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␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓βS␈↓∧ Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, STANFORD UNIVERSITY, Stanford, California 94305

␈↓ ↓H␈↓∧Telephone 415 497-4430␈↓ 
∃March 8, 1979 




␈↓ ↓H␈↓Professor John Chowning
␈↓ ↓H␈↓c/o IRCAM
␈↓ ↓H␈↓30 rue St.-Merrie
␈↓ ↓H␈↓75004 Paris
␈↓ ↓H␈↓FRANCE

␈↓ ↓H␈↓Dear John:

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        As␈α∩Ed␈α∩Feigenbaum␈α⊃has␈α∩told␈α∩you,␈α⊃the␈α∩Computer␈α∩Science␈α⊃Department␈α∩is␈α∩in␈α∩a␈α⊃desperate
␈↓ ↓H␈↓position␈α⊂with␈α⊂regard␈α⊂to␈α⊂space␈α⊂in␈α⊂Margaret␈α⊂Jacks␈α∂Hall␈α⊂and␈α⊂is␈α⊂eager␈α⊂to␈α⊂get␈α⊂the␈α⊂space␈α∂presently
␈↓ ↓H␈↓allocated␈αto␈αcomputer␈α
music␈αin␈αthat␈α
building.␈α This␈αshould␈αhave␈α
been␈αapparent␈αbefore,␈α
but␈αsome
␈↓ ↓H␈↓were␈αsaying␈α
it␈αwould␈αbe␈α
bad␈αand␈α
others␈αwere␈αsaying␈α
it␈αwouldn't,␈α
so␈αI␈αdidn't␈α
take␈αany␈αposition␈α
until
␈↓ ↓H␈↓the situation clari≡ed.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        The␈α
situation␈α
has␈α
now␈α
clari≡ed␈α
and␈α
it␈α
is␈α
indeed␈α
bad.␈α
 In␈α
particular,␈α
as␈α
presently␈αallocated,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓research␈αassociates␈αwill␈α
have␈αto␈αshare␈α
o≠ces,␈αand␈αI␈αthink␈α
this␈αis␈αan␈α
untenable␈αsituation,␈αif␈αwe␈α
want
␈↓ ↓H␈↓to␈αretain␈α
research␈αassociates␈αfor␈α
long␈αterms,␈α
and␈αthis␈αis␈α
essential␈αto␈αthe␈α
AI␈αLab.␈α
 When␈αMargaret
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Jacks␈α
Hall␈α
was␈α
≡rst␈α
planned,␈α
I␈αwas␈α
told␈α
that␈α
the␈α
AI␈α
Lab␈αwould␈α
have␈α
the␈α
same␈α
amount␈α
of␈αspace
␈↓ ↓H␈↓there␈αthat␈αwe␈αhad␈αin␈αPowers,␈αand␈αno-one␈αtold␈αme␈αdi≥erent.␈α Also␈αno-one␈αtold␈αme␈α
when␈αcomputer
␈↓ ↓H␈↓music␈αwas␈αallocated␈αspace␈αin␈αthe␈αbuilding␈αthat␈αthe␈αstatement␈αabout␈αnot␈αsqueezing␈αthe␈αAI␈αLab␈αwas
␈↓ ↓H␈↓no longer operative.  Anyway the above is my excuse for not biting the bullet previously.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        Anyway␈α
I␈αagree␈α
with␈αFeigenbaum;␈α
we␈αhave␈α
got␈α
to␈αhave␈α
the␈αspace.␈α
 This␈αleaves␈α
you␈αwith␈α
