.

Japan's Hitachi,has been spending time in San Francisoo this summer prodLlct demonstrating its OCR-59 optical character recognition system to in­ spotlight terested oem's. The machine has sold so well in Japan the past two years (150 installed, orders for Time-sharing System tridge or disc pack units with capacities 200 more) that the firm thought it Imagine 32 users having access to their of 6, 12, or 60 megabytes, plus a fixed­ would test U.S. reception. Prin­ own 128K byte virtual memory com­ head disc can be attached to the con­ cipal specs: off-line to 1,600 bpi puter system and having high-level lan­ troller. Even ri10re disc capacity can be tape or paper tape; 50 handprinted guages such as FORTRAN, BASIC, avail­ added, usually without having to pur­ cps or 100 machine printed cps; able to them for less than $5,200 per chase additional controllers. postcard to letter size input; up to 29 lines/sheet readable. station. That is the challenge being of­ Virtual memory disc operating soft­ fered by Prime Computer with its ware includes some new wrinkles to Prime 300 time-sharing system. The improve the efficiency of the large sys­ Versatec, one of the big powers in hardware consists of 512K byte of MOS tem. There's an automatic log-out fea­ electrostatic printing, has devel­ memory, floating-point hardware arith­ ture that prevents inaotive connected oped a unit capable of plotting metic, 32-line asynchronous multi-line terminals from retaining system re­ images up to 72" wide--reportedly the widest ever built--to enter an controller, line printer and 60 megabyte sources beyond a predetermined time as yet undisclosed new market. disc pack. It's time-sharing, but not in limit. A read/ write lock system for file Follow on models with widths of 44", the usual time slicing sense: the 300 security controls user acoess to all files. 11 36 , and 24" are expected after the boasts true virtual memory manage­ A main memory scan feature automat­ biggie, due around September. ment features, with all users having ac­ ically tests main memory and can iden­ cess to the memory, peripherals and tify and bypass any faulty locations. At The next generation of commercial cpu. roughly half the price of Hewlett-Pack­ aircraft is expected to be heavily The universal disc controlle'r is as ard's 3000 system, the 300 looks like digital in its electronics systems, much responsible for the 300's perfor­ an able competitor. PRIME COMPUTER, and McDonnell Douglas is already mance as the 600 nsec processor, it INC., Framingham, Mass. using Varian minicomputer systems seems. combination of four car- FOR DATA CIRCLE 224 ON R'EADER CARD to simulate digital aircraft systems.

84 :DATAMATION Progress Report: 370/135 USERS: HERE ARE SIX UNIQUE REASONS WHY OUR NEW 370/STOR 135 IS THE BEST MEMORY YOUCANBUTe THE ONLY "SINGLE POWERFUL ERROR MAIN MEMORY SOURCE" INDEPENDENT CORRECTION CIRCUITS RECONFIGURATION Cambridge is the only inde­ Cambridge is the only inde­ Cambridge is the only sup­ pendent supplier of 135 pendent supplier to build plier of 135 memory that memory that designs, builds, error correction logic into enables a user to add or services and enhances the its 135 add-on memory. All delete sectors of main mem­ products we sell. From our single-bit errors are auto­ ory withjust a simple switch own static "n" channel matically detected and cor­ setting. Any 64K-byte sec­ semiconductpr chips to fin­ rected; the error locations torof370/STOR 135 can be ished systems and field are recorded for later failure­ dialed out while the balance maintenance, Cambridge anticipation analysis. All of memory keeps running­ is solely responsible for your multi-bit errors are detected. a feature that maximizes 370/ STOR's performance. This is accomplished com­ your system availability. pletely apart from IBM circuitry - assuring simple problem identification. INNOVATIVE RAPID UP TO TWICE MAINTENANCE PANEL INTERCONNECTION THE CAPACITY Cambridge is the only sup­ Cambridge's unique inter­ Cambridge is the only sup­ plier of370 /135 memory face design minimizes the plier that has designed its that provides a user-oper­ time and effort of installa­ 370/ STOR 135 memory for ated maintenance panel for tion. 370/ STOR 135 expansion beyond its cur­ fast and simple fault isola­ requires less than halfthe rent limitof512K bytes. tion and diagnosis, and the number of interconnect Right now, you can get ability to remove either cables and cards used by either standard IBM-size IBM-resident or 370 / STOR other suppliers. You ,can modules, or custom modules, 135 memory completely from easily install Cambridge in any configuration up to operation withjust a turn of memory in less than a single 512K. In the future, you will a dial. This provides both shift, with a minimum be able to expand up to one backup oflBM memory and disruption ofproduction megabyte. That means your off-line exercise of370 / STOR operations. investment in 370/135 memory. hardware is protected for years.

These unique features make our new 370/ STOR 135 the most transparent stand-alone memory ever offered by an independent supplier. It's easy to buy. Easy to install. Easy to upgrade. Super reliable. And very economical (about 40 percent below IBM prices).

CAMBRIDGE. A good place to put your information . • l:1li Cambridge Memories, Inc., 12 Crosby Drive, Bedford, Mass. 01730 (617) 271-6400 Contact our sales offices for further information: Boston 16171 271-6400 • Westport, Conn. 12031227-7027 • Philadelphia (215) 295-1186· Cleveland 12161842-2808· Columbus, 0.16141459-0154· Atlanta 14041 252-1382· Hollyw(xx:!, Fla. (305) 925-3348 • San Francisco 14151692-4806 • New York City 12011871-0110 • Rochester 17161637-2410· Chicago (312) 449-5260· Detroit 13131557-4080· Washington, D.C. 17031683-5323 • Dallas 12141231-4804 • Houston 17131661-0381 • Los Angeles 121:31595-1845 • Charlotte, N.C. 17041568-1787 • St. Louis, Mo. 13141822-221 '2. Minneapolis 16121831-1311 Subsidiary: Cambridge Memories GmbH, 6078 Neu Isenburg, Wl'st Germany 06102-36092'; Cambridge Memories At;, CH 8002 Zurich, Switzerland 00411-2538'24.

August, 1975 CIRCLE 32 ON READER CARD 85 When a computer goes down, it can put a lot of people out of work.

Anyone who has a computer will operating systems. So you can tell you it breaks down now and then. concentrate on your application. The problem is, when the computer And on some of our single stops working, so do all the people who processor systems we even offer depend on it. options like Automatic Error Checking So if you have to keep your and Correction. It keeps the computer operations going no matter what going by automatically detecting and happens to the computer, we suggest correcting all single bit memory errors. you buy a Data General system with Data General computers are less two computers in it. Then, if one goes likely to break down because they have down, the. other one can keep you fewer interconnections than most gOIng. computers. But if one of our computers Data General has everything you ever does go down, you can call in need to make a multiprocessor system your local Data General service go: dual ported Discs, Interprocessor representative. All the major functions Bus, Multiprocessor Communications of our computers are on separate Adapter, I/O Bus Switch, Power/Fail modules so it's easy for him to locate Auto Restart. And they're all part of the problems, and easy to correct them. original design. Not stuck on as an So if you don't want to be let down afterthought. by your computer, put in a call to Unlike some comp4ters, a multi­ Data General. processor system from Data General is That way, you won't suddenly find fully supported by all our standard yourself out of work. DataGeneral Data General, Route 9, Southboro, Mass. 01 772 (61 7) 485 -91 00. Data General (Canada) Ltd., Ontario, Data General Europe,15Rue Le Sueur. Paris 75116, France. Data General Australia. Melbourne (03) 82-1361 /Sydney (02) 908-1366. CIRCLE 25 ON READER CARD interfaces for most of Data General's Nova and Eclipse lines, the Digital hardware Computer Controls 116, DEC'S PDP-8, -11 and -12, and Interdata's 70, 74, 80, can be returned to 3791 for checking 7/1'6,7/32,8/32,80 and 85. Capaci­ and correction by an operator. ties go up to 40 megabits. The 101 16 The 3791 can hook directly to a series is designed with a patented, fail­ byte multiplexor channel on 370 safe head lifting mechanism said to models 135-168 for operation under eliminate head contact and crashes. vsl, vs2, or Dos/vs. For longer dis­ Multiple parallel channel capability is tance hook-ups, the 3791 must talk available as an option. A small, 16.8 over an SDLC line. Software known as msec access time unit is approximately the Batch Transfer Program serves as $2K in orders of 50 to oem's; a single an interface between the cpu and the unit 4.2 msec device is $6,500. A Nova key-to-disc system, and moves the flow interface runs $3K; a PDP-II is $5,100. ALPHA DATA INC., Chatsworth, Calif. FOR DATA CIRCLE 228 ON READER CARD

