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


␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓ 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
␈↓ ↓HScience␈α∩Department␈α⊃with␈α∩a␈α⊃system␈α∩of␈α⊃keyboard     ␈↓ εxdisplaying␈α↔at␈α↔least␈α↔half␈α↔a␈α↔page␈α_of␈α↔arbitrary
␈↓ ↓Hand␈α∂display␈α∂terminals␈α⊂for␈α∂use␈α∂ in␈α⊂ teaching␈α∂ and  ␈↓ εxcharacter␈α∨ sets␈α≡ and␈α∨ also␈α∨ graphics.␈α≡  The
␈↓ ↓Hresearch.␈α→  The␈α→ terminal␈α→ system␈α→ will␈α_make    ␈↓ εxcharacter␈α  sets␈α  used␈α  in␈α programming␈α and␈α
 in
␈↓ ↓Haccessible␈α∃to␈α∃department␈α∃faculty␈α∃and␈α∀graduate   ␈↓ εxmathematics␈α have␈αproliferated␈α
to␈αthe␈αpoint␈α
where
␈↓ ↓Hstudents␈α∞from␈α
their␈α∞offices␈α
the␈α∞ IBM␈α∞ 360/67␈α
 in  ␈↓ εxallowing␈α
each␈α
user␈α
to␈α
 have␈α
 whatever␈α
characters
␈↓ ↓Hthe␈α⊃ Computation␈α⊃ Center,␈α⊃ the␈α⊃ PDP-10␈α⊃in␈α⊂the    ␈↓ εxhe␈αwants␈αis␈αthe␈αonly␈αsolution␈αcompatible␈αwith␈αthe
␈↓ ↓HArtificial␈α∃Intelligence␈α∃Laboratory,␈α⊗and␈α∃through␈↓ εxgoal␈αof␈αusing␈αany␈αcomputers␈αthat␈αare␈αavailable␈αto
␈↓ ↓Hthe␈α≥PDP-10␈α≥any␈α≥computers␈α≥on␈α≥the␈α≥ARPA             ␈↓ εxour␈α
faculty␈α
and␈α
students.
␈↓ ↓Hnetwork␈α*that␈α) they␈α* may␈α* have␈α) made
␈↓ ↓Harrangements␈α
to␈α
use.␈α
 This␈α
includes,␈α∞for␈α
example,␈↓ εx␈↓ πX4.␈α∂Printing␈α∂facilities␈α∂compatible␈α∂with␈α∞the
␈↓ ↓Hthe␈α∨ILLIAC␈α 4␈α∨at␈α∨Ames␈α Research␈α∨Center.            ␈↓ εxabove␈α∨should␈α  also␈α∨be␈α∨ available␈α but␈α∨not
␈↓ ↓HConnections␈α
to␈α
 other␈α
campus␈α
computers␈α
can␈α
also  ␈↓ εxnecessarily␈α∂with␈α∞each␈α∂terminal.␈α∞ In␈α∂fact,␈α∂there␈α∞is
␈↓ ↓Hbe␈α
arranged.                                ␈↓ εxno␈α⊗present␈α⊗ way␈α⊗ of␈α⊗ making␈α↔ such␈α⊗ facilities
                                           ␈↓ εxavailable␈α to␈α each␈αterminal␈α but␈α suitable␈α public
                                           ␈↓ εxprinters␈αcan␈α
be␈αhad,␈αfor␈α
example␈αthe␈α
Xerox␈αXGP.
                                           ␈↓ εxThe␈α⊂cost␈α⊂of␈α⊂ adding␈α∂ such␈α⊂ a␈α⊂ printer␈α⊂ has␈α∂ not
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(In␈α∩our␈α∪opinion,␈α∩such␈α∩a␈α∪terminal␈α∩system           ␈↓ εxyet␈α↔ been␈α↔determined,␈α↔but␈α↔there␈α↔is␈α↔a␈α⊗strong
␈↓ ↓Htogether␈α
with␈α
suitable␈α
hard␈α
copy␈α
output␈α∞ in␈α
 the  ␈↓ εxdemand␈α∞for␈α∞it,␈α∞and␈α∞its␈α
cost␈α∞will␈α∞be␈α∞included␈α∞in␈α
a
␈↓ ↓Hmost␈α! important␈α  laboratory␈α! and␈α  teaching     ␈↓ εxfuture␈α
version␈α
of␈α
the␈α
plan.
␈↓ ↓Hfacility␈α∞ that␈α∞a␈α∞computer␈α∞science␈α∂department␈α∞can
␈↓ ↓Hhave.␈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
␈↓ ↓Hare␈α
too␈α
varied␈α
to␈α
be␈α
satisfied␈α
by␈α
any␈αone␈α
computer  ␈↓ εxcharacteristics:
␈↓ ↓Hsince␈α∀ no␈α∀ one␈α∀ computer␈α∀ will␈α∀ have␈α∀ all␈α∀ the
␈↓ ↓Hhardware␈α_and␈α_software␈α↔facilities␈α_that␈α_are␈α↔of     ␈↓ εx␈↓ πX1.␈αThe␈αdisplay␈αimage␈αfor␈αeach␈αactive␈α user
␈↓ ↓Hresearch␈α
or␈α
teaching␈α
interest.                ␈↓ εxis␈α∞ stored␈α∂ as␈α∞ a␈α∞512x512␈α∂raster␈α∞in␈α∂an␈α∞integrated
                                           ␈↓ εxcircuit␈α
