/FONT#0=NGR30
␈↓
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓␈↓ α5A DISPLAY TERMINAL SYSTEM FOR THE COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α(This␈α↔is␈α↔a␈α⊗plan␈α⊗to␈α⊗equip␈α⊗the␈α⊗Computer␈α⊗Science␈α⊗Department␈α⊗with␈α⊗a␈α⊗system␈α⊗of
␈↓ ↓Hkeyboard␈α∞and␈α∞display␈α∞terminals␈α∞for␈α
use␈α
in␈α
teaching␈α
and␈α
research.␈α
The␈α
terminal␈α
system␈α
will
␈↓ ↓Hmake␈α⊂accessible␈α⊂to␈α⊂department␈α∂faculty␈α∂and␈α∂graduate␈α∂students␈α∂from␈α∂their␈α∂offices␈α∂the␈α∂IBM
␈↓ ↓H360/67␈α⊃in␈α⊃the␈α⊃Computation␈α⊂Center,␈α⊂the␈α⊂PDP-10␈α⊂in␈α⊂the␈α⊂Artificial␈α⊂Intelligence␈α⊂Laboratory,
␈↓ ↓Hand␈α∂through␈α∂the␈α∂PDP-10␈α∂any␈α∂computers␈α∂on␈α∂the␈α∂ARPA␈α∂network␈α∂that␈α∞they␈α∞may␈α∞have␈α∞made
␈↓ ↓Harrangements␈α∂to␈α∂use.␈α∂This␈α∂includes,␈α∂for␈α∂example,␈α∂the␈α∂ILLIAC␈α∂4␈α∂at␈α∂Ames␈α∂Research␈α∂Center.
␈↓ ↓HConnections␈αto␈αother␈αcampus␈αcomputers␈αcan␈αalso␈αbe␈αarranged.

␈↓ α(In␈α⊂our␈α⊂opinion,␈α⊂such␈α⊂a␈α⊂terminal␈α⊂system␈α⊂together␈α⊂with␈α∂suitable␈α∂hard␈α∂copy␈α∂output␈α∂in
␈↓ ↓Hthe␈α⊃most␈α⊃important␈α⊃laboratory␈α⊃and␈α⊃teaching␈α⊂facility␈α⊂that␈α⊂a␈α⊂computer␈α⊂science␈α⊂department
␈↓ ↓Hcan␈α∞have.␈α∞The␈α∞interests␈α∞of␈α∞the␈α∞faculty␈α∞and␈α
students␈α
are␈α
too␈α
varied␈α
to␈α
be␈α
satisfied␈α
by␈α
any
␈↓ ↓Hone␈α⊃computer␈α⊃since␈α⊃no␈α⊃one␈α⊃computer␈α⊂will␈α⊂have␈α⊂all␈α⊂the␈α⊂hardware␈α⊂and␈α⊂software␈α⊂facilities
␈↓ ↓Hthat␈αare␈αof␈αresearch␈αor␈αteaching␈αinterest.

␈↓ α(The␈α⊗plan␈α⊗we␈α⊗are␈α⊗now␈α⊗proposing␈α⊗is␈α⊗based␈α⊗in␈α⊗part␈α⊗on␈α∃a␈α∃study␈α∃made␈α∃by␈α∃John
␈↓ ↓HMcCarthy␈α∂at␈α∂M.I.T.␈α∂in␈α∂fall␈α∂1972␈α∂in␈α∂support␈α∂of␈α∞a␈α∞plan␈α∞to␈α∞get␈α∞a␈α∞terminal␈α∞system␈α∞for␈α∞Project
␈↓ ↓HMAC␈α∂and␈α∂the␈α∞Artificial␈α∞Intelligence␈α∞Laboratory.␈α∞In␈α∞this␈α∞study,␈α∞requests␈α∞for␈α∞proposals␈α∞were
␈↓ ↓Hsent␈α∂to␈α∂leading␈α∂firms␈α∂in␈α∂the␈α∂display␈α∂field␈α∂and␈α∂the␈α∂replies␈α∂were␈α∂evaluated.␈α∂The␈α∂best␈α∂plan,
␈↓ ↓Hhowever,␈α∂was␈α∂found␈α∂to␈α∂be␈α∂scheme␈α∂being␈α∂developed␈α∞by␈α∞Peter␈α∞Wiener␈α∞of␈α∞Yale␈α∞University,
␈↓ ↓Hand␈α∪our␈α∪plan␈α∪is␈α∪based␈α∪on␈α∪the␈α∪Yale␈α∩scheme␈α∩which␈α∩is␈α∩also␈α∩being␈α∩followed␈α∩by␈α∩the␈α∩M.I.T.
␈↓ ↓HArtificial␈α∞Intelligence␈α∞Laboratory.␈α∞The␈α
Stanford␈α
Artificial␈α
Intelligence␈α
Laboratory␈α
also␈α
hopes
␈↓ ↓Hto␈αupgrade␈αits␈αData␈αDisk␈αdisplay␈αsystem␈αto␈αthe␈αnew␈αstandard.

