␈↓↓␈↓ α.A DISPLAY TERMINAL SYSTEM FOR THE COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT


␈↓␈↓ α(This␈α∩ is␈α∩a␈α∩plan␈α∩to␈α∩equip␈α∩the␈α⊃Computer             ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πX3.␈α∞ Each␈α
 terminal␈α∞ should␈α
 be␈α∞capable␈α
of
␈↓Science␈α∩Department␈α⊃with␈α∩a␈α⊃system␈α∩of␈α⊃keyboard     ␈↓ εx␈↓displaying␈α↔at␈α↔least␈α↔half␈α↔a␈α↔page␈α_of␈α↔arbitrary
␈↓and␈α∂display␈α∂terminals␈α⊂for␈α∂use␈α∂ in␈α⊂ teaching␈α∂ and  ␈↓ εx␈↓character␈α∨ sets␈α≡ and␈α∨ also␈α∨ graphics.␈α≡  The
␈↓research.␈α→  The␈α→ terminal␈α→ system␈α→ will␈α_make    ␈↓ εx␈↓character␈α  sets␈α  used␈α  in␈α programming␈α and␈α
 in
␈↓accessible␈α∃to␈α∃department␈α∃faculty␈α∃and␈α∀graduate   ␈↓ εx␈↓mathematics␈α have␈αproliferated␈α
to␈αthe␈αpoint␈α
where
␈↓students␈α∞from␈α
their␈α∞offices␈α
the␈α∞ IBM␈α∞ 360/67␈α
 in  ␈↓ εx␈↓allowing␈α
each␈α
user␈α
to␈α
 have␈α
 whatever␈α
characters
␈↓the␈α⊃ Computation␈α⊃ Center,␈α⊃ the␈α⊃ PDP-10␈α⊃in␈α⊂the    ␈↓ εx␈↓he␈αwants␈αis␈αthe␈αonly␈αsolution␈αcompatible␈αwith␈αthe
␈↓Artificial␈α∃Intelligence␈α∃Laboratory,␈α⊗and␈α∃through␈↓ εx␈↓goal␈αof␈αusing␈αany␈αcomputers␈αthat␈αare␈αavailable␈αto
␈↓the␈α≥PDP-10␈α≥any␈α≥computers␈α≥on␈α≥the␈α≥ARPA             ␈↓ εx␈↓our␈α
faculty␈α
and␈α
students.
␈↓network␈α*that␈α) they␈α* may␈α* have␈α) made
␈↓arrangements␈α
to␈α
use.␈α
 This␈α
includes,␈α∞for␈α
example,␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πX4.␈α∂Printing␈α∂facilities␈α∂compatible␈α∂with␈α∞the
␈↓the␈α∨ILLIAC␈α 4␈α∨at␈α∨Ames␈α Research␈α∨Center.            ␈↓ εx␈↓above␈α∨should␈α  also␈α∨be␈α∨ available␈α but␈α∨not
␈↓Connections␈α
to␈α
 other␈α
campus␈α
computers␈α
can␈α
also  ␈↓ εx␈↓necessarily␈α∂with␈α∞each␈α∂terminal.␈α∞ In␈α∂fact,␈α∂there␈α∞is
␈↓be␈α
arranged.                                ␈↓ εx␈↓no␈α⊗present␈α⊗ way␈α⊗ of␈α⊗ making␈α↔ such␈α⊗ facilities
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓available␈α to␈α each␈αterminal␈α but␈α suitable␈α public
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓printers␈αcan␈α
be␈αhad,␈αfor␈α
example␈αthe␈α
Xerox␈αXGP.
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓The␈α⊂cost␈α⊂of␈α⊂ adding␈α∂ such␈α⊂ a␈α⊂ printer␈α⊂ has␈α∂ not
␈↓␈↓ α(In␈α∩our␈α∪opinion,␈α∩such␈α∩a␈α∪terminal␈α∩system           ␈↓ εx␈↓yet␈α↔ been␈α↔determined,␈α↔but␈α↔there␈α↔is␈α↔a␈α⊗strong
␈↓together␈α
with␈α
suitable␈α
hard␈α
copy␈α
output␈α∞ in␈α
 the  ␈↓ εx␈↓demand␈α∞for␈α∞it,␈α∞and␈α∞its␈α
cost␈α∞will␈α∞be␈α∞included␈α∞in␈α
a
␈↓most␈α! important␈α  laboratory␈α! and␈α  teaching     ␈↓ εx␈↓future␈α
version␈α
of␈α
the␈α
plan.
