November, 1964
CD
Command and Control Systems 4 WAYS TO IMPROVE COMPUTER TAPE
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2 Circle No. 6 on Readers Service Card COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 when you have a mountain reduced to a molehill ...
do you wrap it ... or phone it?
Modern data processing achieves miracles in reducing mountains of paperwork to compact "molehills" of cards or tapes. But what then? How do you move that com pressed data across town or across country? If you're practical (and time-and-cost-con scious), you telephone it. Bell System DATA-PHONE service can trans mit it over regular telephone lines at great speed-and at regular phone-call rates. DATA-PHONE service is a natural extension of your regular phone service, giving you integrated information handling that pays off in important time savings, better control of costs and greater all-round efficiency. Talk with our Communications Consultant about it. Just call your Bell Telephone Business Office and ask for his services.
@ ~e~!nl Tel~r.e~~e~~ Co. and Aswcialed Companies Circle No. 23 on Reader. Service Card AN OFF-BIT HISTORY OF MAGNETIC TAPE ... #3 of a series by Computape
It's about time somebody told the truth about that Mark When Octavius Caesar broke into Cleopatra's camp Antony and Cleopatra bit. Truth of the matter is, Antony the next day, Antony was nowhere to be seen; there was did not commit suicide. He was simply surfeited with the only the sullen queen and her pet lion, Amenhotep III. perfumed pleasures of Cleopatra's court. It got so there "Where's Antony 7" Caesar demanded. was hardly anything she could do to please him. "Ask Amenhotep, why don't you 7" muttered Cleo "Mark, doll", she'd coo at him, "Didn't I go and make patra. you a Director of the Banks of the Nile 7 And have you The lion rubbed his mane against Cleopatra's gown join the Tuthmosis II Pyramid Club 7 And don't you like and opened his cavernous jaws in a huge, contented throwing peasants to the lions any more 7 We used to do yawn. such fun things together - and now you spend all your From somewhere in the depths came the faint, muffled time at that silly computer centerl" sound of a voice, "Cleo", he would say, "You just don't understand. "Friends, Romans, countrymen ... HAAAAAAALP!" They've got this crazy new heavy duty computer tape This fascinating bit of tape history, incidentally, is down there, certified to deliver 1,000 bits per inch, with presented for your edification by Computape, and the no dropoutl I tell you it's incredible!" moral of the whole bit is crystal clear: Cleopatra's green eyes flashed dangerously. "I warn Computape is heavy-duty tape so carefully made that you, Mark. You go down to that computer place ONCE it delivers 556, or 800, or ( if you want) 1,000 bits per more and ... " inch - with no dropout. "See you later", Mark Antony said. "They promised Now - if Computape can write that kind of computer me they'd let me change the reels this time." tape history - shouldn't you be using it 7
(+) COMPUTRON INC. ~]!1 122 CALVARY STREET, WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS
COMPUTAPE - product of the first company to manufacture magnetic tape for computers and instrumentation, exclusively.
Circle No. 8 on Readers Service Card 4 . COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 Command and control systems utilizing an intelligence center such as Jet Propulsion Laboratory's shown on ottr front cover are greatly increasing operating effectiveness and fast response for complex organizations. The require- ments of such a system for the Field Army are described by David Weisberg beginning on page 26.
CDrn~uters and automation
NOVEMBER, 1964 Vol. XIII, No. 11 computers and data processors: the design, applications, editor and publisher and implications of EDMUND c. BERKELEY information processing systems. assistant editors MOSES M. BERLIN NEIL D. MACDONALD LINDA LADD LOVETT In This Issue 14 A LOOK AT HIGH-SPEED PRINTERS contributing editors by Norman Stat land ANDREW D. BOOTH NED CHAPIN 20 DERIVING MAXIMUM UTILIZATION FROM COMPUTER TAPE JOHN W. CARR, III by George Armes ALSTON S. HOUSEHOLDER PETER KUGEL 26 A COMMAND-CONTROL INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR THE FIELD ARMY advisory committee by David E. Weisberg T. E. CHEATHAM, JR. GEORGE E. FORSYTHE 32 THE STANDARDIZATION OF PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES RICHARD W. HAMMING by Franz L. Alt ALSTON S. HOUSEHOLDER HERBERT F. MITCHELL, JR. In Every Issue associate publisher PATRICK J. MCGOVERN across the editor's desk production manager 37 COMPUTING AND DATA PROCESSING NEWSLETTER ANN B. BAKER art director editorial RAY W. HASS 6 Automatic Documentation circttlation manager VIRGINIA A. NELSON, 815 Washington St. forum on the social implications of computers Newtonville, Mass. 02160, 617-DEcatur 2-5453 and automation advertising representatives 9 Social Implications of Automation and Computers New York 18, BERNARD LANE 10 Data Processing Management Association 37 West 39 St., 212-BRyant 9-7281 Chicago 11, COLE, MASON AND DEMING reference information 737 N. Michigan Ave., 312-SU 7-6558 50 Monthly Computer Census Los Angeles 5, WENTWORTH F. GREEN 53 Calendar of Coming Events 300 S. Kenmore Ave., 213-DUnkirk 7-8135 54 New Patents, by Raymond R. Skolnick San Francisco 5, A. S. BABCOCK 605 Market St., 415-YUkon 2-3954 index of notices Elsewhere, THE PUBLISHER Advertising Index 815 Washington St., 617-DEcatur 2-5453 58 Newtonville, Mass. 021GO 36 Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation
COMPUTERS AND AUTOMATION IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY AT B15 WASHINGTON ST., NEWTONVILLE 60, MASS., BY BERKELEY ENTERPRISES, INC. PRINTED IN U.S.A. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: UNITED STATES, $15.00 FOR 1 YEAR, $29.00 FOR 2 YFARS, INCLUDING THE JUNE DIRECTORY ISSUE; CANADA. ADD SOc A YEAR FOR POSTAGE; FOREIGN, ADD $1.50 A YEAR FOR POSTAGE. ADDRESS ALL EDITORIAL AND SUBSCRIPTION MAIL TO BERKELEY ENTERPRISES, INC., 815 WASHINGTON ST., NEWTONVILLE, MASS., 02160. SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT BOSTON, MASS.
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COMPUTERS AND AUTOMA nON, FOR NOVEMBER, 1964 c&a EDITORIAL
Automatic Documentation
One of the big sources of difficulties in using large com some other part of the system. And if you bou~h~ your car puter programs after they have been cre~ted, .use~ for some at sea level, and later intend to do some dnvmg ~t an time, and modified from time to tIme IS mcomplete altitude of 5000 feet or higher, it is well worthwhIle to documentation. know that part of your car (the carburetor) should be Unlike a computer or a clock, a program is not a p~ys~cal adjusted. object that can be examined and dissected. Instead It IS a symbolic object-a long list of hundreds or thousands of It is difficult for human beings to produce good documen computer instructions interlinked in complex paths: tation for large computer programs. But it is desirable to If a human being new to the computer program IS to use have it. Therefore, the task should be given to a computer, it well and with understanding, he needs an accurate, com and the computer should automatically produce good plete, and understandable description of all t~e program's documentation. features and properties-adequate documentatIon. Is this possible? Yes .. But the documentation is regularly inadequate. The It is possible because from time to time good ~ocument~ documentation regularly is produced by and depends on tion is produced by the intellect of a human bemg, and If people and what they de>-----the rules actually obeyed in com a human intellect can do this, so can a computer. Human puter installations, the supervision exercised, th.e r~cords brains are not supernatural. kept by human beings. All such systems are mevItably Is it feasible? Yes. subject to increase of variation, disorder, and error.. ~uman First, there is always at least some documentation to beings are often careless and often neglectful; and It IS very start with. The creating programmer puts key words, key easy for a human being to modify a program and make abbreviations, key comments, into his symbolic program. either no record or a very inadequate one. This provides one of the beginnings. Second, nearly all Besides, it is naturally difficult for the facile leaping programs must be modular: segments of them ~re .wo~ked minds of the creators of a big and complex computer out and tested as subroutines; and each subroutme IS gIven program to have the patience to write out good explanations sample inputs and required to produ.ce proJ?er outputs, of what they have done. They have little sympathy for the until it is acceptable. And the subroutme by Itself can be slower minds coming along behind them. In fact, there translated into a unit of good documentation. Third, there may be a basic contradiction in human character between exist analyzing programs; one kind, for example, can, for the brilliance needed to develop a large computer program, any program given to it, produce, given each register, a list and the patience needed to write a good explanation of it, of all the registers which contain a jump to that register. good documentation. In this way the actually existing flow diagram of a program can be largely revealed. And so forth. Finally, the process Every now and then you meet somebody who says "You of developing automatic documentation does not have to don't have to understand the computer program, any more spring at once like Minerva fully-formed from the brow of than you have to understand the telepho~e~just use it:" Zeus; instead it can grow little by little from small programs For some purposes this may be true, but It IS not true m to larger and larger programs. general. A computer program may misbehave on the It seems evident that another of the big strides forward computer; then to aid the maintenance man, you need to in programming will come with automatic documentation. understand the part of the program which is failing. Or Then a human being coming into a new programming a computer program may not behave properly for so~e situation can be instructed by the computer itself in under unusual cases; in fact they might not have been covered III standing whatever he wishes to know about a program. the original program due to oversight. Or what the program is required to do may be altered to some minor extent; obviously, you would then like to know how to modify the program slightly so that you do not have to work it out all over again. And more reasons besides. ~c:,~ A computer program is much more like a car than a EDITOR telephone. If your motor car starts to behave badly, it. is well worthwhile to know whether the trouble you notIce is likely to be in the ignition, the battery, the fuel line, or
6 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 NEW BURROUGHS B200 MPA ,
Are you one of those who have rejected COBOL because it required too much hardware, took too long to compile, or was too slow in execution? If so, this streamlined new version may be just the ticket.
Since its creation in 1959, the value of COBOL EFFICIENT OBJECT PROGRAMS, (COmmon Business Oriented Language) has MAXIMUM THROUGHPUT never been questioned. But while it worked fine in some large-scale computers, smaller The B 200 speeds implementation of Burroughs systems simply didn't have the capacity to B 200 COMPACT COBOL with a three use it efficiently. address logic which corresponds closely to the syntax of COBOL. For example: ADD A TO ENTER BURROUGHS B 200 B GIVING C corresponds to the A + B = C COMPACT COBOL logic of the B 200. This, together with the B 200's buffering and demand feeding, helps Developed by Burroughs Corporation provide outstanding object program efficiency. expressly for its medium-scale B 200 computer series, this new compiler provides virtually all WHAT THIS MEANS the benefits of COBOL. As the name implies, No longer do you need a large-scale computer it is a trimmer, easier-to-use language. Gone to reap the benefits of COBOL. Not with the are the redundancies and complications. What's low-cost Burroughs B 200 series computer left is a highly efficient, widely applicable and new Burroughs B 200 COMPACT program language. COBOL on the scene. We supply both. Write LESS EQUIPMENT, us at Detroit, Michigan 48232. Burroughs-TM SHORTER COMPILE TIME Where once memory sizes on the order of 10,000 to 30,000 positions were needed, Burroughs B 200 COMPACT COBOL re quires only 4,800. Where generally six mag netic tapes were needed, now only four are required. And where the use of COBOL often resulted in a compile time measured in hours, the average time with this new version is well under 10 minutes. Burroughs B 200 Series Computer
Burroughs Corporation
Circle No. 9 on Readers Service Card COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 7 pre-publication offer TELETYPEWRITER FUNDAMENTALS HAN DBOOK By Wm. D. Rexroad
... IN HANDY POCKET-SIZE BOOKLET FORM PUBLISHED BY COMPUTER DESIGN PUBLISHING CORPORATION
The Handbook is based on an article that appeared in the November issue of COMPUTER DESIGN. The demand for re prints of the article was so overwhelming that it has now been expanded, giving more details on some of the topics previously-covered, and adding up-to-date information on 8-level codes, the standard code adopted by the ASCII, frequency shift keying systems, radio teletypewriter tech niques, and descriptions of the latest in teletypewriter machinery.
IDEAL FOR: REFERENCE BOOK • TRAINING PROGRAMS • SALES AIDS FOR SWITCHING COMPUTER MFGRS. • LIBRARIES • EMPLOYEE EDUCATION • CUSTOMER INDOCTRINATION
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PRE-PUBLICA T/ON PRICE only $1.00 per copy Quantity prices available on request To order your copy at this pre-publication price, simply fill out coupon below, enclose $1.00 per copy, and mail to: COMPUTER DESIGN PUBLISHING CORPORATION, BAKER AVE., W. CONCORD, MASS. 01781
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SEND HANDBOOK(S) TO: NAME
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Circle No. 15 on Readers Service Card
8 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 FORUM ON THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF COMPUTERS AND AUTOMATION
SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS (5) During the continuous progress of automation, OF AUTOMATION AND COMPUTERS employment possibilities in different industries will be so vastly different that additional social Professor Victor Paschkis difficulties may arise; for example, a recent Heat and Mass Flow Analyzer Laboratory report speaks of an automatic ticket collection Columbia University machine for transportation enterprises. It does New York, N.Y. 10027 not help ticket collectors who will be thrown out of work that there might be jobs in the I am writing with regard to the Forum on construction industry. The suggestion to provide the Social Implications of Computers and Auto multiple training may be theoretically correct, mation and particularly in reply to the articles but requires study and research; and while such in the July and August issues. It seems to me study and research may be going on, displacement that both authors present too easy denials of of workers proceeds at a rapid rate. the dangers of automation. I will first deal with the danger of unemployment, which is the Computers present additional dangers: only one which the authors recognize, and only as a second point, with additional dangers which (1) Inherently, computers can give only yes-no they do not even mention. answers. There are problems which have no "yes" or "no" answer. With regard to unemployment, I will list what I consider the erroneous simplifications (2) In order to achieve answers to such questions, of the two authors. values may be hidden in the computer program, while the public is told that the output is an 0) "Automation is just a further labor saving "obj ec ti ve" answer. device." However, the magnitude of labor saving is so much larger than, for example, that pre (3) The computer tends to shift the government sented by the first industrial revolution, that more and more to a government by experts, which, a ratio automation/first-industrial-revolution, as history shows, is easier prey to totalitarian equals nuclear-weapons/machine-gun. management than a government not relying on experts to the extreme which computers make possible. (2) "Automation is destined to cut the work week. Thus, ultimately, man has to choose between 'more (4) The ease with which computers can assemble things' or 'more leisure'." Reference to the information on an individual makes it possible to poverty stricken segments of our own population have a "dossier" for each citizen, again leading and of the world is misleading as will be to a police state. explained below. Outside the two groups men tioned before, we have already an abundance of (5) The ease of compilation presents a big temp "things," and the only way out would be a train tation to use computers for a large-scale polling ing for creative use of leisure time. Such of the population. It is known how easily one can training is hardly being mentioned and would, get different answers, depending on the formulation within a relatively short time, require training of the question. Of course, loaded questions can for use of the major part of the day for most be asked also without the existence of computers. people. But the ease of evaluation by computers makes the temptation to ask questions more frequenti it is (3) Even duri ng the "period of grace," duri ng reasonable to assume that the percent of loaded which the poverty stricken parts of our own questions in a certain number of questions asked country and the world might obtain the necessary will not decrease by the existence of computers, material goods, automation does present the and, therefore, more loaded questions will be asked. danger of unemploymenti those laid off due to automation can not be retrained for jobs which (6) The great advantage of speed of computation can have not gone out of existence, in part because turn to a danger: the machine cannot have a of age, in part because of limited natural in "second thought"--the term, second thought, refers telligence, and in part because it is hard to really not to a thinking process but to an intui predict which jobs will exist at the end of the tive process, which is beyond the capability of training period. machines. A machine with "second thought" would produce a different result from that of the first (4) Because of past sins, an undue portion of thought, and is ready for the scrap heap. the unskilled people hit first by automation belong to minority races. Thus, automation (7) Still connected with speed is the danger, that contributes to the difficulties originating from under certain circumstances, the result of compu the Civil Rights struggle. tation may be directly fed into a decision, for
COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1961 9 example, in connection with weapons. Decisions II. From: The Editor over the lives of millions or tens of millions of people should not be automatic, even assum Some of your questions can be answered ing that the machine is technically beyond easily by the Data Processing Management Asso doubt. Decisions which would be programmed in ciation itself. Their address is: DPMA Inter to the machine would certainly not be under national Headquarters, 524 Busse Highway, Park stood by the people involved before the pro Ridge, Illinois. gram is formulated. Thus, the use of such automatic decisions is thoroughly undemocratic. In answer to your other questions:" in my opinion the Data Processing Management Associ ation is doing a good job in developing exam inations and trained Data Processing persons; DATA PROCESSING MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION I think what they will accomplish will steadily improve as the years pass. I am all in favor I. From: Donald Vogel of the examinations and course of study which Huntsville, Ala. they have begun.
Could you give me information concerning At their request, we have given them an the Data Processing Management Association advertisement in this issue of "Computers and (DPMA)? Automation" to announce their next examination.
Of particular interest is (1) purpose of One of the most important activities for DPMA and how widespread is it, (2) the effect dealing with the social problems arising from iveness and suitability of the DPMA examina computers and automation is increased educa tion for programmers, and (3) the percentage tion such as the DPMA is systematically pro of programmers in the U.S. who have taken the viding. DPMA exam.
The Data Processing Management Association Announces the Fourth Annual Examination for the Certificate In• Data Processing
Saturday, February 13, 1965 at 96 Test Sites Throughout the U. S. and Canada
The three-hour examination encompasses a wide and group study. For a copy of the study guide, range of subjects which are considered import a descriptive brochure, a list of the test ant for professional competence in the field of sites and an application form, please write data processing and management information to DPMA International Headquarters. The coupon systems. below may be used.
Subject categories include computer and unit record concepts and equipment; analysis and de sign of data systems -- manual, electrn-mechani To: DPMA International Headquarters cal, and electronic principles of accounting, 524 Busse Hwy., Park Ridge, Illinois mathematics and statistics. Please forward information on 1965 Applicants need not be members of DPMA. The COP Examination to: examination is open to anyone of high character who has at least three years of experience in Name ______full time work in data processing. Specific academic requirements will be waived this year Tit1e______for the last time. Company ______Applications are available from the Data Proc essing Management Association International Address ______Headquarters, 524 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, Illinois. The deadline for filing applications City______is December 1, 1964. State______-Zip Code ______A revised study guide for the COP examination has been designed as an outline for individual
Circle No. 19 on Readers Service Card
10 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 • • •
• •
More than a calculator-Almost a computer ... and now with automatic input-$4350
THE WYLE SCIENTIFIC IS THE FIRST DESK-TOP COMPUTATIONAL CENTER designed specifically for the solution of complex scientific and engineering problems. Almost as simple to operate as an adding machine, it provides arithmetic capability, efficiency and speed never before available in a calculator. WITH AUTOMATED DATA ENTRY, it eliminates all the tedious, wasted time of multi-step repetitive arithmetic problem solving. You enter only the variables manually. All the repetitive procedures are run off automatically from a prepared program library of simple punchcards fed into the calculator reader. And you don't have to be a programmer or need additional equipment to prepare your own input library. You simply punch in your instruc tions by hand on a Wyle stored-program card, which has the calculator keyboard reproduced on it. With this auto mated input added to the Wyle Scientific versatility, you will solve complex problems at speed approaching that of a computer.