Typewriter to Terminal . The Sperry Remington SR 101 electnc typewriter can now be converted into an economical 110 device with the at­ tachment of this manufacturer's base­ plate. After conversion, any key depressed on the typewriter is simul­ taneously converted into data for transmission to computers, terminals, or other typewriters. The baseplate is of data from the 3791 to disc or tape available either as an oem standalone storage, a printer, of the computer's product or included as part of a com­ operator console. Data transfer is sup- plete terminal system for use with ported under VTAM. . . . minis, programmable calculators, or A typical installatIOn mIght Include crt/word-processing systems. In rea­ nine 3760s and the 3791 controller and sonable oem quantities, the Tycom rents for $3,063, or $2,608 on the baseplate is priced at $575. TYCOM extended term plan. Purchase price is SYSTEM CORP., Fairfield, N.J. $108,880. Deliveries are scheduled for FOR DATA CIRCLE 226 ON READER CARD Meet Trendata's beautiful the fourth quarter. IBM CORP., White new Model 4000 Data Plains, N.Y. Communications Terminal FOR DATA CIRCLE 229 ON READER CARD Graphics Termin~1 " You're sure to fall in love with the Sophisticated graphICS applIcatIOns for 4000's elegant blend of optimum New Add-on Memory Vendor use in advanced engineering design ap­ throughput and whisper-quiet The name Intel certainly isn't a new production. You'll appreciate the one-the company ranks among the plications and complex manufactur~ng operations, primarily in the automotIve economy of a terminal so easy to most advanced in the world in many and aerospace industries requires lots use that costly special training is no memory development and manufa~tu~­ of number crunching support, and longer needed. And your operators ing processes, but the fact that It. IS that's the reason CDC'S latest remote will relish its human-engineered entering the direct end user marketIng graphics terminal, the 777-2 will only comfort. aspect should be good news to many hook to the firm's 6000 and Cyber 70 IBM 370/135, 145, and 158 users. The • Electronic, Selectric-style keyboard computer series. Principal advantages in-7135 allows 3701135 users to ex­ with tactile response generates full over predecessor products include ASCII character set. pand memory sizes in increments up to faster instruction capabilities, more a full megabyte. All IBM performance • 30 cps printer with snap-on type rapid memory access time, and greater features and performance are retained. fonts gives superb print quality. capacity-up to 64K 16-bit words. Leasing is available under two, three, • Wide range of options includes The terminal can be expanded up to four and five-year terms. A typical in- tape storage, plotting, unattended three consoles sharing the memory, 713.5 192K system rents for something operation, switchable baud rate, and a 300 cpm card reader and syn­ under $3KI month on a two-year con­ selectable pitch, red ribbon shift, chronous communication interface tract, including maintenance. INTEL and built-in modems. can also be added. A 24K version of MEMORY SYSTEMS DIV., Sunnyvale, this configuration is priced at $132K, Call or write for details. Calif. or $3,0501 month on a three-year lease, FOR DATA CIRCLE 225 ON READER CARD not including software. The software requires an initial fee of $800 and ~(l~u=od@~@ High-speed Discs '" monthly royalty of $400. Somehow, An Applied Magnetics Company The minicomputer commumty IS beIng the pricing seems high, but the equip­ 610 Palomar, PO. Box 5060, offered a range of fixed-head disc ment is probably as good as there is. Sunnyvale, CA 94086 memories with a range of access times If you had something a little lei~ (408) 732-1790 to suit most any application, 16.8 msec cheaper in mind, CDC also introduced to 4.2 msec. The manufacturer has software to support graphics activity CIRCLE 85 ON READER CARD August, 1975 87 Other printers are availtable in speed Originally built for 'the Navy for ranges from 240-1,250 lpm. Features weather map applications, .the 200 is hardware obtainable with the models include no.t an interactive system although a character set memory, ,code conver­ graphic tablet and keybOoard for input on the CDC 241 graphics subsystem, sion, changeable fonts, self-test, parity are supported. Instead the system is or Tektronix 4010/4014 series tenni­ check and hammer verification. Prices expected to be used as a receiver Oof nals priced at $260 (initial fee) plus start at $12,750 and run to $55K for graphic information, and for adding $ 130/month. CONTROL DATA CORP., the T-7460. TELEFILE COMPUTER annotations to graphics. Minneapolis, Minn. PRODUCTS, INC., Irvine, Calif. The 200 has two tubes, one for FOR DATA CIRCLE 227 ON READER CARD FOR DATA CIRCLE 233 ON READER CARD graphics and another for :text or menu picking, a 10MB disc, 16K words (of 16-bits) of s'emiconduotor memory, 4 Datapoint Memory Oem Card Reader megabits of refresh memory, and the A one-board SK memory module is The keyword in describing ,the Model unusual capability of producing images offered for use with the Datapoint line 300 card reader is "simplicity." Capa­ Oof intelligent terminals. It allOows a user in "layers." Prices start at $S2K. ble of reading pencil marked or GENISCO COMPUTERS, Irvine, Calif. to expand the 1100 model up to SK, punched cards at 400 cpm (the num­ FOR DATA CIRCLE 235 ON READER CARD and can also be added to the 2200. The bers are co.rrect---'the firm just didn',t hook-up is said to be very direct, with match up speeds and mOodel numbers) no ohanges to wiring or adapters. The the unit has one rotating drum which price fo.r the unit ,is $1,SOO in 1-9 does all the work of picking cards, quantities. PINE ASSOCIATES, Ruther­ transportingtbem past the fibre-optic PDP-11 Reader/Punch fo.rd, N.J. A combination card reader/punch is read head, and stacking them. now available to PDP-11 users using the FOR DATA CIRCLE 232 ON READER CARD A cOompact unit, the device is a foot RSTS/E monitor. Several models are high and weighs 50 lbs. It's priced at available for either SO-column Oor 96- $1,9S0 (roughly $40/lb). TRUE DATA Line Printer cOolumn cards, but the minimum reader The T-7460 is basically a Data Prod­ CORP., Santa Ana, Calif. speed is 200 cpm and the typical punch uots Charaband printer and illIterf,ace FOR DATA CIRCLE 234 ON READER CARD speed is 60 cpm. A 14-foot cable" is set up for operation with XerOoX Sigma standard, but the unit can be located as mainframes. The print quality is said Special-purpose Graphics far as 50 feet from the PDP-11. Com­ tOo be as good as the venerable IBM By 'compressing data by a factor of plete with interface, software drivers, 1403, ,and there is a choice of 14 vari­ 70: 1, the o'cT-200 graphics cOommuni­ and diagnostic software, the price is ous speed models up tOo the top of the cations terminal reportedly can sup­ $10,500. MNTL LOGIC LABS, Hampton, line which is rated at 1500 lpm for a 4S port reasonable data transmissions Conn. * character Ascn subset on 132-001 Hnes. using even teletypewriter speed lines. FOR DATA CIRCLE 231 ON READER CARD

EXECUTIVES/P ROFESSIONALS PORTABLE KEY·PU LOANS BY MAIL UP TO $15,000. Borrow in privacy from Dial Financial Corporation. Founded 1897. Listed New York Stock Ex­ change. Use the money for any purpose, and choose the repayment plan that best fits your needs. For full details, call us collect at (714) 556-081 O. Orwrite P.J. Pattee SPEEDS SOURCE DATA ENTRY at the add ress below. Instead of using hand written source data which ~h Dial Financial must go to keypunching Corporation before entry, you can vD punch source data at any location using the Wright Dial Financial Corporation I Punch. These cards then .------.,Executive/Professional Loan Division I go directly to data entry. Dept. 6304 I 2007 S. Main. P.O. Box 2321 I Send today for complete details. I Santa Ana, Calif. 92707 I NEW printing model for simultaneous sight verification. Plus manual and electric I Name I models for Hollerith punching plastic I.D., badge, and credit cards. Special units con­ I Address sidered. Rental programs available in US and Canada. City . State Zip Dealer and OEM inquiries invited. ! 160 GOLD STAR BOULEVARD. WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS 01606 L A DIVISION OF BARRY WRIGHT CORPORATION CIRCLE 98 ON READER CARD CIRCLE 86 ON READER CARD ~ 88 ------DATAMATION Our data system thinks obsolete is a dirty v#ord.

80n1e cOlnpanies make B40 intelligence module. with CalComp. a living from obsolescence. And attaching is a lot Our system is less They beg you to try their new cheaper than replacing. expensive to buy, and less equipment, knowing they'll Werll cut your phone bill. expensive to use. have something new to replace Our peripherals connect Call or write your local it with before the year is out. . directly to the intelligence CalComp office, or contact The CalComp module through coaxial cables California Computer Products, Vi rtua I Term i na I System. up to 7500 feet away, withno Inc., DA-M-8-75 West La Palma Here is a data phone equipment. Avenue, Anaheim, California communications system that If you do require phone 92801. does not know the meaning of lines, our full duplex line (714) 821-2011. the word "replacement:' control can double the capacity You get one terminal of the line and cut costs by system for virtually all your allowing simultaneous data communications jobs. transmission and reception. When you add to it, you get If you're thinking of only the added capability. installing a high-performance Card readers, video display, data system, or if your line printers and disk drives current one is too expensive all attach to our unique to operate, get in touch

