Computer Networking and Chemistry - ACS Publications - American

4

Geologic Applications of N e t w o r k Conferencing:

Downloaded by EAST CAROLINA UNIV on January 2, 2018 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: June 1, 1975 | doi: 10.1021/bk-1975-0019.ch004

C u r r e n t E x p e r i m e n t s w i t h the

FORUM

System

JACQUES VALLEE Institute for the Future, 2740 Sand Hill Rd., Menlo Park, Calif. 94025 GERALD ASKEVOLD U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd., Menlo Park, Calif. 94025 Computer-based teleconferencing is a mode of communication which enables geographically separated users to jointly manage long-term projects, to organize "instant meetings" without the need for costly transportation, and to exchange documents and review position papers between face-to-face sessions. It thus fulfills a function quite different from that of the telephone, TELEX, electronic mail, or facsimile transmission. Since 1973, the Institute for the Future and a group within the U.S. Geological Survey have been jointly experimenting with this medium of communication. The experiments have used a family of systems--known as FORUM and PLANET--which the Institute implemented first on the ARPA network, later on a commercial network, and most recently on the Survey's own PDP-10 computer in Denver, Colorado. The experience of the Survey in using computer teleconferencing is typical of what can be anticipated when other scientific communities, such as chemists or physicists, begin to use such media, and thus provides some specific examples illustrating the design and use of these systems. The Conferencing System The basic idea of FORUM is to allow unhampered interaction of participants under the guidance of an organizer who defines a topic of discussion, assembles a panel of participants on that topic, and presents the material relevant to the subject. Each participant establishes communication with the computer network via a portable terminal with a standard typewriter keyboard. FORUM is able to convey questions and answers, assemble group opinions, protect anonymous statements, and supply other information to, and within, the group while the organizer monitors the proceedings and intervenes as necessary. In order to illustrate the nature of the interaction made possible by FORUM, i t is appropriate to imagine a hypothetical discussion among a group of experts on the subject of the projected availability of mineral and energy resources in the period 53 Lykos; Computer Networking and Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1975.


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1980-1990. The p a r t i c i p a n t s are about 20 i n number. Among them are planners, economists, g e o l o g i s t s , and petroleum experts. Two are s p e c i a l i s t s i n computerized data bases. In a d d i t i o n , there might be r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s from power and u t i l i t y companies and the p r e s i d e n t o f a mining c o r p o r a t i o n . The o r g a n i z e r o f the conference has experience i n d e a l i n g with groups and i s f a m i l i a r with the v a r i o u s techniques which can be brought t o bear on the e l i c i t a t i o n o f f o r e c a s t s and i n t u i t i v e judgments i n areas o f high technology. This h y p o t h e t i c a l conference d i f f e r s from the usual workshop i n t h a t the p a r t i c i p a n t s are not meeting f a c e - t o - f a c e . Instead, they are g e o g r a p h i c a l l y separated and use a v a r i e t y o f communicat i o n media. Some are s i t t i n g around a t e r m i n a l i n a Washington, D.C., o f f i c e b u i l d i n g . A g e o l o g i s t i s i n the computer room o f the Branch o f Computations o f the U.S. G e o l o g i c a l Survey i n Denver. One o f the economists i s i n h i s o f f i c e a t Stanford Univ e r s i t y . Another one may be s i t t i n g i n h i s study a t home i n New J e r s e y o r i n London, f o r t h a t matter. (These experts are i n telephone communication with a c e n t r a l operator who can i n s t a n t l y advise them o f the s t a t u s o f the conference, o f the progress o f work done i n subcommittees, or o f the reasons f o r any p a r t i c u l a r d i f f i c u l t y o r delay.) The substantive p a r t o f the i n t e r a c t i o n takes p l a c e through e n t r i e s typed on standard t e r m i n a l s . A l l o f the terminals are connected t o the network and are c o n t r o l l e d by a computer. The c e n t r a l problem o f implementing such a computer conferencing system c l e a r l y reduces t o that o f i d e n t i f y i n g , d e f i n i n g , and implementing a range o f s t r u c t u r e s under which the p a r t i c i pants are able t o share i n f o r m a t i o n and enter comments i n t o a common computer-storage file. The implementation o f a system l i k e FORUM r a i s e s unusual problems o f design: a group o f experts o r decision-makers typi c a l l y does not have much knowledge o f , o r i n t e r e s t i n , computer technology p e r se. There i s no opportunity t o t r a i n them i n the use o f a t e x t - o r i e n t e d language before the conference. And i t i s not f e a s i b l e t o ask them to i n t e r f a c e with t h e i r peers through information s p e c i a l i s t s because each p a r t i c i p a n t has a unique awareness o f the problem a t hand and needs t o experience d i r e c t contact with h i s data and with other p a r t i c i p a n t s i n order t o perform a t the " c u t t i n g edge" o f h i s t h i n k i n g . When a group o f conferees communicates v i a FORUM, each part i c i p a n t uses a t e r m i n a l o f the type t h a t can be rented f o r $150 a month o r l e s s . Once the t e r m i n a l has been logged i n t o the network, the user i s presented with a l i s t o f d i s c u s s i o n s which he can attend ( j u s t as he would i f he were t o walk i n t o the lobby o f a convention center t o review the day s program). Having s e l e c t ed an a c t i v i t y , the conferee i s given a s h o r t background s t a t e ment d e s c r i b i n g the a c t i v i t y . He i s then free t o observe the ongoing d i s c u s s i o n , t o review p a s t comments entered i n t o the conference, o r t o s t a r t t y p i n g h i s own remarks. A t any p o i n t d u r i n g 1