NEVER BEFORE CAPABILITIES LIKE THESE seen as they are entered and can be veri Its operation can be learned in minutes, The contents of all registers are displayed, fied before use. and it functions with the speed, quiet, and on an eight-inch cathode ray tube, as indi Transcription errors are eliminated reliability of its solid state design. cated in the following diagram. through complete versatility of transfer These capabilities, combined with from any register to any other without loss automatic entry, for the first time fill the of desired data. technical and economic gap between cal Multiplier-Quotient Register All registers handle 24-digit numbers. culators and computers. Entry Register Accumulator Register Decimal points are entered the same $3950 for basic calculator as digits, using an eleventh key, and all (You can add automatic Storage Register 1 input and answers are correctly aligned input later) Storage Register 2 with decimal point on the output display. Storage Register 3 $4350 complete with automatic input Automatic square root is provided, as For further information, write Dept. N, is single entry squaring and multiple sub Products Division, Wyle Laboratories, All parts of a problem are visible. The totals. EI Segundo, California. Or telephone (213) contents not only of the three active arith The calculator has plug-in compatibility ORegon 8-4251. metic registers, but also of the three stor with auxiliary input-output devices includ age registers are displayed at all times. ing printers, paper tape equipment, and Numbers entered from the keyboard are other EDP equipment. WYLE LABORATORIES
See it at FJCC, Booths 509-10-11
Circle No. 11 on Readers Service Card
COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 19Gtj II Many of the outstanding achievements in science and technology during the past 10 years have been recorded, analyzed and preserved on tapes of"Mylai:' When reliability counts, count on "Mylar:' ·g~i~o~~,;:.~~~~fitm~ <® P06J) n1,1f..upo~MYLAR® POLYESTER FILM •••. " ...... t.Of'· BETTER THINGS FOR BETTER LIVING ... THROUGH CHEMISTRY Circle No. 12 on Readers Service Card 12 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 YOUR COMPUTER Input: 8 bits. Output: anyone ot 255 voice messages. Why bother with coded output during crisis conditions? The TEL-A-DEX voice-alarm annunciator system simplifies man machine communications, improves system efficiency, eliminates operator error, adds a margin of safety, and does not interfere with normal operation. ON DISPLAY AT FJCC ... BOOTH 434 TEL-A-CEX CORPORATION 600 East Bonita Avenue· Pomona, California 91767 TEL-A-DEX CORPORATION IS A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF CONSOLIDATED SYSTEMS CORPORATION, AN ASSOCIATE COMPANY OF ALLIS-CHALMERS AND BELL & HOWELL COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 19M Circle No. 13 on Readers Service Card A LOOK AT HIGH-SPEED PRINTERS Norman Statland Auerbach Corporation Philadelphia 3 ~ Pa. The initial, general-purpose, electronic digital computers practice in small- and medium-size installations favors the produced over a decade ago were designed primarily for use of high-speed, on-line printers controlled by the sys mathematical and scientific applications, in which the tem's central processor. It is anticipated that, with the volume of output data was relatively low. As long as the increasing number of small- to medium-size computer computer's use was generally limited to those applications, systems that are expected to be sold in the next five years, single-action character printers operating on-line were this trend will become dominan t. adequate. The situation changed, however, as the use of The trend toward high-speed on-line printers is also computers for commercial applications became more helped by the parallel processing equipment features, widespread. During the first phase of commercial com which are frequently used to reduc~ the amount of time puter usage, printed forms and documents for distribution the central processor spends in controlling the printing outside the organization became an important output prod operations. The parallel processing concept of on-line uct. During the current second phase, emphasis has shifted to print operations uses the program-interrupt logic of the management control information, and the computer is system to enable the central processor to control the called upon to produce an increasing number and diversity printer while carrying out internal processing tasks. The of management reports. The result of this is a sharp in interrupt originates either from the printer or from a crease in output volume, and rapid change in both the control program that periodically examines the print methodology and hardware associated with output printer buffer to see if data is needed. systems. These changes have occurred where the high-speed printer unit was the limiting factor on system throughput Types of High-S,peed Printers (measured in units processed per time period). Two basic types of high-speed printers, impact and non One change in methodology has been the practice of impact, have been developed to solve the problem of high operating magnetic-tape units off-line under the control volume output. Non-impact printers generally form images of a special electronic unit that transmits data to the line on a paper medium through use of electric charges. The printer. This type of arrangement eliminates the speed character is transferred via a cathode ray tube or a special limitation imposed by the slowest component when process such as Xerography. The image is then fixed by the attached on-line, e.g., the line printer. use of heat or other means. These printers generally pro The use of off-line printer systems, however, is generally duce only one copy on-line-and that one is of question limited to large installations where the added expense of able printing quality* for distribution outside the organi the off-line control unit can be justified by the large work zation. Consequently, most of the high-speed printers load. The best current example of this situation is in the presently in use are impact printers. As can be seen from batteries of IBM 1401s now in use as output data con the accompanying chart, most of them have printing speeds verters at many 7090 and 7094 installations. Recent rated at 600 to 1200 lines per minute. l11is article is based on a special report published in Auerbach Standard EDP Reports and is used with permission. Copyright © 1963 by Auer *Printing quality is subjectively measured by users in terms of smudging, hach/Info, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa. AU rights reserved. character alignment, and embossment (consistent distribution of ink). 14 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 Impact printers use some form of mechanically-driven at a specific point. Printing begins only at the assigned type wheel or slug, which means a type slug or metal interval. print face is used to imprint the character upon the. paper. In asynchronous printing, however, the cycle is flexible The paper is then pressed against the print face and inked and printing can begin at any point on the print head at ribbon by the force of electronically-actuated hammers. In any time. Firing begins whenever a signal is received principle, this operation is similar to that of a typewriter, indicating that line spacing has been completed and print except that high-speed line printers print an entire line at buffer loading is finished. Firing terminates when a a time. This capability to print a line at a time, rather counter indicates that the drum has made a complete than just individual characters, eliminates the need for a revolution past the hammers, or when an indication has moving carriage and provides for much greater speeds than been received that all the characters in the buffer have were possible with earlier single-character or stick printers. been printed. A special control tape, or the central Line printers use continuous-feed paper, which is fed past processor, controls skipping in this case. The Anelex the print head by a sprocket mechanism engaged through 4-1000 is an example of an "on-the-fly" printer using the positionable 'traction clamps. Vertical spacing and skipping asynchronous mode of operation. of the paper is generally controlled by a paper-tape loop In chain printers each hammer is timed individually in which the positioning of the page is determined by holes (e.g., the IBM 1403 and 2201 printers) because each in the specific channels (8- and 12-channel tape being the character travels horizontally across many printing posi most popular today). When this control is not provided, tions during the entire print cycle. The chain, holding the program within the central processor must control the five identical sets of 48 characters, assembled serially, line spacing on the page. moves horizontally across the paper. The solenoid-acti All line printers incorporate some form of high-speed vated hammer at a selected position forces the paper into paper skipping which permits the paper to be advanced contact with the ribbon against the chain, each hammer more than the normal line' spacing and at several times firing independently as the appropriate character on the the normal speed. Portions of preprinted forms that are chain passes the printing position. A train mechanism has not to' be printed on can be skipped at speeds up to 35 now replaced the chain in the IBM 1403 Model 3, and times faster than normal paper-movement speeds. In the type slugs move in the same horizontal plane as in the accompanying chart, a comparison between the "Peak chain but at more than twice the speed. Speed" and "I-Inch Spacing" columns shows what effect In those cases in which all-numeric printing is necessary, the spacing of forms can have on over-all, high-speed some printers can be equipped with drums or chains on printer efficiency. Furthermore, it should serve to remind which numeric type faces are repeated several times, fre forms designers to consider the particular properties of quently with blank print segments utilized as spacers. This their high-speed printer when constructing their forms arrangement provides access to a specific character at any layouts. of several positions, thereby allowing each drum or train All of the printers shown on the accompanying chart revolution to print in less time. This increases the over-all are known as "on-the-fly" printers, which usc one of three speed and effectiveness of the printer. basic types of print heads: a solid drum with the print The hammer action of "on-the-fly" printers is either faces engraved into the drum; multiple wheels locked "free-flight" ("ballistic") or "controlled-flight." The free together to form a print drum; variations of a chain or flight hammer stops moving when it contacts the paper train of print slugs. Each of these types is a variation of and the drum. An important advantage of the controlled the same basic principle, the use of extremely rapid flight hammer (which has fixed spatial movement) is that hammer action to press ribbon and paper against the type its depth of penetration can be readily limited; it can be face. adjusted to various paper thicknesses and number of carbon copies. When such a printer is operating without paper in the tractor feed, the hammers are prevented from Print Characteristics striking the print drum by "end-of-paper" safety switches. General characteristics of "on-the-fly" printers are: The sequence of action in a print cycle starts with the • High speeds (600 to 1200 lines per minute). computer loading data into the print buffer. The contents • Absence of a platen. of the print buffer are decoded (under control of com • Ribbon movement parallel with paper motion; mutator-like logic) to select the particular characters to be ribbon width at least equal to maximum line width. printed at each print position. A rapid-action hammer • Hammers which strike from behind the paper. presses the paper and ribbon against the type face at the • Printing often characterized by a light box framing exact moment the selected character is in position. The the characters (chain printers) or lack of horizontal print cycle is completed when the paper movement mech alignment (drum printers). anism advances the paper to the next line position and an The detailed physical and operating characteristics of independent drive mechanism moves the ribbon to a new modern, high-speed printers are shown in the accompany print area. During this last phase of the print cycle, the ing chart; individual entries have been verified by their hammer recoils and the type wheel completes one respective manufacturers. revolution. Length of time of the total printing cycle is determined by the number of lines printed per minute. This interval The Future is divided into discrete timing units for each available Dramatic changes in line printers will not occur in the character, with several units allocated for paper advance. foreseeable future. Variations of models presently in use Because of this system, in some drum printers, the firing and some new models are anticipated, to be sure, but of all hammers at one specified time-say, the third discrete radical improvements in speed are unlikely. A two-fold timing unit, would result in having a "e" printed in every increase in speed can be anticipated, but speed increases position across the page. of significantly greater magnitudes seem most unlikely. Printers can be either synchronous or asyilchronous, Primarily, the problems associated with paper-handling depending upon the hardware facility built into them at and mechanical movement, in the printing action, as well the time of manufacture. Those having a synchronous as those problems caused by stresses on the paper itself mode of printing have a specific cycle which commences (particularly multi-part forms), when it is beillg lJloved COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 15 COMPARISON CHART: HIGH-SPEED IMPACT PRINTERS Part 1: PHYSICAL FEATURES AND WHERE USED Vertical Paper Feed Print Head Plug- Spacing Pri ntable Print MANUFACTURER & MODEL Mechani Sill Storage Board Control Tape Characters Positions Use Anelex Corp. / 5-300 Sprocket Drum No 12 channels 48-128 72 to 160 RCA 301, 3301 Anelex Corp. / 5-600 Sprocket Drum No 12 channels 48-128 72 to 160 GE 210, 225 Anelex Corp. / 5-1250 Sprocket Drum No 12 channels 48-128 72 to 160 CDC 160, 1604 Anelex Corp. / 4-300 Sprocket Drum No 8 channels 48 120 to 160 Philco 2000 Anelex Corp. / 4-1000 Sprocket Drum No 8 channels 48-96 120 to 160 DEC PDP-4, PDP-6 Burroughs Corp. / B-320 Sprocket Drum No 12 channels 64 120 Burroughs B100 Series Burroughs Corp. / B-321 Sprocket Drum No 12 channels 64 120 or 132 Burroughs B200 Series Control Data Corp. Sprocket Drum No 8 channels 64 120 CDC 160-A, 8090 / 166 Control Data Corp. Sprocket Drum No 8 channels 64 136 CDC 3000 Series / 501 Data Products Corp. Sprocket Drum No 8 channels 64 132 SDS 900/9000 Series / P-3300 Data Products Corp. Sprocket Drum No 8 channels 64 132 / P-4100 Da ta Produc ts Corp. Sprocket Drum No 8 channels 64 132 / P-4200 General Electric Co. Sprocket Drum No 8 channels 64 136 GE 400 Series / PR-20 Honeywell EDP / 206 Sprocket Drum No 2 channels 56 120 or 132 Honeywell 200, 300, 220 o Honeywell EDP Sprocket Drum No 8 channels 63/66 96 to 132 Honeywell 200, 300, 220 o / 222-1, 2, 3 Honeywell EDP / 222-4 Sprocket Drum . No 8 channels 63/66 120 or 132 Honeywell 200, 300, 220 o Honeywell EDP / 422, Sprocket Drum Yes 2 channels 56 120 or 160 Honeywell 400, 800 822 IBM Corp. / 1403 Sprocket Horizontal No 12 channels 48 100 or 132 IBM 360, 1400 Series Mod 1, 2 chain IBM Corp. / 1403 Mod 3 Sprocket Horizonta 1 No 12 channels 48 132 IBM 360, 1410, 1460 "tra i n" IBM Corp. / 1403 Sprocket Horizontal No 12 channels 48 100 or 132 IBM 1401-G Mod 4, 5 chain IBM Corp. / 1443 Sprocket Horizontal No 12 channels 13-63 120 IBM 360, 1440, 1620 bar IBM Corp. / 2201 Mod 3 Sprocket Horizontal No 12 channels 48 132 IBM 360 "train" National Cash Register Sprocket Drum No 6 channels 56 120 NCR 315 Co. / 340-3 Potter Instrument Co. , Sprocket Drum No 8 channels 64 48 to 132 Inc. / LP1200 Shepard Laboratories, Sprocket Drum Yes 6 channels 64 120 NCR 304, 315; RCA 501 Inc. / 190 UNIVAC Division, Sperry Sprocket Drum No No 64 132 UNIVAC 1050 Rand Corp. / 0755-01 UNIVAC Division, Sperry Sprocket Drum No No 64 132 UNIVAC 1050 Rand Corp. /·0755-02 UNIVAC Division, Sperry Sprocket Drum No No 51 100 to 130 UNIVAC SS-80, SS-90, 49 o !land Cor p . / 7912 16 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 COMPARISON CHART: HIGH-SPEED IMPACT PRINTERS Part 2. PRINTING AND PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS Form Width Speed in alphanumeric (inches) lines/min. Hor z. Vert. At Skipping Spac ng Spac i ng Max. one-inch Speed MANUFACTURER & MODEL (char / nch) (lines/inch) Max. j M;n, Copies Peak I Spacing (i nches/sec) Anelex Corp. / 5-300 10 6/8 26 3 6 300 257 18 Anelex Corp. / 5-600 10 6/8 26 3 6 600 514 27.5 Anelex Corp. / 5-1250 10 6/8 26 3 6 1250 712 27.5 Anelex Corp. / 4-300 10 6/8 19 3 6 300 257 25 Anelex Corp. / 4-1000 10 6 19 3 6 1000 643 25 Burroughs Corp. / B-320 10 6/8 20 5 6 475 385 25/40 Burroughs Corp. / B-321 10 6/8 20 5 6 700 518 25/40 Control Data Corp. 10 6 18.75 3.50 6 150 133 19 / 166 Control Data Corp. 10 6 18.75 3.50 6 1000 643 25 / 501 Data Products Corp. 10 6 17.50 3.50 6 360(720~" ) 250 20 / P-3300 Da ta Produc ts Corp. 10 6 19 3.50 6 360(720~") 250 20 / P-4100 Da ta Produc ts Corp. 10 6 19 3.50 6 600(l200~') 360 20 / P-4200 General Electric Co. 10 6/8 19 3 6 1200 720 27.5 / PR-20 Honeywell EDP / 206 10 6/8 22 3.50 10 900(l260~') 580 23 Honeywell EDP / 222-1, 2, 3 10 6/8 18.75 4 6 650 490 35 Honeywell EDP / 222-4 10 6/8 18.75 4 6 950 610 35 min. Honeywell EDP / 422, 10 6/8 22 3.50 10 900 560 20 822 IBM Corp. / 1403 10 6/8 18.75 3.50 6 600(l285~') 480 33/75 Mod 1, 2 IBM Corp. / 1403 Mod 3 10 6/8 18.75 3.50 6 1l00(l400~') 750 33/75 IBM Corp. / 1403 10 6/8 18.75 3.50 6 465 395 33/75 Mod 4, 5 IBM Corp. / 1443 10 6/8 16.75 4 6 150 or 240 132 or 196 15 (430 or 600*) IBM Corp. / 2201 Mod 3 10 6/8 18.75 3.50 6 1l00(l400~' ) 750 33/75 National Cash Register 10 6 22 4 6 680(900~") 407 14 Co. / 340-3 Potter Instrument Co., 10 6/8 17.78 4.19 6 1000 650 25/90 Inc. / LP1200 Shepard Laboratories, 10 6 22 3 6 680(900*) 407 14 Inc. / 190 UNIVAC Division, Sperry 10 6/8 22 4 6 922 475 20 Rand Corp. / 0755-01 UNIVAC Division, Sperry 10 6/8 22 4 6 750 425 20 Rand Corp. / 0755-02 UNIVAC Division, Sperry 10 6/8 21 4 6 600 430 20 Rand Corp. / 7912 .~ Peak speed for all-numeric data (this type of data may require a special character set). COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1%·1 17 and imprinted at high speeds, dictate the speed at which speed printers associated with computer systems, the follow mechanical printers can operate. ing trends may be expected: Changes appearing in future models will, in large part, be improvements in accuracy of regi~tration and reduced • Flexibility and versatility of the computer-printer price. The present price range of high-speed printers combination are expected to become as important ($30,000 to more than $70,000, exclusive of associated as increased printing speed. As the concepts of buffer storage and controllers) , can be expected to decrease management-by-exception and integrated systems slightly because of improved production methods, if for no are more widely accepted, there will be a greater other reason. While a downward trend has been in effect variety of reports produced. Although more reports over the past few years and is expected to continue, the will be produced, less detail will be turned out for changes will be comparatively small. each report; therefore the total line volume of these Since mechanical printers appear to be almost as well reports should remain static. As management developed as possible, any significant improvements in techniques that are more and more scientific are printer performance will, no doubt, come from non-impact applied to business, the high speed printer will printers. Improvement and development of non-impact become increasingly important for the production printers during the last five years have resulted in models of reports in graph form. This too, will demand designed to produce copy at rates of 5,000 or more lines per increased versatility from the printer. minute while employing various chemical and electrical • In all likelihood there will be increased demands on processes to imprint the paper copy. A continuing prob horizontal and vertical character placement facili lem, however, is that of perfecting a convenient method ties. This is because the volume of billing and other for producing simultaneous multiple copies of sufficiently externally-used documents will, no doubt, be in high print quality to serve as routine business documents, approximate relation to the increase in population such as bills, checks, and receipts. The non-impact print and the rise in the standard of living, and probably ers, are at present, considerably more costly than impact will be comprised of pre-printed forms. We can also types, and they do not usually produce printed documents expect an improvement in the ability to print on a of very high quality. Progress being made in the develop wider variety of surfaces (lighter weight and lower ment of new chemical and physical processes and the use quality paper-possibly kraft papers, etc.). Then of improved, treated paper should greatly accelerate future too, there should be a greater demand for cheaper advances in this area. and more versatile production of forms. We can anticipate only specialized and limited com • Printing registration requirements will become more mercial use of non-impact printers during the next two or stringent as more re-entry documents and optical three years. General penetration of the commercial market reading devices are utilized in commercial systems. can be expected only after the printers have proved to be The help of Mr. John Hillegass for his compiling of the practical and economical. In future utilization of high- accompanying chart is gratefully acknowledged. A reliable high speed punched card input mechanism for building into customers' own card read stations. The mechanism is also available in an attractively styled con sole with or without column identification logic and which incorporates a special card receiver. * 400 CARDS PER MINUTE * PHOTO-ELECTRIC SERIAL READING * MAGAZINE HOLDS 1500 CARDS * MECHANISM INCLUDES CLOCK SYSTEM AND SPECIAL SENSORS FROM WHICH COLUMN IDENTIFICATION SIGNALS CAN BE DERIVED E-A INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION 2326 S. COTNER AVENUE, LOS ANGELES 64, CALIFORNIA Circle No. 14 on Readers Service Card IH COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 , NEW DDP-1l6 COMPUTER 16-BIT WORD /17 /JJSECS CYCLE /4096 MEMORY Standard features: Keyboard and paper tape I/O unit, comprehensive instruction repertoire, pow~.rful I/O bus structure, multi-level 1n direct addressing, indexing, pr10r1ty interrupt, extensive software package, diagnostic routines. Add time is 3.4 usecs. Options include high-speed arithmetic option, memory expans10n to 32,768, direct memory interrupt, real tilTle clock, full line of peripherals. 3C DISTRICT SALES OFFICES: NEEDHAM, MASS.; SYRACUSE/.N.Y.; COM. COM P UTER CO NTR OLe OM PANV INC ~~~K'D~sl·'p~TtiEs~n;tr.~WtRJ':Db, C~~~;LA:rBugtl~'WQJJ~Y~~M~PR~:LGd . ,. ALTO, CALIF.; LOS ANGELES, CALIF.; HOUSTON, TEX.; HUNTSVILLE, ALA. OLD CONNECTICUT PATH, FRAMINGHAM, MASS •• 2217 PURDUE AVE., LOS ANGELES 64, CALIF. DDP-224/$96,OOO DDP·24,/$79,OOO DDP.24A/$69,OOO DDP.24VM/$87,OOO DDP-24P /Quqtes on Request 24-bit word, 1..9 p.secs, 4096 24-bit word, 5 JLsecs, 4096 Same mainframe features as Functionally identical to the Ultra compact modular con word memory. 260,000 com word memory. 100,000 com DDP.24 with modified I/O DDP-24. Rugged, compact, figuration for submarine in pu.tations per second. putations per second. package. van mounted. stallation. Circle No. 10 'on Readers Service Card .'.1 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1')()1 19 + ~ o - 0 o 1 1 o 1 1 1 Fig. 1 RB - Return to Bias DERIVING MAXIMUM UTILIZATION FROM + 0 COMPUTER o TAPE - 0 o 1 1 o 1 1 1 Fig. 2 R Z - Return to Zero George Armes, AMPEX Corporation Magnetic Tape Division Redwood City, Calif. + ¢ I o - 0 o 1 1 o 1 1 1 Fig. 3 NR Z - Non-Return to Zero - Mark To the average computer operator or supervisor, com A few detailed facts and impressive dimensions will be puter tape is probably the most familiar component in the presented but not to overwhelm anyone with the precision entire system. Yet, proper understanding of the exact na workings of tape. Computer tape is very fragile, and may ture and operational principles of precision magnetic tape become damaged very easily, and since many of these dam for computers is held by very few. Computer tape is the ages are not visible or apparent to the naked eye, I will only functional computer component handled by an op discuss these critical areas to provide a proper understand erator on a daily basis. Its reliability and performance ing and appreciation of computer tape; and desire to point are directly dependent upon the operator's knowledge of out and explain the idiosyncrasies affecting performance of tape, and his ability to apply this knowledge to develop tape. proper application and handling techniques. This article will discuss the functional aspects of com puter tape: how it works; performance and reliability; The function of computer tape is to store the great proper handling; care and storage; and a look into the masses of information processed by a computer. This must future of the magnetic medium. be done in a convenient manner that makes the informa- 20 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 1 1 1 + ~ o - - - 0 I CORRESPONDING RECORDING PULSE PATTERNS I OXIDE COATING TAPE BASE LONGITUDINAL CROSS SECTION OF COMPUTER TAPE Fig. 4 tion readily accessible to the computing electronics. Digi recorded bit may represent a "0." This is the simplest tal computers are two-state systems. Basic input consists of form. Actually, various techniques may be used to express data in one state or the other, or combinations of the two. the change of state on magnetic tapes; three of the more The computer electronics can perform functions only popular methods are these: when a "1" or a "0" is presented, and binary codes are Return to Bias (J{.B) It is possible to record bits on established to express all numbers in combinations of "1" magnetic tape by considering magnetic saturation in one and "0." Alphanumeric codes are used to express symbols, direction as "0." Magnetic saturation in the opposite di letters and numbers. rection (See Fig. 1) represents a '''I.'' This figure repre Using a coding system, any number, letter, symbol, or sents a train of bits or pulses for 0 1 1 0 1 1 I. RB combination thereof may be presented to the computer in must be compared against a clock system to be read prop the form of various combinations of "1" and "0." Magnetic erly. tape lends itself nicely to this method of input (and out Return to Zero (RZ) This type of recording is illus put), since a small unit of magnetic energy (bit) recorded trated in Fig. 2. With this technique a pulse is recorded on the tape may represent a "1" and the absence of a for each and every bit, both zeroes and ones. In the iIlus- COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 19(j-1 21 tration, pOSItIVe pulses represent ones and negative pulses no interface or boundary effects. Pictorially, this can be represent zeroes. This form of recording "carries its own generalized by Figure 4. clock" since there is a pulse from the head for each and In this overly simplified diagram a "I" which is signified every bit. by a flux reversal, is written perfectly because each particle Non-return to Zero (NRZ) This system also utilizes posi is saturated in the proper direction. There is no "inertia" tive and negative tape saturation; but the interpretation in the transition from one state to another which would of the magnetic pattern on the tape is different than in give a gradual or imperfect pulse rise time. Tapes, how RZ or RB recording. Figure 3 shows how 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 ever, cannot be manufactured in this simple way. Literally would appear using this system. The NRZ system differs millions of particles must be packed into the coating to from RZ in that a one is represented as a change of mag deliver the proper output, and practical limitations of dis netic state, and a zero as no change of state. persion technology make it impossible to achieve the ideal The main difference between the operation of computer condition. tape and that of instrumentation or audio tape is the ac As the packing density increases, the physical volume (or tual recording process. Computer tape utilizes digital for number) of magnetic particles for each bit decreases, which mat where discrete bits of data are recorded to saturation makes it even more important to have perfectly uniform over a minute section of the tape. Instrumentation tape particles that are properly processed and dispersed. To utilizes analog techniques where a continuous varying satisfy this requirement, it would be feasible to use smaller signal is recorded below saturation leveL If a dropout and smaller oxide particles; however, resolution is only one occurs with instrumentation tape, only a small portion of factor to consider in the complex equation of a balanced the wave pattern is lost and the associated adjacent data tape design. is not jeopardized. However, if a computer dropout oc curs, a finite bit of independent data is lost and the as Computer Tape Errors sociated record of information is jeopardized. For this reason, computer dropouts cannot be tolerated. With the advent of advanced computer techniques pro viding superior data handling capabilities, computer tape with greater reliability has become an essential require Recording Process ment. In addition to better reliability, tape bit-packing density requirements have increased to the point where A computer transport "writes" on a tape by saturating conventional quality-control procedures are inadequate to small, finite areas of the tape. As previously pointed out, insure 100 percent error-free tape. An error-free tape in NRZ recording, a flux reversal signifies a "1," and no checked at 200 BPI or 556 BPI may not be error free at flux reversal is a "0." Let's see what actually happens 800 EPI. By errors, we mean permanent dropouts. Much inside the tape during this process. has been written on the nature of permanent dropout, but Assume that all "l"s are being written. If we are using simply stated, it is any tape phenomena that produces a an 800 BPI (bits per inch) system, then 800 "1"s or satu reduction or loss in signal below a preset level (usually rated areas will be written on each track along every inch 50%). A temporary dropout has been defined as one that of the tape. This means that every inch of tape must be is removed by normal machine recycling. More persistent capable of supporting 800 separate and distinct bits of temporary dropouts sometimes require brushing to remove. information. Quick mental arithmetic reveals that this There is a distinct difference between permanent dropouts, leaves only a very small physical portion for each bit. Also, permanent dropouts of temporary origin, and temporary the tape must accept the individual bursts of energy from dropouts. Let's clarify further by classifying and defining the head in a crisp, clean manner. That is to say, the reso again the three categories. lution or measure of pulse rise time must be controlled to Type one-permanent dropout. This type of error re very tight tolerances. Here is where oxide processing and sults from the physical deformation of the tape coating, or dispersion become important. an imperfection of the backing material. No amount of Magnetic tape consists of individual oxide particles machine cycling will remove or alter this dropout. This is firmly held in a 'suitable binder that is coated on flexible the familiar nodule, or impurity that is actually coated base film. The magnetic coating thickness generally repre into the tape during manufacture. Initial testing and all sents 20 to 30 per cent of the total tape thickness. subsequent tests will indicate this as being a dropout. The heart of magnetic tape is the oxide particle itself. Type two-permanent dropout. This a "here today, In virtually all computer tapes, the oxide used is gamma gone tomorrow" dropout. It is usually a bit of dust, lint, or ferric oxide (Fe203). The oxide particles are acicularly foreign matter lightly adhering to the tape coating. Normal (needle) shaped, approximately 4 micro-inches thick and maching recycling will completely remove this error. 