the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓problem␈α∞of␈α∂how␈α∞to␈α∂get␈α∞your␈α∂computing␈α∞done,␈α∂and␈α∞I␈α∂am␈α∞strongly␈α∂motivated␈α∞to␈α∂help␈α∞solve␈α∂it.␈α∞ It
␈↓ ↓H␈↓seems␈αto␈αme␈αthat␈αwhile␈αcomputer␈αmusic␈αhas␈αcontributed␈α≡nancially␈αto␈αthe␈αLab,␈αthe␈αcontribution␈αto
␈↓ ↓H␈↓hardware␈α↔and␈α↔software␈α↔has␈α⊗not␈α↔been␈α↔su≠cient␈α↔to␈α⊗amount␈α↔to␈α↔a␈α↔whole␈α↔computer␈α⊗facility.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Nevertheless,␈α
there␈α
is␈α
enough␈α
hardware␈αthat␈α
the␈α
AI␈α
Lab␈α
can␈αrelease␈α
to␈α
make␈α
a␈α
viable␈αfacility,␈α
even
␈↓ ↓H␈↓if it is insu≠cient to do everything you now do.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        What␈α⊃music␈α⊂now␈α⊃owns␈α⊂is␈α⊃the␈α⊂Foonly␈α⊃channel,␈α⊂a␈α⊃disk␈α⊂controller␈α⊃and␈α⊂one␈α⊃disk.␈α⊃ What␈α⊂I
␈↓ ↓H␈↓propose␈α∞to␈α∂do␈α∞is␈α∞to␈α∂keep␈α∞the␈α∞Foonly␈α∂channel␈α∞for␈α∂the␈α∞KL␈α∞and␈α∂trade␈α∞for␈α∞it␈α∂the␈α∞KA,␈α∂the␈α∞Suppes
␈↓ ↓H␈↓memory␈αand␈α
new␈αAmpex␈αtotalling␈α
256K,␈αthe␈αPetit␈α
channel␈αand␈αthe␈α
old␈αterminal␈αmultiplexer.␈α
 You
␈↓ ↓H␈↓can␈αalso␈αhave␈αthe␈αtape␈αdrives␈αand␈αany␈αPDP-6␈αequipment␈αyou␈αcan␈αuse.␈α Relatively␈αsoon␈αyou␈αcould
␈↓ ↓H␈↓also␈αget␈αthe␈αData␈αDisc␈αand␈αmaybe␈αthe␈αIII␈αdisplays␈αand␈αthe␈αAnalex␈αprinter.␈α Martin␈αFrost␈αsays␈αhe
␈↓ ↓H␈↓could␈α
put␈α
together␈α
a␈αsystem␈α
that␈α
would␈α
run␈αon␈α
this␈α
equipment,␈α
but␈αI␈α
think␈α
he␈α
would␈α
need␈αhelp.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Qualitatively␈α
it␈α
would␈α
be␈αthe␈α
system␈α
the␈α
Lab␈αhad␈α
before␈α
the␈α
KL␈α
came␈αin␈α
1975.␈α
 We␈α
could␈αhelp␈α
get
␈↓ ↓H␈↓it␈α∂going,␈α∞but␈α∂you␈α∂would␈α∞have␈α∂to␈α∂≡nd␈α∞and␈α∂pay␈α∂someone␈α∞to␈α∂maintain␈α∂it.␈α∞ Naturally␈α∂if␈α∂you␈α∞could
␈↓ ↓H␈↓a≥ord␈αit,␈α
you␈αmight␈αbe␈α
well␈αadvised␈α
to␈αjunk␈αthe␈α
old␈αequipment␈α
and␈αget␈αa␈α
shiny␈αnew␈αDecsystem␈α
20,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓but,␈α
so␈α
far␈αas␈α
I␈α
know,␈αyou␈α
can't␈α
a≥ord␈αto␈α
do␈α
that.␈α The␈α
solution␈α
also␈αdepends␈α
on␈α
there␈α
being␈αno
␈↓ ↓H␈↓trouble from the Government.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓αProfessor John Chowning␈↓ ¬nMarch 8, 1979␈↓ 
nPage 2␈↓ 




