Addressing the problem of protecting confidential information and data stored in computer databases from access by unauthorized parties, this paper details coding schemes which present such astronomical work factors to potential code breakers that security breaches are hopeless in any practical sense. Two procedures which can be used to encode for…

A modular program is recommended for automation of the clippings file of "The Daily Texan" (student newspaper of the University of Texas at Austin). The proposed system will lead ultimately to on-line storage of the index, on-line storage of local, staff-written news stories from the previous twenty-four months, micrographic storage for backup and…

Two revisions of computer-interactive multidimensional scaling data selection procedures are presented. One revision--based on randomly ordering the list of stimuli--improves the estimates of the multidimensional scaling parameters and the other permits more efficient data designs. (Author/JKS)

This paper is concerned with providing automatically generated online explanations to the user of a user interface or "tool" about what the interface can and cannot do, and what parameters or options are available or required with a given command. The COUSIN interface system, developed at Carnegie-Mellon, supplies a cooperative…

This paper deals with the management of computer systems used in educational institutions. Experiences are drawn from the use of the DEC 10 system at the University of Illinois. The management of a computer facility is divided into three areas. The first area, general upkeep, relates to providing sign-ons, storage, and computer time for everyone.…

Discusses the multilevel information system (MLIS), a retrieval system that integrates functions typical for database management systems and retrieval-oriented systems and provides several levels of data accessing, each developed for a different class of users. Twenty-two sources are cited. (FM)

Describes an indexing technique based on overlapping word fragments as reference strings that are linked in a directed graph structure which makes possible exact match-, partial match-, and masked-partial match-retrieval and indicates search strategies for each case. Eight figures, two tables, and nine references are provided. (RBF)

Examines usage patterns of ELHILL retrieval program of National Library of Medicine's MEDLARS system. Based on sample of 6,759 searches, the study analyzes frequency of various commands, classifies messages issued by system, and investigates searcher error rates. Suggestions for redesigning program and query language are noted. Seven references…

This paper describes an intelligent spelling error correction system for use in a word processing environment. The system employs a dictionary of 93,769 words and, provided the intended word is in the dictionary, it identifies 80 percent to 90 percent of spelling and typing errors. Nine references are cited. (Author/EJS)

This paper describes the construction and implementation of an autoprogramming system. An autoprogrammer is an interactive computer programming system which automatically constructs computer programs from example computations executed by the user. The example calculations are done in a scratch pad fashion at a computer display, and the system…

User access procedures to information systems have become of crucial importance with the advent of computer networks, which have opened new types of resources to a broad spectrum of users. This report surveys user access protocols of six representative systems: BASIC, GE MK II, INFONET, MEDLINE, NIC/ARPANET and SPIRES. Functional access…

People use a variety of plausible, but uncertain inferences to answer questions about which their knowledge is incomplete. Such inferential thinking and reasoning is being incorporated into the SCHOLAR computer-assisted instruction (CAI) system. Socratic tutorial techniques in CAI systems such as SCHOLAR are described, and examples of their…

The report describes Wisconsin's information retrieval system with remote, on-line computer access to nearly 200,000 educational documents. Briefly outlined are the operations and indexing of materials for the computer program, documents of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), file access, training sessions, and remote location…

Reports on a four-year study of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in which microcomputers were used in individual college classrooms as interactive instructional systems. Discusses students' feelings about CAI, the computer hardware and software, and the lesson models involved. (Author/RW)

Eight public libraries participated in a two-year experiment to investigate the potential of the public library as a "linking agent" between the public and the many machine-readable data bases currently accessible using on line computer terminals. The investigation covered users of the service, impact on the library, conditions for…