Lykos; Computer Networking and Chemistry ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1975.


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the d i s c u s s i o n , a conferee can send a p r i v a t e message t o another p a r t i c i p a n t or make an anonymous entry. A l l of these communicat i o n modes can be entered without the p a r t i c i p a n t ' s having t o l e a r n a s i n g l e command, thus avoiding a major problem o f most i n t e r a c t i v e systems i n existence; namely, t h a t system commands get i n the way o f the person who types and c l u t t e r the t r a n s c r i p t with extraneous l i n e s that only have meaning f o r the machine. An important f a c e t o f FORUM conferences l i e s i n the ease with which the p a r t i c i p a n t s have access t o s e r v i c e s outside o f the d i s c u s s i o n i t s e l f : they can, f o r i n s t a n c e , submit a prepared statement t o the r e s t o f the group o r i n s e r t p a r t s o f the d i s c u s s i o n i n t o a personal f i l e . They can a l s o draw responses from a data-base system and enter them i n t o the general d i s c u s s i o n . C l e a r l y , the l e v e l o f i n t e r a c t i o n thus reached i s one not found i n f a c e - t o - f a c e meetings where experts are c u t o f f from t h e i r f i l e s and personal notes. The i n i t i a l tasks i n the FORUM p r o j e c t i n c l u d e d an a n a l y s i s o f the a v a i l a b l e resources and a review o f the e x i s t i n g t e r m i n a l technology i n terms o f character s e t , p l o t t i n g symbols, s i z e of frame, speed o f p r e s e n t a t i o n , and i n t e r f a c e standards. A decis i o n i n v o l v i n g the programming language t o be used had t o be made e a r l y ; a f t e r e x p l o r a t i o n o f the languages a v a i l a b l e on the PDP-10 under the ΤΕΝΕΧ o p e r a t i n g system, we r e l u c t a n t l y concluded t h a t assembly language was the only s u i t a b l e medium t o g a i n access t o shared f i l e s and t o c o n t r o l terminal behavior, both functions being c r i t i c a l t o our g o a l . A d d i t i o n a l requirements were speed and low c e n t r a l - p r o c e s s o r u t i l i z a t i o n . A c t u a l development o f the conferencing program proceeded through a s e r i e s o f stages i d e n t i f i e d as " r e l e a s e s . " Release 5 (FORUM-5) was thé f i r s t v e r s i o n t h a t could conveniently support heavy usage by r e a l - w o r l d p a r t i c i p a n t s . The code had been modif i e d t o make the e n t i r e program sharable. Performance measurements showed i t s c e n t r a l - p r o c e s s o r u t i l i z a t i o n r a t i o t o be e x c e l l e n t (one minute o f CPU time f o r two hours o f synchronous d i s c u s s i o n p e r p a r t i c i p a n t ) . Most command-language features became a v a i l a b l e t o the user w i t h i n the d i s c u s s i o n i t s e l f , and use o f c o n t r o l characters was p r a c t i c a l l y e l i m i n a t e d . The a b i l i t y t o r e t r i e v e and d i s p l a y past e n t r i e s by date, name, content, and range was made a v a i l a b l e . Network-wide d i s c u s s i o n s were conducted r o u t i n e l y and i n c l u d e d such t o p i c s as the design o f advanced t e l e c o n f e r e n c i n g systems, the transportation/communicat i o n t r a d e o f f s , and i n i t i a l exchanges o f research information with the Communications Study Group i n London. F0RUM-6, which was introduced on an experimental b a s i s i n August 1974 and was t e s t e d u n t i l December 1974, features a s i n g l e , i n t e g r a t e d command language, a g e n e r a l i z a t i o n o f the concept o f a conference t o make j o i n t authorship and other management tasks p o s s i b l e , and a scheme f o r handling p r i v a t e messages i n a persona l user f i l e r a t h e r than as p a r t o f the main d i s c u s s i o n . In October 1974, the I n s t i t u t e converted the FORUM program