CIRCLE 13 ON READER CARD

software &services Updates Medical Management lative aged receivables reporting, mi­ The Professional Office Management crofilm patient history, and practice The CODASYL Programming Language System (POMS) is the latest version of analysis reports by doctor. POMS sup­ Committee, responsible for the this vendor's Medical Administrative continued'development of COBOL ports IBM 100 1 Touch-Tone or com­ language specifications, has ap­ Management System, principally pro­ patible 10-key touch tone input, proved the first specs for a data viding new features for the American keypunch input, and Entrext key-to­ base facility in COBOL. The group Medical Assn. insurance form and disc, Sycor, Datapoint, and Texas In­ has added new verbs and other fa­ touch tone input. The ANSI COBOL pro­ strument remote terminal communica­ cilities to give the COBOL progr~ gram is set up for IBM DOS systems and tion. POMS is priced at $19,600. mer access to separately defined is furnished with complete JCL, test OCCIDENTAL COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC., data bases. The ANSI committee data, documentation, and user's guide. for COBOL standardization is ex­ North Hollywood, Calif. pected to begin work immediately POMS establishes the control param­ FOR DATA CIRCLE 217 ON READER CARD to evaluate how the data base eters for each doctor, clinic, or profes­ facility should be included in the sional office serviced and allows the Text Editing next version of ANSI COBOL. The service organization to process clients Editor is the name of this interactive, new facility is described in the with varying and individual require­ crt-based on-line text editing system form of page changes to the exist­ ments in one pass. Complete patient available for Digital Equipment ing CODASYL COBOL specs and can be billing and accounts receivable process­ Corp.'s PDP-II and Data General's ordered from The Technical Services ing is provided. The file structures are Nova and Eclipse minicomputer lines. Branch, Dept. of Supply and Ser­ vices, 88 Metcalfe St., 5th Floor, designed t.o accommodate coding Special function keys move the cursor Ottawa, Ontario, Canada KlA OS5. structures for procedure and diagnostic up, down, left, or right on the screen, Orders should specify "CODASYL codes. Blue Shield has already installed allowing the operator to edit any part COBOL JOD Page Changes for May, the package at several operations, it's of the file that can be seen. Editing 1975," and include payment of $7.50. claimed. Additional processing capabil­ functions include type in, character in­ ities include pending insurance claim sert and delete, line insert and delete, reporting, patient ledger cards, cumu- and text replication. The program has In fiscal 1974, the federal govern­ ment spent in excess of $21 billion for civil engineering and computer The Table Producing related activities, including $9.5 Language System Flow Diagram billion for technical functions, and $260 million for software, says Civil Engineering Program Applications president J. Crozier software Brown. His firm conducted a re­ search project under a grant from spotlight the National Science Foundation which led directly to a recommen­ dation that "substantial savings Table Producing Language could be realized annually if a Table Producing Language was devel- national center were established oped by the U.S. Dept. of Labor's Bu­ to coordinate development, disse~ ination, and use of software." reau of Labor Statistics to reduce the data item to be retrieved and its re­ time between collecting new survey trieval are separate and independent data and processing the results in sta­ from compilation and table prepara­ Boeing Computer Services, Inc., tistical tables. The language is obvious­ tion. At the heart of the system is a Dover, N.J., has announced the ly of use to the business and academic routine called Translator, which ac­ formation of BCS-Manufacturing communities, and in the short time the cepts user written TPL statements citing Services "to better meet the c~ package has been available, users as far the variables needed and descriptions puting requirements of the nation's away as Australia and Geneva, Swit­ of how they are to appear in the tables small and medium sized manufactur­ zerland have obtained TPL for the desired. The user request is compared ers. " The first offering of BCS- nominal charge of $200 to cover dis­ MS is the Manufacturing Data Sys­ with the relevant data in the code book tem developed by A.O. Smith Corp., tribution costs. file. Information about record type, Milwaukee. The package offers If for no other reason, the package field, length, location of variable values small to medium sized manufacturing would seem a good acquisition if only to be sought in the data file, and names companies modules for bill of ma­ to standardize terms and usage-for for printing in the table heading, col­ terials, routing, order entry, fore­ the bureau found there was little or no umns, and stub is extracted by the casting, cost, WIP status, and in­ agreement among staff, economists, translator and coverted to table specifi­ ventory management. statisticians, demographers, and other cations. social scientists on such basic terms as A medium to large scale IBM variable, data element, data item, and 360/370 mainframe is required, and Latest application mentioned for field. TPL would seem to be a must for Goodyear Aerospace Corp.'s super­ TPL requires approximately 150K fast STARAN computer: analysis any organization that could conceiv­ bytes of memory. The language is fur­ and forecasting of wheat yields. ably exchange table data with the nished in object code only on magnetic Oil companies are also said to be government. tape. u.s. DEPT. OF LABOR, BUREAU OF evaluating the computer's potential The key to the system is the way LABOR STATISTICS, Washington, D.C. for speeding up data processing for data is processed. Identification of the FOR DATA CIRCLE 216 ON READER CARD oil exploration.

92 DRTRMRTICN ASI-ST CAN YOU AFFORD TO USE IT? YOU CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO!

Maximizing computer throughput and increasing programmer productivity are prime goals of every installation these days. The ASI-ST Data Management and Reporting System is the only product that achieves both.

[] Maximize Computer Throughput? AS I-ST execution efficiency is 2 to 10 times greater than conventional language programs. This means that more productive work is accomplished in less time.

[] Increase Programmer Productivity? ASI-ST reduces problem solution effort an average of 10: 1 over COBOL and PL/1. This increased productivity is equivalent to adding capability without increasing the budget. Moreover, ASI-ST usage need not be restricted to professional programmers.

[] Return On Investment? One ASI-ST customer recovered the cost of the product in three months-on a single applicationl Another saves over $5,000 ~very month by using ASI-ST instead of COBOL.

ASI-ST offers complete data base interfaces to IMS & TOTAL under OS, DOS and VS. It is no wonder that ASI-ST is the dominant user language in data base installations.

The Conversational version of ASI-ST is the only on-line query language supported in multiple communications environments (TSO, IMS DC and CICS) .

. ASI-ST is the only product that maximizes the productivity of both man and machine_ This means real dollar savings to you. Can you afford, not to have ASI-ST?

To learn more, call or write today: Applications Software, Incorporated Corporate Office 21515 Hawthorne Boulevard Torrance, California 90503 (213) 542-4381 jlCl Other offices in Boston, Chicago, Tokyo ~ 1=r=:.1[1 South America-Contact SCI in Rio de Janeiro Rll.~_. --- THE Software Manufacturer Telephone 221-9781

" I~

August, 1975 CIRCLE 77 ON READER CARD 93 Announcing the new clustered data entry and with shared files

Intelligent data entry. Concurrent report generation. The 440 control unit coordinates intelligent data entry and Remote Job Entry at concurrent processing. up to 9600 bps.

CORPORATE OFFICES: Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104(313) 971-0900. DISTRICT SALES OFFICES: Atlanta (404) 455-3070 • Boston (617) 890-7290 • Chicago (312) 297-5200 • Cleveland (216) 741-4840 • Columbus (614) 888-8657 • Dallas (214) 521-6710 • Denver (303) 458-0794 • Detroit (313) 355-5770· Greensboro, N.C. (919) 274-2964· Hartford (203) 529-1100· Houston (713) 785-2953 • Indianapolis (317) 788-1577 • Kansas City, Md. (816) 842-7799 • Los Angeles (213) 640-0120 • Miami (305) 592-1533 • Milwaukee (414) 257-3780 • Minneapolis (612) 854-2309 • Newark (201) 773-7400· New York (212) 371-9050· Philadelphia (609) 665-1170· Pittsburgh (412) 922-3350 • Portland, Ore. (503) 227-5672 • San Francisco (415) 349-6626 • St. Louis (314) 878-0900 • Washington (703) 527-0200. CANADA: Sycor International Ltd.; Ontario and Quebec.

94 DRTRMRTION Sycor 440 system: concurrent processing s677 a month.

1he svcor 440: shared files to support data entry Communications. Communi­ the newest addItiOn to functions. For reduced keystrokes cate with the mainframe, our family of compatible and lower error rates. emulating IBM 2770, 2780 or intelligent tem1inals Inquiry I-Resp-onse. File look-up 3780 protocols. Or use the 440 Our new distributed processing is made simple with up-to-date as a polling station at your cen­ system lets you perform data information on-site, using the tral computer site to receive and entry and inquiry jresponse 440's own file management and transmit data to remote 340's, concurrent with background disk storage capabilities. 350's, and 440's. processing. So you don't need System modularity. concurrent processing. multiple systems to do multiple Design your own system with And best of all, while data jobs. At $677 a month for four a variety of options and entry is being performed in the keyboards, communications, peripherals. foreground, you can be doing cassette, and a five mb disk Supp-orts from 1 to 8 disp-Iay:s. other jobs concurrently in the on a three year lease, with Each is controlled by the Sycor background. Jobs that can save maintenance, you can do all these processor and is capable of per­ you time and money. Jobs like: functions-plus many you never forming multiple tasks inde­ Remote job entry. Use the thought possible, at an extremely pendent of other displays. 440 with its card reader and low price. 300 LPM printer for large-scale Intelligent data entry. remote job entry. And since the You can save time and money system contains a CRT and a by catching operator errors as keyboard, you don't pay extra they happen, prior to trans­ for them. mission to the central computer Multi-terminal printer supp-ort. site. And reduced errors mean Each display can interleave print greater operator productivity, data to one printer as the data lower communication costs and is being entered. So, you don't reduced main-frame processing. need a separate printer for each Field editing. As soon as you display. Report generation. Sycor pre­ get the system, you can imple­ CARD ment our basic data entry COMMUNICATIONS READER packaged programs let you pro­ TO SYCOR 340'5/350'5 duce all sorts of management package. Without any fancy OR HOST COMPUTER programming. reports-sales analysis, inven­ TAL II. To extend the 440's Choice of 5 and 10mb disks. tory, or billing-at the same power, use our new data entry Store and retrieve programs, time as you are performing data language, TAL II. This easy-to­ shared files, and data at remote entry_ use, high-level language lets you locations. File maintenance. And the customize data entry programs. Wide variety: of peripherals. Sycor 440 allows you to do Instructions are also provided And to complete our system editing, sorting, up-dating, and for arithmetic operations, con­ configuration, choose from matrix file transfer in a background ditional data entry, range check­ and line printers, computer­ operation. ing, table look-up, equalj compatible tape drives, card 1he lowest priced distributed compare and a host of other readers, and a variety of com­ processing system. intelligent features. munications options. When you consider all the Shared file access. Compatibility advantages of our 440 system, The 440 system lets you share There's full software com­ and then consider its low monthly and access files locally, reducing patibility with our Model 340 and cost, we think you'll agree: it's investments in telephone com­ 350 stand-alone terminals. Key­ the best system in the industry. munications and central CPU board and operations are also For more information on the resources. compatible. new Sycor 440, or any of our other Data entry: made easy. Now Programming. One program intelligent terminals, contact each operator, at her own display, fits three different systems- your Sycor representative, or can make use of current data in 340, 350 and 440. write our corporate offices. syeOR ... providing a full range of intellig~nt terminals.