␈↓ α(The␈αgoals␈αthat␈αwe␈αwant␈αto␈αachieve␈αare␈αthe␈αfollowing:

␈↓ α(1.␈α⊂A␈α⊂terminal␈α⊂in␈α⊂each␈α⊂office␈α⊂used␈α⊂by␈α⊂faculty␈α⊂and␈α⊂graduate␈α∂students.␈α∂This␈α∂requires
␈↓ ↓Hvery␈αlow␈αcost␈αterminals.

␈↓ α(2.␈α∀A␈α∀large␈α∀terminal␈α∀facility␈α∀for␈α∀the␈α∀use␈α∀of␈α∀students␈α∀in␈α∀courses.␈α∪About␈α∪half␈α∪the
␈↓ ↓Hterminals␈αwould␈αbe␈αavailable␈αfor␈αthis␈αpurpose.

␈↓ α(3.␈α⊂Each␈α⊂terminal␈α⊂should␈α⊂be␈α⊂capable␈α⊂of␈α⊂displaying␈α⊂at␈α⊂least␈α⊂half␈α⊂a␈α∂page␈α∂of␈α∂arbitrary
␈↓ ↓Hcharacter␈α→sets␈α→and␈α→also␈α→graphics.␈α→The␈α→character␈α→sets␈α→used␈α→in␈α_programming␈α_and␈α_in
␈↓ ↓Hmathematics␈α⊂have␈α⊂proliferated␈α⊂to␈α⊂the␈α⊂point␈α⊂where␈α⊂allowing␈α⊂each␈α∂user␈α∂to␈α∂have␈α∂whatever
␈↓ ↓Hcharacters␈α∞he␈α∞wants␈α∞is␈α∞the␈α∞only␈α∞solution␈α∞compatible␈α∞with␈α∞the␈α∞goal␈α
of␈α
using␈α
any␈α
computers
␈↓ ↓Hthat␈αare␈αavailable␈αto␈αour␈αfaculty␈αand␈αstudents.

␈↓ α(4.␈α∩Printing␈α∩facilities␈α∩compatible␈α∩with␈α∩the␈α∩above␈α∩should␈α∩also␈α∩be␈α∩available␈α⊃but␈α⊃not
␈↓ ↓Hnecessarily␈α⊂with␈α⊂each␈α⊂terminal.␈α⊂In␈α∂fact,␈α∂there␈α∂is␈α∂no␈α∂present␈α∂way␈α∂of␈α∂making␈α∂such␈α∂facilities
␈↓ ↓Havailable␈α∞to␈α∞each␈α∞terminal␈α∞but␈α∞suitable␈α∞public␈α∞printers␈α∞can␈α
be␈α
had,␈α
for␈α
example␈α
the␈α
Xerox
␈↓ ↓HXGP.␈α
The␈α
cost␈α
of␈α
adding␈α
such␈αa␈αprinter␈αhas␈αnot␈αyet␈αbeen␈αdetermined,␈αbut␈αthere␈αis␈αa␈αstrong
␈↓ ↓Hdemand␈αfor␈αit,␈αand␈αits␈αcost␈αwill␈αbe␈αincluded␈αin␈αa␈αfuture␈αversion␈αof␈αthe␈αplan.