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to a commercial network. This r e l e a s e i s t a i l o r e d e s p e c i a l l y t o the business environment and i s known as PLANET-1.


Approach t o E v a l u a t i o n The I n s t i t u t e ' s approach t o e v a l u a t i o n has been founded on the concept o f computer conferencing as a means o f communication. The c r i t e r i a f o r e v a l u a t i o n o f a medium o f communication t y p i c a l l y i n v o l v e comparison with other media. And s i n c e the medium most f a m i l i a r to the m a j o r i t y o f us i s f a c e - t o - f a c e communication, there i s a tendency f o r i t t o become the standard o f judgment. One needs to e x h i b i t great care i n such comparisons because t e l e communications media are not n e c e s s a r i l y surrogates f o r f a c e - t o face p a t t e r n s . I t seems more l i k e l y that each medium has its own inherent characteristics which should not be expected to mimic f a c e - t o - f a c e p a t t e r n s . A t the same time, computer-based systems are too o f t e n evaluated and analyzed s o l e l y i n t h e i r own terms. In the case o f FORUM, we have sought t o r e l a t e observations o f the medium t o an e x t e r n a l s t a n d a r d — o n e which can apply t o many m e d i a — a s much as f e a s i b l e . In t u r n i n g t o the l i t e r a t u r e o f group communication, however, we do not r e a d i l y d i s c o v e r general p r i n c i p l e s o r procedures which are e a s i l y adopted as "standard." C e r t a i n l y the l i t e r a t u r e o f group process i s broad and p r o v o c a t i v e , and the p o t e n t i a l f o r r e l a t i n g group process research t o communication research i s r e a l , though complicated by many f a c t o r s . In designing our r e s e a r c h , we have sought t o answer two sets of q u e s t i o n s : 1.

What are the o p e r a t i o n a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f FORUM as a communications medium? What are the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o c i a l p a t t e r n s o f FORUM communication, and how might these be a l t e r e d ?

2.

What are the l i k e l y s o c i a l e f f e c t s o f communicating v i a FORUM on the i n d i v i d u a l and on the group? How can these s o c i a l e f f e c t s be measured? How can FORUM be compared to other media?

To answer the f i r s t s e t o f questions, we have devised a method f o r p l o t t i n g c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o c i a l patterns and f o r analyzi n g the r e s u l t i n g graphs. A sample o f t h i s graph appears i n F i g u r e 1. In the second s e t o f questions, the problem o f comparison with other media has l e d t o a search f o r a general taxonomy—that i s , a comprehensive c l a s s i f i c a t i o n system f o r elements o f group communication—which could be employed across media i n various group communications s i t u a t i o n s . The e x i s t i n g taxonomies o f group process are p r i m a r i l y o r i ented toward communication between two persons (dyadic


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communication). Even though a number o f experiments have been c a t e g o r i z e d as "group" communication, most of these have d e a l t with the i n t e r c o n n e c t i o n o f two f a c e - t o - f a c e groups ( i . e . , an i n d i v i d u a l i n f a c e - t o - f a c e contact with h i s own group and i n cont a c t v i a e l e c t r o n i c media with a s i n g l e d i s t a n t group). Extrapol a t i o n from dyadic p a t t e r n s t o group p a t t e r n s , however, i s quest i o n a b l e . The p r i n c i p l e s simply cannot be assumed t o be t r a n s ferable . In our i n i t i a l attempt to c o n s t r u c t a taxonomy, we have not t r e a t e d the dynamic aspects o f the communication, but have conc e n t r a t e d i n s t e a d on the elements i n a communication s i t u a t i o n before the i n t e r p e r s o n a l process begins. Our f i r s t , p a r t i a l taxonomy has thus been arranged to suggest a v a r i e d weighting among f i v e key factors—medium, task, r u l e s , person, and group—none o f which w i l l be completely d i s c r e t e . For i n s t a n c e , i f members of a given group have a very high need t o communicate, they are more l i k e l y t o make appropriate e f f o r t s to g a i n access to any medium, even i f i t i s d i f f i c u l t to use or u n f a m i l i a r t o them. Conversely, f a m i l i a r i t y with a p a r t i c u l a r medium i s l i k e l y to be a very imp o r t a n t f a c t o r i n the choice o f t h a t medium f o r p r a c t i c a l communication . The p r e l i m i n a r y r e s u l t s o f t h i s s o c i a l e v a l u a t i o n o f comput e r conferencing are presented i n Group Communication through Computers, Volume 2: A Study of Social Effects. More d e f i n i t i v e r e s u l t s are forthcoming. Review of Some E a r l y Experiments