␈↓ ↓H␈↓        This␈αsolution␈αleaves␈αyou␈αwithout␈αa␈αdisk␈αdrive␈αfor␈αuser␈αpacks;␈αmaybe␈αyou␈αcould␈αuse␈αtape.␈α It
␈↓ ↓H␈↓also leaves you temporarily without terminals, and you would have to acquire some el cheapos.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        Some␈α∞temporary␈α∞music␈α∞use␈α∞of␈α∞the␈α∞KL␈α∞not␈α∞involving␈α∞a␈α∞space␈α∞commitment␈α∞might␈α
continue.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓For␈α
example,␈α
Leland␈α
might␈αcontinue␈α
to␈α
use␈α
the␈αIII's␈α
and␈α
the␈α
XGP,␈αsince␈α
he␈α
doesn't␈α
use␈αo≠ce␈α
space
␈↓ ↓H␈↓now.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        Ethically,␈α
I␈α∞≡nd␈α
myself␈α∞in␈α
the␈α
following␈α∞position.␈α
 I␈α∞regret␈α
letting␈α
you␈α∞and␈α
Andy␈α∞leave␈α
for
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Europe␈αwithout␈αhaving␈αwarned␈αyou␈αthat␈αthis␈αwas␈α
coming␈αup,␈αeven␈αthough␈αI␈αhadn't␈αgiven␈αit␈α
much
␈↓ ↓H␈↓thought.␈α On␈α
the␈αother␈αhand,␈α
the␈αjusti≡cation␈αfor␈α
substantial␈αmusic␈αuse␈α
of␈αthe␈α
ARPA␈αpurchased
␈↓ ↓H␈↓equipment␈α∂was␈α∂that␈α∂the␈α∂incremental␈α∂contribution␈α∂of␈α∞the␈α∂musicians␈α∂to␈α∂the␈α∂Lab␈α∂was␈α∂su≠cient␈α∞to
␈↓ ↓H␈↓justify␈αtheir␈αuse␈αof␈αit.␈α As␈αyou␈αknow,␈αnot␈αeveryone␈αat␈αthe␈αLab␈αtook␈αthat␈αposition.␈α Now␈α
the␈αspace
␈↓ ↓H␈↓situation␈αis␈α
such␈αthat␈α
a␈αdivorce␈α
is␈αin␈αthe␈α
best␈αinterests␈α
of␈αthe␈α
computer␈αscience␈α
research,␈αand␈αthis␈α
is
␈↓ ↓H␈↓a decisive consideration for me.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        There␈α
is␈α∞the␈α
alternative␈α∞of␈α
continuing␈α∞the␈α
music␈α∞use␈α
of␈α∞a␈α
combined␈α∞system␈α
with␈α∞a␈α
remote
␈↓ ↓H␈↓connection␈α⊂to␈α⊂where␈α⊂music␈α⊂might␈α⊂be␈α⊂located.␈α⊂ E.g.␈α⊂Serra␈α⊂house␈α⊂or␈α⊂a␈α⊂wing␈α⊂of␈α⊂Cedar␈α⊂might␈α⊂be
␈↓ ↓H␈↓obtained.␈α
 This␈α
is␈α
somewhat␈α
less␈α
attractive␈α
to␈α
me␈α∞than␈α
a␈α
divorce,␈α
but␈α
it␈α
would␈α
leave␈α
you␈α∞with␈α
a
␈↓ ↓H␈↓smaller␈α⊂equipment␈α⊂maintenance␈α⊂problem.␈α⊃ It␈α⊂involves␈α⊂substantial␈α⊂technical␈α⊂problems␈α⊃in␈α⊂getting
␈↓ ↓H␈↓adequate bandwith between two locations, and you would have to solve these problems.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        I␈α⊂have␈α⊂seen␈α⊂the␈α⊂list␈α⊂of␈α⊂equipment␈α∂that␈α⊂you␈α⊂consider␈α⊂necessary␈α⊂for␈α⊂continuing␈α⊂with␈α∂your
␈↓ ↓H␈↓present␈αcapabilities␈αafter␈αa␈αdivorce.␈α The␈αlist␈αmight␈αbe␈αhaggled␈αwith,␈αbut␈αI␈αthink␈αit␈αis␈αsubstantially
␈↓ ↓H␈↓correct.␈α∞ My␈α∂proposal,␈α∞which␈α∂essentially␈α∞involves␈α∂no-one␈α∞buying␈α∂any␈α∞equipment␈α∂leaves␈α∞you␈α∂at␈α∞a
␈↓ ↓H␈↓lower␈αstandard␈αof␈αliving␈αthan␈αyou␈αnow␈αenjoy.␈α The␈αlist␈αwas␈αnot␈αaccompanied␈αby␈αa␈αwritten␈αmemo,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓so␈α
I␈α
don't␈α
know␈α
the␈α
context␈α
in␈α
which␈α
it␈α
was␈α
presented.␈α
 However,␈α
one␈α
could␈α
conjecture␈α
that␈αyou
␈↓ ↓H␈↓thought␈α
that␈α
either␈α
the␈α
AI␈α
Lab␈α
or␈α
the␈α
University␈α
was␈α
obligated␈α
to␈α
provide␈α
for␈α
that␈α
