Like many large companies, Ames relies very much on its computing power to get work done. And, like many other large companies, finding the IBM PC a reliable tool, Ames uses it for many of the same types of functions as other companies. Presentation and clarification needs demand much of graphics packages. Programming and text editing needs require simpler, more-powerful packages. The storage space needed by NASA's scientists and users for the monumental amounts of data that Ames needs to keep demand the best database packages that are large and easy to use. Availability to the Micom Switching Network combines the powers of the IBM PC with the capabilities of other computers and mainframes and allows users to communicate electronically. These four primary capabilities of the PC are vital to the needs of NASA's users and help to continue and support the vast amounts of work done by the NASA employees

Peredo, James P.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

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James P. Peredo 
At NASA Ames, the IBM PC has penetrated the computer user's world. Along 
with the Apple Macintosh, the PC is now the most common personal computer at the 
Center. With some of the latest in software and hardware technology, the IBM PC has 
been made into a most helpful tool--with an eye on the market and a hand in the future 
of Ames. 
Like any other large company, Ames relies very much on its computing power to 
get work done. And, like any other large company, finding the IBM PC a reliable tool, 
Ames uses it for many of the same types of functions as other companies. Presenta- 
tion and clarification needs demand much of graphics packages. Programming and 
text editing needs require simpler, more-powerful packages. The storage space 
needed by NASA's scientists and users for the monumental amounts of data that 
Ames needs to keep demand the best database packages that are large and easy to 
use. Availability to the Micom Switching Network combines the powers of the IBM PC 
with the capabilities of other computers and mainframes and allows users to commu- 
113 
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nicate electronically. These four primary capabilities of the PC are vital to the needs of 
NASA's users and help to continue and support the vast amounts of work done by the 
NASA employees. 
In the early days of the computer, there were no computer graphics--mostly 
because these computers were large mainframes that were dedicated mainly to solv- 
ing problems. Though there are graphics packages on mainframes today, they fail to 
be as user friendly as the PC. It was with the advent of the personal computer that 
graphics packages became practical and advantageous. At Ames the two main uses 
for graphics are for clarification needs and presentation needs. 
Freehand graphics are a type of computer graphics where absolute precision is 
not necessary. In the Ames user's world, a freehand graphics package would be 
perfect for diagrams and flowcharts, etc. After the arrival of the Apple Macintosh and 
its trendsetting MacPaint freehand graphics program, a call went out for similar graph- 
ics programs for other machines. Seeing a large market of IBM PC users, software 
manufacturers put out competitive products resulting in a few excellent packages. The 
purchase of these packages for Ames's users improves the worker's quality of work 
and saves him/her much time. Where clarification needs are expressed, freehand 
graphics on the IBM PC deliver. 
But the more technical, presentation-quality graphics are also needed. 
Presentations are important to the Center and, along with adequate printing capabili- 
ties, can greatly influence trends at Ames. The kinds of packages available for the PC 
make for very professional documents. Dona Z. Meilach, in PC Week magazine, 
states that using computer graphics for presentations requires that these documents 
"be accurate, easy to interpret, and have impact." The major failures of presentation 
graphics are too much clutter and a lack of imagination. Moreover, with today's latest 
in software, Ames's PC users can make top-quality presentations with a touch of flair 
added in for good measure. 
Computer users of today have better control of their jobs with today's graphics 
than the computer user of yesteryear. Whether graphics are needed for official, 
important presentations or just good clarity to help in understanding a problem, today's 
IBM PC has the capabilities to provide for almost all graphics needs. Ames users are 
aware of this and utilize it to their best advantage. 
Word processing capabilities have also advanced considerably. Again, like 
graphics, word processing became popular as a computer-related function only after 
the arrival of the personal computer. Though word processing is used mainly for text 
articles (e.g., reports, etc.), nondocument mode is available for programming. 