August, 1975 CIRCLE 60 ON READER CARD 9S front-end commo network processor, OMSI-RT, provides the ability for any and VIP 7700 display terminals or any RSTS/E user to enter RT-ll and gain software tty-compatible terminals. The system is access to much of DEC'S software, in­ designed to operate from an integrated cluding ANSI FORTRAN IV and MACRO- & services data base consisting of customer, ven­ 11, DEC'S macro assembler. OMSI-RT dor, product and other company files, converts the I/O requests to be handled been designed with "scratch pad" fea­ providing order processing, inventory by RSTS and protects other users from tures, meaning that the system remem­ control, accounts receivable, accounts errors that occur in the RT-ll job. The bers the last text deleted from the file, payable, sales analysis and other re­ advantages of using OMSI-RT include so that unintentional deletions can be lated functions. The system is sophisti­ faster. execution times, the ability to recovered. cated enough to handle multilevel dis­ run 28K RT-ll jobs, and the retention Editor runs under the Data General count policies, promotional offerings, of all of BASIC-Plus' features. If there ROOS or DEC Rsx-ll operating systems, customer returns and credits, mer­ are any limitations to using the pack­ and will support most crt terminals, chandise returns to suppliers, automat­ age, they center around the fact that including the DGC display, and the DEC ic back orders and purchases, cash dis­ RT-ll real-time and foreground/back­ . vTo5 and vT50. The one-time charge count payments, customer credit rat­ ground are not available, the necessity for Editor is $500, with update service ings, etc. It even is bilingual, to strictly run stock RT-ll I/O routines, available for an additional charge. sys­ permitting product data to be entered and that discs are the only file struc­ TEMS TECHNOLOGY, INC., New Haven, and printed out or displayed in either tured devices accessible under RT-ll. Conn. French or English or both. Other lan­ The package is priced at $2,350. FOR DATA CIRCLE 219 ON READER. CARD guages can even be substituted by users OREGON MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND IN­ within the format of the bilingual ca­ DUSTRY, Portland, Ore. Order Processing pacity. A one-time license for the sys­ FOR DATA CIRCLE 221 ON READER CARD An on-line order processing system de- tem is $19K, or $920/ month for 24 veloped jointly by Honeywell and Les months. HONEYWELL INFORMATION Data Base Services Pharmacies Universelles Limitee of SYSTEMS, Waltham, Mass. Two more large data bases have been Montreal is now being offered to FOR DATA CIRCLE 218 ON READER CARD added to Lockheed Missiles & Space wholesale drug distributors and other Company, Inc.'s DIALOG computerized large manufacturers and distributors. Mini Languages information retrieval service: BIOSIS The large program requires at least a If you're one of the hundreds of Digi­ PREVIEWS covering the entire field of Honeywell Series 60 Level 66 or Series tal Equipment's RSTS/E time-sharing life sciences, and Economic Informa­ 6000 mainframe with at least half a operating systems on the PDP-II and tion System (EIs) made available by megabyte of memory, disc capacity have wanted to program in something Predicasts, Inc., of Cleveland, Ohio. sufficient to handle the user's data other than BASIC-Plus, you may be in BIOSIS PREVIEWS contains citations base, printer, card reader, tape drive, a luck. This vendor's product, called from Biological Abstracts and Biore- IDMS ••• we can't hold the price of data base management down this low much longer! Have you received and mailed your letter of intent••• to guarantee price protection?

If you didn't get yours ... and you're serious about data base management ..• call or write immediately. Because at about the same time as our August 31 price rise we'll also announce major new capabilities for IOMS. Like all previous enhancements, they will be upward compatible - to keep our users current with data base technology. If our competitors want to freeze their product and mass-merchandise flve-year-old systems, that's their business. Our evolutionary process will continue. Why not phone now ... while you're thinking of it?

CIRCLE 97 ON READER CARD 96 DATRMRTION Now Hewlett-Packard makes selecting your next terminal an open and shut case.

Plug-in character sets. --______I nspect its featu res. The 2640A can store four 128 character sets con­ At $2640* you won't currently: optional math, line drawing, and upper/ find another terminal lower case Roman. that comes close. I nside or out. Smart memory (with 4K RAM's). HP's 2640A. Store as many as 50 short The terminal that lines with the standard memory, or over 3 pages grows with with the maximum your system. It's from 8K memory. Hewlett-Packard. Pop-in, pop-out modularity. - ______Come and get them. Want to add features? Plug them in. Need a repair? Pop out the old. Plug in the new.

Computer-born ------­ technology controls the show. Microprocessor controls memory, data communication, keyboard, and display.

A display that people like. Precise. Crisp, with 9 x 15 dot character cell. All sorts of options, such as inverse video, underlining, half bright, blinking.

Why wait on us? Self-test. Press the TEST key and the 2640A gives you a go/no-go indication.

Characters or blocks. ---____....;: You choose. Transmit by field, line, or page at a time. Text can be composed locally allowing user verification before trans­ mission. Character or line insert and delete, protected fields, and off-screen storage cut editing and CPU connect time. Plus, eight keys for user-defined function. UP terminals. They work for a living.

HEWLETT~PACKARD

Sales and service from 172 offices in 65 countries. *Domestic USA price in quantities of six. 1501 Page Mill Road, Palo All0, California 94304 22523

August, 1975 CIRCLE 58 ON READER CARD 97 ress and re-direct search activity as lishments, including the corporate rela­ necessary. tionships linking parent companies to software FOR DATA CIRCLE 222 ON READER CARD branch locations. It is possible to search or rearrange by major SIC The EIS data base includes current (Standard Industrial Classification) & services information on 116,000 establishments code categories and also by geographic search Index, providing access to jour­ operated by 67,000 firms with current location. nal articles, books, technical reports annual sales of more than $500,000 Users can gain access to DIALOG by and conference proceedings related to which account for roughly 90% of various means. Users with in-house the life sciences, from aerospace biolo­ total U.S. industrial activity. The data computer operations can use their own gy through zoology. Approximately available includes names, addresses, crt terminals and pay a connect time 850,000 items representing references and telephone numbers, as well as in­ charge and a file usage charge. Most from 1972 to the present, with some formation on the industry, employ­ types of terminals are supported, and 20,000 new records added each month. ment, and sales volume. Perhaps the line speeds are 10, 15, 30, and 120 cps. The information comes from the best way to think of EIS is as a national Lockheed will furnish terminals for computerized industrial telephone di­ BioSciences Information Service of $85-150/month, depending on brand rectory organized by geographic loca­ Biological Abstracts, Philadelphia, Pa. selected. High-speed (480 cps) crt! References are displayed on a crt tion, industry, and size. Unlike census printer service is available for $400- publications EIS, based on public rec­ and/ or printed on a hardcopy termi­ 500/ month. The service can also be nal, allowing users to view search prog- ords, identifies all large firms and estab- accessed through the Tymshare net­ work. There is no initiation fee or min­ imum monthly charge for DIALOG. LOCKHEED MISSILES & SPACE COMPANY, INC., Sunnyvale, Calif. FOR DATA CIRCLE 223 ON READER CARD

Manufacturing Support programs for the manufactur- ing industry are undoubtedly the first of a long list of relatively vertical mar­ kets that IBM will address with its Sys­ tem/32. The nine new programs are called Manufacturing Management Accounting System (MMAS) and con­ tain the following operation and finan­ cial functions: project definition and costing, production status and costing, inventory management, order entry and invoicing, payroll, accounts re­ ceivable, accounts payable, sales analy­ sis, and general ledger. The applica­ tions can be installed on a stand alone or interrelated basis. When accounts payable and general ledger are being Real-time software systems design with the used, information common to both top technical team of one of the nation's need only be entered into the system largest equipment and systems innovators. once, and information generated by one application can be used to auto­