with the U.S.G.S.

The Survey's i n t e r e s t i n c r e a t i n g and u s i n g data bases prompted us to begin our experiments by l i n k i n g mineral resource experts i n Washington, Denver, and Menlo Park i n t e l e c o n f e r e n c e s d i s c u s s i n g the present and f u t u r e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f f o s s i l f u e l and other commodities. Two data-base systems were a v a i l a b l e o n l i n e to the p a r t i c i p a n t s ; one of them was a data base o f petroleum reserves which was on the INFONET network, and the other was a catalogue o f Alaskan mineral resources s t o r e d i n the Stanford computer. (Transfer o f i n f o r m a t i o n i n and out o f the conference was achieved simply by having two s i t e s operate two t e r m i n a l s , one f o r the conference and one f o r the r e t r i e v a l system.) The t e l e c o n f e r e n c i n g system f o r these experiments was an e a r l y v e r s i o n of the FORUM system on the ARPA network. Although the d e t a i l s of the p r o j e c t have been reported elsewhere (1), i t i s u s e f u l t o review b r i e f l y i t s c o n c l u s i o n s , which encouraged us to enlarge the scope o f our j o i n t experimentation: 1.

The major advantage o f computer conferencing f o r these a p p l i c a t i o n s i s the a b i l i t y t o introduce human judgment at a new l e v e l i n an i n f o r m a t i o n system, l i n k i n g together not only users and sources o f data but i n f o r m a t i o n experts as w e l l .



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2.

In computer conferencing s i t u a t i o n s , group leaders can o b t a i n more d e l i b e r a t e answers to s p e c i f i c t e c h n i c a l questions, backed up by f a c t s and with l e s s delay. Both questions and answers are captured on r e c o r d and can l a t e r be reviewed.

3.

Computer conferencing appears to be e s p e c i a l l y u s e f u l i n c o o r d i n a t i n g t e c h n i c a l p r o j e c t s , when p a r t i c i p a n t s are widely disseminated (or t r a v e l i n g e x t e n s i v e l y ) and have a c o n t i n u i n g need f o r r e p o r t i n g and s h a r i n g notes.

4.

Users o f the medium have reported an a b i l i t y to d e a l with a l a r g e r amount of information more e f f i c i e n t l y than through the use of conventional media, such as m a i l and the telephone.

On the negative s i d e , a major drawback of the e a r l y system was the u n r e l i a b i l i t y of the experimental computer network we were u s i n g . Access was l i m i t e d , and frequent hardware f a i l u r e s made " r e a l " work a l l but impossible. In response to t h i s problem, we i n i t i a t e d two new approaches; namely, reimplementation of an advanced v e r s i o n of FORUM on the Survey's own hardware and research on the f e a s i b i l i t y o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l conferences using a commercial network. The FORUM System a t the U.S.G.S.:

Some I n i t i a l A p p l i c a t i o n s

During February and March 1975, a dedicated v e r s i o n of FORUM was mounted on the Survey's own PDP-10 computer i n Denver. T h i s i n s t a l l a t i o n marked the f i r s t instance i n which an advanced t e l e conferencing system had been completely turned over to an operat i o n a l group. Figure 2 shows a t y p i c a l entry process f o r a FORUM a c t i v i t y . C u r r e n t l y a v a i l a b l e conferences are presented as a m u l t i p l e choice l i s t f o r the p a r t i c i p a n t s . Once a conference has been s e l e c t e d , the agenda i s reviewed. In t h i s example, the user (Askevold) was up-to-date i n both p a r t s of the d i s c u s s i o n . He went to p a r t 1 and requested a l i s t i n g o f the e n t r i e s made so far. Three e n t r i e s were found (Figure 3). At t h i s p o i n t , another user (Betsy Yount) j o i n e d the d i s c u s s i o n from her own t e r minal, and p r i v a t e messages were exchanged (Figure 4 ) . Such messages are not r e t r i e v a b l e . Moving to the second p a r t of the conference, the user again reviewed the t r a n s c r i p t from Menlo Park and added an entry r e questing t h a t a f i l e of mineral i n f o r m a t i o n be loaded i n t o d i s k storage i n Denver (Figure 5). The data base systems under d i s cussion i n t h i s conference d e a l with the chemical analyses o f rock samples. An i n t e r a c t i v e storage and r e t r i e v a l system named GRASP (developed by Botbol and Bowen o f the U.S.G.S.) i s used f o r general g e o l o g i c a p p l i c a t i o n s (Figure 6 ) .


COMPUTER

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(To FORUM) - REVIEW ( e n t r i e s ) a l l [1] A s k e v o l d ( O r g ) 1 5 - A p r - 7 5 9:23 AM The p u r p o s e o f t h i s a c t i v i t y i s t o g e t some i n f o r m a t i o n o n RASS w h i c h I d o n ' t h a v e , b u t n e e d p r i o r t o my d e p a r t u r e t o E u r o p e t o m o r r o w . I w i l l be s i t t i n g i n o n a m e e t i n g o f a n a d h o c Working Group o n Rock C h e m i c a l Data a t t h e UNESCO h e a d q u a r t e r s i n P a r i s o n A p r i l 29 a n d 30 a n d w o u l d l i k e t o c o n t r i b u t e s o m e t h i n g o n w h a t RASS i s a l l a b o u t , how i t i s u s e d , a n d t h e r o l e GRASP m i g h t h a v e ( a s R o g e r a n d J o e e n v i s i o n i t ) . [2] A s k e v o l d ( O r g ) 1 5 " A p r - 7 5 9:30 AM In p a r t 2 I h a v e l i s t e d my u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f how I s h o u l d a r r a n g e t o p u l l o f f a n A l a s k a s u b s e t o f t h e f i l e a s w e l l a s how t o a c c e s s w h a t i s c u r r e n t l y a v a i l a b l e f o r t e s t i n g ; I w o u l d a p p r e c i a t e c o n f i r m a t i o n f r o m someone o n t h i s a l o n g w i t h a n y t h i n g e l s e t h a t m i g h t be h e l p f u l . [3]

Askevold

Joe,

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(Org)

1 5 " A p r - 7 5 9:32 AM (that you authored);

could you

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3 e n t r i e s were

found.

Figure 3.

Reviewing the conference transcript


VALLÉE

Geologic

A N D ASKEVOLD

Applications

(To FORUM) - STATUS ( o f p a r t i c i p a n t s ) Name Askevold Bowen Botbol Yount

L a s t Time E n t e r e d 15-Apr-75 3:^9 PM 15~Apr-75 6:25 AM Never e n t e r e d 15-Apr-75 3:36 PM

L a s t E n t r y Seen 6 4 6

(To FORUM) You

a r e now back i n t h e d i s c u s s i o n .


(To Y o u n t ) - B e t s y , maybe y o u c a n g i v e me some o f t h e h e a v i e s t u s e r s o f RASS h e r e i n - M e n l o P a r k f o r f u t u r e r e f e r e n c e , and some o f t h e p r o b l e m s t h e y r u n i n t o - by h a v i n g t o o p e r a t e i n a b a t c h mode, and how g o i n g o n l i n e m i g h t s o l v e - some o f t h e s e p r o b l e m s . [7] Yount Some o f t h e h e a v i e s t u s e r s o f RASS h e r e i n Menlo P a r k a r e : t h e people a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e w i l d e r n e s s programs and t h e PAMRAP p e o p l e . The p e o p l e a s s o c i a t e d w i t h PAMRAP have no p r o b l e m s , o r r a t h e r , few p r o b l e m s i n u s i n g RASS b e c a u s e e a c h q u a d r a n g l e h a s a Denver r e s e a r c h c h e m i s t w o r k i n g w i t h t h e team l e a d e r a n d t h e y a r e t h e RASS i n t e r f a c e . Anyone e l s e w a n t i n g t o use RASS d a t a w h i c h t h e y have c o n t r i b u t e d t o — b y t h a t I mean t h e a n a l y t i c a l r e s u l t s o f t h e i r own s a m p l e s — h a s d i f f i c u l t y g e t t i n g t h e d a t a i n . (To Y o u n t ) -That's g r e a t , Betsy, thanks a l o t .