25 micro-inches long. They are held in the binder in much Actually it merely displaces the foreign matter, and it may the same manner as almonds are held in a chocolate bar. occur repeatedly at different tape locations. However, this A computer is able to "write" on a tape because of the is not a serious problem because the transport is designed nature and characteristics of flux fringing in the vicinity to cope with such errors. It simply shuttles the tape back of the recording head gap. The flux in the head is estab and forth up to a preset maximum number of times to lished by, and is proportional to the input signals or cur remove the dropout. rent pulses flowing through the head windings. This flux Type three. This is a temporary dropout (type two) that fringing penetrates the magnetic coating and saturates all has become permanent (type one). This is the type that the oxide particles under the influence of the fringing pat creates by far the biggest problem. A tape can be checked tern. In the case of 800 BPI, it is obvious that each bit or and certified to be free of type one dropouts. There are saturation pattern must be put down in a crisp, perfect no two ways about it. The tape does not have a permanent manner because the physical dimension of the recorded (type one) dropout throughout its length, and it never bit is extremely small. shall. However, subsequent tests may reveal what appears In recording pulses a perfect tape would have infinitely to be a "permanent" dropout. In reality, this dropout is a small particles that are all magnetically saturated in one small particle of oxide shed that entered the tape pack direction for each pulse. At the exact point where a "I" is sometime after the certifying test, and became so firmly to be recorded, each particle would be saturated in the embedded in the coating that it assumed the shape and opposite direction. The transition would be perfect with appearance of a permanent (type one) dropout. A foreign 22 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 particle may enter the pack long enough to deform the contraction. When this tape is then placed on a transport, base film of adjacent layers leaving an impression that it may "cinch," rendering the entire reel useless. will also cause dropouts. Computer tape reel design has been an evolution of a The following analogy clearly points out the precise functional design to reach its present configuration. tolerance required for perfect computer tape: Original design concepts were premised on the fact that A Y2" x 2450' roll of tape with I nodule or surface the flanges must have windage holes to allow the air to defect that will cause a dropout at 800 BPI is equivaient to flow out of the pack during winding to assure an even a highway 50' wide and 557 miles long with one grapefruit pack. It has been proved, however, that these holes sitting on it! actually "pump" air into the pack. The present trend is toward solid flange reels for a very practical reason: solid flange reels keep fingers away from the tape! Care and Storage of Tape The vast majority of computer tape fails (wears out) due to abuse and mishandling. Accumulated data indicate The requirements for meticulous housekeeping and that less than 20 percent of computer tape actually wears p<:rfect handling techniques are definitely justified for they o.ut from normal machine use. The end of tape life is wIll prevent real problems. Historically, computer facilities sImple to define-it is that point in tape life where exces were kept clean and modern because they were new and sive dropouts render the tape useless. This could be after ofen used as show-places. To a certain extent, this concept 3 passes or 3000 passes depending upon the origin of the prevails today, but is greatly overshadowed by the func dropouts. For example, if all tapes were loaded on a ~ional requirement of hospital-type cleanliness. Smoking clean, properly adjusted transport once, and never touched m computer rooms has long been a contested issue. All again, the tape would perform perfectly for thousands of computer manufacturers and precision tape manufacturers passes .. Unique, long wearing binders have been developed recognize this as a problem; the universal recommendation to reSIst the normal wear effects of heads and guiding is to prohibit smoking in the computer environment for components, but it is impossible to develop a tape that is optimum operation, but due to the personal inconvenience i~mune to mishandling. A properly adjusted transport involved, the non-smoking rule is enforced in only a small WIll handle tape effortlessly with no adverse wear on the percentage of installations. Strict controls of cleanliness tape. Premature failure of tape is brought about by abuse, not. only improve computer performance, but they promote mishandling, and improper storage of tape. For example, a hIgher standard of working conditions. This without fail the tape pack is seldom perfect due to the normal shuttling, i~ reflected as ~n increase in the individual operator's at stop and start motion dictated by the program, and if the tIt~de .and .efficlency. The operator begins to take personal slightly protruding edges of the tape are squeezed by the prIde m hIS work, and performance invariably goes up .. fingers in loading or unloading, the tape is slightly creased. Good housekeeping is not only related in a direct manner This distortion often develops into a dropout. Creases to the efficiency of a computer operation, but it is an and foreign particles introduced by physical tape handling absolute necessity with the high-performance 800 BPI increase the possibility of dropouts. Handling tape and computers. An entirely new standard in cleanliness and touching the surface will deposit a slight, greasy film which maintenance must be established, not to mention the will attract and hold minute dust particles. If It is abso i~creased emphasis on good operator techniques. Tech lutely necessary to handle tape and touch the surface, it mques, procedures, and conditions of cleanliness that were must be done very carefully while wearing rubber gloves. acceptable for 556 BPI operation are not adequate for This applies to handling tape between the load points, and successful 800 BPI operation. A very loose analogy may be excludes normal loading operations. made in considering what happens in flight when the Tape reels should never be squeezed against the tape speed is increased from 500 miles per hour to 800 miles pack in handling, as it distorts the tape edges. Reels per hour. Although the increase in speed was about 60%, should be supported lightly with the fingers through the the related problems increased considerably more than 60% inside diameter of the hub and the thumb against the outer because the sonic barrier was broken and a new set of conditions become effective. In general, this may be linked edges of the flanges. . Obviously, tape should touch the floor during load to updating a computer operation from 556 BPI to 800 never mg. Normally, this section of the tape is considered a BPI-a new set of operating conditions prevail at the threading leader and is outside the end of file markers, but much higher packing density. Many slight problem areas if it drags on the floor the chances are excellent that it occur such as minute dimples in the Mylar backing from may pick up foreign particles and deposit them into the small dust particles which will create a dropout at 800 BPI and not at 556 BPI. Creases, pinch roller marks, tape pack. redeposits, and the presence of any foreign particles be With the present day durable binder systems, computer come critical at 800 BPI. tape rarely "wears out." As perviously pointed out, the Proper control of temperature and humidity in a com vast majority of "worn out" tapes are returned due to puter environment is vital for reasons other than maintain excessive dropouts resulting from abuse, mishandling, and ing the dimensional stability of the tape and machine phys.ical damage. This does not imply that the tapes are components. For example, very low humidity will increase mutIlated and shredded. These tapes will contain subtle the head wear due to the change in frictional characteristics. damages such as minute creases, edge damage, scratches on Static buildup on the tape surface increases with low the oxide surface, greasy film, etc. Once again, the ef humidity. High humidity affects the pinch roller to tape ~ciency of computer tape performance is directly propor ac~i?n, an.d in prolonged, extreme cases may corrode tIonal to the degree of good housekeeping and skillful CrItIcal g,:ude surfaces. Effects from fluctuating tempera operator handling, because it is the only functional tures durmg storage and use are less subtle. Changes in computer component that is actually handled by the temp~rature ar~ highly detrimental to the tape pack. If a operators. tape IS wound at normal ambient conditions and subjected to a higher storage or transient temperature, tremendous Tape Evaluation pressure will be built up within the tape pack as the base What makes one tape acceptable and another tape film attempts to expand. When the tape returns to normal unacceptable? There are numerous parameters that can room temperature, the pack will be loose from uneven be compared to answer this question, but they can all be COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 23 Now a computer can get data from England, Iceland and 98 other lands the instant it's recorded. BE SURE TO VISIT THE NCR PAVILION AT THE NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR. THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY ® Circle No. 16 on Readers Service Card 2/j COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 lumped into a simple statement: a computer tape must deliver reliable performance. WANTED The only conclusive evaluation for computer tape is to observe its performance over a period of time under normal Men to match our mission programming and operating conditions. From the data presented, it is obvious that tape efficiency is dependent upon many variables. An accelerated test, or test per formed on a small quantity of tapes, will not reflect the Do you want to be motivated 0, true picture of performance in a given installation because or just moved D? it will not subject the tapes to all the influencing factors that have a direct bearing on reliable performance. Are you ready for a challenge 0, Future of Computer Tape or merely a change D? By most standards, the computer industry is very young. Do you want to promote your competence 0, Within the span of a few short years, the quality and or simply preserve it D? reliability of magnetic tape has improved considerably to keep pace with the increased performance. Computer tape Answer these questions objectively. If you have checked the as we presently know it, will, I predict, never become first box in each case, let's get acquainted. We want to tell you obsolete and be completely replaced by a different medium. abqut our work and aspirations involving the design of infor For high speed and special applications, however, new mation systems for administrative, engineering, and scientific media will be developed. Already we see random-access applications, and to hear the same from you. We are inter capability incorporated into computers by use of magnetic ested in people with competence in coated, easy-to-handle cards with many tracks of recorded • Operations Research • Systems Design and Engineering data. These cards are used in decks and are fed to the computer individually. Direct recording of an electron • Systems Analysis • Computer Programming beam on exotic media also opens an intriguing and limit • Software Design • Applied Mathematics and Statistics less era for the data processing industry. These are just two of the many advances that will mark the changing Now is the time to send your resume to scene. Mr. Charles G. Calderaro, Director Magnetic tape in its role as the data storage unit and data Arizona Research Center transfer workhorse in the general purpose computer URS Corporation category will remain an active element for a long time to Box 1025, Sierra Vista, Arizona come. An equal opportunity employer-by choice Circle No. 17 on Readers Service Card • • • • computer phototypesetting SAVES typesetting, paper, printing, binding, mailing and storage costs IMPROVES readability and appearance REDUCES look-up and reading time. High-speed computer printout is produced with 1 ' the typographic quality, spacing and flexibility of conventional printing. Upper and lower case 264 CHARACTERS 17,280 CHARACTERS TYPOGRAPHIC QUALITY characters, proportionately spaced, increases TYPOGRAPHIC QUALITY WITH AT HIGH-SPEED character density. ReSUlting economies are less FLEXIBI L1TY -VERSA TI L1TY paper, less "look-up" time and less reading time. Use of italics, bold and light faces, open space or tight space, mathematical or chemical symbols -all mean improved readability, greater impact, better understanding, better appearance. The out put, photographic film or paper, is immediately 900 SERIES available for reproduction and distribution. 500 SERIES COMPUTER PHOTOTYPESETTER COMPUTER PHOTOTYPESETTER PH 0 TON . . . newsmaker in phototypesetting 355 MIDDLESEX AVENUE. WILMINGTON. MASSACHUSETTS Circle No. 28 on Readers Service Card COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1961 25 A COMMAND CONTROL INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR THE FIELD ARMY David E. Weisberg Senior Analyst Charles W. Adams Associates Inc. Bedford, Mass. days to plan his next offensive move or even hours to Modern Warfare counteract an enemy thrust. Not only has the luxury of The setting is not unfamiliar to most late show TV sufficient time to plan been removed, but the volume of viewers and is, perhaps, an even more vivid memory to data to be analyzed in this shorter period of time has some readers. The Artillery Forward Observer lies crouched increased tremendously. As recently as the Korean conflict, in his foxhole. Suddenly, in the distance he notices a a commander had to consider only conventional am" cloud of dust which proves to be a group of enemy tanks munition fired from tube artillery or unguided missiles. moving into an attack position. The observer takes several Today, the commander is faced with utilizing both con readings on an instrument which appears to be a pair of ventional and nuclear ammunition fired from both tube binoculars. These readings, along with a few other items artillery and guided missiles. With the advent of nuclear of information concerning the targets, are quickly entered warfare, he now has such problems as friendly and enemy into a small box-like device. fallout on his troops and contamination of areas through As soon as this data is entered into the device, a red which he would like to move. To further complicate the button on it, marked FM (Fire Mission), is depressed. situation, his units are widely scattered as protection This device is connected by wire to a small radio. The against enemy employment of nuclear weapons. information is then transmitted several miles to a high. The problem therefore is one of rapidly evaluating speed digital computer. Here the message is analyzed and tremendous volumes of data to determine key facts upon calculations necessary for firing on the target are made which to act. Command-Control has become a task which and sent to a firing battery. At the battery, firing instruc· cannot be done in a modern, widely dispersed battlefield tions are displayed on a small output device and relayed to without something to aid the commander. For this aid the the weapon crews. A few quick adjustments and then the Army is employing in a number of instances, fast, reliable, heavy crack as the howitzers fire. Over the radio the observer mobile digital computers. In an attempt to describe the hears the familiar cry of "On the way." Several seconds field use of computer systems, characteristics of such em later the tank concentration virtually disappears in a hail ployment are stated below. This article concentrates on of steel. Time from the observer first sighting the tanks: the digital computer aspects of the problem and does not less than 45 seconds. concern itself extensively with the operational problems Perhap~ the above paragraph sounds like a recent Sun· of Command-Control. As well as implementing data day supplement version of Flash Gordon's exploits, but processing systems in the field, the Army is thoroughly that is not the case. The above incident is only a few revising many of its doctrinal concepts to meet the chang short years away from reality with the present rate of ing requirements of warfare. change in modern warfare. \Varfare has changed tremendously since the trench Computer Systems in a Field Army fighting days of 1917. The swift slashing movements of the Operational Speed PatlOlls and the Rommels will become the rule rather The speed with which a computer handles an entire thall the exception. No longer wiil a commander have problem is the primary criterion by which computers are 26 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 evaluated today. The problem is often one of having a Environment machine which has an extremely fast cycle time uut is still Everyone concerned with computers is familiar with the operationally slow due to slow peripheral equipment and, antiseptic cleanliness and neat order of most computer as a consequence does not handle thc entire proulem installations. Even Command Control systems in fixed efficiently. An effective computer complex is one in which the internal cycle time, input/output speed, and data plant installations become, to a certain extent, showplaces. handling characteristics are carefully blended together to Now take these computers and cram them into a shelter form a totally efficient machinc. Each type of problem will moun ted on a 2- I /2 ton truck, drive them over potholed lead to a somewhat different configuration in the aim of roads and cross-country, replace the white shirt and tie reaching fast operational speed. operator with a combat dressed soldier complete with muddy boots, and have someone shooting at the computer Data Manipulation while it is being maintained under blackout conditions. A Command-Control Information System has some of Obviously, this is no place for fragile electronic circuitry. Some of these computers may have to be airdropped under every kind of programming imaginable. The range IS certain circumstances; they all have to be transportable from complicated mathematics to information retrieval to by air. business-type data processing. The overwhelming majority of the effort can best be described as data manipulative. The Concept of a Field Army Computer This takes the form of message analysis, table construc The U. S. Army is no stranger to electronic digital tions, information storage in variable files, generation of computer development. In 1946, EN lAC was built for the graphical displays, preparation of numerous reports, and U. S. Army Ordnance Corps by the Moore School of control of a multitude of hardware. The above character Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania. Many istics might indicate the use of computers of variable word other advances in the state of the art can be traced back length, but this has not been the course taken. The add to Army development programs. In the mid-fifties plan times of such machines are usually insufficient to operate ners began to consider the possibility of using computers in real time without a huge increase in equipment com in tactical military operations. The break-through in solid plexity. The level of data control often goes below state devices then indicated that it would be possible to character addressing to the use of individual bits of in build fast, small, and rugged computers. formation. The Army's initial approach towards developing equip ment for tactical operation was to design a large family of computers of varying capacity but sufficiently similar to Communications Orientation each other in many respects so that they could be con By the very nature of the problem, a command-control sidered compatible. From this concept c COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 196/j 27 IBM reports to the industry SYSTEM/360 includes New Optical Scanner reads New IMPACT program universal code capabilities cash register tapes saves time and money The IBM SYSTEM / 360, designed for IBM'S new 1285 Optical Reader It's the IBM 1311 IMPACT Com a specific eight-bit code, also will reads data from cash register or add puter Program Library for inven accept any character code having ing machine tapes directly into any tory management-an extension of fewer than eight bits. of these computers-1401, 1440, 1460 the widely used IMPACT 1401-1405 This eight-bit structure (the ex or SYSTEM/360 (Model 30 or 40). program. tended binary-coded-decimal inter For all businesses, especially re IMPACT assists the buyer in deter change code, or EBCDIC) is derived tailing, the 1285 solves the problem mining when, what and how much from the six-bit BCDIC. One of the of entering raw sales data into a to buy. It helps achieve a more effi most significant advantages of the computer while the facts accurately cient balance between the cost of eight-bit structure is the packing of reflect changing market conditions. carrying inventory and the cost of two four-bit numerics into one eight The 1285 features a high reading purchasing and receiving. Properly bit byte. speed of up to 3,000 lines per min used, it helps improve customer The 7-bit ASCII is to be expanded ute. One reason for this high speed service, while keeping inventory at in SYSTEM/360 to a superset of eight is its solid-logic circuitry-the same a minimum. bits. It will preserve the relation as in SYSTEM / 360. Library programs include edit shi ps and code properties of the Another is a newly-developed "fly ing, file initialization, estimating seven-bit form. ing-spot" scanning technique, in and control of joint-replenishment Input/output equipment that which a beam of light from a cath operations. will handle ASCII includes the 2400 ode ray tube automatically scans The IBM IMPACT Program can be Magnetic Tape units, the 2671 Paper several lines of print without tape used with the IBM 1401/1460-1311 Tape Reader, and the 2822 Paper movement. or the 1440-1311 Data Processing Tape Reader Control. They will be Systems. available starting in April, 1965. SYSTEM / 360' s central processing unit will handle any eight-bit char acter-set, although there are certain restrictions in the decimal arith metic and editing operations. COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 IBM l026-new low-cost link IBM freight program New operating system to on-line Tele processing simplifies billing procedures aids textile finishing The new IBM 1026 Transmission Revenue-accounting and control Textile industry managers can Control Unit provides any user of a in the motor freight industry is now now exercise comprehensive control 1240, 1440, 1401 or 1460 with all the faster and more efficient, through a over all of their operations, by em advantages of a remote, on-line Tele new IBM 1440 program. ploying the new IBM Management processing system-at a very low cost. This new Motor Freight Revenue Operating System (MOS) for Textile Large companies can make a mod Accounting program edits daily Finishing. est start toward satisfying their data transaction data and prepares the This is a total information system communications requirements. Ex daily transaction register. At the -a step-by-step guide to better man pansion to SYSTEM / 360 can be made same time, it posts revenue by agement control. as the need arises. freight bill number. Textile managers can use it to cor Smaller companies, too, can use It prepares customer statements relate data associated with any or all the new 1026 to go on-line now and simultaneously posts customer of the six basic control areas of tex sooner and more reasonably than accounts-receivable balances. It also tile finishing: expanding the finish ever before. edits cash-remittance source data. ing order, applying greige inven Each 1026 Control Unit can han Whether the motor-freight carrier tory, plant loading, raw-materials dle one line, with multiple terminals uses a centralized statement-and-col requirements planning, scheduling, on that line-either 1030's, 1050's, lection method of billing or a de and operations evaluation. 