Major responsibilities exist in one of several departments Involved in both matically update the file of another. large and small scale military software projects developing a new advanced Eight of the applications can be in­ state-of-the-art real-time software design systems. Our client is looking for individuals with outstanding technical credentials in the field of complex real­ stalled in separate stages at different time software systems, preferably command and control,- weapons, radar and communications. A background in some of these areas will be considered: times, with the only exception being Data Base Management; Radar & Communications; System Programming; Radar, Weapons, Missile Simulation; Operating System Software Development; sales analysis which depends on infor­ Real-Time Software Systems Design; Software Project Management; Weapon System Software Development; New Business Acquisition; Micro Programming mation from order entry and invoic­ Systems; Real-Time Executive System Design; Computer Systems Architec­ ing, accounts receivable and/ or inven­ ture; Engagement Control Software; Command & Decision Software Definition; Structured Programming; Interactive Data Reduction Systems; ConfigUration tory management. The monthly license Control; Chief Programmer (structured programming essential.); and Software Documentation (preferably Navy with WS-8506, SEC-NAV-INST 3560-1). fee for the programs ranges from $18- We offer enormous opportunity for individual effort, more than competitive 27 and the initial charge ranges from salaries and benefits, long-term project stability, and extraordinary advance­ ment potential. Please write in complete confidence to: $405 to $615. Other enhancements made to the System/32 include a data file utility LRK ASSOCIATES. 6845 Elm Street. McLean. Virginia 22101 program that enables users to random­ U.S. CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED ly inquire into the system's data file and produce reports or selectively re­ trieve stored records as needed, and a group of programs that expand the LR< system's ability to talk and exchange ASSOCIATES data with 370s, including use of re­ Representing an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F mote batch work stations. IBM CORP., GENERAL SYSTEMS DIV., Atlanta, Ga. :1f: FOR DATA CIRCLE 220 ON READER CARD CIRCLE 113 ON READER CARD DRTRMRTION Mixed vendor systems and networks need more tlian on-caD service. We're more. We're maintenance managers.

Preventive maintenance ... communications · .. and with peripherals from IBM, Telex, network maintenance ... engineering Ampex, Potter, CalComp, and more. support, as well as on-call service are all If you have a mixed vendor system or within the range of Raytheon Service network, we'd like to show you how Company capabilities. We're servicing Raytheon Service Company can handle customers with all these requirements and service more efficiently and economically more -:- with a complete RSC systems than your present setup. We'll show you maintenance management package. what we've done already for several air­ We have the capability because all RSC lines, government agencies and major service people, in all RSC service facilities industrial firms. Why not ask? Call Mike have a minimum of three years experience. Salter, Director, Commercial Marketing, at Broad-based hardware and communica­ Raytheon Service Company, 12 Second tions backgrounds. Solid experience with Avenue, Burlington, Massachusetts 01803, 360, 370, Honeywell and other mainframes (617) 272-9300. mAYTHEO~

CIRCLE 71 ON READER CARD

City). THE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, Rockville, Md. 1975 Computer source data FOR COPY CIRCLE 215 ON READER CARD

is devoted to a summary of FORTRAN Home Study FORTRAN Salary Survey- and COBOL. Each chapter ends with a Fundamentals of FORTRAN Pro­ quiz for seU -testing. gramming is a home study course offering student computer input and Yours Free! Economics of Informatics output. Programs written by students A. B. Frielink, ed. will be submitted to the school's com­ North-Holland Publ. Co. (American puter, run, and the. results returned. Digest of -<3- Elsevier Pub!. Co.) 52 Vanderbilt ~~Opportunltles Ave., New York, N.Y. 10017 (1975) Instructions with 18 individually 500 pp. $38.50 graded lessons is included. UNIV. OF This volume contains the proceedings WISCONSIN-EXTENSION, 432 No. Lake The next stop of the International Symposium of the St., Madison, Wisconsin 53706. Intergovernmental Bureau for Infor­ matics, IBI-ICC, held in Mainz in Sep­ tember 1974. The editor notes that the symposium emphasized methodology, that of assessing the value of computer use and of promoting the rational ap­ plication of computers. Topics include the price of privacy, data processing L __ .... ___. ___ .__ .. _ ... ____ .. _ ... ___ . __--::::::J center cost analysis, economics of small computers, training policy prob­ Terminal Supplies Catalog lems, international cooperation, and A terminal users' supply guide cover­ performance measurement. ing a wide variety of terminal supply products is available. The products in­ clude tty paper, ribbon, stock con­ Do you know how much money your colleagues Introduction to Computer Science tinuous forms, custom forms, paper make for doing the work you do? Do you know by Harry Katzan, Jr. tape, tape handling equipment, mag­ which computing skills are most lucrative? Do Petrocelli Books, 1975 netic cards, flexible discs, cassettes, etc. you know how to get a better position? 500 pp. $14.95 REMOTE COMPUTING SUPPLIES, Down­ Source Edp does. And we'll share whatwe know This comprehensive text covers con­ ers Grove, Ill. with you. Our ninth annual salary survey and ventional topics such as an introduc­ FOR COPY CIRCLE 207 ON READER CARD career planning guide, "The Next Step," tion to computing, algorithmic pro­ compiles salary data received from over 15,000 cesses, computer hardware, data struc­ computer professionals. We add to that advice tures, and numerical analysis, but also Computer Secrets developed over our thirteen years of computer Two brochures, "Great Computer recruiting experience: danger signals that mean includes an introduction to automata you should start looking for a new position, theory, computer systems architecture, Secrets--Gcs 2100 Data Entry Sys­ mistakes to avoid, strategy in career planning. and an introduction to computer soft­ tem" and "Great Computer Secrets in You'll also receive the "Digest of Computer ware. The book seems well organized, Banking" set forth this vendor's "mul­ Opportunities," our periodic supplement listing contains a substantial number of ex­ tifunction, multimedia" key-to-disc positions available right now in every part of the amples and illustrations, and lists addi­ data entry system. The first brochure country. tional suggested readings. • • Source Edp is the largest nationwide recruiting • • firm devoted exclusively to computer • • professionals. We offer "The Next Step" as a • • service to people like you. Fill out the reader • • • • reply card and we'll send you one absolutely • • free. Or write: • • c:==I~I______.:::J • • Source Edp • • • Corporate Headquarters Catalog of Seminars • 100 South Wacker Drive • • IAT'S seminars on data base technology, • • Chicago,llIinois'60606 data communications, software tech­ • • 312/782-0857 • • nology, systems management, mini­ • • computer technology, computer audit­ • ~ • ing, and security and privacy are held presents information on hardware­ source <=::edP in various cities around the country. A data ,terminals, processors, disc storage 52-page catalog describes more than -and software, and describes system REGIONAL OFFICES: 70 specific courses in these areas in ATLANTA 404/634-5127 features, supervisor functions, operator CHICAGO 3121782-0857 detail, and several are available on an functions, installation, and mainte­ CLEVELAN D 2161771-2070 in-plant basis. DALLAS 214/638-4080 nance. The second brochure, directly DETROIT 313/352-6520 Some specific courses and dates are: aimed at banking, presents a case for HOUSTON 713/626-8705 Structured Programming (Sept. 10-12, IRVINE, CA 714/833-1730 the product in ,this specific area. GENER­ KANSAS CITY 816/474-3393 Washington, D.C.; Oct. 22-24, San LOS ANGELES 213/386-5500 AL COMPUTER/ SYSTEMS, INC., Addi­ MINNEAPOLIS 612/544-3600 Francisco; Nov. 19-21, New York son, Texas. NEW YORK 212/682-1160 City); Minicomputers in Distributed NEW ORLEANS 504/523-2576 FOR COpy CIRCLE 230 ON READER CARD NORTHFIELD, iL 312/446-8395 Networks (Sept. 15-16, New York OAK BROOK, IL 312/323-8980 PALO ALTO 415/328-7155 City; Oct. 20-21, Washington, D.C.); PHILADELPHIA 215/665-1717 SAN FRANCISCO 415/434-2410 and Structured Design (Sept. 8-9, Add-on Memories ST. LOUIS 314/862-3800 Washington, D.C.; Oct. 20-21, San Technical bulletins describing this UNION, NJ 201/687-8700 Francisco; Nov. 17-18, New York vendor's 6000 Series add-on memory CIRCLE 108 ON READER CARD 102 DATAMATION August, 1975 CIRCLE 14 ON READER CARD 103 STORa.GB TBCHNOLOGY ANNOUNCES 6250a.T 1600BPI PRICBS

• Increase your tape drive data rate up to four times • Obtain greater data reliability • Decrease you r total tape costs

5111@ STORAGE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

Call your local STC representative, or write: D~p.'lrtment 702 • 2270 South 88th Street • Louisville, CO 80027

104 CIRCLE 64 ON READER CARD CRTRMRTICN Hear ~hat our coanpetition is saying about tlieSEL32 anini?

Can you blame Nothing. them? After all, the SEL 32 gives you more "bang for the buck" than any other minicomputer. And that's not idle gossip.

Remember Data General's claim that other compa­ nies didn't run benchmarks against the Eclipse? We did ... including their famous Whetstone benchmark. The results? The SEL 32 ran significantly faster.