␈↓ α(The␈αscheme␈αproposed␈αhas␈αthe␈αfollowing␈αcharacteristics:

␈↓ α(1.␈α∩The␈α∩display␈α∩image␈α∩for␈α∩each␈α∩active␈α∩user␈α⊃is␈α⊃stored␈α⊃as␈α⊃a␈α⊃512x512␈α⊃raster␈α⊃in␈α⊃an
␈↓ ↓Hintegrated␈αcircuit␈αread-write␈αmemory.

␈↓ α(2.␈α∞There␈α∞are␈α∞64␈α∞terminals,␈α∞but␈α∞only␈α∞32␈α∞memories␈α∞so␈α∞that␈α
only␈α
half␈α
of␈α
the␈α
terminals
␈↓ ↓Hcan␈α⊗be␈α⊗active␈α⊗simultaneously.␈α⊗However,␈α⊗a␈α⊗low␈α⊗duty␈α⊗cycle␈α∃is␈α∃to␈α∃be␈α∃expected␈α∃if␈α∃the
␈↓ ↓Hterminals␈αare␈αin␈αoffices␈αso␈αthis␈αis␈αok.

␈↓ α(3.␈α∂The␈α∂cost␈α∂to␈α∂add␈α∂a␈α∂terminal␈α∞to␈α∞the␈α∞system␈α∞is␈α∞about␈α∞$500,␈α∞and␈α∞the␈α∞cost␈α∞to␈α∞add␈α∞a
␈↓ ↓Hmemory␈α∞is␈α
about␈α
$2200␈α
now,␈α
but␈α
a␈α
large␈α
reduction␈α
is␈α
expected␈α
in␈α
less␈α
than␈α
two␈α
years␈α
as
␈↓ ↓H4096␈α⊂bit␈α⊂memory␈α⊂chips␈α⊂come␈α⊂into␈α⊂production␈α⊂replacing␈α⊂the␈α∂1024␈α∂bit␈α∂chips␈α∂on␈α∂which␈α∂the
␈↓ ↓Hpresent␈αprices␈αare␈αbased.

␈↓ α(4.␈α
The␈α
system␈α
is␈α
controlled␈α
by␈α
a␈α
mini-computer,␈αsay␈αa␈αPDP-11,␈αwhich␈αcommunicates
␈↓ ↓Hwith␈α
the␈α
host␈α
computers␈α
(initially␈αthe␈αIBM␈α360/67␈αand␈αthe␈αPDP-10),␈αand␈αwrites␈αcharacters
␈↓ ↓Hand␈α∞pictures␈α∞by␈α∞directly␈α∞addressing␈α∞the␈α∞display␈α∞memories.␈α∞The␈α∞displays␈α
are␈α
maintained␈α
by
␈↓ ↓Ha␈α∂memory␈α∂port␈α∂that␈α∞reads␈α∞bits␈α∞from␈α∞the␈α∞memories␈α∞into␈α∞shift␈α∞registers␈α∞and␈α∞transmits␈α∞them
␈↓ ↓Htogether␈α∂with␈α∂synchronization␈α∂signals␈α∞through␈α∞a␈α∞video␈α∞switch␈α∞to␈α∞the␈α∞displays␈α∞over␈α∞coaxial
␈↓ ↓Hcable.

␈↓ α(5.␈α∪Each␈α∪display␈α∪is␈α∪connected␈α∪to␈α∪the␈α∪central␈α∪unit␈α∪containing␈α∩the␈α∩memories␈α∩by␈α∩an
␈↓ ↓Hindividual␈α
cable,␈α
and␈α
the␈α
keyboards␈α
are␈α
connected␈α
to␈α
the␈αkeyboard␈αmultiplexer␈αby␈αtwisted
␈↓ ↓Hpair␈α∂unless␈α∂it␈α∂turns␈α∂out␈α∂to␈α∂be␈α∂feasible␈α∂to␈α∂transmit␈α∞the␈α∞keyboard␈α∞signal␈α∞back␈α∞on␈α∞the␈α∞same
␈↓ ↓Hcoaxial␈αcable␈αas␈αis␈αused␈αfor␈αthe␈αvideo.

␈↓ α(6.␈α∞The␈α
video␈α
switch␈α
is␈α
a␈α
32x64␈α
electronic␈α
crossbar.␈α
It␈α
will␈α
be␈α
a␈α
copy␈α
of␈α
a␈α
unit␈α
now
␈↓ ↓Hin␈αuse␈αin␈αthe␈αArtificial␈αIntelligence␈αLaboratory's␈αdisplay␈αsystem.