Here at Ames, word processors are found all over the center. The advantage of 
doing reports, outlines, and so on, on computers, rather than on typewriters is greatly 
appreciated. On the PC such programs used at Ames are PC Write, GemWrite, 
Lotus 1-2-3, and Wordstar 2000. Many of the best packages today are even capable 
of combining graphics and text. To be sure, almost all of today's typewriting is done on 
personal computers, and most of the personal computers at Ames are IBM PCs. 
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Programming with word processors must be done in nondocument mode. 
Christine Falsetti writes informally: "Normally, when you type a document it adds in 
special characters and flags, to format the document for printing, and so on--this is 
document mode." For this reason, a nondocument mode was created for program- 
ming. That way, programs don't "choke because [the computer] wouldn't know what to 
do with that stuff." The subject of programming, especially here at Ames, is too 
immense to approach in this type of paper, but suffice it to say that programming is 
used for almost everything--from simple menu programs that make human interface 
more friendly, to the most complex programs that only few understand. 
The IBM PC plays a significant part in Ames' continuing work, especially with 
the latest in word processing software. Users make good use of this software and use 
it for all of their text editing needs--either programming or documenting. With the great 
amount of competition on the market, Ames' PC users can pick from the cream of the 
crop--and do just that. 
"Database-management system: The collection of software required for using a 
database that handles the storage allocation, retrieval and update of records by pre- 
senting multiple views of the data to the users and programmers." So says the 
"Database Software Chart Definitions" in a recent PC Week. Why have a database- 
management system at NASA Ames? Because there is an ever-increasing amount of 
data that need to be kept--and in some sort of orderly fashion! Database management 
is vital to such a huge operation. For example, the number of employees is so large 
and the keeping of personnel records must be current. Salaries, addresses, phone 
numbers, etc., all need to be kept on file and managed in an orderly way--that's where 
good software comes in. 
Flat-file database managers are not good software, but by understanding what 
they are, one can deduce what a good manager is. Flat files are two-dimensional file 
managers that provide no systematic view of looking at data. They are able to look at 
one file at any given time and must look at all the data instead of a certain field of data 
(i.e., names, salaries, phone numbers, etc.). In other words, in a personnel database, 
a flat-file management system would present all the data in one large group and not 
organize, say, the names together and a listing of personal information under each 
name. 
On the other hand, hierarchical file database managers are good software. As 
the name suggests, these types of managers present a logical order, placing important 
items, or "flags," in a group. In a personnel file, the only group of data that exists would 
be a file of names--each followed by personal information. These types of systems 
make management easier and present a friendlier human interface. 
Database management is a necessity at Ames, not only for personnel records, 
but for just about every other task. For example, if one needed an updated list of all 
the IBM PC users at the Center or needed to keep a file of all the people in a certain 
program along with information on them, database management systems would do the 
job. The point is, as needs present themselves, a good database management system 
must be ready and qualified. 
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Probably the most important facet of the computer world in a large center like 
Ames is communication. Not all the computers at Ames are PCs. Communication with 
mainframes is supported mainly by asynchronous (ASYNC) and bisynchronous (BSC) 
communication, though there are many other ways. With these two different types of 
communication, IBMs can "talk" with, send and receive data to and frdm, and elec- 
tronically mail information to virtually every other machine around the Center. 
Bisynchronous communication provides 3270 emulation , allowing users to 
communicate with the IBM and IBM compatible mainframes. Here at Ames, the closed 
(personnel information) and open (programming) systems run bisynchronous protocol 
and are connected with IBM mainframes. With a BSC communication card in the PC, 
a user has access to the open and closed systems if he/she has an account on a 
system. 
Asynchronous communication is available by adding an ASYNC communica- 
tion card into the IBM PC. ASYNC is the vital link between almost all personal com- 
puters and terminals at the center. With the addition of the card, the user can work with 
the VAX and many other mainframes via the Micom Switching Network which provides 
linkup between machines and also gives general information regarding the whole 
network. Through the Network, access to the whole of Ames (and even the world) is 
given. 
Over the years, trends in the computer industry have affected what systems, 
hardware, software, etc., NASA uses and in turn have initiated trends in the Ames 
computer world. 