read-write␈α
memory.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(The␈α
plan␈αwe␈α
are␈α
now␈αproposing␈α
is␈αbased␈α
in
␈↓ ↓Hpart␈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
␈↓ ↓HM.I.T.␈α∞in␈α
fall␈α∞1972␈α
in␈α∞support␈α
of␈α∞a␈α
plan␈α∞to␈α∞get␈α
a     ␈↓ εxmemories␈α
so␈α
that␈α
only␈α
half␈α
of␈α
the␈α
terminals␈α
can␈α
be
␈↓ ↓Hterminal␈α≤system␈α≤for␈α≤Project␈α≤MAC␈α≥and␈α≤the          ␈↓ εxactive␈α⊗simultaneously.␈α⊗ However,␈α⊗ a␈α⊗ low␈α⊗duty
␈↓ ↓HArtificial␈α
Intelligence␈α
Laboratory.␈α
 In␈α this␈α
 study,␈α⊃is␈α⊃to␈α⊃be␈α⊃expected␈α⊃if␈α⊃the␈α⊃terminals␈α⊃are␈α⊃in
                                           ␈↓ εxcycle
␈↓ ↓Hrequests␈α∃ for␈α∀ proposals␈α∃ were␈α∀sent␈α∃to␈α∀leading   ␈↓ εxoffices␈α
so␈α
this␈α
is␈α
ok.
␈↓ ↓Hfirms␈α∂in␈α∂the␈α∂display␈α∂field␈α∂and␈α∂the␈α∂ replies␈α∞ were
␈↓ ↓Hevaluated.␈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
␈↓ ↓Hto␈αbe␈αscheme␈αbeing␈αdeveloped␈αby␈αPeter␈α
Wiener␈αof    ␈↓ εxsystem␈α is␈α about␈α $500,␈αand␈α the␈α cost␈α to␈α add␈α a
␈↓ ↓HYale␈α⊂University,␈α⊂and␈α⊂our␈α∂plan␈α⊂is␈α⊂based␈α⊂ on␈α∂ the    ␈↓ εxmemory␈α_ is␈α_ about␈α↔ $2200␈α_now,␈α_but␈α_a␈α↔large
␈↓ ↓HYale␈α
scheme␈α which␈α
 is␈α also␈α
 being␈α
 followed␈α by ␈↓ εxreduction␈α⊂is␈α⊂expected␈α⊃in␈α⊂less␈α⊂than␈α⊂two␈α⊃years␈α⊂as
␈↓ ↓Hthe␈α∃ M.I.T.␈α∃ Artificial␈α∃Intelligence␈α∃ Laboratory.  ␈α∀bit␈α∀memory␈α∪chips␈α∀come␈α∀ into␈α∪ production
                                           ␈↓ εx4096
␈↓ ↓HThe␈α6 Stanford␈α7  Artificial␈α6  Intelligence     ␈↓ εxreplacing␈α∀ the␈α∀ 1024␈α∃ bit␈α∀ chips␈α∀on␈α∃which␈α∀the
␈↓ ↓HLaboratory␈α
 also␈α
hopes␈α∞to␈α
upgrade␈α
its␈α∞Data␈α
Disk   ␈↓ εxpresent␈α
prices␈α
are␈α
based.
␈↓ ↓Hdisplay␈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-
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(The␈α
goals␈αthat␈α
we␈α
want␈αto␈α
achieve␈αare␈α
the          ␈↓ εxcomputer,␈α∪say␈α∀a␈α∪PDP-11,␈α∀which␈α∪ communicates
␈↓ ↓Hfollowing:                                 ␈↓ εxwith␈αthe␈αhost␈αcomputers␈α(initially␈αthe␈αIBM␈α360/67
                                           ␈↓ εxand␈α∪the␈α∪PDP-10),␈α∪and␈α∪ writes␈α∪ characters␈α∩ and
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(1.␈α∀A␈α∀terminal␈α∃in␈α∀each␈α∀office␈α∃used␈α∀ by             ␈↓ εxpictures␈α⊗ by␈α∃ directly␈α⊗addressing␈α⊗ the␈α∃ display
␈↓ ↓Hfaculty␈α∀ and␈α∀ graduate␈α∀students.␈α∀This␈α∀requires  ␈↓ εxmemories.␈α↔ The␈α↔displays␈α⊗are␈α↔maintained␈α↔by␈α⊗a
␈↓ ↓Hvery␈α
low␈α
cost␈α
terminals.                      ␈↓ εxmemory␈α∂port␈α∂that␈α∞reads␈α∂bits␈α∂from␈α∂the␈α∞memories
                                           ␈↓ εxinto␈α≡ shift␈α≡ registers␈α≡and␈α≡ transmits␈α≡ them
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(2.␈α⊂ A␈α⊂ large␈α⊂ terminal␈α⊂ facility␈α⊂ for␈α⊂ the       ␈↓ εxtogether␈α⊂with␈α⊂synchronization␈α⊂signals␈α⊂through␈α⊂a
␈↓ ↓Huse␈α⊗of␈α∃students␈α⊗in␈α∃courses.␈α⊗About␈α⊗ half␈α∃ the      ␈↓ εxvideo␈α
switch␈α
to␈α
the␈α
displays␈α
over␈α
coaxial␈α
cable.
␈↓ ↓Hterminals␈α
 would␈α
 be␈α
 available␈α
 for␈α
 this␈α
purpose.


