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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A MULTI-TERMINAL KEYBOARD
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AND DISPLAY SYSTEM
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	M.I.T. Project MAC and the M.I.T. Artificial
Intelligence Laboratory invite proposals for the supply of a multi-terminal
keyboard and display system.  The requirements of the system and the
criteria for evaluating proposals are given in the subsequent
sections of this request for proposals.
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The Situation
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     M.I.T. Project MAC and the M.I.T. Artificial Intelligence
Laboratory operate three PDP-10 computers and a Honeywell 645 computer
all located at 545 Technology Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The machines are all operated in time-shared mode.
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     We intend to purchase a system of keyboard and display terminals
each of which will be able to communicate with any of the computers.  Here
are some relevant facts:
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     1. There will be an initial system which will later be expanded.
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     2.  The initial system will have about 130 terminals in 545 Technology
Square.
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     3.  10 to 20 terminals elsewhere at M.I.T. may be included in the
initial system if feasible.
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     4.  In order to save money, there can be a limitation on the number
of terminals that can be active simultaneously.  Thus there may be a set
of channels and a switch that connects terminals to channels.  The number
of channels should be between 40 to 50.
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     5.  Each terminal must have a keyboard as well as a display.
The lines from the keyboards should be connected to a suitable multiplexor
which dispatches characters to the computers.
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     6.  There need nλ←oλ←tλ← be any connection between the keyboards and the
displays, and the display system need nλ←oλ←tλ← have any editing capability.
All editing will be done by programs in the PDP-10's and Multics
system.
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     7.  The display system may be controlled by a minicomputer that
can accept requests from an idle keyboard to be connected to a particular
computer but then simply passes characters from the keyboard to the computers
and display information from the computers to the displays.  Alternatively,
since initial connection is such a trivial task, it could be done by
one of the main computers, but then the task should be switchable among them
since the system should not depend on a particular main computer being
always operative.
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     8.  The display system should have both character and graphic capability.
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     9.  The memory that contains the character designs should be a
read-write memory so that additional characters can be added for
particular users.  The intent is to allow arbitrary character sets
by a suitable combination of hardware and software.
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    10.  We envisage a TV raster storage system or plasma panel system
that will permit an arbitrary dot picture on the screen and the computers
should be able to put up such pictures.  Special hardware to aid putting
up line segments may be required to reduce the load on the computers.
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    11.  The Stanford University Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
uses an analog video switch to go from channels to the terminal lines.
This permits the display of gray scale pictures and also images from
TV cameras.  This may be worth including depending on costs.
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     12.  M.I.T. may prefer to supply keyboards itself, or to supply
TV monitors in systems that use them.  Therefore, proposals should
be priced with and without these items.  In general, proposals should
be as modular as possible.
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     Before, preparing a proposal, each company should arrange a conference
with M.I.T. personnel to discuss the various tradeoffs.  Call
Professor John McCarthy at (617)253-5876 to arrange this.


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