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C00002 00002 HOW TO GET A LOTS TERMINAL IN A STANFORD DEPARTMENT
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HOW TO GET A LOTS TERMINAL IN A STANFORD DEPARTMENT
This memo describes how Stanford departments can purchase
terminals and printers and connect them to the LOTS computer system
for instructional and unsponsored research use.
The LOTS (Low Overhead Time-Sharing System) computer system
is now doing most instructional computing and should be doing almost
all of it by Fall 1977. It is also doing a substantial amount of
unsponsored research computing.
In connection with instructional computing, LOTS facilities are also
available for the preparation of class materials. This is particularly
convenient for materials that have to be updated from quarter to quarter,
because if the documents are kept in the computer file system, only
the changes need be typed.
At present LOTS can be used at the SCRDT building or remotely
over telephone lines. Most of the present remote use is with 30
character per second printing terminals, but some of it is with
display terminals like those at SCRDT. Before fall quarter, there
will be two additional terminal rooms - one in the new Terman Engineering
Building and the other in Cedar Hall. Terman will have between 24 and
32 terminals and Cedar will have between 8 and 12 depending on usage.
Each terminal room will also have a Printronix line printer for hard
copy output. This printer can also print graphs and pictures.
While many faculty have used the facilities at SCRDT, we believe
that faculty use of LOTS in connection with courses and for unsponsored
research will be facilitated by terminals in departments.
Having line printers in departments will also facilitate the preparation
and updating of course material as well as unsponsored research usage.
The terminal used at LOTS, and which we recommend to departments, costs
about α$850 as a kit (Students will assemble them for about α$50.) or
about xxx assembled. In addition, a modem (modulator-demodulator) is
required at each end of the line which costs about α$300.
Usually an ordinary telephone line will suffice, but if the usage is
heavy enough, it may be better to rent a private line from the Telephone
Company. The Printronix printer costs about α$5000 and requires a private
line with modems at each end.
Certain other terminals, including the common 30 character per second
printing terminals can also communicate with LOTS over telephone lines.
Since LOTS uses ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange)
and not IBM's EBCDC, not all SCIP terminals can communicate with LOTS, but
some can.
Terminals and printers in departments will not be provided out
of the LOTS budget. Therefore, individuals, departments and schools must
consider the acquisition of terminals in competition with other uses
for their money. Nevertheless, we believe that in many cases, terminals
in departments will be found a cost-effective aid to achieving educational
and research goals.
LOTS does support terminals and printers in departments
by connecting them at the computer end and by providing advice on
purchase, installation and maintenance. Call the LOTS manager Ralph
Gorin at 7-1360 for this help.
RECOMMENDED TERMINAL
LOTS currently recommends the Lear-Siegler ADM3A terminal,
and Stanford as an agreement with the distributor to get them
at a discount. We recommend the following options:
.......
RECOMMENDED MODEM
RECOMMENDED PRINTER