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␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ 	lOctober 24, 1976 

␈↓ ↓H␈↓α␈↓ αeLOW OVERHEAD TIME-SHARING FOR STANFORD UNIVERSITY

␈↓ ↓H␈↓Stanford␈α⊂University␈α⊃has␈α⊂established␈α⊂a␈α⊃new␈α⊂computation␈α⊂facility␈α⊃called␈α⊂LOTS␈α⊃(Low␈α⊂Overhead
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Time-Sharing)␈α⊗for␈α∃teaching,␈α⊗unsponsored␈α⊗research,␈α∃and␈α⊗general␈α∃computing␈α⊗by␈α⊗faculty␈α∃and
␈↓ ↓H␈↓students.␈α LOTS␈αwill␈α
make␈αhigh␈αquality␈αinteractive␈α
computing␈αavailable␈αfor␈αstudents␈α
and␈αfaculty
␈↓ ↓H␈↓at a cost the University can afford.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓On-line␈α∞use␈α∂of␈α∞a␈α∂computer␈α∞permits␈α∂faster␈α∞learning␈α∞and␈α∂faster␈α∞debugging␈α∂of␈α∞programs␈α∂than␈α∞the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓more␈α∂traditional␈α∂batch␈α⊂processing.␈α∂ Users␈α∂write␈α⊂their␈α∂programs␈α∂and␈α⊂data␈α∂sets␈α∂as␈α⊂computer␈α∂files
␈↓ ↓H␈↓using␈αon-line␈αeditors␈αand␈αstore␈αthem␈αin␈αthe␈αcomputer's␈αfile␈αsystem␈αrather␈αthan␈αpunching␈αthem␈αon
␈↓ ↓H␈↓cards.  Time-sharing also permits programs that interact with the user.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓The␈αcomputer␈αwill␈α
be␈αoperational␈αduring␈α
Winter␈αQuarter.␈α It␈α
will␈αbe␈αused␈α
by␈αa␈αsmall␈α
number␈αof
␈↓ ↓H␈↓courses␈α⊂during␈α⊂the␈α∂winter;␈α⊂we␈α⊂hope␈α∂this␈α⊂will␈α⊂enable␈α∂us␈α⊂to␈α⊂present␈α∂a␈α⊂completely␈α⊂solid␈α⊂and␈α∂well
␈↓ ↓H␈↓running␈αsystem␈αfor␈αSpring␈αQuarter.␈α To␈αfacilitate␈αthe␈αorderly␈αconversion␈αof␈αmany␈αother␈αcourses␈αto
␈↓ ↓H␈↓LOTS␈α∞for␈α∂Spring␈α∞Quarter,␈α∞orientation␈α∂sessions␈α∞will␈α∞be␈α∂held␈α∞frequently␈α∞during␈α∂Winter␈α∞Quarter.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓We␈α
hope␈α
that␈α
interested␈α
Faculty␈α
and␈α
TAs␈α
will␈α
avail␈α
themselves␈α
of␈α
this␈α
opportunity␈α
to␈α
learn␈αhow␈α
to
␈↓ ↓H␈↓use␈α⊃LOTS␈α⊃for␈α⊃their␈α⊃Spring␈α⊃Quarter␈α⊃courses.␈α⊃ Use␈α⊃of␈α⊃LOTS␈α⊃during␈α⊃Winter␈α⊃Quarter␈α⊃for␈α⊃the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓conversion␈αof␈αexisting␈αprograms␈αwill␈αbe␈α
encouraged.␈α Interested␈αstudents␈αwill␈αbe␈αencouraged␈αto␈α
use
␈↓ ↓H␈↓the computer facility apart from any course requirements.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓The␈α∂first␈α∞priority␈α∂of␈α∂LOTS␈α∞is␈α∂course␈α∞work,␈α∂but␈α∂there␈α∞will␈α∂be␈α∞sufficient␈α∂resources␈α∂for␈α∞extensive
␈↓ ↓H␈↓other␈αuse.␈α LOTS␈αwill␈αalso␈αexplore␈αthe␈αconvenience␈αand␈αeconomics␈αof␈αletting␈αstudents␈αand␈αfaculty
␈↓ ↓H␈↓prepare␈α⊂reports␈α⊂and␈α⊂papers␈α⊂on␈α⊂computer␈α⊂terminals␈α⊂allowing␈α⊂convenient␈α⊂editing,␈α⊂updating,␈α⊂and
