Conversion of the Chemical Abstract Service scientific literature data base from Standard Distribution Format to a center-oriented file format, STF, is described. A tape file format is described in which variable length logical records, possibly longer than the blocksize, may be stored safely. (7 references) (Author/NH)

Stresses need for a timesharing computer utility in school districts, and explains that through interfacing a timesharing computer system, users may experience greater degrees of flexibility in computer services made available. (JF)

WISE is an on-line, interactive information retrieval system designed to operate on key-word-oriented data bases. The WISE user searches a data base by entering and combining key-words that are appropriate to the data base and the subject matter. The user also enters certain command statements to enhance the results of the search and to control…

Among other improvements in chemical nomenclature used in the Chemical Registry System, Chemical Abstracts Service intends to standardize the fundamental principles for naming cyclic structures so that procedures for the derivation of ring names can become more amenable to computer generation and translation. (Author/NH)

This is a progress report on a project attempting to design a system of compacting text for storage appropriate to disc oriented demand searching. After noting a number of previously designed methods of compression, it offers a tentative solution which couples a dictionary of most frequent character-strings with a set of variable-length codes. The…

The computer language FOL is intended to facilitate the implementation of file organizations for information storage and retrieval systems. In many information storage and retrieval applications the designer, initially, does not know how best to organize a data base for efficient retrieval and ease of updating and modifying. It is felt that FOL…

Discusses an open-ended, generalized programing system which eliminates the duplication of effort and materials in data collection, storage, and reporting that is common in most piecemeal-evolved current management systems. (DE)

WISE is an on-line interactive information retrieval system designed to operate on keyword oriented data bases. The system was designed particularly with bibliographic data bases in mind, but it is potentially useful for any keyword oriented data base. The WISE user searches a data base by entering and combining keywords that are appropriate to…

GANDALF (General Alpha Numeric Direct Access Library Facility) is an information retrieval system designed and implemented at the University of New Mexico for the purposes of retrieving abstracts from large abstract data bases, such as the ERIC system. Previous batch-process information retrieval systems for use with the ERIC data base have been…

Information centers exist to provide information from machine-readable data bases to users in industry, universities and other organizations. The computer Search Center of the IIT Research Institute was designed with a number of variables and uncertainties before it. In this paper, the author discusses how the Center was designed to enable it to…

The Mechanized Information Center (MIC) at Ohio State University conducts retrospective and current awareness searches using data bases for agriculture, chemistry, education, psychology, and social sciences, as well as a multidisciplinary data base. Described in the report are the history and background of MIC, the data bases, information…

A major problem in the design of screening systems for substructure searches of chemical structure files is the development of a methodology for selection of an optimal set of structural characteristics to act as screens. Distributions of several structural characteristics of the Chemical Abstracts Service Registry System are summarized. (13…

The aims of the first phase of the Statistics Indexing and Retrieval (STIR) Project have been: (1) to define the types and sources of statistics which should be within the scope of an operational indexing system for statistical sources; (2) to analyze the use made of statistical sources; and (3) to consider the intellectual, structural, and…

This paper proposes construction of a separate data base environment for university planning information, distinct from data bases and systems supporting operational functioning and management. The data base would receive some of its input from the management information systems (MIS)/transactional data bases and systems through a process of…

A methodology for categorically describing computer-based information systems was developed and applied to six university-based, NSF-supported systems. The systems under study all operate as retail information cneters primarily serving campus communities by accessing large commercially-available data bases using 3rd generation computer…