FTD User Communications Development.
Abstract
This report describes the evolution of the FTD User Communications System concept from an expanded query facility for specific FTD Scientific and Technical Information System (STIS) to a facility running on a minicomputer and supporting a range at computer-based activities, including a generalized data base and file access, text handling and report generation, calculation, simple plots and graphics, and access via direct links to programs and data on large mainframes. The User Communication System (UCS) design is based on a Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-11/70, to which are attached a number of devices, and peripherals. The report describes the development of a 'breadboard' UCS which would initially support two user workstations. Each workstation would provide an intelligent alphanumeric terminal, an interactive graphics display, a function button keyboard for the entry of User Language commands, and a cassette disk for storing personnal work files in progress. A major emphasis in the UC System was the design of a powerful, but simple and easy-to-use language. This language would adjust to the skill level of the user and would provide a unified and integrated means of executing a diversity of functions. In addition, users would be able to utilize the functional building blocks of the language to define their own functions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA070934
Entities
People
- Aimée L. Tomlinson
- J. A. Balter
- R. V. Weeks