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␈↓ α∧␈↓α␈↓ β!LOW OVERHEAD TIME-SHARING FOR STANFORD UNIVERSITY

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTStanford␈α↔University␈α↔has␈α↔established␈α↔a␈α↔new␈α↔computation␈α↔facility␈α↔called␈α_LOTS␈α↔(Low
␈↓ α∧␈↓Overhead␈α
Time-Sharing)␈α∞for␈α
teaching,␈α∞unsponsored␈α
research,␈α
and␈α∞general␈α
computing␈α∞by␈α
faculty
␈↓ α∧␈↓and␈α∂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␈α∞at␈α∂a␈α∞cost␈α∂the␈α∞University␈α∞can␈α∂afford.␈α∞ The␈α∂computer␈α∞is␈α∞expected␈α∂to␈α∞be␈α∂in␈α∞use␈α∂by␈α∞Winter
␈↓ α∧␈↓Quarter.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTOn-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␈αmore␈αtraditional␈αbatch␈αprocessing.␈α Users␈αwrite␈αtheir␈αprograms␈αand␈αdata␈αsets␈αas␈αcomputer␈αfiles
␈↓ α∧␈↓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
␈↓ α∧␈↓cards.  Time-sharing also permits programs that interact with the user.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThe␈α
first␈α
priority␈α
of␈α
LOTS␈α
is␈α
course␈α
work␈α
in␈α
engineering,␈α
computer␈α
science,␈α∞social␈α
science
␈↓ α∧␈↓and␈α∞other␈α∞fields,␈α∞but␈α∞there␈α∞will␈α∞be␈α
sufficient␈α∞resources␈α∞for␈α∞extensive␈α∞other␈α∞use.␈α∞ LOTS␈α∞will␈α
also
␈↓ α∧␈↓explore␈αthe␈αconvenience␈αand␈αeconomics␈αof␈αletting␈αstudents␈αand␈αfaculty␈αprepare␈αreports␈αand␈αpapers
␈↓ α∧␈↓on computer terminals allowing convenient editing, updating, and reference.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThe␈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␈α∂PDP-10␈α∞series.␈α∂ It␈α∞is␈α∂generally␈α∞compatible␈α∂with␈α∞the␈α∂three␈α∞other␈α∂PDP-10␈α∂facilities␈α∞on
␈↓ α∧␈↓campus.␈α The␈αinitial␈αconfiguration␈α
includes␈α256K␈α36␈αbit␈αwords␈α
of␈αcore␈αmemory,␈αone␈αmagnetic␈α
tape
␈↓ α∧␈↓unit,␈α200␈α
megabytes␈αof␈α
file␈αdisk,␈α
and␈α48␈α
on-line␈αterminals.␈α
 The␈αcomputer␈α
and␈αits␈α
local␈αterminals
␈↓ α∧␈↓will␈αbe␈αlocated␈αin␈αCedar␈αHall.␈α Also,␈αLOTS␈α
will␈αbe␈αaccessible␈αfrom␈αremote␈αterminals␈αvia␈αthe␈α
SCIP
␈↓ α∧␈↓TRAN.␈α
 Although␈αthe␈α
initial␈α2040␈α
configuration␈αis␈α
somewhat␈αslower␈α
than␈αthe␈α
360/67,␈αit␈α
represents
␈↓ α∧␈↓a␈αsignificant␈αincrease␈αin␈αresources␈αavailable␈α
to␈αthe␈αstudent␈αand␈αunsponsored␈αresearch␈α
communities,
␈↓ α∧␈↓because it will be entirely theirs.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTInitially,␈αmost␈αterminals␈αwill␈αbe␈αlocated␈αin␈αCedar␈αHall␈αwhere␈αthe␈αstaff␈αcan␈αhelp␈αstudents␈α
and
␈↓ α∧␈↓faculty␈α
users␈α∞gain␈α
experience.␈α∞ Eventually,␈α
most␈α∞of␈α
the␈α∞terminals␈α
will␈α∞be␈α
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
areas.␈α
 LOTS␈α
will␈α
also␈α
encourage␈αthe
␈↓ α∧␈↓individual ownership of terminals.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThe␈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
␈↓ α∧␈↓ALGOL,␈α
BASIC,␈α
and␈α
PDP-10␈α
assembly␈α
language.␈α
 Others␈αmay␈α
be␈α
added␈α
by␈α
users␈α
or␈α
the␈αstaff␈α
(or
␈↓ α∧␈↓purchased if there is enough demand).

