June 1, 1966

Dr. John Z,. Bowers
President, Macy Foundation
16 West 6th Street
New York, New York

Dear John:

I thought I should give you a little bulletin on the progress of our ACME
computer project. Enclosed is a rather detailed technical description of
wnat we have in mind to set up.

Perhaps more important is what I hone will be a temporary setback, namely
that the Study Section which reviewed our proposal got into something of an
embroil about it, anit the Council sent it back for further review. We are
having a rather extraordinary site visit in a couple cf days which seems to
represent the Council and the Administration rather than the Study Section.
On the whole I would regard this as a rather cptimistic sign. The best
provnosis is that while this does represent some delay, it is not a really
serious setback. We should know more definitely by the end of the month,

The delay almost proved to be nearly fatal to the project in one sense,
namely that IBM was at first unwilling to reschedule its delivery of th
machines we had ordered for a somewnat earlier acceptance date. However,
after considerably effort we did get a new quotation on delivery and as
things new stand, if we can clear up the funding, the machines will be in~
stalled ag of September 30 this year. Since we vere able to make consider-
able improvemen $8 in the technical configuration by the scheduling review,

this is, 1f anything, an improvement for the actual operational time table
of the systen for the Sehool of Medicine.

Our main challenge is probably the one of education and i trination, and
we are making real headway in this regard, particularly emong the clinical
departs nents. Several of them, separately and together, are organizing study
programs to see the most constructive ways in which computer support ean be

applies to pro oblens of patient care. There is much less difficulty about
this in more basic research Lines, as you might imagine, since the people in
the '

labs are already fairly well informed about the potential advantages that
erue through the use of these machines.

With regard to the technicul problems, we are msving ahead very well, and I

en sure will be in a position to put un a very fine system indeed as soon

as the mechines can be installed
June 1, 1966

Dr. John Z. Bowers
Page 2

I will write you again as soon as we have more definite word about NIH actions,
which are of course quite crucial to our further development.

With best wishes,

ed ; top 5 res
oineererly YOUrs,

Joshua Lederberg
Professor of Censetics

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