1060'S or 1070's. Up to four control centralized terminal-level method, MOS for Textile Finishing can be units may be added to a system. doesn't matter. In either case, the used with any IBM computer system IOCS support for the IBM 1026 in program provides effective control that has random-access capacity. It cludes polling; addressing and reo' of freight bills. can be used by companies involved ceiving on all lines at the user's dis in the finishing of any cloth-cotton, cretion; error detection; operation wool, or synthetic. with direct data channel and disk; and time-shared operation of batch jobs Wit!l real-time processing. DATA PROCESSING Circle No. 18 on Readers Service Card COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 29 Present development ideas indicate that future com Safety lines puters will be highly modular; all but the smallest Total time of schedule of fires will be Imilt up from the same basic units. Entire memory Obviously a plan which must consider all these factors units or banks of communication channels will be able would be difficult to produce manually; and yet these are quickly to be added or replaced under field conditions. not all the items which should be considered. By present Equipment will be extremely reliable and will be designed methods it takes the Division Artillery Officer and his to make maximum use of diagnostic routines for finding staff 6 to 8 hours to produce a division fire plan involving faults. These routines will be capable of isolating errors several dozen batteries and several hundred targets. Fre down to a single plug-in card and perhaps to a single quently, this amount of time is not available and a less module in that card. The computer will take advantage than acceptable plan has to be used, seriously threatening of the latest advances in logical organization and may use success of the operation. By use of a high-speed computer some form of micro-miniaturized circuit elements. Peri it is possible to produce a better fire plan in less than 15 pheral equipment will be designed with a minimum of minutes. If time is available, a number of different plans mechanical parts. may be produced and the best plan chosen by the Com mander. Command-Control Information System of 1970 The Command Control Information System to be Intelligence implemented by 1970 (CCIS-70) consists of five functional The intelligence subsystem may be described as an areas: Fire Support, Intelligence, Operations, Logistics, information retrieval system where the objective is to have and Personnel &: Administration. The main concept of all the users communicate with the machine in a language these subsystems is to get the right information to the as similar as possible to their own. Early in the design of right people, at the proper time, and to present it in such this subsystem it became obvious that it would not be a way that it can be assimilated very rapidly. practical to use natural English and that a somewhat Fire Support can be divided into two functional areas limited version would have to suffice. Tests showed that involving the use of tube artillery and surface-to-surface under the stress of combat individual soldiers and patrol missiles. leaders could not be expected to use rigid forms for The first function is related to the earlier example of a submitting messages. The system design now envisions Fire Mission. This is the detailed control of each weapon intelligence analysts, using flexible formats with mnemonic so that it will most effectively hit the target. This must codes, who are intermediaries between the combat soldiers be done for both fire observed by a forward observer and and the computer. unobserved fire. Ballistic calculations are extremely com The activities to be performed by the Intelligence sub plex and involve a multitude of factors including gun system conform to what is commonly known as the intelli location, target location, wind velocity, and atmospheric gence cycle. This involves planning, collection, evaluation, conditions at varying altitudes, powder temperature, and and use of intelligence which again leads back to planning. projectile weight. These calculations are sufficiently com The most extensive use of automated equipment will take plicated so that, in a manually controlled operation, it is place in the use phase. A significant amount of clerical easier to fire several rounds bracketing the target before effort will be eliminated since it will no longer be neces actually firing on it. This often gives the enemy sufficient sary to manually record information. In the past, this has time to obtain shel ter or to move. U sing a digital com taken the form of a message log, where each message is puter it is possible to go immediately into "Fire for Effect," recorded by subject content, and a grease pencil situation and achieve a significant increase in tactical surprise and map where all units can be shown. first-round accuracy. Since atmospheric conditions are The saving in time will be substantial, and accuracy constantly changing by substantial margins it is common will be greatly improved. The manual procedure for practice to register the guns several times a day in order to placing an enemy unit on the situation map is very sus be prepared for any eventuality. The savings in ammuni ceptible to error. In an automated system, after a message tion by elimination of registration fire will be considerable. concerning a particular unit is received, the proper symbol for the unit can be accurately positioned on an electronic Fire Plan graphical display unit. The use of computer-driven graph The second function is the preparation of the fire plan ical display units will greatly enhance the usefulness of the or the schedule of fire from a number of firing units system. No longer will the Commander be able to view against a large number of targets. A fire plan is prepared only the extremely cluttered situation map, but will be whenever a general attack is planned or a delaying defense able to request a display of specifically desired information. is necessary. During the course of normal operation, many This may be all enemy tank units or perhaps all mine potential targets are entered into the computer system and fields within a certain area. are not fired upon immediately for various reasons. This One of the largest problems in any intelligence opera information may come from forward observers, aerial tion is seeing that the proper people get the information reconnaissance, the Intelligence subsystem, and electronic that they need anq seeing that they get it without wading means. through a mass of unnecessary data. Using a computer, When the artillery officer develops a fire plan he must it is possible for intelligence analysts to enter requests for consider such factors as: the information which they desire and then have every incoming message concerning their problem routed to Type of target: infantry dug in, tanks, bunkers, etc. them. In this manner an analyst will be able to request Size of target all information concerning the movement of artillery units Density of target in a particular area. Location of target Desired damage: 100% neutralization is usually very uneconomical Logistics Time at which target is to be attacked in relation to The third major area under development is the Logis other targets tics subsystem. Logistics can be considered to include Location of firing units supply, transportation, rear area damage control, main Ammunition available at each unit and at stock points tenance, civil affairs and administrative planning. 30 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 At the present time, activity is being concentrated in the Information' concerning targets will flow between the first of these areas, supply. Modern tactical supply, in Fire Support and Intelligence subsystems, and the Opera order to exist in a nuclear environment, involves flexi tions subsystem will receive much of its information bility, mobility, rapid responses, and selective stockage directly from other computers. This will reduce the chance instead of the previous approach of abundant stockage. of human error considerably. The full advantages of a Formerly, many items were carried in large quantities and fully automated system are only beginning to become only infrequently used. Because of rear area vulnerability, apparent as the tasks to be performed in each subsystem large numbers of fixed plant depots are no longer practical. are becoming more clearly defined. The primary functions being automated are item ac Many problems still remain to be solved. Not the least counting, requisition processing and stock status reporting. of these problems is the development of reliable and This is quite similar to many commercial inventory control rugged equipment, especially peripheral gear. The closer systems; only now it must be performed under tactical the state of the art comes to all-electronic equipment, the conditions. In an effort to increase the response time of higher it seems are the chances of success. In the system supply, a random access mass storage device will be used design area, much effort is needed in coordination with so that requisitions may be processed as they arrive and the other services and with allied forces so that systems by priority. are compatible. Also, care must be exercised that too much This area is perhaps the closest to being automated. "by-the-book" stress is not built into the system. It must There is ·already a MOBIDIC computer in operation at be able to adapt to changing situations. Likewise, the Zweibrucken, Germany, for use by the 7th Army. A second programming must be such as to ensure that the programs MOBIDIC is installed at Orleans, France. These are both can be usily maintained and modified when required. sequential tape systems rather than random-access systems In a world of potential thermonuclear holocaust, main and handle mostly stock control in rear areas. tenance of strong and efficient armed forces discourages attack. The Command-Control Information System for the Personnel and Administration Field Army is a part of this task. The fourth area of activity is the Personnel and Admin istration sub-system. The major effort here is to reduce manual record-keeping at the combat units to a minimum. Effort is being spent in personnel record-keeping, individ ual replacement, casualty reporting, rotation, and pay. Under the present method, a complete reulf(l is kept on file for each man, and the commander of a small unit sends in a comprehensive daily report concerning person nel in his unit. Under the new concept he will send only change information. He will receive from the computer CIRCULAR PROGRESSION center serving his unit, a comprehensive report concerning all personnel in his unit with specific mention being made of all situations requiring his action. The individual replacement function is perhaps one of the most important of all when considering increasing the tactical effectiveness of a unit. The problem exists of assigning the proper people to the proper jobs in both peacetime and wartime. With a computer it will be pos sible to carry out a more appropriate assignment. Operations The last major function to be automated is the Opera tions subsystem. This is the command post function through which the Division, Corps, or Army ·Commander controls his units. When automated, it should be able to carry out many staff functions better than the manual methods used at present. ,\t One activity is the maintenance of the Operations Situation Map. This is similar to the situation map in the Intelligence subsystem except that it has more concentra tion on friendly units. Here again, graphical display equipment will replace the grease pencil. The Commander or his staff will be able to interrogate the computer to determine specific information concerning pertinent events. If the information is not available at this complex, the other subsystems will be interrogated to obtain it. Besides the information retrieval aspects, a certain amollnt of computation would be done here. Such func tions as fallout prediction, radiological intensity charting, and status of key supply items will be performed. This will also be the center through which coordination with "Oh no sir, Mr. Supervisor,sir, I never drink on the job adjacent units and units of the other services or Allied sir, you see sir, "looped" is just an expression sir, natiollS will be done. when I said I was "looped," I meant, oh goodness h is quickly obvious that the full power of these sub gracious sir ..." systellls will be achieved when they are all operating to gether as a single system. COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 .11 - I: tl THE STANDARDIZATION OF PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES ( a p • e 0 p a Franz L. Alt tl National Bureau of Standards TVashington) D. C. S( e d 0 u c 0 c: The Economics orf Standards Orbjections to Standardization '\\ Standardization in the computer field has been under The languages which exist today are by no means the a discussion for at least .ten years; and for the last four or best possible. We do not yet have a good theory of com j( five years, concrete efforts in this direction have been under puter languages, and we are nowhere near the limit of the way, centered in the American Standards Association. Yet concepts which can be expressed in such languages. Exist even today there is no clear-cut answer to the question ing languages are constantly being improved upon. If whether or when or to what extent standardization in this everyone agreed on using exclusively some standard pro field is desirable. Work is being done on standardizing of gramming language or languages, the development of new both hardware and software; and in the latter area, it or improved languages would be stifled. Persons with ideas ranges from the smallest units-characters-to the largest for improving languages would be discouraged by the -programming languages. Why should there still be so knowledge that the results of their work would not be used much difference· of opinion on the value of standards? for a long time, and then only after the cumbersome proc As a staff member of the National Bureau of Standards ess of revising an existing standard. The situation is quite I know from daily experience that in most fields of tech unlike that in, say, screw threads, where revolutionary new nology standardization is an unmixed blessing. Things are inventions are hardly to be expected. The desire to en not nearly so simple in the field of computer languages. courage further development of languages is so strong Whatever the advantages of standardizing one or a few that it has caused some people to object to any stan computer languages, we pay a heavy price for it. But we dardization at this time. While this viewpoint seems to me also pay a price for failing to standardize, or standardizing to be too extreme, it does seem necessary to strive to con too late. And the heaviest penalty of all is for standardiz duct standardization in such a way as to minimize its harm ing prematurely or on the wrong language. Between these ful effect on innovation. conflicting tendencies we have to try to reach an optimum Another point is the great and growing specialization compromise. But what is optimum depends on the view of computer languages. It would be wholly unrealistic to point. There are a few persons who are flatly opposed to imagine that all computer programmers could agree on any standardization of programming languages at this time. using one and the same language. There is an increasing Many more agree that some amount of standardization is tendency to narrow the fields served by a language, to now desirable, but in varying degrees and with varying make the languages more and more specialized. What we safeguards. What seems best to the user does not seem best need, therefO're, is not one standard but a number of dif· to the producer of computers, and what is best for one ~ ferent standard languages for different purposes. There particular company may be contrary to the interest of all will unavoidably be overlaps in some places, and gaps ill other companies. L other places. It is easy to see what a difficult problem it will be to choose a complete, consistent, and non-over (Reprinted with permission from "Pr.oc«;edings of the ~ 9th Nati.onal Con· lapping set of programming languages. ference," copyright 1964 by the AssociatIOn for Computing Mac!l1l1ery, 211 East 43 St., New York, N. Y. 10017) From what I have said so far, two limitations on our 32 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 19()/j standardization effort emerge: There will not be one stan adopted as standards, thus reducing the pressure on the dani language but a collection of them, so as to accom manufacturer. This is the reason manufacturers support Illodate all areas of widespread machine usc. And it seems standardization, and it is also the reason why they will in advisable that the use of the standardized languages be general favor a small number of standards. In this respect optional and not mandatory, so that nonstandard languages ~he situation in programming languages is similar to that in - may be used or newly created whenever this appears to be many other industries. The customers, in general, will argue economically justified. for a somewhat greater variety of standard languages, to facilitate programming and the exchange of programs in a T'he Case for Standardi%ation greater number of special fields; but even the customers have Different Viewpoints 1- an interest in holding the number of standards down to What makes standardization desirable at this time is 1- some reasonable level, since otherwise opportunities for )f the proliferation of languages which has begun to set in exchange of programs are too much reduced. during the past few years. This threatens to limit the pos '5 sibilities for interchange of programs between laboratories, and reduces the rate of return on investment in compilers. Dangers of Premature Standardization f There is now a bewildering variety of different languages, h often differing from each other only in minute detail. Matters in this respect can perhaps best be illustrated by Sometimes this comes about merely because programmers comparison with an entirely different field, that of units of 1- insist on their own way of doing things, at other times be measurement. The American economy today is significantly )f cause of their understandable desire to create a language handicapped by its adherence to the English system of units, )f best suited for their particular brand of problems. Some while most of the world is using the metric system. In the y times it is to facilitate the writing of compilers for a spe eighteenth century, England was the only nation in which industrialization had gained a foothold. This required rela :r cific machine, or to take better advantage of some special feature of a machine. tively precise standards of measurement, and the English It And here we can discern the germ of disagreement units naturally were chosen as standards. At the time of among interested parties: Different languages are best the French revolution the superior metric system, then t suited for different machines, and if one language is newly devised, was introduced on the European continent g chosen as a standard, this gives an advantage to one kind without opposition; but it was rejected in England, where Lt of machine. True, it is a very temporary advantage, for it would have conflicted with the vested interests of the computers become obsolete very quickly, and new models older industry. The American colonies, after independence, are introduced every few years. Once a standard language switched to a decimal system of money but stayed with a.s been agreed upon, manufacturers will usually find it the mother country in the matter of the physical units, possible to adapt their next model to that language. In a the foot and the pound. As recently as 1914 the lion's g few years everyone would be on an equal footing except share of world trade fell to countries with English weights for the fact that standardization itself is not standing still, and measures, but since then the share of the "metric bloc" and we may expect new languages to be added to the list has risen rapidly, and now our adherence to English stan of standards from time to time. dards constitutes a severe impediment to our export trade. There is another way in which standardization affects But the enormous investment in our industrial plant makes the competitive position of companies. A computing a changeover extremely expensive. laboratory which intends to switch to a new machine has It is too early to be sure, but we may discern the danger a library of programs written in a language adapted to its of a similar situation arising in programming languages. old machine. Therefore, it has an incentive to acquire a In the early years, and even today, computer development machine of similar characteristics, presumably by the same in the United States has been far more rapid than in the manufacturer. Also, many laboratories are interested in rest of the world. We were thus the first to develop higher exchanging programs with other installations; there is, level programming languages, and we are now saddled therefore, a tendency to acquire a kind of which numerous with a sizeable investment in computer programs written others are in use, or may be expected to be in use in the in the early, and, therefore, less perfect, languages. Some future. Thus, once a manufacturer has acquired a large day this may cause us to fall behind in comparison with share of the market, there will be a tendency for his share the rest of the world. to grow even more. The only way in which the others can Both producers and users are interested in standards compete at all is by providing compilers for the languages which have international validity. For the producers, the used by the dominant producer. This is made more dif reason is obvious; they wish to compete in the foreign ficul t if there exists a variety of such languages, differing market. For the users, the reason is less obvious, but actually in minor points. Another road open to the small manu even stronger. Although the volume of computer activity facturers is to provide compilers for a language which is in Europe is-small, the technical level of contributions to common to all of them but different from that of the the theory and practice of programming is very high. The dominant producer. This may make their combined slice problems which programmers have to solve are, with few of the market large enough to be competitive. But it forces exceptions, the same in all countries. Interchange of com them to invest in producing still another compiler for each puter programs across national boundaries, while still small of their machines, and this investment will payoff only in volume, is a practical thing today. slowly. I have gone into the situation in so much detail in order In any event, those who buy or rent computing equip to give an idea of what conflicting pressures we may expect, ment have acquired the habit of expecting that the pro and particularly in what ways the field of computer lan ducer will furnish compilers for several popular languages. guages differs from other industrial fields in which stan Since each customer has his own desires, and since even dardization is being attempted. I now propose to discuss the major languages exist in several slightly different ver first the form in which the American Standards Association sic)J}s or dialects, the manufacturer is hard put to it to has .organized its effort for programming languages, then satisfy all his customers. A consequence of standardization the present status of specific languages, the contributions will he that more customers will be inclined to, expect of other organizations, and the outlook for future accom compilers only for those languages which have been plishments. COl\lPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 33 The Standardization Effort of ASA accepted by the parent committee, a new working group of X-3.4 is set up, outside of X-3.4.2, to deal with this Subcommittee X-3.4 of the American Standards Associa language exclusively, and the responsibility of X-3.4.2 for tion, charged with the standardization of common pro this language ceases. The working group created for the gramming languages, is less than four years old. Like many language then concerns itself with all the detailed ques other ASA committees, it has set up a number of working tions of which features are to be included in the standard groups which deal with detailed technical preparation of and how they are to be described, and comes up with a various items on the committee's agenda. The full com document intended as a draft standard. This document is mittee meets at intervals of one or two months, considers referred back to X-3.4.2 for comparison with its own and discusses the reports of the working groups as well as criteria for language specifications. In this way we hope some items of business coming in from other sources, and to achieve some uniformity both in the selection of lan recommends items for action to its parent committee X-3. guages for standardization and in their description. The working group structure, in other words the system Working Group X-3.4.3 is devoted entirely to one lan of distributing tasks among the working groups, is not guage, FORTRAN. Its accomplishments will be surveyed based on one logical principle, but is a hybrid of two later in connection with discussion of individual pro principles. This situation has come about historically. It gramming languages. was thought originally that different working groups Working Group X-3.4.4 has two assignments, one func should attend to different aspects of the standardizatiQn tional and one' concerned with a specific language. This process, each working group being assigned one aspect for all programming languages. Later on a need was felt for group is charged with the investigation of standards for having one working group in charge of all the work on processor specification, both hard and soft. In addition, one particular programming language. As a result we now as their initial effort, they are pursuing the standardization have some· working groups concerned with individual of COBOL. It is recognized that this in itself is a subset languages, some with particular functions, and some with of their major responsibility and it is believed that the assignments of both kinds. experience gained from the COBOL standardization effort In addition to the working groups, which are at present will contribute substantially toward subsequent efforts in eight in number, there is a Membership Committee, which the general area of processor specification. In fact, this screens applications from individuals who wish to become working group has spent most of its efforts on COBOL. members, alternates or observers, and a Steering Com- Tts progress will be discussed below. mittee, whose function has been compared to that of the Working Group X-3.4.5 is concerned with international Rules Committee in Congress. The Membership Com matters. This is entirely a functional assignment. It mittee also proposes the general rules which govern the includes (a) relations with the international standards admission of individuals, subject to approval of the main organization (ISO); (b) backing up the American delega committee. tion to meetings of ISO Technical Committee 97, Sub The voting members of X-3.4 serve as individuals, not as committee 5, which is concerned with programming lan representatives of their companies or agencies. Further guages; (c) in effect, Working Group X-3.4.5 has served as more, we have a rule that there can never be two pr more the Secretariat of ISO TC97 SC5. voting members who are on the staff of the same company Working Group X-3.4.6 is concerned with nomenclature; or agency. Additional persons from the same organization this is entirely a functional assignment. The group coop may, however, be admitted as alternates or observers, and erates with Subcommittee X-3.5 (Glossary) by furnishing as such take part in the debates, but without voting. suggestions and criticisms on glossary items having to do Otherwise a person's technical qualifications and legitimate with programming languages. interest in problems of language standards are the only Working Groups X-3.4.7 and X-3.4.8 were organized just criteria for admission. recently. They are concerned with APT and' ALGOL, respectively. Previous to their establishment, a good deal Working Group X-3.4.l is concerned with the theory of languages and language standardization. It is thus a purely of work on these languages was done by subgroups of X-3.4.2. functional working group, not concerned with any partic ular language. It made most of its contributions in the early stages, by specifying the process of standardization, The Present Status of Specific Languages criteria to be applied at different stages, etc. It has pro In its almost four years of existence, X-3.4 has not yet duced or stimulated a large number of publications and produced a single concrete standard. This bald statement sponsored or co-sponsored technical meetings. It has made may cause some shock, and may further lead to the suspi studies of language structure and surveyed the existing cion that the conflicting pressures to which I have alluded organizations concerned with computer languages. At have tended to prevent the selection of any standards. To present it acts as a stand-by advisory group which we con the best of my belief such a suspicion is entirely un sult whenever a theoretical question comes up; this founded; the true cause for the long time lapse lies in the happens more often than one might think. fact-that a programming language is an incredibly compli Working Group X-3.4.2 has several functions. First of cated thing. It is probable that nothing even approaching all it is concerned with language specifications, i.e. with it in complexity has ever been standardized. A language is the way in which a language is to be described. This is a far more than a list of macro-instructions together with a major problem, since the description of anyone language compiler which translates them into machine code. There is likely to fill a book. Next, X-3.4.2 is concerned with must be, for each macro-instruction, a description which establishing criteria for the selection and evaluation of specifies what output the computer is to produce on receipt languages. It looks at a number of existing programming of this macro-instruction in all conceivable circumstances. languages and decides which ones might make good can~ The action which the computer is to take may depend on didates for standardization. If a language looks at all, previous instructions, and there is an unlimited variety of promising, a subgroup is set up inside X-3.4.2 which ways in which instructions can be chained together. It is a examines that language in more detail and arrives at a difficult problem indeed to ascertain that all cases have been recommendation as to whether the language should indeed provided for and that no contradictions will occur. be considered in depth as a possibility for an American In fact, it has been found repeatedly, when a language standard. If the recommendation is positive and if it is was being investigated as a candidate for standardization, 34 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 19G'" that no satisfactory description of the language existed, or their work in COBOL standardization, X-3.4.4 is sub that the language itself or its implementation was deficient divided according to four functions: (1).