Some ways of providing communication facilities for time-shared computing

Abstract

Since July 1965 we have been using time-shared computing services as a computing aid for technical programs at the Boulder laboratories of the National Bureau of Standards and the Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA). We proceeded slowly through the steps of first studying time-shared computing, visiting various installations, installing a terminal and using an outside service, experimenting with a variety of services, acquiring several more terminals and providing regular service, and finally acquiring our own time-shared computer. At first service was obtained from the General Electric Company in Phoenix, then in addition from System Development Corporation in Santa Monica, from IBM in Los Angeles, from Tymshare in Palo Alto, and from Com-Share in Ann Arbor. Service is now being provided by an SDS-940 time-sharing system operated by ESSA in Boulder.