Figure 4.

Fragments of a synchronous discussion with private and public messages

(To FORUM) - GO ( t o p a r t ) 2 Part 2 I n s t r u c t i o n s on How t o A c c e s s

RASS R e m o t e l y

( U s i n g GRASP)

You a r e up t o d a t e . (To FORUM) - Review ( e n t r i e s ) a l 1 [ I ] A s k e v o l d ( O r g ) 15~Apr-75 9 : 3 3 AM My i n s t r u c t i o n t o t e s t GRASP on RASS i s t o : Run IRIS f r o m t h e Denver mac h i n e ; how l o n g w i l l t h i s be a v a i l a b l e ? I g o t i n t o i t o n c e , a n d have t o go b a c k t o t h e s e a r c h e x a m p l e s Roger s e n t me t o c o m p l e t e a v a l i d t e s t . [2] A s k e v o l d (Org) 15~Apr-75 9 : 3 6 AM The d a t a s e t s f o r ALASKA a r e : FI0RD.DAT, NEBESN.DAT, and YUKON.DAT. are protected.

They

[3] A s k e v o l d (Org) 15~Apr-75 9 : ^ 0 AM I am t o go i n t o SYS F a n d r e q u e s t MOUNT T 6 5 8 , c o r r e c t ? T h i s s h o u l d be f o r a few m i n u t e s . S h o u l d have two d i s c s mounted. I'm n o t r e a l l y s u r e I have a l l t h i s r i g h t , s o p l e a s e c o n f i r m . 3 e n t r i e s were

found.

(To FORUM) You a r e now b a c k i n t h e d i s c u s s i o n . [k] Askevold (Org) - R o g e r , c o u l d y o u p l e a s e do t h e above s o t h a t t h i s f i l e c o u l d be r e a d - o n t o t h e d i s c s p a c e t h a t Mony has s e t a s i d e f o r me, and g e t i t o f f h i s - hands? You may have t o g e t i n t o u c h w i t h h i m t o g e t e v e r y t h i n g - straight.

Figure 5.

Sample transcript with request for a file of mineral information


COMPUTER

NETWORKING

AND

CHEMISTRY


? While may

in

the a c t i v i t y

you

can

type

an

entry

at

any

time.

To e d i t ,

you

type: Control

A to

delete

the

last

character

Control

W to

delete

the

last

word

last

line

Control

Q to

delete

the

Control

X to

delete

the whole

you

typed

entry

I η add i t i o n ,

To

Control

R will

retype

the

last

Control

S will

retype

the

entire

end

You

the

can

thesis

send "(",

message. vate (To -

entry, a

strike

private

followed

You can

message

to

also

FORUM

the c a r r i a g e

message

by

line

his gain

as

corrected

message

as

return

(CR)

to

a

participant

name,

a

carriage

access

itself

or

to

typing

special a

key

by

twice.

typing

r e t u r n , and services

[CTRL]

a

left

then

by

paren

your

sending

a

pri

F.

FORUM)

?

The

FORUM GO

services

(to

listed

below a r e

available

to

part)

you: FEEDBACK

QUIT

JOIN

(entries)

(activity)

REVIEW

(entries)

STATUS

REVIEW

(entries)

ADD

STATUS

(of

REVISE

(contents)

DELETE

(entries)

SAVE

participants)

(entries)

SUBMIT ASK If

corrected

(file)

(the

you

do

not

return

to

the

ERASE

following wish

to

(of

participants)

(participant)

(activity)

question)

use

any

of

these

services,

strike

the

CR

key

to

discussion.

Figure 6.

General user instructions amilable outline


4.