-\ working group in serious ways. In such cases, development work is needed to conduct COBOL implementation surveys. \Vork on the before standardization can take place. X-3.4 has taken the first survey is nearing completion and reflects the details of position that the work of developing computer languages, all COBOL 1961 implementations in this country. The as distinct from standardizing them, is not its responsibility, purpose of the survey was to suggest the largest intersection nor a responsibility of ASA in general, but should be left of language elements to be included in the first level primarily to the professional societies and other groups. standard. (2) .-\ working group to specify a set of COBOL But Subcommittee X-3.4 and its working groups are programs to be used in order to determine whether a given actively cooperating with other groups in such development impleri.1entation complies with the standard. These pro work, and are furthermore carrying on development work grams are initially designed to test the availability of a given alone in cases where no other organization can be found lang'uage feature and subsequently will determine the for it. ~'alidity of the final result. In no way are the programs To date X-3.4 has concerned itself with four specific lan lIltended to measure processor efficiency. (3) A working guages: ALGOL, FORTRAN, COBOL and APT. group to publish the X-3.4 COBOL Information Bulletin. The standardization of FORTRAN is the object of a fhe purpose of the CIB is rapid dissemination of informa special working group,' X-3.4.3. The group decided early tion on COBOL standardization activity. To date four that it would be necessary to standardize two different bulletins have been published and a fifth is currently being versions, similar to what is known as FORTRAN II and completed. (4) A working group to prepare the proposed FORTRAN IV, so that the user will have a choice of two draft American COBOL standard and its approved subsets. levels of language, one narrow, with few instructions, but This group is currently working with the CODASYL easy to implement and compile on computers of moderate COBOL Committee in a cooperative effort to develop and capacity, the other more comprehensive, allowing greater standardize these subsets. power to the programmer but more difficult to implement. APT is the most recent addition to the list of languages The two standards are to be "upward compatible" so that selected for sta ndardiza tion, and the prepara tory work is a program written in the narrower language can be used not yet completed. A subgroup of X-3.4.2 had been at work with the compiler intended for the broad one, but not vice for some time before the recent formation of a separate versa. Draft documents describing both languages have working group, X-3.4.7, which will now concern itself with been prepared, copies of the tentative drafts have been the creation of a draft document. distributed to interested parties, and their comments have At the same time the committee continues to consider been worked into the drafts. We are looking forward to other languages which seem promising for standardization. early submission of these documents as proposed American Other Standards-Processing Organi%ations draft standards. Furthermore, on the international level, the International Standards Organization is awaiting a U.S. While the .-\merican Standards Association has carried the FORTRAN proposal in the hope that an American stan largest share of the standardization effort, other technical dard may be agreed upon, which may be acceptable as an organizations have contributed significantly. Although these international standard without changes. It now seems likely organizations have widely differing structures and purposes, that they will soon be presented with a recommended draft. there has been a remarkable absence of jurisdictional dis The effort on ALGOL was in the hands of a subgroup of putes, overlap or other confusion which one might fear. X-3.4.2 until recently, when a separate working group On the contrary, all has been harmony and cooperation in X-3.4.S was established for this language. There is strong regard to organization; what disagreements exist pertain to interest in ALGOL in Europe and so the International technical or economic matters, as they ought to. This happy Standards Organization has taken the lead in working on state of affairs is due in great part to the fact that the same an international standard for ALGOL, while the American few individuals serve in all these organizations. preference has been to wait for this to happen and then Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) perhaps to adopt the international standard for the U. S. without change. The Standards Committee of ACM cooperates in every At the time when these strategies crystallized, two or way possible with X-3.4. l\Iany of its members are also three years ago, the most comprehensive version of the members of X-3.4. Its chairman is also editor of the Stan ALGOL language then in existence, known as ALGOL-60, dards section of Communications of the ACM, which per had at least two major faults which, in the opinion of many, forms a most valuable service by keeping interested parties made it unsuitable as a standard. First, there appeared to informed of eve"",y step in the standardiza'tion process. be some unresolved inconsistencies. Second, no input and Various Subgroups of the AC~I Computer Languages Com output instructions were defined; this was left to be done by mittee are active in language development. This activity the compilers. The latter objection was removed when a is of importance to standardization since in many instances subcommittee of ACM, with the cooperation of X-3.4.2, the lack of adequate development is what prevents us from developed a set of 10 specifications. As a result, it was de standardizing. In particular, the ALGOL subcommittee of cided in May of 1964 to draft standards for ALGOL on two this group has worked closely with the ALGOL subgroup of levels, with upward compatibility: one being the full X-3.4.2 in developing input and output specifications for ALGOL-60, the other a subset sufficiently restricted to re this language. JlIove the inconsistencies of the former. The standards are also to incorporate two levels of 10 specifications, based on International Federation for the ACM report and on work done by IFIP on the problem. Information Processing (I F I P) These decisions are so detailed that no more than an editing This group (IFIP) and its U. S. adherent (.\FIPS) take joh is still required to create a document suitable to' serve part in language development and thereby contribute as international standard. greatly to standardization. AFIPS, or rather its predecessor, COBOL has been assigned to X-3.4.4 along with the the Joint Computer Conference Committee, was probably general problem of processor specifications. The difficulty the first organization in which standardization in the has heen that there is as yet no document in existence computer field was seriously discussed. IFIP has a number desniiJing the COBOL language ~in a manner sufficiently of technical committees, among which TC 2, concerned deal' and unambiguous for standardization. To accomplish with programming languages, is of in terest to liS. III partic- COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 35 ular, IFIP-TC 2 has a working group for ALGOL, which economic and technical: the multiplicity of interests and has been actively engaged in the development of this lan effects: the difficulty of describing programming languages guage and deserves the principal credit for the formulation and their associate processors: the difficulty of testing them of the "full ALGOL" standard and one of its 10 systems. and making sure of their completeness, consistency and Close cooperation between IFIP-TC 2 and X-3.4 is assured compatibility. Another is simply the lack of manpower. by overlapping memberships, a number of individuals X-3.4 has an extremely capable and enthusiastic group of holding positions in both organizations and contributing committee members, but the really active ones are' few in decisively to their work. Another technical committee, number and they are volunteers who take time out from IFIP-TC 1, is concerned with the standardization of com their regular duties to work on standardization of pro puter terminology. gramming languages. Because there are so few of them, almost everyone is carrying multiple assignments; and these Business Equipment Manufacturers same individuals also serve in the other organizations Association (BEMA) discussed in Section 4. We need more help, This organization of American producers of all kinds of A third difficulty has been a lack of funds for travel for office equipment acts as sponsor of ASA Sectional Com participation in committee meetings. This has forced us to mittee X-3 on computers and information processing, and look for participants principally in a small geographic area, thereby furnishes some of the indispensable office support stretching from New York to Washington, D. C., and it has for X-3.4 and the other subcommittees of X-3. More im altogether prevented many capable and interested persons, portantly, some of the key members and staff of X-3 are especially in the academic world, from joining. In both BEMA staff members and play a vital role in keeping ways it has aggravated the already critical lack of manpower. manufacturers interested in standardization. By detailing these difficulties, I do not mean to say that I am discouraged. On the contrary, I am confident that European Computer Manufacturers' despite delays we shall soon reach our objective of an Association (ECMA) adequate set of standard computer programming languages. Unlike BEMA, ECl\IA activities are almost exclusively concentrated on development and standardization in the Acknowledgements computer field. Among its technical committees, TC 2 I am grateful to my colleagues in X-3.4 for their advice (General Programming Languages), TC 5 (ALGOL) and and help in the preparation of this material. In particular, TC 6 (COBOL) work in the area of computer languages, H. Bromberg, assisted by D. A. Goldstein, supplied the ISO (see below) provides a common meeting ground paragraphs dealing with X-3.4.4 and COBOL; P. Z. between the ECMA and ASA committees. Ingennan and J. N. Merner checked and corrected the sections on X-3.4.2 and ALGOL; W. P. Heising and Jean I nternational Standards Organization (I SO,) Sammet, those on X-3.4.3 and FORTRAN. Furthermore, For almost 20 years ISO has served as the focal point for much of the material presented here is based on earlier standardization on an international scale for a wide variety reports prepared by S. Gorn and R. E. U tman. of goods and services. Forty-five countries are participating in its work. Among its numerous technical committees is one, TC-97, with the title "Computers and Information Processing." Its scope corresponds closely to that of ASA STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, . MANAGEMENT. AND CIRCULATION I Publ;'h"~H' two cop;" of Sectional Committee X-3 with the same title. Like X-3, ISO (..1a of Oaobtr 23. 1962: 5tc/lon 4369. Tilit 39. Unlltd Slalts Codt) this form with your postmaster. 2 TC-97 has set up a number of subcommittees, among which 1. DAT( Of """'0 CT 1 1964 1 . mLE Of puo"C~~~puters and Automation SC 5 (Programming Languages) corresponds to ASA X-3.4. Monthly 4 LOC ... TlON Of I!;NOWN OffiCE OF PU8L1CATION (51"". ci,y. COII"'y. J/4/,. lip CfJJ,j In few areas is the need for international validity of 815 Washington St., Newtonville, Middlesex, Mass. 02160 5. LOCATION Of THE HEADQUARTERS OR GENERAL 8USINESS OffiCES Of THE PU8l1SHERS (No' pri"",O standards more thoroughly recognized than in computer 815 Washington St., NewtonVille, Mass. 02160 6. NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF PUBLISHER, EDITOR, AND MANAGING EDITOR . languages. From the start X-3.4 and TC 97-SC 5 have been 'UtUSHEIt (N.,,,,, .,,,J4JJr,JJj keenly aware of the overriding .need for the closest coopera Berkeley Enterprises, Inc., 815 Washington St" Newtonville, Mass. 02160 lOITOI (N.,.,.,,,J.,Jt/,.rs$) tion in, and coordination of, all their activities. This has Edmund C. Berkeley, 815 Washington St., Newtonville, Mass. 02160 ....NAGING EOITOR (N.,,,,t .,,,J .,JJ,.m) been achieved in several ways. First of all, many individuals Edmund C. Berkeley, 815 Washington St., Newtonville, Mass. 02160 7. OWNfII: (II owntd by IZ corporation, ils namt and IZddrtss must bt staltd and also immed;atel] thertundtr tht nlZmts IZnd IZd hold positions in both organizations, so that there is Jr'lu, olstodtllold,,.s owning or hold;ng I ptr"nt ;r mort 01 totlZllZmount 01 slock. II not oU'ntd b] IZ corporation, tht namts lind .J,J,.,sus 01 tht ;ndi"idual owners musl bt gii,tn. II owntd b] IZ parlnership or othtr unincorporattd firm. its nlZlnt and IZddrtll, a' mutual awareness of activities and motives in more detail wtlJ ., thlZt 01 tach indi"iduill Plust be gir'tn.) than could be accomplished by merely exchanging docu Berkeley Enterorlses Inc. 815 Washlnuton St. Newtonville Idass. U'llw .~ ments. Secondly, ISO frequently relies on the adherent Edmund C. Berkelev T 815 Washington St., Newtonville, Mass. U'dllO r----Max S. Weinstein 25 Hlahland Drive Albany 3, N. Y. national groups for its technical work; the United States I •. KNOWN BONDHOLDERS, MORTGAGEES, AND OTHER SECURITY HOLDERS OWNING OR HOLDING I PERCENT OR MORE OF TOTAL AMOUNT group, because of the dominant position of the United Of toNDS, MORTGAGES OR OTHER SECURITIES (1llhtrt IIrt nont, 10 stlZtt) States in the worldwide computer market, has carried a None large share of these responsibilities. Finally, each of the two organizations has shown complete willingness to take 9. Paragraphs 7 and 8 include, in cases where the stockholder or security holder appears upon the books of the company as the activities of the other into account in planning its own trustee or in any other fiduciary relation. the name of the penon or corporation for whom luch trustee is acting, also the scace menu in the two paragraphs show the affiant's full knowledge and belief as to the circumstances and conditions under which stockholders and security holders who do not appear upon the books of the company as trustees, bold stock and sC("urities in work. Thus, as has been mentioned, the international a capacity other than that of a bona fide owner. Names and addresses of individuals who are stockholders of a corporltion .... hich itself is a stockholder or holder of bonds, mortgages or other securities of the publishing corporation have been included standardization of FORTRAN and COBOL has been in paugraphs 7 and 8 when the interests of such individuals are equivalent to I percent or more of the total amounr of the deferred pending action on the national level in the Slock or securities of the publishing corporation. 10. THIS ITEM MUST BE COMPLETED FOR ALL PUBLICATIONS EXCEPT THOSE WHICH DO NOT CARRY ADVERTISING OTHER THAN THE PUBLISHlR S United States, while in the matter of ALGOL standardiza OWN "":'10 WHICH ARE NAMED IN SECTIONS 132.231,132.232, AND 132.233, POSTAL MANUAL (Sut;ons 43Ha, 43Hb, lind 43,56 oj "f,t/, tion, X-3.4 has concentrated on cooperating in the ISO 39. U.,,,d Sta'" Cad.) p:i~~f,Y~~,~o~~~f:, ""~~',:;,'~~ ~!~:m effort in the expectation that its results Illay later be 6701 9050 t. PAID CIRCULATION adopted as American standards. 1. TO HRM SU8SCRISERS 8Y MAil, CARRlfR DEliVERY OR 8Y OTHER MEANS 6481 6970 670 886 In conclusion, let me point to the two main difficulties D TOTAL NO. OF COPlfS DISTRISUTED (511'" of Ii"" BI. B2 .,,,J C) 7151 7656 which stand in our way and prevent us from progressing as fast as we should like to. One of these, which I have men Edmund C. Berkeley tioned earlier, is the unusual complexity of the subject, both .-00._ 3526 ..... " 1963 36 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1%,'1 "ACROSS THE EDITOR'S DESK" Computing and Data Processing NewsleHer TABLE OF CONTENTS Applications .37 New Products 43 New Contracts. . 39 People of Note . 49 New Installations .40 Business News. 49 Education News .43 Computer Census 50 APPLICATIONS MAJOR U. S. GAS FIELD was first put on data processing to prepare a 150-page training DEFINED ELECTRONICALLY cards. Then the cards were put on manual at a substantial savings. a magnetic tape and fed into a com The use of an RCA 301 computer in West Delta Block 27 Field, puter along with a custom-engineered producing the textbook was part of which is expected to develop into program. The computer then printed a continuing program being con one of the country's major natural out all the tabular data required ducted by the U. S. Navy's Bureau gas fields, has been defined elec by the operator, including: the of Personnel (BuPers), in cooper tronically. Sumner B. Irish, Pres number of acre-feet of oil sands ation with the Radio Corporation ident of Graftek, Inc., Princeton, on each property; the metes and of America and the National Indus N.J., reported that using custom bounds descriptions; the maximum, trial Security Association, to re engineered programming wi th a newly minimum, and average thickness of duce the cost of printing manuals. developed computer system, the each sand by property; and the The production method used was a field's reserves were calculated share or participation in area and modified version of the system to exceed 5 trillion cubic feet of volume by each property in major employed by leading newspapers natural gas. This marks the first and minor tracts. During the pro in the United States. time a petroleum reserve has been cessing, there are several elec successfully detailed by a computer tronic and visual quality control The manual involved, a text system. points. book for sailors seeking to attain the rating of Instrumentman Third The field covers some 14,588 "As a recheck and for perman and Second Class, was processed by acres in the Gulf of Mexico 70 ent records, we redrew with the the computer with a savings in miles Southeast of New Orleans. computer, on a mylar map of all composition costs of some 33 per It is in lands submerged by the properties located over the field, cent compared with "hot type" com open waters of the Gulf of Mexico the contours of the field. Thus position methods. Only 171 min with an average depth of 25 feet. the operator received not only all utes were required to punch and Calculations were made down to a the tabular data required, but also justify the lines for the eleven depth of 16,000 feet. There were a visual check of accuracy." chapters in the manual. Because sands or reservoirs proven at vari of the pilot-program nature of the ous depths ranging from 8200 feet These calculations done manu operation, the tape was fed back to 16,000 feet. Gulf Oil Corpora ally would have required a large into the computer to obtain hard tion is the operator of the jointly staff of engineers and draftsmen copy, which required an additional owned properties with Humble Oil working over a period of about 3 95 minutes. and Refining Co. months at twice the cost. In this case, the problems were solved Tape from the RCA 301 was Using the operator's contour within four weeks -- with solutions fed into Merganthaler Elektron maps and empirical volume formula, starting to be fed back to the linecasters in the Government it was possible to translate the client within two weeks after Printing Office, setting hypenated graphics into itemized tabular receipt. and justified body text in 10-point data. The end result was a great Bodoni type; headlines, subheads detail of accurate and complete and captions were set in sanserif numerical information. Tempo type up to 24 points. U. S. NAVY REPORTS ON Mr. Irish explained the pro USE OF COMPUTER FOR The same technique can be cess: "In making our determina PRINTING ECONOMIES used to produce negatives of posi tions and processing the graphics tives for photo-offset reproduc into machine language and then to The U. S. Navy has success tion, as well as "hot type" for a numerical report, the information fully used an electronic computer letterpress composition. COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 37 Newsletter RESEARCH ARM·AID, desk, capable of small movements faculty member could ask for and A COMPUTER·GUIDED DEVICE in three dimensions for fine ad immediately receive a given stu justments, has been designed for dent's final schedule. A research arm-aid that can use with the arm-aid in such com assist a paralyzed patient in many plex activities as eating. By the end of the day, MIT routine daily activities (such as had complete information on its eating and shaving) has been devel Once a program is selected, entire enrollment. The instant oped at Case Institute of Technol the activity of the splint can be registration marked the first time ogy and Highland View Hospital, controlled by four eyebrow move that time-sharing and use of a di Cleveland, Ohio, as part of a joint ments which activate delicate rect hookup with the computer were medical engineering program. Funds switches glued to the forehead. applied to a problem of college for the research were supplied by These switches directly control administration. the Office of Vocational Rehabili the splint. The over-ride system tation of the Department of Health, is controlled by beaming an infra Education and Welfare. red light source toward photo cells mounted on the arm splint. This BIGGER AND BETTER The arm-aid system uses a light source is mounted on spec BEEF CATTLE PRODUCED series of computer programs to tacle frames which the patient BY COMPUTER ANALYSIS guide a splint which, in turn, wears. moves the patient's arm in a vari The science of beef cattle ety of functions. In addition, Using the arm-aid, it has been breeding is being further refined electrodes and amplifiers pick up found that it is possible to eat an through use of a computer to com the bio-electric activity in a average hospital meal in as little pare individual animals as well as patient's shoulder muscle to acti as 30 minutes. Tests have been the performance of each sire and vate his paralyzed finger muscles made on normal and quadriplegic dam in breeding. Performance Reg to obtain some use of the fingers patients. These tests have shown istry International (PRI) is using in grasping. This appears to be that the programmed motions feel an NCR 315 computer system at Na the first time a paralyzed muscle normal and natural and the subject tional Cash Register'S Denver has been effectively activated by is not tired by the function of (Colo.) data processing center to amplified electrical signals orig the arm-aid splint. develop detailed hereditary records. inating in a muscle which is con Cattle producers who use the PRI nected to the brain, thus consti In its present form (a pro service report a close connection tuting an artificial neural by-pass. totype used exclusively for re between animals with high rates of search), the device is much too calf production, rapid weight gain The arm-aid consists of four expensive for general patient ap and quality of meat. basic subsystems. One is the ex plication. Investigators hope ternally-powered splint capable of that the research arm-aid will be With the mass breeding of most normal motions which is the forerunner of devices and cattle characteristic of today's adapted to the right arm of a techniques which eventually will market, historical records of breed paralyzed individual. The splint make life easier for the paralyzed ing become so involved that only a is powered by a high performance and disabled. high-speed computer can keep track gas system using carbon dioxide of them. Even the records for a under pressure of 600 pounds per small herd involve a great amount square inch. of paperwork. Pri or to EDP methods, COMPUTERS SPEED no one has been able to keep accu The second subsystem, the MIT ENROLLMENT rate tab on a large herd. neural by-pass, picks up the weak electrical signals from the tra An old knot in college regis The computer at the center an pezius muscle of the shoulder, am tration procedures was untied by a alyzes 14 hereditary traits which plifies and changes them electron new computer system when 7000 can be controlled by selective ically, then applies them through students enro !led for the fall term breeding for each animal, and pre a stimu~ator to activate the at Massachusetts Institute of Tech pares permanent breeding records muscles in the lower arm. Thus nology, Cambridge, Mass. Process for the year for each herd studied. the patient may grasp objects at ing of the freshmen and sophomores Using the 315 computer, performance will. (chosen to test the new program) and progeny records for every ani took place in a few hours instead mal in each herd becomes automatic The third subsystem involves of the previous two days or longer. from the time the animal is first semi-automatic control and decision weighed in. Producers merely send making. Programmed instructions on From ten IBM 1050 printers in in to the data center the identifi magnetic tape are converted into two locations on campus, students cation of mating pairs, and the signals which guide the movements addressed subject or section weight records from various stages of the splint. (Programs for the changes to an IBM 7094 computer in of growth and test. They receive separate daily activities are tape MIT's Computation Center. The com the computer analyses in return. recorded by moving the splint it puter instantly made the adjust self through a series of desired ments, and the students received Printed reports furnished to motions.) The patient may over their final schedules within a cattle breeders include: comparisons ride the arm-aid voluntarily to few minutes. of calves over a 205-day period for make fine adjustments in spatial weight gainj comparison and evalu position. At the same time, at another ation of the progeny of sires and location in the main building, a dams with the rest of the herdj a The fourth subsystem involves monitor received from the computer history of each dam and sire and an a simple set of man-machine com~ a running tabulation of department analysis of the historyj and an munication controls which enable enrollment. There, heads of de entire herd analysis w~th each the patient to select anyone of partments were able to check on animal listed from maximum produc the activity programs stored on the size and nature of classes tion downward. the tape. A special I-designed within their departments, or a COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 19(i'\ Newsletter With the computer analysis, ing various computer-based statis Control Data 9103 Magnetic Tape producers are able to cull out low tical teChniques upon this raw Stations for use in the domestic performing cattle and select super data, laboratory staff workers expansion of Autodin (Automatic ior specimens for herd replacements. have been able to discover new, Digital Network). Western Union By selecting breeding animals with significant patterns and symptoms is the prime contractor and systems superior traits, genetic improve associated with various kinds of manager for Autodin, which serves ments are uniformly carried to all diseases. the Department of Defense. succeeding generations, increasing ~he quality of the beef and the Autodin's expansion program value of each animal. Use of the will add four new switching cen PRI system has resulted in up to ters to the existing five and will 200 pounds difference in calves at NEW CONTRACTS serve all defense department agen weaning time, and has increased cies through approximately 2000 the number of calves in a herd by tributary stations. The magnetic 10%. PRI officials said that tape stations will be installed in cattle producers are realizing as the four new locations. The entire much as $500 extra per animal when BURROUGHS TO PRODUCE purchase price of the magnetic tape they can show a computer daily LETTER SORTING MACHINES stations is.in excess of $1.2 gain record as proof of perform mi Ilion. ance. Postmaster General John A. Gronouski has announced plans to install 26 high speed letter sort ing machines in 13 of the nation's MULTI-MILLION CONTRACT BIOMETRIC RESEARCH AIDED largest cities -- two in each city. AWARDED UNIVAC BY LONG-DISTANCE COMPUTING Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich., will produce the machines A $17 million contract has A long distance computing under a $2,916,406 contract. Work been awarded the UNIVAC Division of service, via customary telephone on the contract will be performed Sperry Rand Corp., St. Paul, Minn., connections, is assisting the Un at the Corporation's Control In for work on the Army's Nike-X Anti iversity of Miami's Biometric strument Div., Paoli, Pa. missile Missile System. The con Laboratory uncover new knowledge tract with the Bell Telephone Lab about how the human brain works, The multi-position letter oratories, Inc., Whippany, N.J., and suggesting ways in which some sorters will be capable of distrib calls for design and development baffling mental and physical ill uting letters to 279 destinations of multi-processor computers and nesses can be treated. at a speed of 43,000 envelopes an computer memories for the Nike-X hour. The machines will be able data processing subsystems. The The U. of M. laboratory has to operate with Zip Code optical new contract increases the dollar its own small in-house computer on scanning devices now being devel amount of U~IVAC input to the Army~ which some of its analytical work oped for the Post Office Depart anti-missile missile programs over can be accomplished. For the more ment. The scanners will examine a six-year period to approximately complex problems an adequate solu the face of each envelope, locate $60 million. tion can be determined only on a the address, then instruct the large-scale computer, none of which letter sorter where to distribute Bell Telephone Laboratories is is currently available in Miami. the envelope. responsible for Nike-X System de The difficulty has been resolved sign and development. Western El through use of a long-distance Until zip code reading devices ectric Company is system prime con problem-solving service offered are available, each letter sorter tractor under cognizance of the by C-E-I-R, Inc., Washington, D.C. will use 12 keyboard operators. Army Materiel Command. By means of normal long-distance With the aid of the keyboards, op telephone wires and a low-cost data erators can sort mail for six transmission device, the Biometric times the number of destinations Laboratory is using the large-scale than was possible through use of COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. IBM 7090 computer located 1100 the old manual pigeon-hole method AWARDED CONTRACT FOR miles away at C-E-I-R's Arlington, and in a fraction of the time. HYBRID SYSTEM Va., research center. Cities slated to receive the Computer Systems, Inc., Rich The Biometric Laboratory is huge (7~ feet long, 12 feet wide, mond, Va., has been awarded a yon f' using the service on a daily basis. 