As for Interdata, they compare prices and specs of their 8/32 against the Xerox 550, IBM 370/158, DEC 11/70 and Eclipse. Why was the SEL 32 omitted? Truth is, the SEL 32 has better specs and lower prices than any of them. For example, the SEL 32 has a throughput rate of 26.67-million bytes per second compared to 6-million bytes per second for Interdata's 8/32. As for price, an 8/32 with 128K bytes of memory will cost you $51,900. An SEL 32 with the same memory and floating point will cost you only $43,900.

Since our competition isn't going to tell you anything about the SEL 32, call us or use the coupon. Our lips aren't sealed. Systems Engineering Laboratories, 6901 West Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33313. (305) 587-2900. In Europe, 85 bis, Avenue Albert ler, 92 Rueil-Malmaison, France. Telephone 967-83-17.

CIRCLE 26 ON READER CARD

_-----L...------II------I------I Send more detailed info on the SEL 32. L I

I Name I

_____ State ___ Zip ______Title ______drives for four floppy discs, each hold­ Datadial Transmission Service ing 256,000 characters of information The "only true digital circuit-switched, source data and fully addressable. There are two dial-up transmission service" is de­ internal tape cassettes on the Cassette scribed in an illustrated brochure. The systems give details of each system's 1100. RPG II, BASIC, DATAFORM, DATA­ user, it is claimed, can communicate features, design and technical charac­ BUS, DATAPOLL, and ASSEMBLER are with multiple points,' obtain multi- teristics, performance specifications, languages available with these systems. , and cpu upgrade capabilities. The sys­ DATAPOINT CORP., San Antonio, Texas. tems, using the latest MOS technology, FOR COPY CIRCLE 211 ON READER CARD are compatible with IBM 360/65 and 370/135, 145, 155, and 168. MEMOREX CORP., Santa Clara, Calif. COM Recorder FOR COpy CIRCLE 209 ON READER CARD This company's Model 3700 computer output microfilm recorder is described Computer Accessories Catalog in a technical bulletin. Specifications include data input, character genera­ A 58-page 'catalog describing this faceted usage of his terminals, expand vendor's full line of products is avail­ tion, page dimensions, camera set-up his network quickly, and be billed only able. Media filing and transporting sys­ parameters, and environmental and for the actual time used rather than tems, media work stations, media pro­ physical characteristics. BELL & HOW­ connect time. Specifications, costs, and tection devices, and supplies such as ELL, Chicago, Ill. comparisons to competitors are in­ FOR COPY CIRCLE 212 ON READER CARD tape cartridges and card files are de­ cluded. DATRAN, Dallas, Texas. scribed. A section on how to select the FOR COpy CIRCLE 208 ON READER CARD products should prove useful. WRIGHT CRT Monitor LINE, Worcester, Mass. The high resolution monochrome BH- FOR COPY CIRCLE 210 ON READER CARD 15 crt monitor is described in a bro­ Facsimile System chure. It is designed for applications Specifications, operating instructions, Intelligent Terminals requiring television display of high and applications data describe the A 20-page illustrated brochure de­ density information such as medical or Alden 800 telefacsimiIe system in an scribes' this vendor's Diskette 1100 and industrial tv x-ray, tv microscopy, illustrated brochure. This "conve­ Cassette 1100 intelligent terminal sys­ typesetting, and process control or in­ nience page size" facsimile system is tems, .and their use in dispersed data spection. Features include aperture aimed at the "low cost" market for processing. These integrated systems correction circuitry, switchable line "send only" or "receive only" applica­ combine in a typewriter-sized unit rate, switchable video inputs, and tions. ALDEN ELECTRONIC & IMPULSE capability for data entry and conver­ video inhibit control. BALL BROTHERS RECORDING EQUIPMENT CO., Westboro, sion, data processing, and data com­ RESEARCH CORP., St. Paul, Minn. Ma~. * munication. The Diskette 1100 has FOR COPY CIRCLE 213 ON READER CARD FOR COPY CIRCLE 214 ON READER CARD

Now ... lease yourTeletype* equipment from PROGRAMMERS AND ANALYSTS the data communications experts ... Free Employment Service Serving Northeast, Southeast and Midwest U.S.

• Scientific and commercial applications • Software development and systems programming • Telecommunications • Control systems • Computer engineering • Computer marketing and support

Call or send resume or rough notes of objectives, salary, location IIga~M. restrictions, education and experience (including computers, models, operating systems and languages) to either one of our locations. e Save time, money, trouble with RCA Single Source Reliability. Or check the reader service card for a free sample resume. We will answer all correspondence from U.S. citizens and permanent resi­ • Teletype Models 28, 32, 33 and 35 equipment available for prompt installation. dents and will guarantee our best efforts in a professional and e Low monthly rates include nationwide maintenance service - ethical manner to all qualified applicants that we think· we con based in over 130 cities. help. Our client companies pay all of our fees: e System planning assistance and accessory equipment also available - data sets, telephone couplers, solid state selectors RSVP SERVICES, Dept. M and multiplexing equipment. Suite 700, One Cherry Hill Mall Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08034 eFor use in computer time sharing, dial-up, private line, and (609) 667-4488 ' management information systems. R'SVP SERVICES, Dept. M Suite 300, Dublin Hal! 1777 Walton Road Blue Bell, Penna. 19422 For full details and rates call or write: (215) 629·0595 RCA Service Company

~e~~v~~~~~g!r~i~:sBldg. 204-2 RSVP SERVICES Camden, N.J, 08101 nell Phone: (609) 779-4129 Employment Agency for Computer Professionals -Registered trademark of Teletype Corp.

CIRCLE 80 ON READER CARD CIRCLE 111 ON READER CARD 106 DRTRMRTICN THE TRIPLE THREAT TO HIGH CORE PRICES

PDP-II SPC-16 NOVA ECOM@ Series F-11 offers Unibus TM_ Standard has 16K byte and 32K byte Save up to 40% on off-shelf delivery compatible replacement/expansion memory systems that are completely of expansion or replacement core core capabilities for DEC's PDP-11 pin-compatible with your SPC-16, for your Nova 2/4 and 2/10 main­ family. Performance is identical and regardless of submodel. Add-ons for frames. Memory system is identical savings substantial when compared your SPC-1830 are also available. in form, fit and function to core sup­ with core supplied by the CPU Our prices are lower; our shipment plied by the manufacturer. Capacity manufacturer. immediate! is 16,384 16-bit words, with all orig­ inal CPU parameters met or exceeded . ••••••••••••••••••••• Yes, I'm interested in fighting the high cost of expansion/replacement core. I I Please send me technical data on your compatible systems for: I 0 PDP-11 0 SPC-16 0 SPC-1830 0 Nova 2/4 0 Nova 2/10 I I NAME I I TITLE I I COMPANY I I CITY STATE ZIP I I STANDARDI.,t.1MEMORIES I I INCORPORATED I AN APPLIED MAGNETICS COMPANY I 2801 E. Oakland Park 8Ivd., Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33306 I TWX 510-955-9828 Telephone (305) 566-7611 ~ ...... ~ August, 1975 CIRCLE 34 ON READER CARD 107 Even WebsterJs KnolNs About COMPUTER AIDED BUEST MANUFACTURING ENGINEER

QUEST (kwest). v. 1. To make a search; to go on a quest. McDonnell Aircraft Company, St. Louis, QUEST SYSTEMS, INC. n. 1. A corporation founded in 1968. 2. The Missouri has immediate requirements to largest professional recruitment firm in the U.S. functioning solely in the computer sciences; its client companies pay all employment fees, support Direct Numerical Control Programs, interviewing and relocation expenses. Quest is known for its deep and other automation on the Air Force F-15 personal commitment to relate to each candidate as an individual with Individual goals. 3. Its professional staff averages over 6 years of Eagle Air Superiority Fighter, and the F-18 experience in EDP recruiting (additionally, staff members have direct hands-on experience in pro~rarnming, systems, hardware sales, etc.) Navy Air Combat Fighter. 4. Quest is presently searcning for programmers and analysts (com­ mercial, scientific, systems software) for over 3,500 client companies in the U.S. Quest has openings in over 700 U.S. towns and cities. 5. Requires EE degree and experience in digital Methodology - see Questsystem. electronic circuit design and mini computer QUESTSYSTEM (kwest sis'lem). n. 1. Discussing with an individual what he would like to be doing in light of what he has been doing. 2. applications, or Computer Science degree Analyzing the realities of his objectives as they relate to the current job marketplace. 3. Contact1ng client companies and other Quest staff with experience in APT. personnel to identify positions of possible interest. 4. Introducing the job candidate to his prospective employers by providing complete If you possess the above experience, please details to each about the other, ensuring the efficacious use of everyone's time. 5. Arranging interviews. 6. If employment offers are send your resume in confidence to: extended, Quest assists in evaluating the responsibilities, compensa­ tion and opportunities (and relates tflose to the initially stated objec­ Mr. H. Diller tives). The Questsystem has been working for thousands of profes­ J. sionals at no expense, whatsoever. Ask your friends of their past Section Manager-Employment dealings with Quest. Then, put the Questsystem to work for you. For additional information on this subject, please inquire directly to Quest P. O. Box 14308 Systems, Inc. (All inquiries/resumes received will be responded to immediately and in confidence.) Department DAT-IA St. Louis, Missouri 63178 /"

