Jan. 1?, 1972

QUARTERLY REPORT FOR ACME COMPUTING FACILITY
FOR STANFORD UNIVERSITY COMPUTER FACILITIES COMMITTEE

Major Events of Quarter Ending December 41, 1971

 

In November, ACME replaced 2 million bytes of IBM 8 microsecond bulk core
with Ampex 2.5 microsecond core. This change has roughly doubled the computing
capacity of the ACME System and markedly improved response time. In December
ACME replaced 466 megabytes of IBM disk storage with Ampex disk storage. The
average file access time of Ampex disk is twice as fast as the IBM hardware.
ACME's annual equipment rental costs have been increased by approximately
$10,000 as a result of these changes. IBM hardware now accounts for slightly
more than one-half of the total hardware rent for ACME.

System programming efforts in the last quarter resulted in a significant
expansion of the text editing features in the ACME System, addition of realtime
support permitting continuous data collection on the IBM 1800 disk, improved
tape handling services, dynamic array allocation, and new file protection ser-
vices. In addition, a new routine permitting plots to be run on the high speed
printer was announced and support for Loma Linda graphics terminals was provided,

In October, Gio Wiederhold was named manager of ACME User Services. Mr.
Wiederhold designed and implemented the PL/ ACME System in the period 1965 through
1968. Four introductory PL/ ACME programming courses have been conducted with
10 to 12 participants in each class.

Considerable engineering effort has been spent on design and development
of a new multiplexor which will serve as a small machine connection to ACME.
The hardware will accommodate up to 16 small machines which can serially trans-
mit data to or from ACME.

The ACME Facility Director has devoted much of his time to planning efforts
on the following topics: ACME/Campus merger; Hospital ADP/ ACME cooperation;
hardware alternatives for future ACME service; and potential computing income in
the medical community at Stanford. Active support was provided to the Division
of Cardiology on a computer training grant proposal and site review. In addition,
a large amount of support was provided to the Drug Interaction Program in order
to select hardware for exportable small systems.

Plans and New Projects to be Undertaken

In January, the ACME staff will review the pros and cons of substituting
& Memorex 1270 terminal control unit for the IBM 2702. This hardware substitu-
tion, 1f found to be technically feasible, would provide better service to ACME
users at less cost.

In February the small machine multiplexor will be mounted on the ACME
System and tested. In addition, the Systems Group will complete preliminary
design of a small machine support system. Support for the DENDRAL project will
be planned in detail during this coming quarter. DENDRAL is the spectroscopy
research project headed by Drs. Lederberg, Djerassi, and Feigenbaum. Systems

effort required for alphanumeric CRT support will be outlined.
The planning function will take progressively more time of the Facility
Director. Dr. Clayton Rich has appointed a Computer Policy Group for the Medical
Center which will consider a potential merger of Hospital Administrative Data
Processing with the ACME Computing Facility. The level and source of staff
support for this study have not been identified,

RDJ/ma