VALLÉE

AND

ASKEVOLD

Geologic

Applications

63


The a b i l i t y present i n FORUM to e l i c i t o n l i n e votes and t o feedback p r o b a b i l i t y d i s t r i b u t i o n s r e f l e c t i n g group judgment i n s i t u a t i o n s i n v o l v i n g reserve estimates o r e x p l o r a t i o n d e c i s i o n s represents a new dimension i n the use of i n f o r m a t i o n systems. These and other user options are r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e t o any p a r t i c i p a n t i n a FORUM conference. The system i s self-documenting, so t h a t a p a r t i c i p a n t can type a question mark, e i t h e r during the d i s c u s s i o n or i n the FORUM s e r v i c e s mode, to r e c e i v e a l i s t of options a v a i l a b l e at t h a t p o i n t . F u r t h e r documentation i s provided when s p e c i f i c s e r v i c e s are requested. Figure 6 shows two general overviews o f the communication or r e t r i e v a l options a v a i l a b l e to the FORUM user. I n t e r n a t i o n a l Networking During 1974, we began moving the computer conferencing concept "out o f the l a b o r a t o r y " by implementing a conferencing program on a commercial timesharing network. The name o f t h i s new program i s PLANET, r e f l e c t i n g the major emphasis on j o i n t p l a n ning among disseminated user groups. At t h i s w r i t i n g , the PLANET system has been o p e r a t i o n a l f o r seven months. I t i s used by educ a t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s i n France and i n the United States i n the c o o r d i n a t i o n o f j o i n t computing p r o j e c t s . We have a l s o had exp e r i e n c e with s e v e r a l a c t u a l "conferences" i n which p a r t i c i p a n t s made e n t r i e s through remote terminals over a two- o r three-week p e r i o d i n s t e a d of t r a v e l i n g to a c e n t r a l l o c a t i o n ; f o r such conferences, we have observed a c o s t r e d u c t i o n o f 50 to 60 percent over s i m i l a r f a c e - t o - f a c e conferences. Since A p r i l 1975, we have been h o l d i n g a continuous computer conference, intended as a computing experiment among members o f the COGEODATA community i n North America and Western Europe. F i g u r e 7 i l l u s t r a t e s the nature of the dialogue i n t h i s conference. The reader w i l l note from the time stamps t h a t some ent r i e s were made while a user was "alone" i n the conference, but others were "synchronous" (entries 20 to 28) with users i n P a r i s and i n Menlo Park p a r t i c i p a t i n g a t the same time. Conclusion In t h i s paper, we have d e s c r i b e d two communication systems i n c u r r e n t use by a s c i e n t i f i c community s h a r i n g geochemical and geol o g i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n . The f i r s t system, named FORUM, i s running on the computer of the U.S.G*S. i n Denver. The second system, named PLANET, i s a v a i l a b l e to commercial and e d u c a t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s on an i n t e r n a t i o n a l network. Such systems represent a s i g n i f i c a n t t o o l f o r the management o f j o i n t p r o j e c t s among disseminated groups. They make p o s s i b l e a r e d u c t i o n i n t r a v e l costs while promoting t i m e l y and accurate exchange o f data. They a l s o represent an a l t e r n a t i v e means o f p u b l i c a t i o n and a powerful medium f o r the dissemination o f s c i e n t i f i c i d e a s .


64

COMPUTER

[13] •

V a l l e e

Y o u r

t r i p

t e l e p h o n e s •

f r o m be

t o

b e

t o

t i m e .

t h e W o r l d

AND

CHEMISTRY

1:39 P M

o f f

a r e t h e w o r s t

t i m e

a t

22-Apr-75

seems

NETWORKING

t o

A l s o ,

F u t u r e

a

v e r y

p r o b l e m

g o o d

i n

B o b J o h a n s e n

S o c i e t y

i n

s t a r t .

E u r o p e ,

Y o u w i l l

b u t w e h o p e

w o u l d

l i k e

t o

p r o b a b l y t o

know

h e a r i f

f i n d

f r o m

t h a t

y o u

y o u e x p e c t

t o

J u n e ?

• [14] •

Y o u n t

G e r r y ,

I

h o w e v e r , •

R o g e r


be

•

T h a d

u n t i l

s o o n

w i t h

p h o n e d

f o r

a r e g o i n g

o u r

a s

y o u r

B r u c e

•

y o u

•

T h a n k s

a

t h a n

MODEM.

i n

a n d l e t y o u know

g e t

[15]

b a c k ,

I

w i l l

A s k e v o l d

a

PM

i s

n o t

t h e a c c o u n t

n o w a r r a n g e d . a l r e a d y

h e r e .

3:30

I

a n d k e y w o r d

w i l l

PM h e r e .

O n e q u e s t i o n

f e e l i n g

i s

g e t t i n g

t h a t

more

w r i t e

( O r g )

b u t i s

i n f o r m a t i o n ;

n o t b e

a b l e

t o

I

t h a t

t h a t

h o p e

p h o n e w i l l

p u r p o s e s .