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThere␈αwill␈αbe␈αno␈αcharges␈αfor␈αthe␈αuse␈αof␈αLOTS.␈α Any␈αfaculty␈αmember␈αor␈αstudent␈αcan␈αget␈αan
␈↓ α∧␈↓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
␈↓ α∧␈↓determined␈α
by␈α
the␈α
Director␈αand␈α
the␈α
Advisory␈α
Board;␈α
courses␈αwill␈α
get␈α
first␈α
priority.␈α
 LOTS␈αwill␈α
not
␈↓ α∧␈↓be available to non-Stanford users and will not be available to sponsored projects.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTMany␈α∂courses␈α∂will␈α∂transfer␈α∂their␈α∂computing␈α⊂from␈α∂the␈α∂370/168␈α∂to␈α∂LOTS␈α∂in␈α⊂Winter␈α∂1977.
␈↓ α∧␈↓The␈αtransfer␈αof␈αall␈αcourses␈αthat␈αare␈αgoing␈α
to␈αtransfer␈αwill␈αbe␈αcomplete␈αby␈αFall␈α1977.␈α
 Departmental
␈↓ α∧␈↓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
␈↓ α∧␈↓LOTS.␈α When␈αthe␈αcreation␈αof␈α
LOTS␈αwas␈αdiscussed␈αin␈αthe␈α
spring,␈αit␈αwas␈αunanimously␈αagreed␈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␈α
the␈αtransfer.
␈↓ α∧␈↓Departments should plan to effect their transition to LOTS this year.


␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ ε|1␈↓ ∧



␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThe␈αstaff␈αof␈α
LOTS␈αwill␈αconsist␈αof␈α
four␈αpeople:␈αa␈αmanager,␈α
a␈αstudent␈αco-ordinator,␈αa␈α
systems
␈↓ α∧␈↓programmer,␈α⊃and␈α⊂an␈α⊃administrative␈α⊂assistant.␈α⊃ This␈α⊂is␈α⊃where␈α⊂the␈α⊃"low␈α⊂overhead"␈α⊃comes␈α⊂from.
␈↓ α∧␈↓Complete␈α
manuals␈α∞for␈α
the␈α
machine,␈α∞its␈α
programming␈α∞languages,␈α
and␈α
its␈α∞utility␈α
programs␈α∞will␈α
be
␈↓ α∧␈↓sold␈αin␈αthe␈α
Stanford␈αBookstore;␈αmany␈α
of␈αthe␈αprograms␈α
will␈αhave␈αhelp␈α
features.␈α The␈αtiny␈αstaff␈α
will
␈↓ α∧␈↓be␈αable␈αto␈αgive␈αonly␈αlimited␈αassistance␈αto␈αusers␈αin␈αlearning␈αthe␈αsystem.␈α The␈αfaculty␈α
and␈αgraduate
␈↓ α∧␈↓assistants will be responsible for getting their courses on the machine.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThis␈α⊂mode␈α∂of␈α⊂operation␈α⊂is␈α∂based␈α⊂on␈α∂the␈α⊂computer␈α⊂experience␈α∂that␈α⊂Stanford␈α⊂faculty␈α∂and
␈↓ α∧␈↓students␈αhave␈αgained␈αover␈αthe␈αyears.␈α Instead␈αof␈αconsulting␈αservices␈αbeing␈αprovided␈αby␈αthe␈αLOTS
␈↓ α∧␈↓staff,␈αwe␈α
expect␈αthat␈αthe␈α
more␈αexperienced␈αusers␈α
will␈αhelp␈αthe␈α
others.␈α Users␈αwill␈α
be␈αchecked␈αout␈α
to
␈↓ α∧␈↓tear␈αoff␈αtheir␈αprinter␈αlistings,␈αto␈αload␈αpaper␈αin␈αthe␈αprinter,␈αand␈αto␈αrestart␈αthe␈αsystem␈αafter␈αcrashes.
␈↓ α∧␈↓Besides␈αinformal␈αhelp,␈αwe␈αexpect␈αa␈αfree␈αmarket␈αin␈αprogramming␈αand␈αconsulting␈αfor␈αresearchers␈αto
␈↓ α∧␈↓develop.  TAs will provide the consulting for the courses.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThe␈αsuccess␈α
of␈αLOTS␈α
will␈αdepend␈α
to␈αa␈α
large␈αdegree␈α
on␈αstudent␈α
volunteer␈αwork,␈α
and␈αmany
␈↓ α∧␈↓students␈α⊂have␈α⊃already␈α⊂helped␈α⊂and␈α⊃expressed␈α⊂interest.␈α⊃ Space␈α⊂will␈α⊂be␈α⊃provided␈α⊂for␈α⊃the␈α⊂student
␈↓ α∧␈↓volunteer staff, and they will be given substantial responsibilities.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTThe␈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∧␈↓and␈α⊂the␈α⊂Manager␈α⊂is␈α⊂Mr.␈α⊂Ralph␈α∂Gorin␈α⊂formerly␈α⊂of␈α⊂the␈α⊂Artificial␈α⊂Intelligence␈α⊂Laboratory.␈α∂ Mr.
␈↓ α∧␈↓David␈αRoode␈αis␈αActing␈αStudent␈αCo-ordinator.␈α There␈αwill␈αalso␈αbe␈αa␈αfaculty␈αand␈αstudent␈αAdvisory
␈↓ α∧␈↓Board␈αwith␈αrepresentatives␈αfrom␈α
several␈αdepartments␈αand␈αschools.␈α
 Its␈αChairman␈αwill␈αbe␈α
Professor
␈↓ α∧␈↓James␈α_L.␈α↔Adams␈α_of␈α↔Mechanical␈α_Engineering␈α↔and␈α_Industrial␈α↔Engineering.␈α_ LOTS␈α_is␈α↔not
␈↓ α∧␈↓administratively connected with SCIP.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTAlthough␈αthe␈αmachine␈αwon't␈αarrive␈αuntil␈αNovember,␈αwork␈αhas␈αalready␈αstarted␈αin␈α
converting
␈↓ α∧␈↓programs␈αand␈αlanguages␈αto␈αthe␈α2040.␈α Volunteers␈αare␈αsolicited␈αto␈αhelp␈αwith␈αthis.␈α Departments␈αare
␈↓ α∧␈↓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
␈↓ α∧␈↓with␈α⊂Ralph␈α⊂Gorin,␈α⊂John␈α⊂McCarthy␈α⊃and␈α⊂David␈α⊂Roode.␈α⊂ Students␈α⊂interested␈α⊂in␈α⊃helping␈α⊂LOTS
␈↓ α∧␈↓should␈α
contact␈αone␈α
of␈αthe␈α
above␈αpeople,␈α
especially␈αDavid␈α
Roode.␈α The␈α
LOTS␈αoffice␈α
in␈αCedar␈α
Hall
␈↓ α∧␈↓(497-3214) is presently occupied part time.

␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ αTA␈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
␈↓ α∧␈↓procedures have been developed.















␈↓ α∧␈↓␈↓ ε|2␈↓ ∧