␈↓facility␈α∞ that␈α∞a␈α∞computer␈α∞science␈α∂department␈α∞can
␈↓have.␈α∂ The␈α∞interests␈α∂of␈α∞the␈α∂faculty␈α∂and␈α∞students  ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πXThe␈α∪scheme␈α∪proposed␈α∪has␈α∪the␈α∩following
␈↓are␈α
too␈α
varied␈α
to␈α
be␈α
satisfied␈α
by␈α
any␈αone␈α
computer  ␈↓ εx␈↓characteristics:
␈↓since␈α∀ no␈α∀ one␈α∀ computer␈α∀ will␈α∀ have␈α∀ all␈α∀ the
␈↓hardware␈α_and␈α_software␈α↔facilities␈α_that␈α_are␈α↔of     ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πX1.␈αThe␈αdisplay␈αimage␈αfor␈αeach␈αactive␈α user
␈↓research␈α
or␈α
teaching␈α
interest.                ␈↓ εx␈↓is␈α∞ stored␈α∂ as␈α∞ a␈α∞512x512␈α∂raster␈α∞in␈α∂an␈α∞integrated
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓circuit␈α
read-write␈α
memory.
␈↓␈↓ α(The␈α
plan␈αwe␈α
are␈α
now␈αproposing␈α
is␈αbased␈α
in
␈↓part␈α⊂ on␈α∂ a␈α⊂ study␈α⊂made␈α∂ by␈α⊂John␈α⊂McCarthy␈α∂at       ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πX2.␈α⊃ There␈α⊃are␈α⊂64␈α⊃terminals,␈α⊃but␈α⊃only␈α⊂32
␈↓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     ␈↓ εx␈↓memories␈α
so␈α
that␈α
only␈α
half␈α
of␈α
the␈α
terminals␈α
can␈α
be
␈↓terminal␈α≤system␈α≤for␈α≤Project␈α≤MAC␈α≥and␈α≤the          ␈↓ εx␈↓active␈α⊗simultaneously.␈α⊗ However,␈α⊗ a␈α⊗ low␈α⊗duty
␈↓Artificial␈α
Intelligence␈α
Laboratory.␈α
 In␈α this␈α
 study,␈↓ εx␈↓cycle␈α⊃is␈α⊃to␈α⊃be␈α⊃expected␈α⊃if␈α⊃the␈α⊃terminals␈α⊃are␈α⊃in
␈↓requests␈α∃ for␈α∀ proposals␈α∃ were␈α∀sent␈α∃to␈α∀leading   ␈↓ εx␈↓offices␈α
so␈α
this␈α
is␈α
ok.
␈↓firms␈α∂in␈α∂the␈α∂display␈α∂field␈α∂and␈α∂the␈α∂ replies␈α∞ were
␈↓evaluated.␈α
 The␈α best␈α
 plan,␈α however,␈α
 was␈αfound␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πX3.␈α∀The␈α∀cost␈α∀to␈α∀add␈α∀a␈α∀terminal␈α∃to␈α∀the
␈↓to␈αbe␈αscheme␈αbeing␈αdeveloped␈αby␈αPeter␈α
Wiener␈αof    ␈↓ εx␈↓system␈α is␈α about␈α $500,␈αand␈α the␈α cost␈α to␈α add␈α a
␈↓Yale␈α⊂University,␈α⊂and␈α⊂our␈α∂plan␈α⊂is␈α⊂based␈α⊂ on␈α∂ the    ␈↓ εx␈↓memory␈α_ is␈α_ about␈α↔ $2200␈α_now,␈α_but␈α_a␈α↔large
␈↓Yale␈α
scheme␈α which␈α
 is␈α also␈α
 being␈α
 followed␈α by ␈↓ εx␈↓reduction␈α⊂is␈α⊂expected␈α⊃in␈α⊂less␈α⊂than␈α⊂two␈α⊃years␈α⊂as
␈↓the␈α∃ M.I.T.␈α∃ Artificial␈α∃Intelligence␈α∃ Laboratory.␈↓ εx␈↓4096␈α∀bit␈α∀memory␈α∪chips␈α∀come␈α∀ into␈α∪ production
␈↓The␈α6 Stanford␈α7  Artificial␈α6  Intelligence     ␈↓ εx␈↓replacing␈α∀ the␈α∀ 1024␈α∃ bit␈α∀ chips␈α∀on␈α∃which␈α∀the
␈↓Laboratory␈α
 also␈α
hopes␈α∞to␈α
upgrade␈α
its␈α∞Data␈α
Disk   ␈↓ εx␈↓present␈α
prices␈α
are␈α
based.