NfCDONNIELL DOUG~

CORPORATION I I An equal opportunity employer m If QBaltimore: (301)~:~~!~~~'-~~~~1~2~4~o~B® 265-1177 • Philadelphia.: (215) 667-3322 CIRCLE 110 ON READER CARD CIRCLE 112 ON READER CARD Bringing the "right people" together -~~ ... ,.~:!~.onals Realize growth and challenge in a dynamic and expanding state of the art environment. Join the analyst staff of one of the country's takes largest financial institutions. Involvement is wide rang­ ing-you'll be working on new technology systems sup­ ported by two 370/168's under OS/VS, CICS, TCAM, Video 370, supporting large terminal networks-with Romac experience front end processors. Immediate openings include: JR. ANALYST Salaries low-mid teens Romac's depth and experience offer 2-3 years .EDP experience Less than 1 year analyst expo more options in EDP, Accounting and Finance. Our 14 offices are staffed with knowledge- SYSTEMS ANALYST able professionals with experience at IBM, Salaries mid-teens 2-5 years EDP experience Honeywell and national accounting firms. 1-3 years experience in new development Your Romac Partner knows what it as an analyst takes to "bring the right people together" • SENIOR ANALYST .. .from both viewpoints. Always in Salaries mid to high teens confidence. Always fee paid. 3 years plus experience as an analyst At least one year telecommunications

Our managers are developed from within, and there are ample opportunities to move into various specialized systems functions and/or the more traditional banking roles. Previous banking experience is not required. De­ gree preferred. For immediate consideration call collect (312) 828-6495 or send resume and salary history in con­ ~BOMAC fidence to: Mr. Bill Hammond, Professional Placement. & ASSOCIATES/Personnel Consultants CI !:?~,~~.~~!;;,,~~~ Contact Romac & Associates, President H. B. Dunn at 125 High St., 231 S. LaSalle Street Boston, Ma., 02110, for transmission to our network Partners in Chicago, Illinois 60693 Manchester, Portland, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Rhode Island, An Equal Opportunity Employer Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Chestnut Hill, Ma., Boston, Washington, D.C., Charlotte and Atlanta. CIRCLE 114 ON READER CARD 108 DRTRMRTION Keep in touch with "take-along" computer power.

That's right, now you can have access to your central computer wherever you go. You can be on­ line from the plant across the street or from a hotel room across the country. Weighing just 30 Ibs., the portable NCR 260 KSR Thermal Printer Terminal is as easy to trans­ port as your attache case.

Besides portability, the NCR 260 KSR Thermal Printer provides all the functions required to send and receive numeric and alphanumeric data. Included is an integrated modem with an acoustic coupler, a thermal printer, and an alphanumeric keyboard with an imbedded numeric pad. And even the cabinet is functional. It opens and becomes a nesting place for the terminal. Equipped with a 30-character per second printing rate and non­ impact printing mechanism, the NCR 260 KSR is the quicker, quieter way to transmit and receive data. Portability remains the key, though. This advantage provides you with much more efficient use of computer time . .And increased efficiency adds up to a better return on your computer dollar. As with all NCR products, the NCR 260 KSR thermal printer is backed by the entire network of NCR support systems. With more than 7000 field engineers in more than 480 field offices, you are assured of fast, complete service when needed. The portable NCR 260 KSR is a terminal you'll want to know more about. To get additional information just contact your local NCR representative. Or write to NCR, Dayton, Ohio 45479.

Complete Computer Systems

August, 1975 CIRCLE 23 ON READER CARD 109 lipl Technical Publishing Company

Arthur L. Rice, Jr., Chairman of the Board James B. Tafel, President Gardner F. Landon, Exec. Vice President Calverd F. Jacobson, Financial Vice President and Treasurer Thomas A. Reynolds, Jr., Secretary M. Jay Turner, J.,.., Director of Circulation Paul C. Jarvis, Director of Information Services Advertising Offices

Eastern District Managers A. Treat Walker, Warren A. Tibbetts: Greenwich, Ct. 06830 35 Mason St. (203) 661-5400 New England District Manager & Vice President Warren A. TibbeHs: Manchester, N.H. 03104 112 W. Haven Rd. (603) 625-9498 Midwest District Manager John M. Gleason: Chicago, III. 60606 205 W. Wacker Drive (312) 346-1026 Western Manager and Senior Vice President Hamilton S. Styron: Los Angeles, Calif. 90035 1801 S. La Cienega Blvd. (213) 559-5111 District Manager Alan Bolt', Jr.: Los Angeles, Calif. 90035 1801 S. La Cienega Blvd. (213) 559·5111 Western District Manager James E. Filiatrault: Mountain View, CA 94043 2680 Bayshore Frontage Rd. Suite 101 (415) 965·8222 U.K., Scandinavia, Benelux Intergroup Communications, Inc. Wallace K. Ponder, European Director Why business relies Paul D. Dimmock, Regional Manager 31 Lyncroft Avenue P,inner, Middx. HA5 lJU England on Datamation and Tel: (01) 868 9289 Cables: PACOM, Pinner Germany, Austria, Eastern Europe Technical Publishing Company Fritz Taeuber Solteauer Strasse 85 0·314 Lueneburg Germany now more than evee Tel: (041 31) 31934 The more perplexing business conditions get in the '70s, the more industry France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain leaders turn to "Technical" ... for information, education and advertising Gerard Lasfargues value. 32 rue Desbordes Valmores 75016 Paris In addition to Datamation, Technical Publishing Company publishes France six other national business/professional magazines: Consulting Engineer, Tel: (1) 288 9022 Plant Engineering, Pollution Engineering, Power Engineering, Purchasing Japan World, and Research/Development. Our publications are recognized as Shigeru Kobayashi prime sources for technical and business information. Japan Advertising Communications, Inc. And they give business finely focused selling vehicles for spearheading New Ginza Building product sales efforts. In fact, six of our seven publications are among the 3·13 Ginza 7·chome Chuo·ku, Tokyo 104, Japan top 100 specialized business magazines in advertising revenues. We also Tel. (03) 571·8748 serve business and industry with specialized mailing list rental, market research and product post card services. Our TPC Training Systems provide a new, innovative, economical Other lipl Magazines method for training maintenance craftsmen. And OBI Books, Inc., (formerly Digest Books, Inc.) serves the consumer leisure market with Plant Engineering Pollution Engineering over 55 titles devoted to sports, hobbies and crafts. Power Engineering Purchasing World Technical Publishing Company is a growth company concentrating in Research/Development Consulting Engineer growth fields. We are publicly-owned and our stock is traded over-the­ counter. For information on any of our properties or the company, write James B. Tafel, President and Chief Executive Officer. Beat the Big On •... Healt Attack jtpj Technical Publishing Company 1301 South Grove Avenue Barrington, Illinois 60010 Give Heort Fund CV

110 DRTRMRTICN Granted, our new ADM-3 is basic. Especially if improvements. Its RS 232C interface extension port you compare it with all the smart video terminals lets you hook up hard copy printer, magnetic tape around (our ADM-1 or -2, for example). But the recorder or additional (smarter) data terminals. $995 unit price puts it into a different perspective. An9 with a few options, you can make our ADM-3 As simple as it is, the ADM-3's one-card brain answer back. Increase its vocabulary by adding can help you move a lot of data. And it's compatible upper and lower case. Transmit and receive inde­ with most popular computers. That means, it fits pendently selectable rates. Even enter just numbers all kinds of applications. Including yours. on a numeric key pad. Here's what you get for $995. 12" diagonal screen. After counting all its limited blessings, you have Full or half duplex operation at 11 selectable data to admit one thing: you simply couldn't ask for more rates. Bright, easy-to-read characters - 960 or 1920, for $995. At this low level, you can afford to order displayed in 12 or 24 rows of 80 letters. 59 data a dozen or more DUMB TERMINALS (and buy entry keys arranged like on a typewriter which them at our even lower quantity discount price). keeps operator training short and basic, too. What's more, our 4111 DUMB TERMINAL. ADM-3 is alert. It says "beep" 1'" SMART BUY. w hen you come to the end of LEAR SIEGLER, INC. a line. The rest of the time, it ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTATION just keeps cool and quiet. DIVISION DATA PRODUCTS Our DUMB TERMINAL 714 N Brookhurst St IS~l· Anaheim, CA 92803 also offers you room for Telephone @® (714) 774-1010

I TRODUCI THE $995 DU TER I L.