standard␈α
of
␈↓ ↓H␈↓living␈αas␈αa␈αcondition␈αof␈αdivorce.␈α I␈αdon't␈αknow␈αabout␈αthe␈αUniversity,␈αbut␈αI␈αdon't␈αconsider␈αthat␈αthe
␈↓ ↓H␈↓AI␈α
Lab␈α∞has␈α
any␈α∞such␈α
obligation.␈α∞ Most␈α
likely,␈α∞if␈α
you␈α
want␈α∞the␈α
money,␈α∞you␈α
will␈α∞have␈α
to␈α∞raise␈α
it.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓My␈α∩one␈α⊃thought␈α∩is␈α⊃that␈α∩the␈α∩University␈α⊃might␈α∩lend␈α⊃it␈α∩to␈α∩you␈α⊃on␈α∩the␈α⊃basis␈α∩of␈α∩your␈α⊃Yamaha
␈↓ ↓H␈↓expectations.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        It␈αseems␈αto␈αme␈αthat␈αAndy␈αshould␈αcome␈αback␈αand␈αwork␈αon␈αreviving␈αa␈αviable␈αsystem,␈αbecause
␈↓ ↓H␈↓I␈α∞don't␈α
think␈α∞the␈α
Lab,␈α∞which␈α∞has␈α
the␈α∞problem␈α
of␈α∞moving␈α
the␈α∞KL␈α∞will␈α
be␈α∞able␈α
to␈α∞do␈α∞it␈α
entirely.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓The␈αsimplest␈αsolution␈αis␈αto␈αleave␈αthe␈αKA␈αhere␈αwhen␈αthe␈αKL␈αmoves.␈α You␈αwould␈αthen␈αhave␈αplenty
␈↓ ↓H␈↓of␈α∞air␈α∞conditioning␈α
and␈α∞power␈α∞and␈α∞wouldn't␈α
have␈α∞to␈α∞worry␈α
about␈α∞reconnecting␈α∞many␈α∞cables.␈α
 If
␈↓ ↓H␈↓you␈α
want␈α∞to␈α
get␈α∞some␈α
help␈α
from␈α∞the␈α
University,␈α∞then␈α
you␈α∞should␈α
come␈α
back␈α∞too␈α
-␈α∞at␈α
least␈α∞for␈α
a
␈↓ ↓H␈↓while.␈α⊃ My␈α⊃impression␈α⊃is␈α⊃that␈α⊃you␈α⊃have␈α⊃received␈α⊃enough␈α⊃good␈α⊃publicity␈α⊃recently,␈α⊃so␈α⊃that␈α⊃the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓University is likely to be motivated to give some help.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        Stanford␈αis␈αscheduled␈α
to␈αget␈αthe␈α
building␈αon␈αApril␈α
20,␈αand␈αthere␈α
is␈αsome␈αpressure␈α
to␈αmove
␈↓ ↓H␈↓the␈α∂AI␈α∂Lab␈α∂promptly,␈α∂because␈α∂the␈α⊂Department's␈α∂new␈α∂computer␈α∂has␈α∂a␈α∂very␈α∂shakey␈α⊂distant␈α∂host
␈↓ ↓H␈↓connection␈α∞to␈α∞the␈α∂SUMEX␈α∞Imp␈α∞and␈α∞will␈α∂share␈α∞the␈α∞AI␈α∞Lab␈α∂TIP␈α∞when␈α∞we␈α∞move.␈α∂ Probably␈α∞we
␈↓ ↓H␈↓won't␈α
be␈α∞able␈α
to␈α∞move␈α
till␈α∞June␈α
in␈α∞spite␈α
of␈α∞this␈α
pressure,␈α∞but␈α
if␈α∞both␈α
systems␈α∞are␈α
to␈α∞be␈α
working
␈↓ ↓H␈↓separately
␈↓ ↓H␈↓αProfessor John Chowning␈↓ ¬nMarch 8, 1979␈↓ 
nPage 3␈↓ 


␈↓ ↓H␈↓even by then, action is urgent.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        For these reasons, I think you should take action quickly.


␈↓ ↓H␈↓Best regards,



␈↓ ↓H␈↓John McCarthy
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Director
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Professor of Computer Science

␈↓ ↓H␈↓P.S.␈α
According␈α
to␈αJe≥␈α
Rubin␈α
the␈α
Petit␈αchannel␈α
was␈α
modi≡ed␈α
to␈αwork␈α
with␈α
the␈α
mappiplexor␈αand
␈↓ ↓H␈↓has␈α∪lost␈α∪its␈α∀memory␈α∪buss␈α∪interface.␈α∀ Therefore␈α∪it␈α∪would␈α∀require␈α∪considerable␈α∪work,␈α∀and␈α∪he
␈↓ ↓H␈↓recommends getting another Foonly channel.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓cc:␈αLester␈α
Earnest,␈αEdward␈α
Feigenbaum,␈αJohn␈αGrey,␈α
Gerald␈αLieberman,␈α
James␈αRosse,␈αLoren␈α
Rush,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Leland Smith, William F. Miller