␈↓display␈α
system␈α
to␈α
the␈α
new␈α
standard.
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πX4.␈α∩The␈α∩system␈α∩is␈α∩controlled␈α∩by␈α∩a␈α⊃mini-
␈↓␈↓ α(The␈α
goals␈αthat␈α
we␈α
want␈αto␈α
achieve␈αare␈α
the          ␈↓ εx␈↓computer,␈α∪say␈α∀a␈α∪PDP-11,␈α∀which␈α∪ communicates
␈↓following:                                 ␈↓ εx␈↓with␈αthe␈αhost␈αcomputers␈α(initially␈αthe␈αIBM␈α360/67
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓and␈α∪the␈α∪PDP-10),␈α∪and␈α∪ writes␈α∪ characters␈α∩ and
␈↓␈↓ α(1.␈α∀A␈α∀terminal␈α∃in␈α∀each␈α∀office␈α∃used␈α∀ by             ␈↓ εx␈↓pictures␈α⊗ by␈α∃ directly␈α⊗addressing␈α⊗ the␈α∃ display
␈↓faculty␈α∀ and␈α∀ graduate␈α∀students.␈α∀This␈α∀requires  ␈↓ εx␈↓memories.␈α↔ The␈α↔displays␈α⊗are␈α↔maintained␈α↔by␈α⊗a
␈↓very␈α
low␈α
cost␈α
terminals.                      ␈↓ εx␈↓memory␈α∂port␈α∂that␈α∞reads␈α∂bits␈α∂from␈α∂the␈α∞memories
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓into␈α≡ shift␈α≡ registers␈α≡and␈α≡ transmits␈α≡ them
␈↓␈↓ α(2.␈α⊂ A␈α⊂ large␈α⊂ terminal␈α⊂ facility␈α⊂ for␈α⊂ the       ␈↓ εx␈↓together␈α⊂with␈α⊂synchronization␈α⊂signals␈α⊂through␈α⊂a
␈↓use␈α⊗of␈α∃students␈α⊗in␈α∃courses.␈α⊗About␈α⊗ half␈α∃ the      ␈↓ εx␈↓video␈α
switch␈α
to␈α
the␈α
displays␈α
over␈α
coaxial␈α
cable.
␈↓terminals␈α
 would␈α
 be␈α
 available␈α
 for␈α
 this␈α
purpose.