9~ feet high) mUlti-position letter tract for a hybrid computation sys Average elapsed time for transmis sorters are: Washington, D.C.; tem for the National Institutes of sion of data from Miami to Arling Boston, Mass.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Health, Bethesda, Md. The equipment, ton is from three to ten minutes. Philadelphia, Pa.; Minneapolis, scheduled for installation in the Once introduced into the 7090, the Minn.; St. Paul, Minn.; Portland, spring of 1965, will be used in information may require from five Ore.; Omaha, Nebr.; Miami, Fla.; biological research programs. to thirty minutes' processing time Cincinnati, Ohio; Houston, Texas; to arrive at the solution, which St. Louis, Mo., and Los Angeles, The system will consist of the is then transmitted back to Miami Calif. 3100 general purpose digital com over the wires. puter manufactured by Control Data and the 55-100 analog computer pro The laboratory, under the di duced by Computer Systems. These rection of Dr. Dean Clyde, is cur CDC AWARDED CONTRACT two computers will be linked by rently involved in analyzing ex BY WESTERN UNION means of the CSI HL-20 Hybrid Link perimental and research data age in a system providing computing uathered from some fi fty hospi tal s Control Data Corporation, Min capabilities particularly suited to olld universities across the nation neapolis, Minn., has been awarded handling a wide array of biological under a grant from the National a contract by the Western Union research problems. Institutes of Health. By employ- Telegraph Company for delivery of COMPIJ'I'ERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 New.leHer DOC INC RECEIVES CONTRACT CHASE BRASS ORDERS TO CONVERT BALTIMORE roXBORO PROCESS CONTROL COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM COMPUTER SYSTEM NEW INSTALLATIONS The Baltimore County Public A contract award for an on Library card catalogs will be con line digital computer system has verted to reference catalog volumes been awarded to The Foxboro Co., TWO DDP-24 COMPUTERS produced by a computer-driven in Foxboro, Mass., by the Chase Brass DELIVERED FOR APOLLO dexing and printing system under & Copper Co., a subsidiary of Ken ASTRONAUT TRAINER a contract signed recently with necott Copper Corp. Installation Documentation Inc., Bethesda, Md. of the process computer will be at Computer Control Compnay, Inc., Under terms of the contract, DOC Chase's new brass rod mill near Framingham, Mass., has delivered INC will deliver the converted Montpelier, Ohio. the first two of four DDP-24 gen book catalogs to the library by eral purpose digital computers to December 31st of this year. The The Model 97600 computer sys Decision Systems. Inc., Teaneck, finished product will be six tem will combine process control N.J. The computers will help train printed volumes, containing a with business calculations, making Apollo program astronauts for their listing of every title in all it the first application of its flight to the moon. branches of the total system. kind in the nonferrous metal in dustry. Installation of the com Decision Systems is preparing Each of the system's 13 puter is scheduled for the spring the programs through which 3C's branches, three bookmobiles, and of 1965. DDP-24 computers (costing a total all county public schools will have of $1.4 million) will drive equip complete records of all books ment simulating tasks and sensa available in the entire county tions of an entire Apollo mission. public library system. To meet C-E-I-R AWARDED Two simulators are being built by the requirements of the Baltimore ARMY CONTRACTS the Link Group of General Precision, County Public Library System 200 Inc., for North American Aviation, copies of each of the six volumes The U. S. Army has awarded the Apollo prime contractor to the will be supplied by DOC INC. two contracts totaling $628,390 National Aeronautics and Space Ad for statistical consulting and re ministration. In addition to the initial search services for biological and conversion, the company will pro chemical weapons systems to C-E-I-R, vide on a continuing basis supple Inc., Washington, D.C. The con ments of the library's acquisition~ tracts provide $440,390 for a two COMPUTER AND 16110 STATIONS presently averaging about 1200 year extension on work performed ON CAMPUS AT DARTMOUTH ti tles month ly . over the past five years for the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Com At Dartmouth COllege, Hanover, mand at Dugway Proving Ground, N.H., about 75 per cent of all stu Utah, and $188,000 for services to dents from nearly every field of CONTRACT FOR be performed for the U. S. Army Ma study in the liberal arts curricu DATA HANDLING SYSTEM terial Command at Fort Detrick, Md. lum have quick and easy access to a computer system with remote in Consolidated Systems Corp., A major part of the work on put-output. Pomona, Calif., has received a con both contracts will be done by tract for a Data Handling System C-E-I-R personnel stationed on believed to be the first to use site, with support from various simultaneously, two large digit~l C-E-I-R research centers. computers to control telemetry data acquisition, conversion and reduc tion. The contract, in'excess of $1,600,000, was awarded by AETRON CONTRACT FROM NASA FOR a division of Aerojet-General Cor~~ ANALOG-DIGITAL SYSTEM for installation in the Data Hand ling Center of the NASA-Mississippi Beckman Instruments, Inc. Test Operations in Hancock County (Richmond, Calif.) and Scientific Miss. ' Data Systems, Inc. (Santa Monica, Calif.) have received a contract in excess of $1 million from the Na .~: The college recently installed tional Aeronautics and Space Admin a GE 235 medium-range computer con INFORMATICS INC. istration for an analog-digital com nected with 16 input-output stations RECEIVES CONTRACT FROM puter system to be used for the located at various campus sites. ROME AIR DEVELOPMENT CENTER "real-time" simulation of orbital Connections with the computer are trajectories, the study of inter by Teletype through a General Elec Informatics Inc., Sherman Oaks planetary space probes and to simu tric Datanet-30 which monitors the Calif., has received a contract ' late the physiological reactions of incoming programs and 16 remote from the United States Air Force astronauts while traveling in space. input-output stations. Rome.Air Development Center, to ' provlde additional capabilities The Beckman/SDS system will Shown in the picture is the for an on-line computational sys include a Beckman 2200 analog com GE-235 and Datanet-30, along with tem. Computer programming proced puter and SOS 9300 digital computer peripheral equipment, in the ures are eliminated. The system linked with a standard interface. central computer room. allows direct use of a digital com It will be assembled at Beckman's puter by a mathematician or scien Richmond fa~ility and is scheduled tist to solve problems in his for delivery to NASA's Manned field of specialization. Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas, early in 1965 ,j() COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 196tj Newsletter PROTOTYPE SYSTEM DELIVERED ELM FARM FOODS CO. Computation Center at the Insti TO ROME AIR DEVELOPMENT CTR. TO INSTALL H200 SYSTEM tute's Columbus Laboratories. The CD~ 3400 is scheduled to be in op A prototype of a computer Elm Farm Foods Co., Boston, eration by April 1965. centered information storage and Mass., a leading New England re retrieval system, developed by the tail grocery chain, is installing Expansion of the digital com UNIVAC Division of Sperry Rand a Honeywell 200 computer system to puter facilities were made necess Corp. for a new Limited Warfare provide purchasing, billing and ary by increased research demands, Intelligence Reduction Complex inventory support for more than 80 particularly in the areas of simu (LWIRC), was delivered recently to regional food stores. The H-200 lation and mathematical modeling the Rome Air Development Center, will control a complex wholesale to develop decision-aiding tools Rome, N.Y. The computer system is distribution system (the only one for management. Battelle's present installed in air-transportable of its type in New England) that computer is being used on approxi shelters which can be air-lifted Elm Farm maintains for 40 inde mately 100 research programs a to remote areas by cargo-type air pendent retailers and smaller food month. Based on the increasing craft or helicopters. The system store chains in Maine, New Hamp activity of the past few year, may be expanded quickly and simply shire, Massachusetts, and Rhode this use is expected to double by addition of shelters, depending Island. within two years. on the level of computational as sistance and information storage The computer, in a management required at the site. information system, will control the movement of more than 6000 RCA COMPUTER INSTALLED A UNIVAC M1218 computer is products to the stores and auto TO STREAMLINE FLORIDA the nerve center of the system matically prepare marketing re SCHOOL SYSTEM which also includes displays, a ports, product analyses, manufac mass memory subsystem, paper and turers listings and detailed bill Florida's Department of Edu magnetic tape units. The Air ing data. cation has installed an RCA com Force calls it the electronic data puter system to obtain up-to-the processing module of the mobile The system will consist of a minute performance reports on the wing reconnaissance technical central processing unit with 12,288 State's 1900 schools and its thous squadron which forms part of the characters of memory, five magnetic ands of teachers and students. The LWIRC. tape drives, a high-speed printer system is designed to keep track of and a card-reader punch. It will just how well each school is per The prototype system will be lease for $6000 a month. forming its function, whether used to evaluate real-time methods teachers are meeting State stand of extracting and interpreting ards and to electronically evalu data collected and recorded by ate how students are progressing. high-speed, all weather tactical COLORADO STATE The computer system, which is built aircraft. INSTALLS IBM 1401 around an RCA 301 computer, uses two RCA 3488 random access memory Colorado State University, units with a total storage capacity Fort Collins, Colo., has installed of more than half a billion NYU WILL INSTALL PDP·7 an IBM 1401 computer system which characters. IN NEW SCIENCE LABORATORY includes in addition to the main console, a card reader and punch, New York University, New York, disc file, magnetic tape printer, N.Y., has purchased a Program~ed inquiry station, a printer and NCR 315 INSTALLED BY Data Processor-7 computer from teleprocessing unit. ITALIAN APPLIANCE Digital Equipment Corp., Maynard, MANUFACTURER Mass. The PDP-7 will act as the The teleprocessing unit is nucleus of a systems science lab connected to a large computer at Societa Industria Refrigeranti oratory where undergraduate and UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif. Any Ignis (IGNIS), one of the largest graduate students ca~ experiment thing the 1401 can't handle is manufacturers of refrigerators, with computer applications and de referred there for the answer. washing machines and kitchen ranges • velop new engineering methods. The teleprocessing system is paid in Italy, has installed a National Undergraduates will experiment for by a grant from the Western Cash Register 315 computer system. with known applications for com Data Processing Center, of which puters and design experimental CSU is a member. The system eventually will f' systems for new applications. schedule appliance production for Graduate students will gain in the The computer will be used not three plants. It now is processing laboratory the experience needed only by all departments on campus records for 10,000 customer accounts to develop new ways of solving for research, but as a teaching and preparing invoices, sales an engineering problems. tool. Programs ara being offered alyses, tax journals and sales sta this year on operating the computer tistics. IGNIS also plans to use The PDP-7 is a small, general and its programming. the computer system for controlling purpose computer. It uses 18-bit inventory in 34 warehouses, for words and can work wi th from 4096 cost accounting and for processing to 32,768 words of 1.75-usec. core the payroll for 2500 employees. memory. Peripheral equipment will BATTELLE EXPANDING include a tape reader, tape punch, DIGITAL FACILITIES The system includes a central and incremental cathode ray tube processor, paper tape readers and display and four slave displays, Battelle Memorial Institute, punch, high-speed printer, and two liUht pen, and a data communica Columbus, Ohio, is installing a CRAM (Card Random Access Memory) tion subsystem. Control Data Corporation 3400 com units. IGNIS purchased the com puter. This will replace the Con puter system from NCR's Milan trol Data G-20 computer now in the offices. COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 ·11 Newsletter IBM TELE·PROCESSING SYSTEM then be examined by investigators ment of Defense designated AN/USQ- INSTALLED BY BOSTWICK·BRAUN to detect unusual interactions and 20 computers have been installed on their effects. Film readers are board cruisers, destroyers, carri Bostwick-Braun Co., Toledo, used to convert the visual in ers, and major naval shore-based Ohio, has installed a computer formation on the photographs into centers. system which controls hardware and numerical data for processing on industrial supply order processing a computer. NTDS is a multi-computer com and inventory. Installation of an bat direction system. It automat IBM 1440 random access computer at ically coordinates, correlates and the local hardware and industrial evaluates data gathered from sens supply distribution firm is enabl PHH TO INSTALL ors and communications links. The ing the company to speed customer HONEYWELL 200 information is processed and pre orders, minimize out-of-stock sented for recommended command items, and reduce inventory costs. Peterson, Howell & Heather, action. Inc. (Baltimore, Md.), one of the The computer is fed informa nation's largest automobile fleet tion through IBM 1001 data trans management and leasing companies, mission terminals located at cus will install a Honeywell 200 bus FLORIDA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY tomer outlets. These terminals iness computer in its headquarters WILL USE RCA 301 SYSTEM are linked by ordinary telephone next February. PHH handles more lines directly to headquarters. than 85,000 vehicles for indus Toll and service area reven Customers may send orders directly trial and commercial organizations. ues from the Sunshine State Park and at any time to the computer. way -- one of the nation's largest Once an order processing cycle is The H-200 will be used to turnpikes -- will be processed by started by entry of a punched card, simplify and expedite billing, an RCA 301 data system. Basic in the computer takes over and handles statistical, purchasing and qual formation for the computer will all necessary details without in ity research activities as well come from the card a motorist re terruption. All customer and in as to calculate and evaluate auto ceives as he starts the turnpike ventory information is stored in mobile and travel expenses in portion of his trip and which is IBM 1311 disk packs. curred by client companies. returned with the proper toll pay ment as he leaves the Parkway. The system will include a Use of the system will put the central processor; five magnetic Turnpike Authority's toll auditing B. F. GOODRICH FOOTWEAR tape units; a high-speed printer; function on a daily basis. ORDERS RCA 3301 SYSTEM and a card reader/card punch unit. The RCA system also will be B. F. Goodrich Footwear Co., used to: update and make readily Watertown, Mass., has ordered an accessible records on the Turnpike RCA 3301 Realcom system to provide DDP·24 COMPUTER TO CONTROL right-of-way, which has been de increased speed and flexibility in TRANSIT SYSTEM clared a federal game preserve; processing information for manage prepare the pay checks for the ment control. The new system will Computer Control Company, Turnpike Authority's personnel; be applied initially to the pro Inc., Framingham, Mass., has re and provide a current breakdown for cessing of automatic allocation of ceived an order from the Union each department in the Authority on inventory to orders, production Switch and Signal Division of the such details as operating expenses, planning and scheduling, and work Westinghouse Air Brake Company maintenance costs, and personnel ticket preparation. (WABCO) for a DDP-24 general pur requirements. pose digital computer. The com The system includes the 3301 puter will be the heart of a mass data processor, 12 magnetic tape transit supervisory and control units, 2 high-speed printers, a system which electronically sur M.I.T. SCIENCE LAB card reader-punch and other equip veys traffic conditions and in INSTALLS SECOND PDP·1 ment and controls. Delivery is structs trains where and when they scheduled for late this year. may travel. A stored program in The Laboratory of Nuclear Sci the DDP-24 with daily scheduling ence at Massachusetts Institute of information allows train routing Technology has installed a Pro to be conducted automatically. grammed Data Processor-l computer PDP·5 COMPUTER USED BY (Built by Digital Equipment Corp., CARNEGIE TECH PHYSICISTS The computer will be used in Maynard, Mass.) to control the a demonstration of Automatic Train laboratory's Precision Encoding Carnegie Institute of Technol Operation for the San Francisco and Pattern Recognition (PEPR) ogy, Pittsburgh, Pa., has installed Bay Area Rapid Transit District, system. a general-purpose Programmed Data San Francisco, Calif. Processor-5 computer purchased from PEPR is an electro-optical Digital Equipment Corp., Maynard, system under development at the Mass, for use in the institute's 100TH NTDS COMPUTER laboratory for use in classifying Nuclear Science Laboratories. The SHIPPED TO data obtained by photographing sub computer is expected to help cen BOSTON NAVY YARD atomic particle paths in a bubble tralize the processing of data chamber. It is expected to be in from bubble chamber experiments. The 100th Naval Tactical Data operation late this year. If it System (NTDS) computer has been performs as expected, it will have In this research, nuclear shipped to the Navy Ship Yard at a marked impact on existing meth particles derived from an acceler Boston, Mass., by the UNIVAC Divi ods of processing nuclear physics ator mark their passage through a sion of Sperry Rand Corporation. data. bubble chamber by tracks of bubbles. Built under contract with the U. S. Photographs of these tracks can Navy Bureau of Ships, the Depart- COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 19G1 Newsletter The new educational digital by M.I.T., has all the features of computer, known as the Digiac 3080, the original machine, and can use EDUCATION NEWS is designed to teach the high all existing LINC programs. More school, vocational school or col than two dozen machines, construc lege student all aspects of com ted earlier in the development puter programming, problem-solving program under M.I.T. guidance, have and maintenance techniques. It been in use for a year or more at NEW COMPUTER STUDY will prepare him for either a job laboratories throughout the country. OFFERED AT CSU in industry as a programmer or with a background that will enable LINC is small enough for the A Manpower Development Train him to use the tools available to individual researcher to operate, ing Act (MOTA) class in computer him in industry. program, maintain, and administer. programming is now underway in the Amplifiers, timers, plotters, and department of business at Colorado Digiac 3080 is a complete many other laboratory instruments State University, Fort Collins, teaching system which includes its can be connected directly toLINC'S Colo. The program is made poss own IBM Selectric typewriter for built-in conversion equipment. It ible under the MOTA of 1962. Con direct input-output, a paper tape is fast enough to do simple data tracts to provide training are punch and reader, and a control processing operations while actu made with the Department of Health, console. The computer has a mag ally gathering data during an ex Education and Welfare through the netic drum memory for internal periment. Its logic structure per State Board of Vocational Educa storage with a capacity of either mits its user to perform complex tion. Once the funds are made 1024 or 4096 words. A FORTRAN calculations on the data afterward. available, the Department of compiler, especially designed for Labor -- through the State Employ training, will be available. ment Security Service -- tests, interviews and selects There are 105 instruction participants. operations including addition, subtraction, mUltiplication, divi The program, covering a peri sion, logical multiply, shift (left od of 50 consecutive weeks, is de and right) and punch. Typicalop signed to prepare those success eration times are: l~ milliseconds fully completing the work for job for add/subtract; 8 milliseconds entrance as computer programmers. for mUltiplication; 8 milliseconds A class of 25 begin each 8-hour for division and an average access day of instruction and labs at time of 9 milliseconds. 7 a.m. When used for training pur The course of study, devel poses, the Digiac 3080 will enable oped by members of the CSU depart the student to learn computer ment of business, includes some logic, understand computer cir training in: mathematics, statis cuits and perform basic trouble The LINC has front-mounted tics, accounting unit record equip shooting. In the final instruc controls, indicator lights, and ment system analysis, business tion phases of the program, the connector panels; a built-in data processing applications, com student will actually perform mal cathode ray tube display, magnetic puter programming, office manage function analysis problems which tape system, analog-to-digital ment, business communications and will enable him to repair the converters, and keyboard input. human relations. Approximately computer. It's random access, core memory of 60 hours of on-hand instruction 2048 12-bit words cycles in 8 mi will be given on IBM unit record The new educational computer croseconds. The 16 analog input machines. Extensive training in is a full size computer which channels accept up to 30,000 sig actually programming the IBM 1401 (because of its low initial cost nals per second, convert them into also will be given each of under $15,000) will find many 8-bit digital numbers, and store participant. applications in almost every in them in memory. The 48 instruc dustry ranging from small account tions in its order code perform • ing departments to individual sci high-speed mUltiplications, half entists or engineers with only a word manipulations, tape operations part-time requirement for the and other functions. NEW PRODUCTS services of a digital computer. (For more information, circle 30 Basic system programs includ on the Readers Service Card.) ing an assembler, will be included with the system. Programs gener ated by present LINC users are shared through a pool administered -Digital by the LINC development group. MIT's LlNC COMPUTER OFFERED BY DIGITAL (For more information, circle 31 - on the Readers Service Card.) EDUCATIONAL DIGITAL COMPUTER Digital Equipment Corp., Mayn ard, Mass., has announced that it A low-cost, solid-state digit is building and selling the first commercially available version of ASI INTRODUCES NEW al co~pute~ designed specifically FAMILY OF COMPUTERS for teaching digital computer pro LINC, the digital computer de grarruning, applications and computer signed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for biomedical re A new line of digital comput mninte~ance, has been developed by ers for scientific, engineering and Digital Electronics Inc., Westbury, search. The LINC (fo~ Laboratory INstrument Computer), built to on-line systems applications has L.I., N.Y. been announced by Advanced Scien- ~pecifications recently made public COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 NewsleHer tific Instruments (ASI) , Minneap memory system which was introduced is hermetically sealed. Logic olis, Minn. The new systems have at the SJCC. functions are performed by diode characteristics which specially transistor NAND circuitry with suit them to design, systems anal The new mass memory concept levels of 0 and +6 volts. ysis, and on-line computation in provides l8.