␈↓ ↓H␈↓reference.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓The␈αcomputer␈αwill␈αbe␈αa␈αDigital␈αEquipment␈αCorporation␈α2040,␈αa␈αnew␈αcomputer␈αin␈αthat␈αcompany's
␈↓ ↓H␈↓PDP-10␈αseries.␈α It␈αis␈αgenerally␈αcompatible␈αwith␈αthe␈αthree␈αother␈αPDP-10␈αfacilities␈αon␈αcampus.␈α The
␈↓ ↓H␈↓initial␈α∂configuration␈α∂includes␈α⊂256K␈α∂36␈α∂bit␈α⊂words␈α∂of␈α∂core␈α∂memory,␈α⊂one␈α∂magnetic␈α∂tape␈α⊂unit,␈α∂200
␈↓ ↓H␈↓megabytes␈α⊃of␈α⊃file␈α⊃disk,␈α∩and␈α⊃48␈α⊃on-line␈α⊃terminals.␈α∩ Although␈α⊃the␈α⊃initial␈α⊃2040␈α∩configuration␈α⊃is
␈↓ ↓H␈↓somewhat␈αslower␈αthan␈αthe␈α360/67,␈αit␈αrepresents␈αa␈αsignificant␈αincrease␈αin␈αresources␈αavailable␈αto␈αthe
␈↓ ↓H␈↓student and unsponsored research communities, because it will be entirely theirs.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓The␈αcomputer␈αwill␈αbe␈αlocated␈αin␈αthe␈αStanford␈αCenter␈αfor␈αResearch␈αand␈αDevelopment␈αin␈αTeaching
␈↓ ↓H␈↓(SCRDT)␈α
building,␈α
room␈α128.␈α
 Public␈α
terminals␈α
and␈αthe␈α
LOTS␈α
staff␈α
will␈αbe␈α
in␈α
SCRDT␈αroom␈α
105.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Other␈α⊃terminals␈α∩will␈α⊃be␈α⊃located␈α∩in␈α⊃room␈α⊃303␈α∩in␈α⊃Engineering␈α⊃corner.␈α∩ There␈α⊃may␈α⊃be␈α∩a␈α⊃third
␈↓ ↓H␈↓terminal␈αcluster␈αin␈αthe␈αJordan␈αQuad␈αarea.␈α Each␈αof␈αthese␈αlocations␈αwill␈αprovide␈αdisplay␈αterminals
␈↓ ↓H␈↓and␈α∩an␈α⊃upper/lower␈α∩case␈α∩line␈α⊃printer␈α∩that␈α⊃is␈α∩capable␈α∩of␈α⊃some␈α∩graphics.␈α⊃ LOTS␈α∩will␈α∩also␈α⊃be
␈↓ ↓H␈↓accessible␈αfrom␈αremote␈αterminals␈αvia␈αthe␈α
SCIP␈αTRAN.␈α Eventually,␈αmost␈αof␈αthe␈αterminals␈α
will␈αbe
␈↓ ↓H␈↓located␈αin␈αdepartmental␈αand␈αliving␈αgroup␈αareas;␈αprinters␈αwill␈αbe␈αprovided␈αin␈αsome␈αof␈αthese␈αareas.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓LOTS will also encourage the individual ownership of terminals.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓The␈α∪computer␈α∪languages␈α∪that␈α∪will␈α∪be␈α∩available␈α∪include␈α∪Fortran,␈α∪LISP,␈α∪the␈α∪SAIL␈α∪dialect␈α∩of
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ALGOL,␈α
BASIC,␈α∞and␈α
PDP-10␈α
assembly␈α∞language.␈α
 Some␈α
applications␈α∞programs,␈α
such␈α∞as␈α
SPSS,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓will␈αbe␈αtransported␈αfrom␈αthe␈α370␈αor␈αbe␈αmade␈αavailable␈αby␈αother␈αmeans.␈α Others␈αmay␈αbe␈αadded␈αby
␈↓ ↓H␈↓users␈αor␈αthe␈αstaff␈α(or␈αpurchased␈αif␈αthere␈αis␈αenough␈αdemand).␈α During␈αWinter␈αQuarter,␈αthe␈αLOTS
␈↓ ↓H␈↓staff will offer some assistance in moving programs and files from the 370 to LOTS.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓There␈α⊂will␈α⊂be␈α⊂no␈α⊂charges␈α⊂for␈α⊂the␈α⊂use␈α⊂of␈α⊂LOTS.␈α⊂ Any␈α⊂faculty␈α⊂member␈α⊂or␈α⊂student␈α⊂can␈α⊃get␈α⊂an
␈↓ ↓H␈↓account␈α⊂by␈α⊂applying␈α⊂at␈α⊂the␈α⊂LOTS␈α⊂office.␈α⊂ Allocation␈α⊂of␈α⊂resources␈α⊂will␈α⊂be␈α⊂subject␈α⊂to␈α∂priorities