␈↓ α(7.␈α⊂In␈α⊂the␈α∂initial␈α∂version␈α∂of␈α∂the␈α∂system␈α∂all␈α∂characters␈α∂and␈α∂vectors␈α∂are␈α∂produced␈α∂by
␈↓ ↓Hsoftware␈α∩in␈α∩the␈α⊃mini-computer.␈α⊃A␈α⊃PDP-11/45␈α⊃will␈α⊃take␈α⊃150␈α⊃microseconds␈α⊃in␈α⊃the␈α⊃worst
␈↓ ↓Hcase␈α⊂to␈α⊂write␈α⊂a␈α⊂character.␈α⊂If␈α⊂the␈α∂host␈α∂computers␈α∂can␈α∂support␈α∂a␈α∂higher␈α∂rate␈α∂of␈α∂character
␈↓ ↓Hwriting␈αthen␈αa␈αspecial␈αcharacter␈αwriter␈αcan␈αbe␈αadded.

␈↓ α(Here␈αare␈αthe␈αcomponents␈αof␈αthe␈αproposed␈αsystem␈αand␈αtheir␈αestimated␈αcosts:

␈↓ ↓H
1. Integrated circuit raster memory␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH␈↓ λ( $73K
␈↓ ↓H
complete with buffer registers
␈↓ ↓H
and power supplies,based on
␈↓ ↓H
prices paid by Yale and quotes
␈↓ ↓H
to M.I.T.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
2. Keyboards␈↓ βh␈↓ ∧H␈↓ ¬(␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH␈↓ λ( $14K
␈↓ ↓H
(70 keyboards at $200,
␈↓ ↓H
based on quote by Microswitch)
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
3. Monitors␈↓ βλ␈↓ βh␈↓ ∧H␈↓ ¬(␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH $14K
␈↓ ↓H
(70 monitors at $200,
␈↓ ↓H
based on quote by Ball Bros.)
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
4. PDP-11/40 with 16K words␈↓ ¬(␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH␈↓ λ( $20K
␈↓ ↓H
(D.E.C. published prices)
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
5. Shift registers and
␈↓ ↓H
control electronics␈↓ βh␈↓ ∧H␈↓ ¬(␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH  $5K
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
6. Video switch␈↓ βh␈↓ ∧H␈↓ ¬(␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH␈↓ λ(  $9K
␈↓ ↓H
(cost of video switch built by AI Lab)
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
7. Keyboard multiplexer␈↓ ∧H␈↓ ¬(␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH␈↓ λ(  $8K
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
8. Connection to PDP-10␈↓ ∧H␈↓ ¬(␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH␈↓ λ( $15K
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
9. Connection to the IBM 360/67␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH␈↓ λ(␈↓ 	λ $10K
␈↓ ↓H
(in addition $300 per month rental
␈↓ ↓H
for IBM hardware is required)
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
10. Contingencies␈↓ βh␈↓ ∧H␈↓ ¬(␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH $10K
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
                        TOTAL␈↓ ¬(␈↓ ελ␈↓ εh␈↓ πH␈↓ λ($178K
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α(Not␈α⊃included␈α⊂in␈α⊂these␈α⊂costs␈α⊂are␈α⊂engineering␈α⊂which␈α⊂we␈α⊂hope␈α⊂to␈α⊂do␈α⊂with␈α⊂volunteer
␈↓ ↓Hlabor␈α
and␈α
wiring␈α
costs.␈α
The␈α
necessary␈α
programming␈α
will␈α
also␈α
be␈α
done␈α
within␈α
the␈α
Computer
␈↓ ↓HScience␈α↔Department.␈α⊗Maintenance␈α⊗of␈α⊗the␈α⊗system␈α⊗should␈α⊗cost␈α⊗about␈α⊗$5000␈α⊗per␈α⊗year
␈↓ ↓Hcounting␈αstudent␈αlabor␈αand␈αparts␈αcosts.