~ million bits ar the aerospace, nuclear, and gener ranged in a "window-frame" stack al scientific and engineering of 64 planes. Each plane measures fields. approximately 5 feet long by 13 inches wide with 72-64 x 64-bit The ADVANCE 6020, a small sub-plane insets. Cores used are scale system, and the ADVANCE 30 x 18 mils~ strung on 40 mil 6040, a larger high-performance centers. The entire system is ap~ machine, are the first two members proximately 6' square by 24" deep of the new family. Both computers wi th "Y" selection ci rcui ts stacked have a 1.9 usec memory cycle time on boards adjacent to the memory and a word length of 24 bits plus planes and "X" selection plus power parity. The 6040 contains a high supply mounted in the middle of speed arithmetic section which the "window-frame" design. allows 9.5 usec multiply, and 11.5 usec divide instructions. The plug-in. integrated mem ory system uses integrated circuits in memory logic to take maximum advantage of their low cost, low power consumption, and space sav The device is capable of op ing capabilities. This new memory erating in a variety of modes: concept is available as a plug-in read/restore, clear/write, and uni t to provide the basic "heart" split-cycle. Input/output cir of a memory system with memory cuitry, capacity, and power re stack, dri vers, selection ci rcui ts, quirements are available to meet and sense amplifiers packaged in virtually all memory system one compact unit. The necessity applications. of level changing circuits is (For more information, circle 34 eliminated by selecting integrated on the Readers Service Card.) - ADVANCE 6020 circuits to match the same com ponents used in the rest of the Both systems have a complete customer's equipment. line of peripheral equipment com RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY prising high and low density mag The thin film modular design BY POTTER netic tape units, card readers concept gives freedom of choice to and punches, paper tape system, the systems designer as to the Potter Instrument Co., Inc., input/output typewriter, line level of thin-film memory equip Plainview, L.I., N.Y., has devel printers and incremental plotting ment complexity he is able to pur oped a new random access memory systems. Both systems also have chase. To do this, Fabri-Tek has system. The Potter RAMID, a random a new package of tested program divided the FFM202, 150 nanosecond access cartridge-loading storage ming aids which includes a one access-time, thin-film memory sys device, has a storage capacity in pass Fortran compiler and a one tem into three modules, offering: excess of 50 million alphanumeric pass symbolic assembler. a stack alone; a stack with driver, characters. It is reputed to be selection, and sensing circuits; 5~~ faster in all modes of opera All computer systems of the or a complete system with power tion than any presently used ADVANCE Series are upward com supply, address and output regis system. patible in both hardware and ters, indicators and self-test software. circuits. The Potter RAM, identified as (For more information, circle 32 (For more information, circle 33 Model TLM-4505, is the first ran on the Readers Service Card.) on the Readers Service Card.) dom-access memory system to pro vide a check-read-after-write capability. Addressing at random with this capability averages under THE 52.02 MEMORY SYSTEM 100 milliseconds, 20% faster than Memories BY FERROXCUBE presently available systems. The newest addition to terrox Continuous loops of standard cube Corporation of America's computer-grade magnetic tape form FABRI-TEK PREMIERES (Saugerties, N.Y.) line of coin the basic storage element. Tape NEW MEMORY CONCEPTS cident current, random access mem loops are assembled in a new AT FJCC ory systems is the 52.02 Memory TAPE-PACI«D Cartridge (Model AC-8606) System, with a read/write cycle supplied by Potter. Cartridges are Fabri-Tek Incorporated, Min time of 2 microseconds and an ac interchangeable permitting process neapolis, Minn., has shown a new cess time of less than 1 micro ing of many different files on one mass memory concept, a plug-in second. The 52.02 is available machine. Files can be interchanged integrated memory system, and a with capacities up to 16,384 words, in approximately 17 seconds. modular thin-film design concept each 52 bits long. It has low at the Fall Joint Computer Confer temperature coefficient cores and Long machine and cartridge ence held last month. Also devel silicon semiconductors to provide life is achieved by using air oped by Fabri-Tek is the Series MF an operating temperature range from floated techniques for the tape one-microsecond, coincident-current OoC to +650 C. All logic circuitry loops. The recording medium never ·ii COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, IC)()·\ Newsletter makes contact with any solid ma Typically, the tape is two in terial. The storage medium flies ches wide and has 48 tracks serially over the head, thus avoiding the recorded at 1000 bits per inch; the difficulties of flying head tech total length of each of the 16 loops niques and a rigid recording sur is 38 inches. face. The loops are driven by a (For more information, circle 35 on non-slip capstan and all other the Readers Service Card.) parts of the loop are air-floated. Data Transmitters and AID Converters ~. When the button is pressed, automatic loading proceeds -- the tape cartridge and the drive assemb ly being brought together. TWO-WAY, MAN-MACHINE DATA COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM LOADING A long-distance, two-way, man machine data communications system has been developed by Information Products Corp., subsidiary of Ren well Industries, Inc., South Hadley Falls, Mass. The system, called BuCom, consists of a compact, desk top interrogator-display unit and Tape cartridge, showing a long-distance, high-speed Data 16 loops totaling 50 million phone link with any computer where bits of information. business data is centrally stored and processed, Information is recorded seri ally, in a multiplicity of tracks on each loop, and any information located can be written or read at random by transmitting address information to the machine. Cartridge-loading random-ac ~. The mechanical eouipment cess memory systems are for use that mates with the tape cartridge. with medium and low-cost digital computer systems wherever rapid access to a volume of information, too large to be accommodated ec onomically by ferrite core memory devices, is required. Following are some pictures showing the construction and opera tion of this memory device, which bridges between the magnetic tape reel and the magnetic drum. The system was demonstrated in New York by officials of IPC and of Renwell, who asked questions of a Univac 490 computer in Pittsburgh and received instantaneous answers visible on the display screen, The long-distance communication capabil ity provIded by the BuCom system F~. This shows the multiple permits companies with widespread drive block assembly in detail. operations to have the advantages The dark cylinders are two capstans, of high-speed random access data which drive all the tape loops at processing and still have all the same time. The long, fluted, metal cylinder below them is the ~. The random access memory uni t ready to accept the inter write/read head post assembly. It moves in or out longitudinaly. chanuuable tape-cartridge. Newsletter records instantly accessible to block counters, and a control operational and management panel. Modules which can be added personnel. after installation give the device the ability to handle paper tape, Renwell President Henry L. punch cards, hard copy, and other Shensky reported that BuCom tech off-line functions. niques also are being applied to (For more information, circle 38 inventory control, production on the Readers Service Card.) scheduling, traffic scheduling and control, and financial and manage ment reporting. on paper at the receIvIng sta (For more information, circle 37 IBM 1026 TRANSMISSION tion while the message is writ on the Readers Service Card.) CONTROL DEVICE ten at the transmitting station; -- provides audible signals A new low-cost communications when the message is urgent. device has been developed by IBM (For more information, circle 40 MODULAR TERMINAL FOR Corporation, White Plains, N.Y. on the Readers Service Card.) MAGNETIC·TAPE It has been designed to bring the DATA TRANSMISSION cost of on-line data transmission and computer processing within the Digitronics Corporation, Al range of smaller users. The new Numerical Control bertson, N.Y., has developed a new IBM 1026 transmission control unit modular Magnetic Tape Terminal, provides, on a smaller scale, the called D522. same Tele-processing capability DIRECT DIGITAL CONTROLLERS already available to users with FROM 3M This terminal allows the user more extensive data processing to select initially those modules systems and more powerful control Two direct digital control which meet his current require units. systems, for economical applica ments and to add, in the field, at tion of digital techniques to pro low cost, any additional modules Linked to IBM's 1401, 1440, cess control, are available from needed as the needs appear, or 1460 or 1240 data processing sys 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn. The drop those modules he no longer tems, it enables the computer to 3M Direct Digital Controllers, needs. exchange data with: IBM 1030 data under the brand name DigiTele, are collection systems; IBM 1050 data time-shared digital process con The terminal is a solid-state communications systems; IBM 1062 trollers offered as complete units data-communications device that teller terminals; and IBM 1070 pro designed for industrial applications. transmits or receives on computer cess communications systems. The They are used to control process compatible magnetic tape using 1026 can accept information from variables -- such as temperature, ordinary voice-grade telephone remote terminals, enter it into a pressure and flow -- to desired facilities. It can transmit bi centrally-located computer for values and to regulate them despite directionally, magnetic-tape-to processing and transmit informa upsets which cause variables to magnetic-tape, magentic-tape-to tion or computer responses back deviate from the desired set point. paper tape, magnetic-tape-to-punch to the originating location seconds cards, and magnetic-tape-to-printer. later. The desk console computer/con There are no code restrictions on troller is one compact device pro the customer's data. It can con The device translates incom viding 24 loops of direct digital vert paper-tape-to-magnetic-tape, ing data from communications code indicating control, computer capa etc. to computer language, checks for bility for data formatting, logging, transmission errors, and uses its and set point calculation, alarm 210-character buffer to assemble ing and convenient manual operation incoming and outgoing messages. of all controls, readouts and Terminals can communicate with the adjustments. 1026 over leased communications lines as well as conventional Direct digital controllers facilities. Up to four 1026s can from 3M accept digital or analog :~'I be attached to a computer, each inputs, including millivolt signals ,:!j with one line capable of handling and provide 1-5, 4-20 or 10-50 M.A. several terminals. output control signals. The con (For more information, circle 39 trollers link any computer and the on the Readers Service Card.) process to be controlled. Overall accuracy is plus or minus 0.25% and resolution is plus or minus 0.1% of full scale. MESSAGE WRITING AT A DISTANCE The DigiTele system uses indi vidual output modules, each of which In ,the Au towri ter made by accepts the digital error signal Telautograph Corp., Los Angeles, and develops its own Reset or Reset Calif., a ballpoint pen: plus Proportional signal. turns on the transmitter In addition to use as con The standard terminal includes and all connected receivers; trollers, the DigiTele DOC systems a magnetic-tape handler, a 1024- turns them off at the end are directly applicable to Multiple character core memory buffer, a of the message; Indicator and Data Logging applica coupler for Reverse Channel or -- copies the message words, tions. All systems also are op "turn-around" subsets, two visual sketch, or diagram -- directly tionally available with interface COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for NO\'t:lllbcr, I<)()i Newsletter 2. The need for paper output Semiconductors are silicon. In from the computer is eliminated in formation and sprocket channel am many operations since selected plifiers contain individual sensi pages can be produced on paper tivityadjustments. All operations from the 4400's film output. are externally controlled. 3. The tasks of manually handling paper and magnetic tapes also are eliminated. 4. In addition, the job of microfilming and coding the docu ments for retrieval purposes is performed automatically by the S-C 4400. logic for operation with central (For more information, circle 42 data processing computers, remote on the Readers Service Card.) readouts and telemetering equipment. (For more information, circle 41 on the Reader Service Card.) The device is easily adaptable to system requirements. Applica ELECTRIC TAPE WINDER, tions include field computer pro CENTER-FEED TAPE UNWINDER gramming, ground checkout systems Two new punched paper tape for aircraft and space vehicles. Input-Output accessories are available from (For more information, circle 44 Data-link Corporation, Los Altos, on the Readers Service Card.) Calif . S-C The new Electric Tape Winder 4400- PUNCHED CARD READER FOR MICROFILM PRINTER has a special friction clutch mechanism within the continuous COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL Stromberg-Carlson, a division duty motor which maintains tension CARD AUTOMATED SYSTEMS (adjustable) consistently within of General Dynamics, San Diego, A new punched card reader de Calif., has developed a computer plus or minus one ounce. The con sistency of the driving force signed for commercial and indus microfilm printer which sPeeds trial card automated systems has record retrieval and saves several eliminates improper code registra tion. Impact-resistant durable been developed by Drexel Dynamics data handling steps. The new Corp., Horsham, Pa. This device, printer, the S-C 4400, is capable plastic winding reels are used instead of metal reels to lessen known as Drexamatic Model 2900 of printing speeds of 62,500 alpha Card Reader, has varied applica numeric characters per second. the possibility of erratic winding drag and tearing of the tape. The tions including process control standard winder operates at 35 programming, remote data entry, codes per second. It is fully machine dispensing, material weigh portable and can be used with ing, numerical machine control, paper tape up to one inch in width. and in general, all automated sys tems capable of accepting digital The new Center-Feed Tape Un commands. winder is made of impact-resistant plastic which resists bending or breaking. Although designed like most conventional tape unwinders, its lightweight construction makes possible the use of a special low friction bearing for smoother operation. (For more information, circle 43 The S-C 4400, operating di on the Readers Service Card.) rectly from a computer or from .: computer-generated magnetic tapes, translates digital signals into words, numbers and symbols. Out put is recorded automatically, a MILITARIZED PERFORATED page at a time, on either 16mm or TAPE READER/SPOOLER The reader is available for 35mm microfi 1m. use with either IBM or Remington Pot ter Instrument Company, Inc., Rand cards. It operates equally Plainview, N.Y., has introduced a well with either regular or pre The printer, developed as a new militarized perforated tape new link between computers and perforated stock cards. The 2900 reader and spooler that operates suitable for either desk or panel' film storage and retrieval systems, bidirectionally at 200 characters saves these steps in the process of mounting, has electric push button per second. Rewind speed is 300 operation ?nd wiping gold contacts. converting computer data into characters per second (minimum); microfi 1m: A maximum bf 240 inputs are pro rewind time is less than 3 minutes vided which is equivalent to 20 for 500 feet. 1. When operating on-line columns on an IBM card. with the computer, there is no (For more information, circle 45 Regulated power supplies, am on the Readers Service Card.) need to produce magnetic tape. plifiers and start/stop circuits are completely transistorized. COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 ·17 Newsletter ELECTRONIC RETINA cess control, machine control, con CHARACTER READER tactless sensing and gauging and in Components many other applications. High speed optical scanning (For more information, circle 47 equipment, capable of "reading" on the Readers Service Card.) airline tickets at the rate of 600 per minute and of transferring TURBULENCE AMPLIFIERS accounting information automatic ally to computers, has been pur The turbulence amplifier, NEW COMPONENT chased by United Air Lines and in manufactured by Fluid Logic Divi EXPANDS VERSATILITY OF stalled at its headquarters offices sion, H & H Machine Co., Norris COMPUTER DISPLAYS near O'Hare International Airport, town, Pa., is a new concept in Chicago, Ill. The equipment, logic and control components. It Stromberg-Carlson Division of called an Electronic Retina Char is one of the first fluid logic General Dynamics Corp., San Diego, acter Reader, was developed by devices to be successfully used in Calif., has developed a new matrix Recognition Equipment Inc., Dallas, the control of industrial equip containing 96 different characters Texas. It is capable of trans ment. Systems using over 100 tur and symbols instead of the usual porting and sorting paper which bulence amplifiers have been in 64 available in the CHARACTRONID is as light as nine pounds and actual plant operation for more Shaped Beam Tube. The new com carbon backed. than a year without a single ponent is being used in computer breakdown or failure. display systems produced by the Information including such company at their West Coast items as the routing, fare, tax, To understand its operation, facili ty. totals, carrier code and fare ba it is helpful to consider the tur sis are correlated with a route bulence amplifiers as a "pneumatic The CHARACTRON tube is a pro code, read from the ticket and transistor". Turbulence ampli prietary cathode ray tube used to transferred to magnetic tape by fiers will do almost anything a translate computer codes into un~ the new machine. The device also transistor will do -- not as fast, derstandable information on its performs various sorting opera but with a simpler design and at face. The matrix is the key com tions including sequential sorting less cost. Operating speed for ponent. In a standard matrix array of tickets or air bills by number the turbulence amplifier is in the there are 64 characters, arranged and/or by carrier. The machine millisecond range which is not eight rows horizontally by eight sorts as rapidly as it reads. fast enough for a large computing rows vertically. All alphabetic system, but more than fast enough characters are upper case. The new equipment includes for most industrial logic and three basic units consisting of a control applications. The newly developed matrix is document carrier, a recognition capable of presenting both upper device, and a control and output Turbulence amplifiers have no and lower case letters, plus a var device. It is comparable in size moving parts and therefore nothing iety of symbols and Greek letters. to existing computers. to wear out. They use the proper ties of long laminar air streams The document carrier was for their operation. No biasing built to airline specifications. is required for the amplifiers. Although intended to process docu There is complete isolation be ments prepared and handled with tween individual control jets on reasonable care, the transport a single amplifier and also from system permits the device to pro one amplifier to another. cess and read papers which have been torn, crumpled or stapled. The reader recognizes pre printed or matrix-applied numerals through an optical system and Electronic Retina as each numeral or figure passes in front of the retina. Scanning time per char acter is measured in millionths of a second. -- New matrix (above) con taining 96 different char The control unit, in addition acters and symbols. to programming the system and re cording data read by the scanner, The tube also has a spot writing can be used as an off-line sci capability, producing an .008 inch -- A ten unit turbulence spot at four microamps. Characters entific computer. It can read amplifier rack for indus from or record data on magnetic size is variable at a ratio of trial logic and control five-to-one, ranging from .200 inch tape, punch-paper tape, or a systems. t ypewri ter . down to .040 inch. Symbols are (For more information, circle 46 typically repeated at a 30-times Turbulence amplifiers' can be per-second flicker-free rate. on the Readers Service Card. interconnected to provide all con ventional logic functions (OR, NOR, In their initial application, AND, NOT and MEMORY). They can be the matrices are being used with 7 used to make counters, programmers, inch CHARACTRON tubes in 64 differ sequence checkers, adders, or any ent consoles which Stromberg logic or aritnmetic circuit. They Carlson is manUfacturing for the are being used in industry for pro- National Aeronautics and Space COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 19(11 Newsletter Administration's Mission Control system design concepts for the new Center at Houston, Texas. generation Marine Tactical Command (For more information, circle 48 and Control Systems. BUSINESS NEWS on the Readers Service Card.) ENGEL NAMED TO NEW POST AUDIO DEVICES AT HONEYWELL HALF YEAR SALES UP 15% PEOPLE Of NOTE Frank Engel. Jr., formerly Total sales of Audio Devices, manager of the computing center Inc., New York, manufacturers of at Harvard University, has joined magnetic tapes, for the first half HONEYWELL ENLARGES Honeywell's electronic data pro of 1964 were $4,600,837, an in EDP MARKETING STAFF cessing division as manager of the crease of 14.9% over the first six newly-formed Applied Science De months of 1963. Net profits for Honeywell has disclosed the partment. He will direct Honey the period dropped to $40,620 after promotion of three key executives well's technical support program taxes, equivalent to 5 cents per to new posts in the marketing org for its recently-introduced line share compared with 27 cents per anization and the establishment of of scientific computer systems. share for the same period in 1963. two new divisions. The loss was attributed to Myron A. Angier, formerly co three adverse factors in manufac ordinator of Honeywell's Industry PAUL HACHIGIAN ELECTED VP turing which occurred simultane Council (a computer specialist ously: 1. a temporary low in group supporting 11 key industries), Paul Hachigian has been el production yield due to the intro has been promoted to the newly ected vice president of the Data duction of a substantial improve established position of assistant and Information Systems Division ment in the company's computer to the vice president-marketing. of International Telephone and tape; 2. a drift from standard Telegraph Corporation, it was in the quality of certain incoming Dr. William L. Gordon, who announced by Dr. Norman E. Fried raw materials; and 3. a need for had headed the applications engi mann, president of ITT/DISD. Mr. physical modifications of the plant neering group, has been named di Hachigian is also ITT/DISD's chief during this period. The company rector of Applications and Systems, engineer and director of communi commented that these changes are a new division consisting of five cation data products. He began now comp lete and pro duction is departments. his career with ITT in 1951 and back to normal. has been with the division since Robert J. Koch, formerly di 1959. rector of administrative services, has been promoted to the new posi ITT SALES SET RECORD tion of director of the Customer SCIENTISTS FOR Support and Administration divi Sales and net income of Inter sion. Koch will be responsible ADVANCED national Telephone and Telegraph for administrative services, mar Corp. set all-time highs in the keting administration, Honeywell PROGRAMMING RESEARCH first half of 1964, the company users group liaison, systems serv reports. ice and operation of 10 Honeywell AT RCA LABORATORIES service centers throughout the Net income for the first half United States. The RCA Laboratories Computer Re search Center at Princeton, N.J., is the of 1964 was $27,753,000, an in most recent addition to the world crease of 17 per cent over the All three appointees will famous David Sarnoff Research Center. $23,693,000 in the corresponding report directly to Claude H. Smith, Here, scientists are utilizing the RCA period of 1963. vice president-marketing, for 601 and 301 computers to conduct re Honeywell EDP. search in algebraic manipulation, com Sales and revenues for the piler techniques, advanced language first six months of 1964 were developments and automatic program ming. They are also involved in the $728,284,000, or 11 per cent above formulation of executive and monitor the $657,680,000 for the first INFORMATICS INC. routines. half of 1963. Orders on hand at ELECTS COHEN In addition to ideal working con mid-year were a record $968,000,- ditions in suburban Princeton, RCA 000, as compared with $868,000,000 The Board of Directors of In Laboratories personnel enjoy a com at the same time a year ago. formatics Inc., Sherman Oaks, prehensive employee benefit plan. Calif., has elected Irving Cohen If you have one or more years ex to the position of Vice President, perience in the above mentioned fields and hold an MS/PhD in Mathematics, Command and Control Systems. Mr. EE or Computer and Control Sciences, Cohen will have responsibili ty for please send your detailed resume to: the firm's work in command and control systems - part of which Mr. W. A. JAFFE, Dept. RL-3 will be the direction of the con David Sarnoff Research Center tract with the Office of Naval Re RCA Laboratories search for the development of sys Princeton, N.J. tem design technology and methodol An Equal Opportunity Employer ogy for future improved Naval Tac tical Command and Control Systems. lie also will have responsibility • The Most Trusted Name for the ONR contract to develop ~ in Electronics . Circle No. 25 on Readers Service Card COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 'i9 MONTHLY COMPUTER CENSUS The number of electronic computers installed or in produc of progress for readers interested in following the growth of tion at anyone time has been increasing at a bewildering pace the American computer industry, and of the computing power it in the past several years. New vendors have come into the com bui Id s • puter market, and familiar machines have gone out of production. Some new machines have been received with open arms by users - Most of the installation figures, and some of the unfilled others have been given the cold shoulder. order figures, are verified by the respective manufacturers. In cases where this is not so, estimates are based on informa To aid our readers in keeping up with this mushrooming ac tion in the market research reference files of COMPUTERS AND tivity, the editors of COMPUTERS AND AUTOMATION present this AUTOMATION. The figures are then reviewed by a group of com monthly report on the number of general purpose electronic com puter industry cognoscenti. puters of American-based companies which are installed or on order as of the preceding month. These figures included instal Any additions, or corrections, from informed readers will lations and orders outside the United States. We update this be welcomed. computer census monthly, so that it will serve as a "box-score" AS OF OCTOBER 10, 1964 NAME OF N<\ME OF SOLID AVERAGE MONTHLY DATE OF FIRST NUMBER OF NUMBER OF MANUFACTURER COMPUTER STATE? RENTAL INSTALLATION INSTALLATIONS UNFILLED ORDERS** AddressograQh-MultigraQh CorQoration EDP 900 system Y P500 2[61 11 1 Advanced Scientific Instruments ASI 210 Y $2850 4/62 21 1 ASI 2100 Y $3000 12/63 5 2 ASI 6020 Y $2200 4/65 0 0 ASI 6040 Y ~2800 7[65 0 0 Autonetics RECOMP II Y $2495 11/58 64 X RECOMP III Y ~1495 6/61 20 X Bunker-Ramo Corp. TRW-230 Y $2680 8/63 11 3 RW-300 Y $5000 3/59 40 X TRW-330 Y $5000 12/60 30 X TRW-340 Y $7000 12/63 10 18 TRW-530 Y ~6000 8[61 23 3 Burroughs 205 N $4600 1/54 62 X 220 N $14,000 10/58 42 X EIOI-I03 N $875 1/56 125 X E2100 Y $535 8/64 30 990 B100 Y $2800 8/64 8 30 B250 Y $4200 11/61 94 17 B260 Y $3750 11/62 66 170 B270 Y $7000 7/62 84 30 B280 Y $6500 7/62 93 41 B370 Y $8400 7/65 0 16 B5000 Y $16,200 3/63 36 22 B5500 Y ~35,OOO 3[65 0 3 Clary DE-60[DE-60M Y ~525 2/,:60 255 0 Computer Control Co. DDP-19 Y $2800 6/61 3 X DDP-24 Y $2500 5/63 37 22 DDP-1l6 Y $900 2/65 0 2 DDP-224 Y ~3300 12/,:64 0 5 Control Data Corporation G-15 N $1000 7/55 320 X G-20 Y $15,500 4/61 26 X 160*/160A/160G Y $1750/$3500/$12,000 5/60;7/61;3/64 381 23 924/924A Y $11,000 8/61 28 3 1604/1604A Y $38,000 1-/60 60 X 3200 Y $12,000 5/64 13 60 3400 Y $25,000 11/64 0 18 3600 Y $58,000 6/63 25 32 6600 Y ~llO, 000 8/64 1 4 Digital Equipment Corp. PDP-l Y So Id only 11/60 54 2 about $120,000 PDP-4 Y So Id only 8/62 45 10 about $60,000 PDP-5 Y so Id only 9/63 61 8 about $25,000 PDP-6 Y Sold only 10/64 8 about $300,000 PDP-7 Y Sold only 11/64 0 10 about 88 000 '. El-tronics, Inc. ALWAC IIIE N $1820 2 54 24 X Friden 6010 Y ~600 6/63 197 110 General Electric 205 Y $2900 10/64 1 14 210 Y $16,000 7/59 60 X 215 Y $5500 11/63 28 15 225 Y $7000 1/61 122 3 235 Y $10,900 12/63 20 16 415 Y $5500 5/64 12 110 425 Y $7500 7/64 5 45 435 Y $12,000 10/64 0 22 455 Y $18,000 6/65 0 9 465 Y $24,000 6/65 0 6 625 Y $50,000 2/65 0 7 635 Y ~65,OOO 12[64 0 9 General Precision LGP-21 Y $725 12/62 130 50 LGP-30 semi $1300 9/56 435 5 RPC-4000 Y ~1875 1/61 98 1 Honeywell Electronic Data Processing H-200 Y $4200 3/64 75 590 H-300 Y $3900 7/65 0 6 H-400 Y $5000 12/61 101 /) H-800 Y $22,000 12/60 62 7 H-1400 Y $14,000 1/64 9 S 50 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1961 NAME OF NAME OF SOLID AVERAGE MONTHL Y DATE OF FIRST NUMBER OF NUMBER OF MANUFACTURER COMPUTER STATE? RENTAL INSTALLATION INSTALLATIONS UNFILLED ORDERS** H-1800 Y $30,000 1/64 4 7 H-2200 Y $11,000 10/65 0 11 DATAmatic 1000 N 12/57 4 X H-W Electronics, Inc, HW-15K Y $490 6/63 3 4 IBM 305 N $3600 12/57 505 X 360/30 Y $4800 7/65 0 1600 360/40 Y $9600 7/65 0 460 360/50 Y $18,000 9/65 0 370 360/60 Y $35,000 10/65 0 320 360/62 Y $50,000 11/65 0 80 360/70 Y $80,000 10/65 0 180 650-card N $4000 11/54 385 X 650-RAMAC N $9000 11/54 72 X 1401 Y $4500 9/60 7450 750 1401-G Y $1900 5/64 250 780 1410 Y $12,000 11/61 440 145 1440 Y $1800 4/63 1125 650 1460 Y $9800 10/63 425 600 1620 I, I! Y $2500 9/60 1510 25 701 N $5000 4/53 1 X 7010 Y $19,175 10/63 50 38 702 N $6900 2/55 3 X 7030 Y $160,000 5/61 6 X 704 N $32,000 12/55 41 X 7040 Y $14,000 6/63 50 38 7044 Y $26,000 6/63 43 14 705 N $30,000 11/55 84 X 7070, 2, 4 Y $24,000 3/60 525 40 7080 Y $55,000 8/61 70 3 709 N $40,000 8/58 11 X 7090 Y $64,000 11/59 45 3 7094 Y $70,000 9/62 255 18 7094 I! Y $76,000 4/64 50 52 ITT 7300 ADX Y $18,000 7/62 9 6 Monroe Calculating Machine Co, Monrobot IX N Sold only - 3/58 158 X $5800 Monrobot XI Y $700 12/60 430 170 National Cash Register Co, NCR - 304 Y $14,000 1/60 26 X NCR - 310 Y $2000 5/61 46 1 NCR - 315 Y $8500 5/62 230 125 NCR - 390 y $1850 5/61 680 180 Phi lco 1000 Y $7010 6/63 15 0 2000-212 Y $52,000 1/63 5 2 -210, 211 Y $40,000 10/58 19 2 Radio Corp, of America Bizmac N -/56 3 X RCA 301 Y $6000 2/61 515 130 RCA 3301 Y $11 ,500 7/64 4 33 RCA 501 Y $14,000 6/59 96 4 RCA 601 Y $35,000 11/62 4 I Raytheo n *** PB 250 Y $1200 12/60 154 8 PB 440 Y $3500 3/64 5 8 Scientific Data Systems Inc. 505-92 Y $900 12/64 0 10 505-910 Y $2000 8/62 80 55 505-920 Y $2700 9/62 62 7 505-925 Y $2500 12/64 0 4 505-930 y $4000 6/64 6 24 SDS-9300 Y $7000 10/64 0 5 UNIVAC I & I! N $25,000 3/51 & 11/57 32 X II! Y $20,000 8/62 76 32 File Computers N $15,000 8/56 24 X So 1id-St ate 80, 90, & Step Y $8000 8/58 332 X Solid-State I! Y $8500 9/62 43 3 418 y $11,000 6/63 6 8 490 Y $26,000 12/61 36 20 1004 y $1900 2/63 2000 650 1050 Y $8000 9/63 74 250 1100 Series (ex- cept 1107) N $35,000 12/50 14 X 1107 y $45,000 10/62 2'0 7 1108 y $50,000 7i65 0 8 LARC Y ~1351000 5L60 2 X TOTALS 22,177 10,541 X = no longer in production. • To avoid double counting, note that the Control Data 160 serves as the central processor of the NCR 310. Also, many of the orders for the 7044, 7074, and 7094 I and II's are not for new machines but for conversions from existing 7040, 7070 and 7090 computers respectively. *. Some of the unfilled order figures are verified by the respective manufacturers; others are estimated and then re- viewed by a group of computer industry authorities. *.