August, 1975 CIRCLE 22 ON READER CARD 111 WHAT IS YOUR TRUE WORTH? advertisers' index JOB OPPORTUNITIES BULLETIN Applications Software, Incorporated ...... 93 Applied Digital Data Systems Inc...... 59 Cadillac Associates represents the nation's largest and most re­ BASF Systems ...... 16 spected professional placement service. Our close relationship with Bell & Howell, Inc. Business Equipment Group ...... , 23 the nation's finest firms generates continuous career opportunity Boeing Computer Services, Inc...... 69 information and allows us to confidentially present your qualifica­ Cadillac Associates, Inc...... 112 tions to those at "decision-making" levels. California Computer Products, Inc...... 89 Our bulletin, published quarterly, listing available opportunities in Cambridge Memories, Inc...... 85 the Systems & Data Processin:1 field is available free of charge and Centronics Data Computer Corp...... 10 will be mailed to your heme upon your request. Chafitz ...... 4 Cincom Systems, Inc...... 103 For your free bulletin, without any obligation, circle reader service card #115. Please USE HOME ADDRESS ONLY! Cogar Corp., Information Systems Div...... 44 Computer Corporation of America ...... 81 CONFIDENTIAL Continental Bank ...... 108 PLACEMENT SERVICE Control Data Corporation ...... 5 Cullinane Corporation ...... 96 If you desire immediate assistance in locating an opportunity con­ Data General ...... 51, 86, 114 sistent with your objectives (professional/financial/geographic), CALL OR WRITE TODAY. A member of our staff of SYSTEMS & Datapoint Corporation ...... 28, 29 EDP SPECIALISTS will reach you by telephone to discuss your, Delta Data Systems Corporation' ...... 22 objectives and how we might help you satisfy them. A resume, Dial Finance Corporation ...... 88 or some details of background, will be appreciated. Entrex ...... 113 General Automation ...... 27,90,91 Remember: Our client firms are located from coast to coast and Goodyear Aerospace Corporation ...... Cover 3 assume all expenses (agency fee, interviewing & relocation). Harris Computer Systems ...... 20, 21 E. W. MOORE Hewlett-Packard ...... 19,97 IBM ...... 66, 67 Executive Vice President Info 75 ...... 115, 116 CADILLAC ASSOCIATES, INC.* Interdata ...... 60, 61, 71 32 West Randolph St. Chicago, III. 60601 Itel Corporation ...... 2 Financial 6-9400 Kennedy Co ...... Cover 2 *"Where More Executives Find Their Positions Than Anywhere Kybe Corporation ...... 74 Else in The World." Lear Siegler, Inc., Electronic Instrumentation Division .... 111 LRK Associates ...... 98 CIRCLE 115 ON READER CARD Maxell Corporation of America ...... 50 McDonnell Douglas Corporation ...... 108 Micon Industries, Inc...... 42 Modular Computer Systems ...... 100, 101 NCR Corporation ...... 109 NCR Paper-Appleton Papers Division ...... 30 Sycor, Inc., a leading manufacturer of intelligent terminals Quest Systems Inc...... 108 and distributed computing systems, is looking for a few Randal Data Systems Inc. ., ...... 1 outstanding individuals who want to contribute in a Raytheon Data Systems ...... 49 dynamic programming environment. Raytheon Service Company ...... 99 RCA Service Company, A Division of RCA, OPERATING SYSTEMS Technical Services ...... 106 Multitasking operating systems for mini and micro·computer Romac & Associates ...... 108 systems. ~SVP Services ...... 106 SICOB .. , .... " ., ..... , ...... " ... , ...... 77 DATA BASE Singer M&M Computer Industries, Inc...... 6 MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS Software AG ...... 76 Source EDP ...... 102 Systems software for distributed data base generation, con­ Standard Memories Incorporated, An Applied Magnetics trol and retrieval. Company ...... 107 Storage Technology Corporation ...... 104 COMPILER DESIGN Sycor ...... 94, 95, 112 Advanced systems programming language compiler, knowl­ Systems Engineelling Laboratories ...... 105 edge of PL/l or XPL, plus compiler theory required. Tally Corporation ...... 83 Sycor offers an outstanding salary and fringe benefit Technical Publishing Company ...... 11 0 package and will carryall recruiting and relocation ex­ Tektronix, Inc...... 24 penses. Teletype Corporation ...... 54, 55, Cover 4 Call or write today! Texas Instruments Incorporated, Digital Systems Division ...... 14, 15, 70 Personnel Department 3M Company, Microfilm Products Division ...... 62 Sycor, Inc. Trans World Airlines ...... 13 . Trendata, An Applied Magnetics Company ...... 87 Corporate Offices United Air Lines ...... 68 100 Phoenix Drive University Computing Company ...... 9 Varian Data Machines ...... 64 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 Versatec ., ...... 73 (313) 971-0900 Ext. 210 Western Union Data Serv.ices Company ...... 75 World Comp-75 ...... 72 Wright Line, A Division of Barry Wright Corporation . . .. 88 51 Xerox Corporation ...... 78, 79 We Are An Equal Opportunity Employer, M/F SYCQR INC Zeta Research ...... 8 CIRCLE 109 ON READER CARD 112 DRTRMRTION Entrex Key-to-Disk "Since we upgraded to "We checked them all ... only the Entrex data entry and pre-processing the Entrex data entry system has the power we need to capture daily billing, bookkeeping and and pre-processing insurance data for 150 physicians and enter daily transactions for five system, we get more banks ... plus the source data collection we need to provide clinics with work out faster and 24-hour turnaround," says Charles Lamb. at less cost than we "There's nothing like it for getting cleaner data into the mainframe ever did before ••• "* fast. We've reduced our error rate from 100 errors per batch to two­ saving countless pages of edit runs on the computer, and cutting main­ frame edit time by 66%. "Best of all, the Entrex system was installed, accepted by my opera­ tors, and running in less than a week. Since then our total productivity is up 35% over punched cards. " With Entrex you get the most advanced and comprehensive software ever written. And greater control over your data before it goes to the *Charles E. Lamb, Senior Vice President,Valley View Computing computer. Systems (a subsidiary of Valley Yet all this power may cost much less than the system you have now. View Investment Co., Inc.), Overland Park, Kansas. Find out. Ask for a demonstration. Or send for our latest literature.

Atlanta, GA, 404/634-6391 • Baltimore, MD, 301/997-3310 • Boston, MA, 617/273-0480 • Charlotte, NC, 704/568-3510 • Chicago, IL, 312/782-5427 • Columbus, OH, 614/451-1058. Dallas, TX, 214/630-3343 • Denver, CO, 303/770-1030. Detroit, MI, 313/355-0108 Hartford, CT, 203/563-3866. Houston, TX, 713/467-3715 • Indianapolis, IN, 317/352-1739. Kansas City, MO, 816/531-1931 • Los ENTR Angeles, CA, 213/879-1960 • Louisville, KY, 812/283-1169. Madison, WI, 608/221-1547 • Miami, FL, 305/949-4544. New York, NY, 212/682-2130. Oklahoma City, OK, 918/582-0572 • Philadelphia, PA, 215/265-2270 • San Francisco, CA, 415/692-5551 • Springfield, IL, 168 Middlesex Turnpike 217/789-7709 • Toronto, Ontario CIRCLE 24 ON READER CARD Burlington, Mass. 01803. 617-273-0480 Six of the best reasons for buying Data General computer systems.

If a computer system can't do a good our peripherals like files. Which makes job of file handling, chances are it won't our files device independent. And a lot do your job well either. easier for you to use. So we give you a lot of good ways to , And because all our operating systems ' handle your files. share the same file structure, you can We offer six different disc subsystems. maintain and operate your files with any From 0.3 to 360 megabytes in size; with of our languages: FORTRAN, BASIC, transfer rates from 30K to BOOK bytes ALGOL, RPGII, MACRO assembler. per second; and prices from $2,900 to And you can use any combination of $110,000. So you can pick out the ones disc drives. So you can manage files from that work the way you work. one to one billion byt~s and match your And we fully support all our disc file handling to your application. drives with our systems software. With Yet with all the flexibility we give you, RDOS and MRDOS for example, you we don't demand a lot in return. You can get can keep your high-use data on fast access an Eclipse S/200 system with 64K bytes discs, and data you need less on slower of core and a 10 megabyte disc file for discs. With INFOS, you can logically under $30,000. (quantity one, list price. ) partition a file across different physical Write for more information. media to get the most efficient use of your You may end up buying our com­ system peripherals. puter systems because of the way All our operating systems treat all we handle your files. DataGeneral Data General. Route 9. Southboro. Mass. 01772 (617) 485-9100. Data General (Canada) Ltd .. Ontario. Data General Europe.15Rue Le Sueur. Paris 75116. France. Data General Australia. Melbourne (03) 82-1361 /Sydney (02) 908-1366.

114 CIRCLE 18 ON READER CARD DRTRMRTION STARAN translates billions of bleeps into undersea pools of oil. Before risking millions of points of an image at a time. But the on many similar data streams or dollars for offshore drill ing rights, STARAN system combines content high-speed searches of many similar exploration teams have to spend addressability with parallel array file records. hundreds of hours recording sound arithmetic to process an entire So before you invest a lot of waves reflected from the ocean floor. hydrophone array, consisting of money in a processing system, But the job of processing these thousands of data points, at once. invest a little time. Look into billions of bits of data can drown And because this unique STARAN. The more severe your even a powerful scientific computer. capability dramatically speeds requirements, the more money That's why energy companies are operations, massive improvements it may save you. evaluating Goodyear's STARAN® in throughput are possible. That's For complete information, just associative parallel array processor. why the STARAN processing write to Wayne Brubaker, Goodyear Ordinary digital computers system is unmatched in its ability to Aerospace Corporation, Akron, Ohio process only one or a few discrete solve problems requiring operations 44315. Or call him at (216) 794-3631. GOODIi'EAR AEROSPACE

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