␈↓ ↓H␈↓ εI1␈↓ X



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

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

␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(4. PDP-11/40 with 16K words␈↓ ¬m$20K            ␈↓ εx␈↓ πXA␈α≡recent␈α≡survey␈α≡of␈α≡offices␈α≡in␈α≥the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α((D.E.C. published prices)                  ␈↓ εxComputer␈α~Science␈α~Department␈α~turned␈α≠up␈α~57
                                           ␈↓ εxlocations␈αwhere␈αterminals␈αwould␈αbe␈αwanted.␈α I␈αam
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(5. Shift registers and                     ␈↓ εxnot␈α∀sure␈α∀whether␈α∀secretaries␈α∀were␈α∀included␈α∀as
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(control electronics␈↓ ¬z$5K                     ␈↓ εxthey␈α⊂should␈α⊂be␈α⊂according␈α⊂to␈α⊂AI␈α⊃Lab␈α⊂experience.
                                           ␈↓ εxThis␈α∃suggests␈α∀that␈α∃a␈α∀somewhat␈α∃larger␈α∀system
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(6. Video switch␈↓ ¬z$9K                         ␈↓ εxwould␈α∀be␈α∀wanted␈α∀if␈α∀we␈α∀are␈α∀to␈α∀meet␈α∀all␈α∪CSD
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α((cost of video switch built by AI Lab)     ␈↓ εxdemand␈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
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(7. Keyboard multiplexer␈↓ ¬z$8K                 ␈↓ εxrecommend␈α$200K␈αas␈αthe␈αtotal␈αcost␈αof␈αthe␈αproject
                                           ␈↓ εxnot␈α
counting␈α
any␈α
overheads.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓ α(8. Connection to PDP-10␈↓ ¬m$15K

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

␈↓ ↓H␈↓ εI2␈↓ X