␈↓↓␈↓ ε&%11%*␈↓ X



␈↓␈↓ α(5.␈αEach␈αdisplay␈αis␈αconnected␈αto␈αthe␈α
central       ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πX10. Contingencies␈↓ ≥$10K
␈↓unit␈α⊂ containing␈α⊂the␈α⊂ memories␈α⊂by␈α⊂an␈α⊂individual
␈↓cable,␈α∪and␈α∪the␈α∩keyboards␈α∪are␈α∪connected␈α∪to␈α∩the     ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πX                        TOTAL␈↓ ⊂$178K
␈↓keyboard␈α∪multiplexer␈α∩by␈α∪twisted␈α∩pair␈α∪unless␈α∩it
␈↓turns␈α_out␈α_to␈α→be␈α_feasible␈α_ to␈α→ transmit␈α_ the
␈↓keyboard␈αsignal␈αback␈αon␈αthe␈αsame␈αcoaxial␈αcable␈αas  ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πXNot␈α&included␈α&in␈α&these␈α'costs␈α&are
␈↓is␈α
used␈α
for␈α
the␈α
video.                         ␈↓ εx␈↓engineering␈αwhich␈αwe␈αhope␈α to␈αdo␈α with␈αvolunteer
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓labor␈α(and␈α(wiring␈α(costs.␈α( The␈α'necessary
␈↓␈↓ α(6.␈α∞The␈α∞video␈α∞switch␈α∞is␈α∞a␈α∞32x64␈α∞electronic         ␈↓ εx␈↓programming␈α∩will␈α∩ also␈α∩ be␈α∩ done␈α∪ within␈α∩  the
␈↓crossbar.␈α
 It␈α
 will␈α
be␈α
 a␈α
 copy␈α
 of␈α
 a␈α
 unit␈α now␈α
 in␈↓ εx␈↓Computer␈α∃  Science␈α⊗  Department.␈α∃ Maintenance
␈↓use␈α⊗in␈α↔the␈α⊗Artificial␈α↔Intelligence␈α⊗Laboratory's ␈↓ εx␈↓of␈α∞ the␈α∞system␈α∞should␈α
cost␈α∞about␈α∞$5000␈α∞per␈α
year
␈↓display␈α
system.                             ␈↓ εx␈↓counting␈α
student␈α
labor␈α
and␈α
parts␈α
costs.

␈↓␈↓ α(7.␈αIn␈αthe␈αinitial␈αversion␈αof␈αthe␈αsystem␈α all       ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πXPerhaps␈α
$50K␈αof␈α
the␈αcosts␈α
can␈αbe␈α
obtained
␈↓characters␈α∨ and␈α∨vectors␈α∨ are␈α  produced␈α∨by       ␈↓ εx␈↓from␈α∞projects.␈α∂ The␈α∞AI␈α∞ Laboratory␈α∂ should␈α∞ pay
␈↓software␈α
in␈α
the␈α
mini-computer.␈α
 A␈α
PDP-11/45␈α
will ␈↓ εx␈↓for␈α
 its␈α connection␈α
and␈α
the␈αcost␈α
of␈α
the␈αterminals
␈↓take␈α150␈αmicroseconds␈αin␈αthe␈αworst␈αcase␈αto␈α write  ␈↓ εx␈↓used␈αby␈αproject␈αmembers␈αon␈αcampus.␈α  With␈α NSF
␈↓a␈α character.␈α If␈α the␈αhost␈αcomputers␈α
can␈αsupport ␈↓ εx␈↓not␈α∃ giving␈α∃facilities␈α∃ grants␈α∃ any␈α∃ more,␈α∀ the
␈↓a␈α
higher␈α
rate␈α
of␈α
character␈α
writing␈α
then␈α
a␈α
special  ␈↓ εx␈↓outlook␈α∀ from␈α∀that␈α∀source␈α∀is␈α∀not␈α∀bright.␈α∀ We
␈↓character␈α
writer␈α
can␈α
be␈α
added.                 ␈↓ εx␈↓believe␈α∂that␈α∂the␈α∂University␈α∂should␈α∂pay␈α∂the␈α∞main
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓cost␈α as␈αthe␈α major␈α laboratory␈α instructional␈α and
␈↓␈↓ α(Here␈α
are␈α
the␈α
components␈α
of␈α the␈α
 proposed        ␈↓ εx␈↓research␈α
 facility␈α
of␈α
the␈α
Department.
␈↓system␈α
 and␈α
 their␈α
estimated␈α
costs:
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πXRegrettably,␈αthere␈αare␈αa␈αfew␈αcosts␈αnot␈αyet
␈↓␈↓ α(1. Integrated circuit raster memory␈↓ ¬m$73K    ␈↓ εx␈↓listed␈α∃above.␈α∀ The␈α∃major␈α∀one␈α∃is␈α∃stringing␈α∀the
␈↓␈↓ α(complete with buffer registers             ␈↓ εx␈↓cables,␈α∂and␈α∞this␈α∂has␈α∂not␈α∞yet␈α∂been␈α∂explored.␈α∞ The
␈↓␈↓ α(and power supplies,based on                ␈↓ εx␈↓cost␈αof␈α
the␈αcable␈α
itself␈αis␈α
not␈αlarge␈α
-␈α4␈α
cents␈αper
␈↓␈↓ α(prices paid by Yale and quotes             ␈↓ εx␈↓foot,␈α→but␈α→the␈α→cost␈α→of␈α→stringing␈α→it␈α~may␈α→be
␈↓␈↓ α(to M.I.T.                                  ␈↓ εx␈↓significant.␈α∂ If␈α∞we␈α∂figure␈α∞500␈α∂foot␈α∂average␈α∞cable
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓length,␈α∞we␈α∞get␈α
$20␈α∞per␈α∞terminal␈α
for␈α∞the␈α∞cable␈α
or
␈↓␈↓ α(2. Keyboards␈↓ ¬m$14K                           ␈↓ εx␈↓$1280␈α⊂altogether␈α⊂for␈α⊂the␈α⊂bare␈α⊂cost␈α⊂of␈α⊂the␈α⊂coax.