* Formerly Packard-Bell Computer Division COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 51 80 years ago the first cash register helped shopkeepers remember. Today NCR's new thin-film rod memory helps this computer remember better. NCR's job for 80 years has been line of equipment to handle to make things easier and more everything from original profitable for businesses of all kinds entry to final report. Latest ward movement and sizes. How? By producing the is a rod memory computer that of the American economy most complete and efficient line of cycles in billionths of a second! and to the betterment of its citi record keeping and data processing Equally as important as the de· zen$. If you wou'd like to be con equipment obtainable. We began by velopment of the total system con· sidered for positions that are now marketing the first cash register cept of record keeping are the many opening for qualified persons at the first automated system for research and development pro· NCR, write to T. F. Wade, Technical handling sales and cash! Today grams which NCR has in progress. Placement, NCR, Dayton, Ohio NCR continues to make things Important advances in encapsula· 45409. All correspondence will be easier for government, industry, tion, photochromism, thin-film and treated confidentially. An equal op business and banking with a full laser technology have contributed portunityemployer. BE SURE TO VISIT THE NCR PAVILION AT THE N. Y. WORLD'S FAIR. THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY Circle No. 27 on Readers Service Card 52 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1961 WANG DIGITAL SYSTEMS CALENDAR ENGINEERING PUNCHED TAPE BLOCK READER OF COMING EVENTS Nov. 3 -5, 1964: Data Processing Management Association ]964 Fall. Data Processing Conference and Business Ex A versatile input device for position, Hilton Hotel, San Francisco, Calif.; contact numerically controlled systems. Tape: Standard 1 inch,S, 6, 7 or 8 levels, Data Processing Management Association, 524 Busse paper or Mylar. Highway, Park Ridge, Ill. Capacity: Up to 30 lines per reading (240 bits.), or more. Nov. 4-6, 1964: NEREM (Northeast Elee. Res. & Engineer Speed: Up to 10 frames per second. ing Meeting), Commonwealth Armory and Somerset Output: Triple wire brush cantacts, rated at 50v Hotel, Boston, Mass.; contact IEEE Boston Office, 313 and SOma non-inductive. Performance: Tested for 500,000 readings with Washington St., Newton, Mass. 02158 out error. Automatic retract of reading head when changing tape. Nov. 9-11, ]964: Joint Western Mid-Western Region Meet Price: $1200. (12-line reader). ing of the ]620 Users Group, Center for Continuing Edu cation, Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.; contact Paul 10 MC DUAL PULSE COUNTER Bickford, Univ. of Okla. Medical Research, 800 N.E. ] 3th St., Oklahoma City, Okla. MODEL NUMBER 771" Nov. 16-18, 1964: 17th Annual Conference on Engineering in Medicine and Biology, Cleveland-Sheraton Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio; contact Dr. D. G. Fleming, Case Inst. of Techn., Cleveland 6, Ohio. Nov. 16-19, 1964: 10th Conference on Magnetism & A. Ranges: 1. Counting 0/9,999,999 Magnetic Materials, Raddison Hotel, Minneapolis, 2. Frequency 0/10MC Minn.; contact J. T. Elder, 3 M Co., 400 McKnight Rd., 3. Time Interval} Depends on St. Paul 19, Minn. 4. Period External Clock Range B. Accuracy: ±1 count C. Resolution: Minimum pulse spacing, .09 p.sec. Jan., 1965: II th National Symposium on Reliability & Minimum pulse width .04 p.sec. Quality Control, Fontainebleu Hotel, Miami, Fla. D. Input: 1. DC Coupled 2. Voltage Signal Amplitude Range ± 15 Volts Feb. ]7-19, 1965: International Solid State Circuits Confer peak to peak • ence, Philadelphia, Pa. 3. Impedance: 1 K ohms in parallel with 50 p.p.fd Mar. 22-25, 1965: IEEE International Convention, Coliseum 4. Trigger Level ± 1 to - 1 volt and New York Hilton Hotel, New York, N. Y.; contact E. Output: 1. In-line display on 7 NIXIE tubes IEEE Headquarters, E. K. Gannett, 345 E. 47 St., New 2. Electrical: BCD (1-2-4-8) at rear multi pin York, N. Y. connector 0/-8 ± 2V swing. Maximum load: 10 K ohms. Includes gate line for April 21-23, 1965: Southwestern IEEE Conference and Elee. reset to zero on command. 3. Carry pulse output on reaching count of Show (SWIEECO), Dallas Memorial Auditorium, Dallas, 10,000,000. Tex. F. Reset: May, 1965: National Telemetering Conference, EI Paso, 1. Manual - Front panel push button for each channel Tex. (Tentative) 2. Electrical - Via BNC connector on rear .!\fay 11-13, 1965: Electronic Components Conference (ECC), panel. Washington, D. C. G. Operation: 1. Manual - Toggle switch for selection of Start May 24-29, 1965: IFIP Congress '65, New York Hilton Ho and/or Stop signals on Channel A, Channel tel, New York, N . contact Evan Herbert, Conover B or Channels A and B, together. Separate .Y.; push-button control for "Start and Stop" Mast Publ., 205 E. 42 St., New York 17, N. Y. of count 2. Electrical - External rear mounted BNC con June, 1965: Automatic Control in the Peaceful Uses of nectors for "Start" and "Stop." Gate pulse is -6 ::!:: 2V, with 1 p.sec. minimum width, Space, Oslo, Norway; contact Dr. John A. Aseltine, Aero .5 p.sec. rise and fall time. space Corp., P. O. Box 95085, Los Angeles 45, Calif. 3. Temperature - 0/500 C H. Sensitivity: 250 mv, peak to peak. Adjustment for sensitivities from 250 mv to 30 volts. June 22-25, 1965: Sixth Joint Automatic Control Confer I. Power: 115V RMS ± 10%, 50-400 cps nominal, ence (JACC), Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, 35 watts N. Y.; contact Prof. James W. Moore, Dept. of Mechan J. Size: 51/4" high x 19" wide x IS" deep ical Engineering, Univ. of Va., Charlotteville, Va. Oct. 10-16, 1965: 1965 Congress of the International Fed Wang ofatoralorie:J, .Jnc. eration of Documentation (FID), Sheraton Park Hotel, NORTH STREET • TEWKSBURY, MASS. Washington, D. C.; contact Secretariat, 1965 FID Con 617-851-7311 gress, 9650 Wisconsin Ave., Washington, D. C. 20014 Circle No. 20 on Readers Servico Card COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 53 NEW PATENTS RAYMOND R. SKOLNICK Reg. Patenl Agent Ford Inst. Co., Div. of Sperry Rand Corp., Long Island City 1, New York The following is a compilation of patents pertaining to computer and associated equipment from the "Official Gazette of the U. S. Pat ent Office," dates of issue as indi cated. Each entry consists of patent number / inventor(s) / assignee / invention. Printed copies of pat ents may be obtained from the U. S. Commissioner of Patents, Washing ton 25, D. C., at a cost of 25 cents each. June 30, 1964 (Continued) 3,139,609 / Hewitt :D. Crane, Pal'O Alt'O and William K. MacCurdy, 'Menlo Park, CaIH. / AMP Inc., Harrisburg, Pa., a corp. of New Jersey / Magnetic·C'Ore ShHt Register. 3,139;610 / Lionel Crown, Santa Monica, Seymour Markowi,tz, Los ,Angeles and David Slotnick, Sherman Oaks, Calif., a corp. of California / Magnetic-Core Memory Constructi'On. July 7, 1964 3,140,402 / Douglas C. Engelbart, Palo Alto, Calif. / AMP Inc., Harrisburg, Pa., a corp. of N. J. / Magnetic-Core Logic Circuits. 3,140,403 / Josef Morwald, Dachau, near Munich, Germany / Kienzle Apparate G.m.b.H., Villingen, Black Forest, Ger many / Matrix Type Switch Arrange· ment. 3,140,404 / Robert Mauduech, Paris and Raymond Gouttebel, Clam art, France / Automatic Electric Labs., Inc. / Eccles Jordan Flip·Flop With Closed Ferrite Cores In The Cross-Coupling Paths. 3,140,471 / Harrison W. Fuller, Needham Heights, Mass. / by Mesme assignments to Laboratory for Electronics, Inc., Bos ton, Mass., a corp. 'Of Delaware / High Capacity Data Processing Techniques. 3,140,472 / Lester R. Adams, Endwell, and Edward H. Sommerfield, Endicott, New York / International Business Machines Corp., N. Y. / Data Transfer Apparatus. 3,140,473 / John E. Gaffney, Jr., Pough. keepsie, N. Y. / IBM, N. Y. / Infonna tion Storage System. 3,140,474 / Ervin Leshner, Philadelphia, Pa. / Burroughs Corp., Detroit, Mich. / Magnetic Memory Drum. July 14, 1964 3,141,154 / Ralph Anthony Hall, London, England / International Standard Elec· tric Corp., N. Y. / Intelligence Storage Equipment. 3,141,155 / Albert W. Vinal, Owego, N. Y. / IBM, New York / Magnetic Memory System. 3,141,159 / Edwin S. Lee III, San Gabriel, Calif. / Burroughs Corp., Detroit, Michi· gan / Digital Magnetic Code Converter. July 21, 1964 3,141,961 / Roy W. Reach, Jr., Sudbury, Mass. / Minneapolis-Honeywell Regula· tor Co., Minneapolis, Minn., a corp. of Delaware / Information Handling Ap· paratus. 3,141,963 / Werner Zuhlsdorf, Berlin, Ger· many / VEB Wissenschaftlich-Technis· ches Buro fur Geratebau, Berlin, Ger many / Circuits and Control for Man· tissa Devices In Binary Computing Ma· Circle No. 21 on Readers Service Card chines. 54 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 :~,141,964 I Harold Fleisher, Poughkeepsie and Robert I. Roth, Briarcliff Manor, N. Y. I International Business Machines Corp., N. Y. I Calculating Memory. 3,141,967 I William H. Meiklejohn, Scotia, N. Y. I General Electric Co., a corp. of N. Y. I Information Storage Apparatus. 3,141,980 I Nathaniel Rochester, Mount Kisco, N. Y. I IBM, N. Y. I Memory System. 3,142,048 I James I. Smith, Basking Ridge, N. J. I Bell Telephone Labs., Inc., N. Y. I Magnetic Memory Circuit. 3,142,049 I David J. Crawford, Poughkeep sie, N. Y. I IBM Corp., N. Y. I Memory Array Sensing. July 28, 1964. 3,142,818 I Arthur W. Holt, Silver Spring, Md. I by Mesme assignments to Control Data Corp., Minneapolis, Minn., a corp. of Minnesota I Character Recognition Using Curve Tracing. 3,112,822 I Gregory L. Martin, Phoenix, Ariz. I Goodyear Aerospace Corp., a corp. of Delaware I Apparatus For Sampling, Storing and Summing Signals. 3,142,828 I Edmunde E. Newhall, Brook side, N. J. I Bell Telephone Labs., Inc., N. Y. I Magnetic Memory Array. August 4, 1964 3,143,725 I Robert A. Henle, Hyde Park, N. Y. I IBM Corp., New York, a corp. of New York I Negative Resistance Memory Systems. 3,H:~,728 I Norman C. Loeber, San Jose, Calif. I IBM Corp., N. Y., a corp. of New York I Core Storage Configuration. August II, 1964 3,1-14,640 I Wilhelm Grooteboer, Duisdorf, Bonn, Germany lInt. Standard Electric Corp., N. Y., a corp. of Delaware I Fer rite Matrix Storage. 3,1-1<1,641 I Jack I. Raffel, Groton, Mass. I Mass. Institute of Technology, Cam bridge, Mass., a corp. of Mass. I Bal anced Sense Line Memory. August 18, 1964 3,1·15,307 I Salvadore 1- Zuccaro, Los An ~cles, Calif. I Ampex Corp., Culver City, Calif., a corp. of California I Logical Circuits. 3,H5,342 I Howard H. Hill, Northboro, Mass. I Computer Control Co., Inc., a corp. of Delaware I Universal Logical Element. 3,1-15,343 I William P. Horton, Natick, Mass. I Computer Control Co., Inc., a corp. of Delaware I Universal Logical Element Having Means Preventing Pulsc Splitting. August 25, 1964 3,146,353 I Arthur V. Pohm, Ames, Iowa I Sperry Rand Corp., New York, a corp. of Delaware I Magnetic Thin Film Logic Circuits. 3,1-16,354 I Shintaro Oshima, Tokyo·to, lIajime, Enomoto, Ichikawashi and Sa buro Shirai and Yasuo Koseki, Tokyo-to, Japan I Kokusai Denshin Denwa Ka bushiki Kaisha, Tokyo-to, Japan, a joint stock company of Japan I System of Logical Operation Including Magnetic Corc Circuit. :J,l-lG,425 I Robert E. Benn, Broomall and Douglas C. Wendell, Jr., Malvern, Pa. I Burroughs Corp., Detroit, Mich., a corp. of Michigan I Data Storage Device. :J,l-lG,126 I Michel Agon, Courbevoie and Jac(Jllcs Jeanniot and Yves Poupon, Pans, France I IBM Corp., New York, a corp. of New York I Memory system. :J,1-1G,·128 I John C. F. Walker III, Dayton, Ohio I The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corp. of Maryland I Data Storage System. Circle No. 22 on Readers Service Card COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 55 5000 POINTS PER SECOND -- Information International, Inc., Cambridge, Mass., has devel In addition to data recorded on film, data recorded on paper oped a fully automatic Programmable Film Reader to read can also be read by means of the film reading system. scientific or engineering data recorded on photographic film, paper, or similar media. Readout can be had on IBM SYSTEM APPLICATIONS compatible magnetic tape, or in the form of numerical print (i) Analysis of data produced by oscillographs or other outs, graphs or plots, or visual CRT displays. This article types of graphic recorders describes the system and its applications. (ii) Tracking and analysis of obj ects for which motion pic THE FILM READING SYSTEM Using 16 or 35 mm. film tures are available (e.g" missile tracking studies) as a medium for recording scientific data has many advantages. (iii) Reading of astronomical or astrophysical data recorded Because of the small input power and limited storage space that on film (e.g., analysis of stellar configurations) are required, it is particularly suitable for recording data pro (iv) Reading photographs of cloud chambers, bubble cham duced by recording devices in space vehicles or aircraft; by bers, and spark chambers wind and current measuring de'vices; and by other devices of (v) Counting of particles (such as blood cells or bacteria) similar nature. in photographs However, reading or transcribing the data from film once it has been recorded has presented many problems in the past. It has (vi) Character recognition generally been necessary for an analyst or researcher to read the To the best of our knowledge, Information International data visually from the film and transcribe it by hand. This has is the only commercial firm supplying fully automatic been found to be a time-consuming, laborious and relatively computer film reading systems. We do essentially two expensive operation. In some cases, semi-automatic film reading things. We develop and manufacture film reading systems devices are available. However, these can read only about 5000 for clients to use at their own facilities (as, for example, points per day and require a human operator. in the case of radar film reading systems we have devel Information International, Inc., of Cambridge, Mass., has now oped for Lincoln Laboratory and the U. S. Air Force). developed a completely automatic computer film reading system And we furnish services for reading films which are sent which can read film at the rate of approximately 5000 points to us for processing (as in the case of oceanographic per second. Scientific data recorded on 16 or 35 mm film can current meter film). be read completely automatically and printed out in the form III is able to supply equipment to satisfy a variety of of numerical listings or recorded on magnetic tape for further customer needs. Customer options include transmittive processing and analysis. The film reading system is based on or reflective input media, binary density decision, mul three major elements: A general purpose digital computer, tiple level density measurement, local contrast measure together with a visual display scope; a film reading device; and ment, and various degrees of system resolution. computer programs for using the computer and film reader. We can supply a completely set-up, ready-to-run THE FILM READING PROCESS The film reading process "turnkey" film reading system (including a medium price, involves the scanning of film by a rapidly moving light point on general purpose computer). Or we can provide the basic the visual display scope. The output of this scanning operation film reading device, appropriate computer programs, or is detected by a photo-sensitive device in the film reader and technical consulting to those planning to develop their relayed to the digital computer for further processing and own film reading systems. The film reading device itself analysis. In addition to translating the data itself into a more may be used with specialized film reading computer pro desirable format, the film reading system can also furnish addi grams, such as those we have developed, which make use tional summaries and analyses of the data as may be required. of highly sophisticated filtering techniques to minimize the effect of "noise" (dirt, scratches, general illegibility) EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE SYSTEM The flexibility of the on the film. As a result, the film reading system is capable film reading system in two respects should be emphasized. First, of reading film in relatively poor condition. Or,where the almost any format of data on film can be read, with appropriate quantity of data on film is not great enough to justify modifications to the basic computer program. This includes investment in a film reading system, I. I. I. can furnish data represented in the form of lines, graphs (e.g., radar pulses), servfces for reading film and transcribing data on a pro points, and other similar forms of data. Second, almost any duction basis. A brochure describing the film reader and type of desired output may be obtained once the basic data is film reading systems we have developed is available on obtained from the film. Forms of output which are available request. include the. following: (i) A print-out or listing of data on paper. r (ii) A record of the data on magnetic tape. INFORMATION (iii) Visual representations of data. These may take the CCC INTERNATIONAL form of a continuous graph (using a digital x-y plotting INCORPORATED device). Or they may take the form of photographs - III still or motion - of scope displays. , ____-:--_/ 200 SIXTH ST., CAMBRIDGE, MASS. Circle No. 29 on Readers Service Card 56 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 19()" TWO NEW COMPUTERS WITH FLIP CHlp™ INTEGRATED CIRCUITS • 1;6 ".sec cycle time • 1;75 f1.sec cycle time • 3J2'II,sec add time • 3.50 f1.sec add time • 12 bit word length • 18 bit word length • 4096 word memory • 4096 word memory (expandable to 32,768 words) (8,192 words directly addressable, expandable to 32,768 words) • Fortran • Field tested software • Field tested software including Fortran II • 570,000 words/sec maximum transfer rate • 570,000 words/sec maximum transfer rate • Reader punch and typewriter included • 300 cps paper tape reader • 63.3 cps paper tape punch $1S,DDD $45,DDD OPTIONAL EGUIPMENT AVAILABLE IBM compatible tape Analog I/O DEC tape Data communication equipment CRT displays with light pen Bulk storage drums EQUIPMENT Card equipment Printers and plotters CORPORATION MAYNARD, MASSACHUSETTS Washington, D.C .• Parsippany, N.J .• Los Angeles· Palo Alto' Chicago· Ann Arbor Pittsburgh • Huntsville· Orlando· Carle· ton Place, Onto • Reading, England FLIP CHIP IS A TRADE MARK OF DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION Munich, W. Germany· Sydney, Australia Circle No. 4 on Readers Service Card COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 57 Subminiature WE ILLUMINATED PUSH BUTTON NEED SWITCHES MORE and matching Indicator Lights PROGRAMMERS Switch Form C with 1/2" rnd. cap DIALCD Switches and Indicator Lights provide al AT most limitless applications-are flexible in ar ...... rangement- economical in price-and feature high reliability. Switches are the silent, momentary type-requir ing 24 oz. (approx.) operating force. Contact arrangements are: S.P.S.T., normally open or UNIVAC normally closed; S.P.D.T. two circuit (one normally open, one normally closed). Ratings: 3 amps, 125V A.C.; 3 amps, 30V D.C. (non-inductive). The switch is competely enclosed and independent of the TWIN CITIES lamp circuit. The light source is the T-13"" incan descent lamp, available in voltages from 1.35 to ...... •... 28V. Units are made for single hole (keyed) mount ing in panels up to 3116" thick and mount from But the people UNIVAC adds must Request Catalogue No. back of panel in 1/2" clearance hole. Switch match the exacting standards of L-169A. Complete forms for dry circuits are also available. specifications and our current programming teams. technical data, includ· Other features include: 1/2" or 3/4" interchange These are people who keep abreast ing catalog number able caps, round or square, rotatable or non· of the most advanced techniques charts are included rotatable, in a choice of 7 color combinations. in the field ... and are dedicated to therein. creating frontiers in the technol ogy. Men and women with uncom monly high intelligence and fine academic records ... who want to work at the leading edge of the programming profession. There is challenge here. Our rec· ord of stability for professional people coupled with the large num· ber of long range programs now Circle No. 24 on Readers Service Card in the house encourages the free· dom to experiment. These are just a few of the reasons why UNIVAC programmers may look forward to their own long· range professional ADVERTISING INDEX growth ... to careers highlighted by individual advancement- in knOWl edge, in status, and in financial Following is the index of advertisements. Each item con rewards. Our location offers added attrac tains: Name and address of the advertiser / page number tions. We are in the heart of a where the advertisement appears / name of agency if any. large, progressive metropolitan area boasting such cultural advan· American Telephone & Telegraph Co., 195 International Business Machines Corp., tages as a renowned symphony orchestra and the nationally known Broadway, New York 7, N.Y. / Page 3/ Data Processing Div., 112 E. Post Rd. , Tyrone Guthrie repertory theatre. N. W. Ayer & Son White Plains, N. Y. 10601 / Pages 28, And within minutes of pleasant Benson-Lehner Corporation, 14761 Califa 29/ Marsteller, Inc. residential areas are year-round St., Van Nuys, Calif. / Page 59 / Memorex Corporation, 1180 Shulman Ave. , outdoor activities - sailing, golfing, Leonard Daniels Advertising Santa Clara, Calif. / Page 2/ Hal swimming, hunting, skating and Burroughs Corp., Detroit, Mich. / Page 7 Lawrence, Inc. skiing. / Campbell-Ewald Co. National Cash Register Co., Main & K Sts., You are invited to inquire about Computer Control Co., Inc., Old Connecti Dayton 9, Ohio / Pages 24, 52 / McCann our expansion-created openings. cut Path, Framingham, Mass. / Page Erickson, Inc. Here is a sampling of the types of programming problems you can 19/ de Garmo-Boston National Cash Register Co., Electronics encounter at UNIVAC-Twin Cities: Computer Design Publishing Corp., Baker Div., 2815 W. EI Segundo Blvd., Haw programming conceptual com Ave., W. Concord, Mass. 01781 / Page thorne, Calif. / Page 60 / Allen, Dorsey puters; multi·processor systems; 8/- & Hatfield compiler and machine language Computron Inc., 122 Calvary St., Waltham, Photon, Inc., 355 Middlesex Ave., Wilming development; scaling problems; en· gineering design problems; trajec Mass. / Page 4 / Tech/Reps ton, Mass. / Page 25 / Darrell Prutzman tories; system integration; radar Data Processing Management Association, Associates systems and performance analysis; 524 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, m. / RCA, Princeton, N. J. / Page 49 / Al Paul trajectory analysis, guidance equa Page 10 /- Lefton Co., Inc. tions, simUlation. Opportunities Dialight Corp., 60 Stewart Ave., Brooklyn Tel-A-Dex Corp., 600 E. Bonita Ave. , are at several levels. 37, N. Y. / Page 58 / H. J. Gold Co. Pomona, Calif. / Page 13 / John B. Write to Mr. R. K. Patterson, Em Digital Equipment Corp., Maynard, Mass. Shaw Co., Inc. ployment Manager, Dept. L·10, / Page 57 / Loudon Advertising. Inc. URS Corp., Box 1025, Sierra Vista, Ariz. UNIVAC Division of Sperry Rand DuPont, Wilmington, Del. / Page 12 / / Page 25 / Hal Lawrence, Inc. Corporation, Univac Park, St. Paul, Minn. 55116. An Equal Opportu Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn, Inc. UNIVAC Div. of Sperry Rand Corp., Univac nity Employer. E-A Industrial Corp., 2326 So. Cotner Ave. , Park, St. Paul, Minn. 55116 / Page 58 W. Los Angeles, Calif. / Page 18 / - / Deutsch & Shea, Inc. Forms, Inc., Willow Grove, Pa. / Pages Wang Laboratories, Inc., North st., Tewks UNIVAC 54, 55 / Elkman Advertising Co., Inc. bury, Mass. / Page 53 / Robert Hartwell Information International Inc., 200 Sixth GabinEl St., Cambridge, Mass. 02142 / Page Wyle Laboratories, . EI Segundo, Calif. / 56/- Page 11/ Norman Rose & Associates Circle No. 5 on Readers Service Card 58 COMPUTERS and AUTOMATION for November, 1964 ------~--~------~. r 'r ~-~';I.l.ii (H.jn'~HWI; l~lii'~I~~~i~!1 (~hgl!i~1 11Hi um@ 'H.f~ril..:' Ii"..e c~lli""; 11,' ~d" .'i{i.{ifir..-!I t*'~1 i,~') "'i;I~R'~Ii.; i~h;. (!J~.~\ I~m~"~) (:\1,,_ .,{iil ,W 1}1;~'''iint:,I}:{;.t'ffl;.li Uhr~\~ Ih!'~l; 'hmH~1 r!1 w,ti\1 i~11 i.~~~~; i~,,; @"~I riH~i (,fr i~h; i~f~T~ IJ\~ '~I-im!i i~hl-:' @m): It;t+; "Wl~"ir!l. i~h;' (i{irr.,WWfr \",.f.rt~;1 lurm fl.., ...~h~ftl~;nt~l \(1 1 11~(H.!(.fi I~hi iroW: I~):-;.,\,qil!!--t~~ OC;{H~rn,4\ '1]l1~:,mffilru;'1 i~it:~i \'I'HI (i~", mm,~' O{! (fmr~., f.ID![1{! f.hf.iwuIDmm C'i1U i~il; "ii'''I; II;.mfi~" (~ii mf~r;.'!! Q}); rt; \',(~:U' IJf... ~t,~U., I~li~\,(p ~il)i,{" I~H~r;. It;.j~i li\\~~j ,:·.'J~(!I ,'d"'Hli \'lil~' InmH, (!~_; ",',IhW iii "~'l-1i '~ifr (i(in'i,~I~W-!; i~rf";l iH~ i*'lH~1='1 \l11,t!~~ it~ i!l(~ I tof: l.:\ i (;.i:~~I;.r.~1\.·f;': ""tt~~ i~i) i~"iP!~8;.j1 rimi~}'~'1 til mr~~' iri~J'~i~nfrl~ 111,{; :N~1!~f'I~~1 1]1.~I;' IJhif~~liJf: ~·f,i~;.m, ...1 hiWi) I ~ (cEn~ ,~~.H; 111i 1~I;.fra'frjI.mJfr IHldUL::t.i{iltiU I~mrw=nel::f~rimfi f~ft!l'= iiill!:-' ~.i{~1 Ih.,;. (!~'~WiHJ~1 \'I"l~'1 l"iit{H;.' inlifil(-n,Jl+1-, (!I~ri\~(~ Ilit"I'iii'lil{(~Hh)f' r!!,!!1 i!~,"~n"liQ'H!'WftHi "'iw,f~r!fl 11 Jiimmm I,;'©~ I " TIL~J~>{;.r9YA'i~ I ,(Q)}'l;:@~rJlf~lJffI@ .~ !l~l ~ I I I I i 1 'I Move ahead in digital systems Evaluation-All Levels Systems/Com munications and 5 years' experience in thin with NCR. Developments such Experience in preparing com Desig'ner films or magnetics. \ as the newly announced NCR parative analyses of data This senior position will involve Intermediate and 31.5 RMC Rod Memory processing system, using analysis and advanced design of Jr. Computer Engineers Computer with the first com analytic techniques including on-line, real-time systems. mercially available all-thin-film queuing theory and simulation. Requires BSEE, MSEE desired, Experienced graduate EE's with main memory tell you that EDP Knowledge of programming with good knowledge of digital 3 to 5 years in logic design and technology is moving fast at essential. computer tech nology. transistorized circuit design of NCR Electronics Division. digital equipment. Assignments Opportunity is in the present PROGRAMMERS Advanced Magnetic tense. If you can make original Recording Specialist Software-All Levels contributions in any of the areas Intermediate to senior engineer listed here ... if you would like to Requires experience in design with BS degree, MS desired, combine a good living with the ing and writing compilt'Ors, oper with 3-4 years' experience in good Southern California life ... ating system, generators, etc. advanced magnetic recording investigate NCR now. Research-Senior Level techniques. Requires detailed knowledge of media, circuitry Must have extensive experience SYSTEMS ANALYST and magnetic head design. ENGINEERS in advanced programming tech niques and applications such as Central and Advanced list processing systems, syntax Systems-All Levels directed compilin.g, information Experience in analyzing retrieval system, <'lnd natural requirements to prepare func language processing. tional specifications for processors, controllers, buffers, Design Automation will entail logic and circuit peripheral equipment. random Programmer design of buffer storage units access memori es, etc. K now This position requires a man who and digital peripheral equipment. ledge of logical design and has had previous experience in programming helpful, essential programming, for design auto INTERVIEWS AT THE FALL at higher levels, where candi mation. Requires an understand JOINT COMPUTER CONFERENCE, dates should also have heavy ing of engineering and hardware SAN FRANCISCO, OCT. 27-29 experience in advanced system problems. Bachelor's degree in To arrange an appointment, call design-multiprogramming, list math, engineering, or related Ed Free during FJCC at the con processing machines, complex fields required. ference hotel, 362-3021. If you are on-line systems, or other not attending FJCC, please send specialties. Advanced Mechanisms Senior Display Engineer resume immediately, including Specialist We are seeking an engineer with training, experience and salary On-Line-I ntermediate Position will entail analysis and 1 to 3 years' experience in dis history, to Bill Holloway, and Senior advanced design of complex play technology, with emphasis Personnel Department, or Experience in analyzing require mechanisms and applied on the electronic design of com telephone collect. ments and preparing functional mechanics problems. Experi mercial and military display specifications for on-line sys ence highly desirable in design devices. Requires BSEE or The National tems and selected devices. of com puter peri ph eral equi p related degree. Cash Register Company Should have gDod knowledge of ment, such as disc files, drums data transmission techniques, and drum memories; floating Senior Research Engineer INICIR\ and be able to carry out studies head background helpful. Research in advanced computer ELECTRONICS DIVISION of traffic loacjs, scanning and Should be equally skilled in techniques, stressing state-of 2815 W. EI Segundo Blvd. polling schemes, etc. Know mathematical analysis and labo the-art- hardware and experi Hawthorne, Calif. ledge of programming and ele ratory measurements. PhD mental system work. Requires Telephone: Area Code 213-757-5111 mentary logical design essential. preferred. BS in engineering or physics an equal-opportunity employer Circle No. 7 on Readers Service Card