B r u c e ' s

i n t e r e s t

•

i t

s m o o t h l y

S t a n f o r d .

c o n f i r m

3 : 2 1

m a n u a l

a n d a l l

t o m o r r o w ,

e n o u g h

T h i n g s •

22-Apr-75

h a d t h e P L A N E T

a b o u t a

W i l l

A p p e a r s

t o

s e r v i c e . I f

h e r e I

w i l l

a n y t h i n g

r e g a r d i n g

s h o u l d

w r i t e

c h e c k

n e e d s

t o

c o n n e c t i o n a

memo

t o

f u r t h e r

w i t h

b e

b e f o r e

d o n e

f o r y o u .

9 : M

k e e p

b e

h a s a r i s e n

s o m e o n e

i t .

memo

23~Apr-75

l o t , J a c q u e s .

t h a t

A M

t h i s

g o i n g

s h o r t .

A m u s i n g

a

c o u p l e r

n o w

r a t h e r

o k a y .

• [16] •

A s k e v o l d

P l e a s e do

w i t h

a

• F O R U M , • [ 1 7 ]

•

b u t

• a n d

•

•

t h e r e I

g e t

t h a n k s ,

o n e

r e q u e s t

f o r m a l l y

p r e f e r

me t o

( w h i c h

a t t e n d

I

w i l l

w i t h

i t .

a

l i n e

f o r

h i g h e r

s p e e d

w o r k

w i t h

d o s o .

9 : 4 8 A M

w e n t

v e r y

e f f o r t .

w i t h

h i m more

c a n s e e f o r

i n , p l e a s e

e v e r y o n e ,

t o u c h

t o

w a y h e

d e f i n i t e l y

f o r m a l l y

s t u d y

a

9 : 4 7 A M

23-Apr-75

good

i n

i s

w o u l d

e v e r y t h i n g

a

Many t o

w e l l — b e y o n d

W i l l

t r y

t o

a n d t h e p e o p l e

R o g e r

B o w e n .

e x p e c t a t i o n s — i n

come

h e r e

W i l l

f i l l

y o u r

p a s t

i n

f r o m

a n d a t h i m i n

L o n d o n ,

P a ri s . . .

A T L A S a s

a r e

s o o n

a s

l e a v e

v e r y I

g e t

b a c k .

[ 1 9 ]

Bowen

G e r a l d — I •

( O r g )

l i k e

9 : 4 5 A M r e s p o n d i n g

2 3 " A p r - 7 5

We s h o u l d

r e p o r t

t o m o r r o w . a n x i o u s

i f

n o t

y o u c a n s h o o t

A s k e v o l d

l o o k s

b u t

( O r g )

I f

t o

23~Apr-75 B o b f o r

p h y s i c a l l y ,

B e t s y .

P l e a s e d

•

n o t

t h e C R T ' s .

[ 1 8 ]

t o

l e t t e r ) ,

A s k e v o l d

T h a n k s , •

( O r g )

a p o l o g i z e

t h a t

2 4 - A p r - 7 5

h a v e

t h e

y o u d i d n ' t

9 : 4 3A M

i m p r e s s i o n

g e t

t h e

i n f o

f r o m i n

r e a d i n g

t i m e

s o

I

a m g o i n g

t o

e n t r i e s

i n

FORUM

r e p e a t

i t

h e r e

( D e n v e r ) j u s t

c a s e .

• •

For RASS d a t a , t h e s y s t e m h a s b e e n r e n a m e d t h e s y s t e m , y o u a c c e s s IRIS b y : RUN I R I S ,

•

T h e r e

•

•

•

a r e 5

d a t a

s e t s

u p .

T h e y

a r e a s

(1)

RASS1

-

A n

i n i t i a l

d a t a

s e t f r o m

(2)

A L S K A

-

A l l A l a s k a

RASS

d a t a

(3)

YUKON

-

D a t a

f r o m

t h e Y u k o n

NABSN

-

D a t a

f r o m

t h e N a b e s n a

( 5 )

FIORD

-

D a t a

f r o m

t h e F i o r d

Figure 7.

O n c e y o u a r e l o g g e d ( f o l l o w e d b y C R )

f o l l o w s :

J e s s i e

(7000

(4)

I R I S . e t c .

r e g i o n

(>3000

r e g i o n

r e g i o n

W h i t l o w .

r e c s )

(

Computer Networking and Chemistry - ACS Publications - American

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