␈↓ ↓H␈↓determined␈αby␈α
the␈αDirector␈αand␈α
the␈αAdvisory␈αBoard;␈α
courses␈αwill␈αget␈α
first␈αpriority.␈α Although␈α
disk

␈↓ ↓H␈↓storage␈αspace␈αis␈αlimited,␈αwe␈αhope␈αthat␈αindividual␈αusers␈αwill␈αbe␈αable␈αto␈αkeep␈αthe␈αequivalent␈αof␈α500
␈↓ ↓H␈↓to␈α∞1000␈α∞cards␈α∞on␈α∞the␈α∞disk.␈α∞ LOTS␈α∞will␈α∞not␈α∞be␈α∞available␈α∞to␈α∞non-Stanford␈α∞users␈α∞and␈α∞will␈α∞not␈α∞be
␈↓ ↓H␈↓available to sponsored projects.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓Many␈α⊂courses␈α∂will␈α⊂transfer␈α∂their␈α⊂computing␈α∂from␈α⊂the␈α∂370/168␈α⊂to␈α∂LOTS␈α⊂in␈α∂Spring␈α⊂1977.␈α∂ The
␈↓ ↓H␈↓transfer␈α∂of␈α∂all␈α∂courses␈α⊂that␈α∂are␈α∂going␈α∂to␈α∂transfer␈α⊂will␈α∂be␈α∂complete␈α∂by␈α∂Fall␈α⊂1977.␈α∂ Departmental
␈↓ ↓H␈↓budgets␈α
for␈α
the␈α
use␈α
of␈α
SCIP␈α
reflect␈α
the␈αexpectation␈α
that␈α
most␈α
course␈α
work␈α
will␈α
be␈α
transferred␈αto
␈↓ ↓H␈↓LOTS.␈α⊂ When␈α⊂the␈α⊂creation␈α⊃of␈α⊂LOTS␈α⊂was␈α⊂discussed␈α⊃during␈α⊂Spring␈α⊂1976,␈α⊂it␈α⊃was␈α⊂unanimously
␈↓ ↓H␈↓agreed␈α
that␈α
the␈α∞advantages␈α
of␈α
on-line␈α
course␈α∞work␈α
would␈α
more␈α
than␈α∞repay␈α
the␈α
work␈α∞of␈α
making
␈↓ ↓H␈↓the transfer.  Departments should plan to transfer thier courses to LOTS this year.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓The␈α∞staff␈α∞of␈α∞LOTS␈α∂will␈α∞consist␈α∞of␈α∞four␈α∞people:␈α∂a␈α∞manager,␈α∞a␈α∞half-time␈α∞student␈α∂co-ordinator,␈α∞a
␈↓ ↓H␈↓systems␈α
programmer,␈α
and␈α∞a␈α
secretary.␈α
 This␈α∞is␈α
where␈α
the␈α∞"low␈α
overhead"␈α
comes␈α∞from.␈α
 Complete
␈↓ ↓H␈↓manuals␈αfor␈αthe␈αmachine,␈αits␈αprogramming␈αlanguages,␈α
and␈αits␈αutility␈αprograms␈αwill␈αbe␈αavailable␈α
in
␈↓ ↓H␈↓December.␈α
 Many␈α
of␈α
the␈α
programs␈αwill␈α
have␈α
␈↓↓help␈↓␈α
features.␈α
 The␈α
tiny␈αstaff␈α
will␈α
be␈α
able␈α
to␈αgive␈α
only
␈↓ ↓H␈↓limited␈α⊂assistance␈α∂to␈α⊂users␈α⊂in␈α∂learning␈α⊂the␈α⊂system.␈α∂ The␈α⊂faculty␈α⊂and␈α∂teaching␈α⊂assistants␈α⊂will␈α∂be
␈↓ ↓H␈↓responsible for getting their courses on the machine.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓This␈α
mode␈α
of␈α
operation␈αrelies␈α
on␈α
the␈α
computer␈α
experience␈αthat␈α
Stanford␈α
faculty␈α
and␈αstudents␈α
have
␈↓ ↓H␈↓gained␈αover␈αthe␈αyears.␈α Instead␈αof␈αhiring␈αa␈αstaff␈αto␈αprovide␈αconsulting␈αservices,␈αwe␈αexpect␈αthat␈αthe
␈↓ ↓H␈↓more␈α⊂experienced␈α⊃users␈α⊂will␈α⊂help␈α⊃the␈α⊂others.␈α⊂ Users␈α⊃will␈α⊂be␈α⊂expected␈α⊃to␈α⊂tear␈α⊂off␈α⊃their␈α⊂printer
␈↓ ↓H␈↓listings.␈αSome␈αusers␈αwill␈αbe␈αshown␈αhow␈αto␈αload␈αpaper␈αin␈αthe␈αprinter␈αand␈αhow␈αto␈αrestart␈αthe␈αsystem
␈↓ ↓H␈↓after␈αcrashes.␈α Besides␈αinformal␈αhelp,␈αwe␈αexpect␈αa␈αfree␈αmarket␈αin␈αprogramming␈αand␈αconsulting␈αfor
␈↓ ↓H␈↓researchers to develop.  TAs will provide the consulting for the courses.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓The␈α