Thanks to capitalism and specifically, competition, the computer industry 
remains an area where the products keep improving and prices stay relatively low. 
Competition in the market also results in useful innovations. Recently, the market has 
made a movement toward more power for the user and more user friendliness. 
Regarding increasing power, recent trends have moved toward faster processors, 
smaller chip design, more memory storage, and (probably most important of all) net- 
working. User friendliness is in high demand also since the computer is reaching 
users who need not or don't have time to become familiar with operating systems (e.g., 
the student, draftsman, architect, scientist, teacher, and other technical user). Recent 
advances have to do with ergonomic/human factors (e.g., terminals that are easy to 
read, comfortable keyboards with logical position of keys, etc.), windowing, and menu- 
and mouse-controlled workbenches that make the operating system seem almost 
nonexistent. As these two trends make work for the user much easier, offspring trends 
in the Ames environment have increased the productivity of employees. 
Likewise for Ames, a movement toward two specific goals is taking place: 
(1) "dumb" terminals are "out" and "intelligent" workstations are "in," and (2) superior 
interactive capability must be provided for the user. A workstation is said to be "dumb" 
when there is no CPU present. For example, a VT100 terminal on a desk must be 
connected to a mainframe in order to function--there is no CPU present. The trend at 
Ames these days is moving toward a replacement of terminals with personal com- 
puters with at least asynchronous or bisynchronous communication cards that have all 
the power of a personal computer and still have access to mainframes. With these 
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"intelligent" workstations, employees can do more work faster on their PCs rather than 
compete for CPU time on a busy mainframe. Intelligent workstations also have an 
effect on another trend moving toward superior interactive capabilities for the users. 
This trend calls for a high-quality relationship as the user interacts with the computer. 
It requires that the computer has excellent response time and is easy to use. Like 
intelligent workstations, superior interactive capability saves time for the user and 
increases his/her computing power and productivity. 
In the future, the IBM PC will have a greater role in the higher purpose of Ames 
and will continue to grow in power. Networking will have a large role in the increase of 
the IBM PC's significance at Ames. 
As it is now, a user must go through a mainframe in order to communicate with 
other machines and other workstations. In the future, the mainframe, the "middle man," 
will eventually be eliminated and workstations will be able to communicate directly 
with each other as well as work directly with supercomputers like the Cray-2. With this 
new power, "traffic" over the mainframes will decrease greatly, allowing each individ- 
ual user more time and more power. In addition, with the direct accessibility of the 
supercomputers, users will be able to submit their jobs to a computer that is much 
faster and much more powerful than the mainframes, and consequently, a very large 
amount of time will be saved by each user, and the quality of work will increase to a 
new high. 
With such a bright future at Ames, the IBM PC is bound to remain at the Center 
for a long while. With the latest advances in graphics, word processing, database 
management, and communication, each individual at Ames will have more power at 
his/her fingertips as computer-interaction becomes less confusing. Competition and 
trends in the industry will continue to produce high-quality software and hardware, and 
the offspring trends at Ames will make workers more productive. "Ames applies the 
technology to increase worker productivity," writes Christine Falsetti. I think this is true 
and believe that the IBM PC will continue to be a significant and useful part of the 
goals and dreams at NASA Ames Research Center. 
REFERENCES 
Christine Falsetti; Aerospace Technologist, Data Systems Electronics Engineer; from 
candid conversations and notes. 
"Database Software Chart Definitions," PC Week, October 15, 1985, p. 70. 
"The Do's and Don'ts of Presentation Graphics," Dona Z. Meilach, PC Week, August 6 ,  
1985, p. 48. 
"Freehand Graphics Software," David Needle, PC Week, November 19, 1985, 
pp. S/11-S/13. 
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"IBM Adds 'Drawing Assistant' Design Tool to Graphics Series," Rob Garretson, PC 
Week, p. 8. 
"Relational Database Manager," John Pallato, PC Week, October 15, 1985, pp. 65-66. 
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The IBM PC at NASA Ames

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