Finals Teen Schedule Washington State University Vol.84 No.52 Friday, January 6,1978 page 8 " New computer does more. faster by linda eIIingson There have been some minor problems with the $3.5 million computer which was installed here during Christmas vacation, but "the performance has been very good," said Robert E. Lord, director of the Computer Center in Johnson Hall annex. Lord said the problems were minor and easily corrected. One of the problems was a power distribution unit which was sens- ing a low voltage condition which did not exist. Several switches on the computer were readjusted and the problem was corrected. The new machine is an Amdahl \ 470V/6-II; it is replacing two IBM 360 \ computers. Lord said the IBM machines had reached the point where they were not reliable. - Jeff 011. "They were 11 years old and the elec- The old computer. tronic parts kept failing." Lord also said that the old computers were not fast The computer also runs the Washington enough and could not handle an increas- Library Network, which is a system that ingly larger work load. libraries use to acquire information about The contract to install the new com- books. Lord explained this enables a lib- puter was signed last November, and the rary to find out where all books written by computer was delivered Dec. 19; during "John J. Jones" are located. The com- the next two days it was installed. There puter will name the places and how many is a 15-day trial period following installa- copies are available at each location. Lord tion and if the computer's performance is said this system is only about one year satisfactory it will be accepted and pur- old. ar-......,_:-4 chased. Lord said that in one second the com- The computer's functions include all puter is probably receiving requests from AssIstant programmer Roger Dietz Is using Amdahl nOV/S-II, a new computer that accounting and payroll practices of the 50 different users at the same time from replaced two IBM machines. The computer is now in Johnson Hall annex, but it will be university, student grades, records and the computer terminals, but the time it moved Into the new computer science building when It Is completed. registration, calculations for the faculty, takes to have their requests processed Lord said there will be both an imma- "Maybe $250,000 to $500,000," When the and classes. varies. diate slight decrease in cost to the users comp~ters were new they were worth "Just about everything that can be done "It could take five to seven seconds for and a long-term decrease. more than $4 million. by automation is done on the computer," the library to find out about the books, "We can do this because the new com- Lord said. where it may take Eastern a couple of puter is more efficient: it can do more Lord said the IBM's are repairable and The computer will serve 52 different hours to have their requests processed," work and the staff does not have to be can be used by a place that does not need Lord said. state and federal agencies in the area of increased." service as fast as WSU. administrative data processing. Some of An accounting system is built into the The old IBM 360 computers are for sale "The new computer could go about a these are Eastern Washington University, computer and each time a person or and invitations for bids have been sent week without any problems, whereas the Central Washington University and the agency uses the computer it records how out. They will be opened Jan, 18. old one may only go about six hours superintendent of public instruction, much time Was used. The agency or "There is a market for this type of without any problems," Lord said. Lord which are all hooked up to the Amdahl's person receives a bill at the end of each terminals. month. computer, but the question is how much expects the new computer to last any- money can we get for them," said Lord. where from seven to 15years. City adds funds __ Tomorrow's classes meet Crisis Line applications available The Pullman Crisis Line, bolstered by a $6,600 allocation Palmer said a major stumbling block which led to the from the Pullman City Council, is accepting applications for discontinuation of the High Street Center, the necessity for no opoosttion staff members according to temporary director Peter Karz- malpractice or liability insurance, has been alleviated. The mark. Crisis Line will operate under the direction of the Whitman The positions will be those of telephone answerers. In all, -28 County Mental Health Commission (WCMHC) and will be Classes being held on Saturday as positions will be filled by regular volunteer staff. Karzmark covered under their liability insurance. a result of the extra day given to hopes that more persons will help if the regular staff members Applicants for the Crisis Line will undergo a careful screen- university students for Christmas cannot work. ing process, Palmer said. "The people who are interested will break have met with little opposi- "I've already had about 20 people express interest in the be screened by an application and interview process. All the tion, according to Arthur McCar- group before applications were out. I don't think the problem applicants will be interviewed. tan, Dean of Students. will be not getting enough applications but in having too many "There will be 28 'people in the first training group. The people," he said. According to McCartan, his office others can re-apply," Palmer said. All persons who complete has received no complaints on the If all funding can be obtained in time, Karzmark said the the 4O-hour training course will be eligible to receive two situation as of yet. group will begin 8-hour service every night beginning in credits from the psychology practicum course. March: The service will be offered between 6 p.m. and 2 The training sessions will be conducted in two ways, accord- "We haven't received one com- a,m.-the busiest time for crisis calls. ing to Karzmark. Large groups will be lectured to by special plaint yet," McCartan said. "I have "The city of Pullman included $6,600in their 1978budget for groups. He said the "alcohol people will present a program on no idea on what the attendance at the Crisis Line. Our original budget called for $7,600.Somehow, alcoholism." The trainees will also be divided into small groups the Saturday classes' will be like, we'll have to raise that other money," said Jim Neilsen, to gain "experiencing" and "role playing" experience. but I suspect some people might director of the Common Ministry at the Koinonia House. The total training, according to Palmer, will take 40 hours. follow their usual habits and not In addition to the City Council funding, the Crisis line has Additional training will be provided during the time persons attend." also received additional monies. The Department of Social and are actually working at the Crisis Line. Health Services (DSHS) is currently reviewing an application The screening of applicants should be completed before the McCartan also stated that he has for a grant to fund the purchase of the necessary telephone end of January, Karzmark said. February will be spent in received no word on instructors equipment, said Bruce Palmer of the psychology department training. canceling classes for the day. here. "We hope to get this thing going before the end of the "Most of our instructors here are One living group on campus has pledged $500to the cause, he semester, because the summer months are probably going to used to the idea of teaching on an said. "ASWSU funds were never counted on. It would be nice to be a sort of a trial period," he said. occasional Saturday," he said. "For have WSU support. I think they should support it. Their reason The Crisis Line is the third attempt to locate a successful example, during the summer 'ses- for not supporting it was the problem of liability and that has service of this kind in Pullman. The City Council required the sion, we let the students have July 4 been resolved by our becoming part of the county mental High Street Center to obtain malpractice insurance, which off and hold the classes missed on health organization. I see no reason why they wouldn't support forced that organization to disband. Several students who had th~ following Saturday. The fact is, it," he explained. worked there attempted to get ASWSU money and succee- we have to have so many class days Greg King, ASWSU vice-president, said he had not been ded-the ASWSU assembly awarded them $270to start a Crisis in a year. We just can't drop one." contacted by the group to see if ASWSU funding, allocated to Line to be operated out of the CUB. That group worked when the line last spring could be used for operation of the service. the CUB was open most of last spring, but its status was placed "We never have completed negotiations as to how the money in doubt this fall by the lack of office space in the CUB. could be spent. Lloyd Peterson, assistant attorney general said Led by a 13-member board of directors, the group obtained that we could contract the money out if it was a quality funding from the City Council. In addition, the DSHS grant will operation-that is, a low risk operation," he said.