␈↓␈↓ α((70 keyboards at $200,                     ␈↓ εx␈↓The␈α
cost␈α
of␈α
the␈α
keyboard␈α
cable␈α
will␈α
be␈α
less.
␈↓␈↓ α(based on quote by Microswitch)
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πXThe␈α!AI␈α!Lab␈α!is␈α!hiring␈α"an␈α!expert
␈↓␈↓ α(3. Monitors␈↓ ¬m$14K                            ␈↓ εx␈↓programmer␈αand␈αdigital␈αengineer␈αwho␈αis␈αpresently
␈↓␈↓ α((70 monitors at $200,                      ␈↓ εx␈↓building␈α⊂a␈α⊂Yale␈α⊂type␈α⊂system␈α⊂at␈α⊂ M.I.T.␈α⊂ He␈α∂can
␈↓␈↓ α(based on quote by Ball Bros.)              ␈↓ εx␈↓help␈α
with␈α
this␈α
work,␈α
but␈α
he␈α
is␈α
not␈α
free.

␈↓␈↓ α(4. PDP-11/40 with 16K words␈↓ ¬m$20K            ␈↓ εx␈↓␈↓ πXA␈α≡recent␈α≡survey␈α≡of␈α≡offices␈α≡in␈α≥the
␈↓␈↓ α((D.E.C. published prices)                  ␈↓ εx␈↓Computer␈α~Science␈α~Department␈α~turned␈α≠up␈α~57
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓locations␈αwhere␈αterminals␈αwould␈αbe␈αwanted.␈α I␈αam
␈↓␈↓ α(5. Shift registers and                     ␈↓ εx␈↓not␈α∀sure␈α∀whether␈α∀secretaries␈α∀were␈α∀included␈α∀as
␈↓␈↓ α(control electronics␈↓ ¬z$5K                     ␈↓ εx␈↓they␈α⊂should␈α⊂be␈α⊂according␈α⊂to␈α⊂AI␈α⊃Lab␈α⊂experience.
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓This␈α∃suggests␈α∀that␈α∃a␈α∀somewhat␈α∃larger␈α∀system
␈↓␈↓ α(6. Video switch␈↓ ¬z$9K                         ␈↓ εx␈↓would␈α∀be␈α∀wanted␈α∀if␈α∀we␈α∀are␈α∀to␈α∀meet␈α∀all␈α∪CSD
␈↓␈↓ α((cost of video switch built by AI Lab)     ␈↓ εx␈↓demand␈α∂and␈α∂provide␈α∂a␈α∂substantial␈α∂terminal␈α∂room
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓(at␈α
least␈α
16␈α
terminals)␈α
for␈α
students.␈α
 Therefore,␈α
we
␈↓␈↓ α(7. Keyboard multiplexer␈↓ ¬z$8K                 ␈↓ εx␈↓recommend␈α$200K␈αas␈αthe␈αtotal␈αcost␈αof␈αthe␈αproject
                                           ␈↓ εx␈↓not␈α
counting␈α
any␈α
overheads.
␈↓␈↓ α(8. Connection to PDP-10␈↓ ¬m$15K

␈↓␈↓ α(9. Connection to the IBM 360/67␈↓ ¬m$10K
␈↓␈↓ α((in addition $300 per month rental
␈↓␈↓ α(for IBM hardware is required)

␈↓␈↓ ε+%12%*␈↓ X