␈↓ α(Perhaps␈α∃$50K␈α∃of␈α∃the␈α∃costs␈α∃can␈α∀be␈α∀obtained␈α∀from␈α∀projects.␈α∀The␈α∀AI␈α∀Laboratory
␈↓ ↓Hshould␈α∂pay␈α∂for␈α∂its␈α∂connection␈α∂and␈α∂the␈α∂cost␈α∂of␈α∂the␈α∞terminals␈α∞used␈α∞by␈α∞project␈α∞members␈α∞on
␈↓ ↓Hcampus.␈α
With␈α
NSF␈αnot␈αgiving␈αfacilities␈αgrants␈αany␈αmore,␈αthe␈αoutlook␈αfrom␈αthat␈αsource␈αis␈αnot
␈↓ ↓Hbright.␈α∂We␈α∂believe␈α∂that␈α∂the␈α∂University␈α∂should␈α∂pay␈α∂the␈α∂main␈α∞cost␈α∞as␈α∞the␈α∞major␈α∞laboratory
␈↓ ↓Hinstructional␈αand␈αresearch␈αfacility␈αof␈αthe␈αDepartment.

␈↓ α(Regrettably,␈α
there␈α
are␈α
a␈α
few␈α
costs␈α
not␈α
yet␈α
listed␈α
above.␈α
The␈α
major␈α
one␈α
is␈αstringing
␈↓ ↓Hthe␈α∞cables,␈α∞and␈α
this␈α
has␈α
not␈α
yet␈α
been␈α
explored.␈α
The␈α
cost␈α
of␈α
the␈α
cable␈α
itself␈α
is␈α
not␈α
large␈α
-
␈↓ ↓H4␈α⊃cents␈α⊃per␈α⊃foot,␈α⊃but␈α⊃the␈α⊃cost␈α⊃of␈α⊃stringing␈α⊃it␈α⊃may␈α⊃be␈α⊃significant.␈α⊂If␈α⊂we␈α⊂figure␈α⊂500␈α⊂foot
␈↓ ↓Haverage␈α∞cable␈α∞length,␈α∞we␈α∞get␈α∞$20␈α
per␈α
terminal␈α
for␈α
the␈α
cable␈α
or␈α
$1280␈α
altogether␈α
for␈α
the
␈↓ ↓Hbare␈αcost␈αof␈αthe␈αcoax.␈αThe␈αcost␈αof␈αthe␈αkeyboard␈αcable␈αwill␈αbe␈αless.

␈↓ α(The␈α⊃AI␈α⊃Lab␈α⊃is␈α⊂hiring␈α⊂an␈α⊂expert␈α⊂programmer␈α⊂and␈α⊂digital␈α⊂engineer␈α⊂who␈α⊂is␈α⊂presently
␈↓ ↓Hbuilding␈αa␈αYale␈αtype␈αsystem␈αat␈αM.I.T.␈αHe␈αcan␈αhelp␈αwith␈αthis␈αwork,␈αbut␈αhe␈αis␈αnot␈αfree.

␈↓ α(A␈α∀recent␈α∀survey␈α∀of␈α∀offices␈α∪in␈α∪the␈α∪Computer␈α∪Science␈α∪Department␈α∪turned␈α∪up␈α∪57
␈↓ ↓Hlocations␈α∀where␈α∪terminals␈α∪would␈α∪be␈α∪wanted.␈α∪I␈α∪am␈α∪not␈α∪sure␈α∪whether␈α∪secretaries␈α∪were
␈↓ ↓Hincluded␈α
as␈α
they␈α
should␈αbe␈αaccording␈αto␈αAI␈αLab␈αexperience.␈αThis␈αsuggests␈αthat␈αa␈αsomewhat
␈↓ ↓Hlarger␈α⊗system␈α⊗would␈α⊗be␈α⊗wanted␈α⊗if␈α⊗we␈α⊗are␈α∃to␈α∃meet␈α∃all␈α∃CSD␈α∃demand␈α∃and␈α∃provide␈α∃a
␈↓ ↓Hsubstantial␈α∂terminal␈α∂room␈α∂(at␈α∂least␈α∂16␈α∂terminals)␈α∂for␈α∂students.␈α∂Therefore,␈α∂we␈α∞recommend
␈↓ ↓H$200K␈αas␈αthe␈αtotal␈αcost␈αof␈αthe␈αproject␈αnot␈αcounting␈αany␈αoverheads.

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H