success␈α
of␈α
LOTS␈α
will␈αdepend␈α
to␈α
a␈α
large␈α
degree␈αon␈α
student␈α
volunteer␈α
work,␈α
and␈αmany␈α
students
␈↓ ↓H␈↓have␈α
already␈α
helped␈α
and␈α
expressed␈α
interest.␈α
 Some␈α
office␈α
space␈α
will␈α
be␈α
provided␈α
for␈α∞the␈α
student
␈↓ ↓H␈↓volunteer staff; these students will be given substantial responsibilities.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓The␈α∞Director␈α∂of␈α∞LOTS␈α∞is␈α∂Professor␈α∞John␈α∂McCarthy␈α∞of␈α∞the␈α∂Computer␈α∞Science␈α∂Department;␈α∞the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Manager␈α
is␈α
Mr.␈α
Ralph␈α
Gorin␈α
formerly␈αof␈α
the␈α
Artificial␈α
Intelligence␈α
Laboratory.␈α
 Mr.␈αDavid␈α
Roode
␈↓ ↓H␈↓is␈αStudent␈α
Co-ordinator.␈α There␈αis␈α
also␈αa␈αfaculty␈α
and␈αstudent␈αAdvisory␈α
Board␈αwith␈αmembers␈α
from
␈↓ ↓H␈↓several␈α∪departments␈α∪and␈α∪schools.␈α∪ Its␈α∪Chairman␈α∪is␈α∪Professor␈α∪James␈α∪L.␈α∪Adams␈α∀of␈α∪Industrial
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Engineering.  LOTS is not administratively connected with SCIP.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓Although␈α∩the␈α⊃machine␈α∩won't␈α⊃arrive␈α∩until␈α∩November,␈α⊃work␈α∩has␈α⊃already␈α∩started␈α∩in␈α⊃converting
␈↓ ↓H␈↓programs␈αand␈αlanguages␈αto␈αthe␈α2040.␈α Volunteers␈αare␈αsolicited␈αto␈αhelp␈αwith␈αthis.␈α Departments␈αare
␈↓ ↓H␈↓urged␈αto␈αstart␈αplanning␈αthe␈αconversion␈αof␈αtheir␈αcourses␈αnow␈αand␈αto␈αdiscuss␈αtheir␈αproblems␈αin␈αthis
␈↓ ↓H␈↓with␈α
Ralph␈αGorin␈α
(497-1360),␈αJohn␈α
McCarthy␈α(497-4430)␈α
and␈αDavid␈α
Roode␈α(497-3214).␈α
 Students
␈↓ ↓H␈↓interested in helping LOTS should contact one of the above people, especially David Roode.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓The␈α∞LOTS␈α∞office␈α∞(497-3214),␈α∞presently␈α∞in␈α∞Cedar␈α∞Hall,␈α∞is␈α∞now␈α∞occupied␈α∞part␈α∞time.␈α∞ The␈α∞LOTS
␈↓ ↓H␈↓office will move to the SCRDT building, room 105, in mid-November, and be staffed full time.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓A␈α∀document␈α∀entitled␈α∀␈↓↓Use␈α∀of␈α∀LOTS␈α∀for␈α∀Classes␈↓␈α∀will␈α∀be␈α∀available␈α∀as␈α∀soon␈α∃as␈α∀recommended
␈↓ ↓H␈↓procedures have been developed.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓A␈α
LOTS␈αmailing␈α
list␈αis␈α
being␈αestablished␈α
to␈α
aid␈αin␈α
the␈αdistribution␈α
of␈αfurther␈α
information.␈α To␈α
be
␈↓ ↓H␈↓placed␈αon␈αthe␈αmailing␈αlist,␈αplease␈αcommunicate␈αyour␈α
name␈αand␈αI.D.␈αmail␈αaddress,␈αin␈αwriting,␈αto␈α
the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓LOTS␈α∂office␈α∂(at␈α∂Cedar␈α∂Hall␈α∂until␈α∂November␈α∂15,␈α∂at␈α∂SCRDT␈α∂105␈α∂thereafter).␈α∂ The␈α∂schedule␈α∞of
␈↓ ↓H␈↓LOTS Winter Quarter orientation sessions will be distributed when it is known.