FLOW is an instructional computer programming language which eliminates many of the difficulties beginners usually have when learning to program. The language is very limited in scope, and the pedagogical emphasis is on algorithmic design rather than extensive language features. It is used only for the very first lectures in programming in college and secondary level courses, where it allows immediate hands-on use of the computer. FLOW is always quickly supplanted by whichever "real" computer language is most suited to the needs of the course. The extreme interaction afforded by low cost minicomputers is exploited by the technique of "typing amplification" which completes the typing of keywords once their initial letter is entered. FLOW has proven easy to implement on many computer systems, and has been effective with a wide variety of students over the past four years. In the Report of the Conference on Computer Technology in the Humanities 1 the committee on courses and curricula concluded that a first course in computer programming in the humanities should "provide extensive instruction and practice in programming. Insofar as possible, programming should be taught algorithmically . . . rather than as aspects of a specific programming language. Such algorithms . . . provide an abstract structure onto which any given programming language can be mapped. Hence, the logical aspect of programming, rather than the details of a programming language, is given primary emphasis, and thus the inevitable shifts from one programming language to another necessitated by a change in computer or in research goals are facilitated." An institute 2 in programming in the humanities was proposed and implemented on the basis of the recommendations of this and other committees and during that institute, held in the summer of 1970, the FLOW programming language was developed by the author. It met the requirements outlined above, and it has been in use since then, proving itself to be a powerful teaching aid. 3 There are a number of impediments that come between the artist or humanities scholar and the art and technique of programming. These problems begin with the often expressed self-doubt of the students who feel that they are about to enter an alien field where they will be at a severe disadvantage. Later they will be forced to memorize arbitrary language conventions, they will work in a hostile and noisy environment and will have to learn many irrelevant facts about computers and operating systems. I f they happen to take a course not designed for humanists they will be given problems to solve that are intended to be trivial. But the students will too often find that the problems themselves are as troublesome as the programming part of the exercise. 4 For -the beginning student of programming any nonprogramming content serves to confuse the issue. FLOW solves these as well as a few other problems that arise in the earliest stages of teaching programming. FLOW works especially well when it is embedded in a curriculum designed substantively and psychologically around the needs of the humanities or arts student or professional. Part of FLOW's attractiveness is that it can run on very small (and inexpensive) minicomputers and that it is easy to implement and maintain. The original implementation was written by two of my students and myself in one day. s FLOW is designed for interactive terminals, but a version has been used successfully

FLOW: A teaching language for computer programming in the humanities

Modelling and simulation of information systems by the means of miniatures on computer aim at two general objectives: (a) as an aid to design and realization of information systems; and (b) a tool to improve the dialogue between the designer and the users. An operational information system has two components bound by a dynamic relationship, an information system and a behavioural system. Thanks to the behaviour system, modelling and simulation allow the designer to integrate into the projects a large proportion of the system's implicit specification. The advantages of modelling to the information system relate to: (a) The conceptual phase: initial objectives are compared with the results of simulation and sometimes modified. (b) The external specifications: simulation is particularly useful for personalising man-machine relationships in each application. (c) The internal specifications: if the miniatures are built on the concept of process, the global design and the software are tested and also the simulation refines the configuration and directs the choice of hardware. (d) The implementation: stimulation reduces costs, time and allows testing. Progress in modelling techniques will undoubtedly lead to better information systems.

Modelling and simulation of information systems on computer: methodological advantages.

Large Scale Integration (LSI) has conjured up such exciting possibilities as a computer-on-a-chip among both users and suppliers in the last five years. There have been many diversified efforts. This has resulted in a large non-trivial array of device technologies, manufacturing methods, interconnection methods and packaging schemes. In fact at a recent solid state conference after hearing words like RTL, ECL, PMOS, CMOS, MNOS, etc. an engineer was overheard crying out "SOS" and it was interpreted as a comment on a new technology (silicon on sapphire). With this state of affairs in mind we felt that a comprehensive report surveying the LSI field, had to be prepared in order to guide research on computer structures. Therefore this report surveys the existing state of the art in LSI along different dimensions. The topics include: 1. the circuit technology (RTL, DTL, TTL, etc.); 2. the manufacturing techniques for bipolar devices (collector Diffused Isolation, Isoplanar techniques, etc.) and MOS devices (PMOS, Si-gate, Moly-gate, etc.); 3. interconnection schemes for customizing circuits ( discretionary wiring, micromatrix, polycell, etc.); 4. packaging techniques from the viewpoint of hermiticity, pin count, reliability, etc.; 5. logic functions, especially Semiconductor memory arrays which form a very important application of LSI, are discussed together with some forecasting on price and volume; 6. the implication of LSI on large modular system design, It is hoped that a reading of this paper by people having a basic knowledge in Electronics and Integrated Circuits would give enough background in the state of art in LSI to be able to choose certain device technology, fabrication method and packaging techniques for their applications. It should also give the reader an ability to understand the contemporary literature in LSI and the directions the industry will take over the next five years.

Large scale integration : a designer's viewpoint

Random access semiconductor memory systerm components available today reflect a broad spectrum of engineering, financial and managerial judgment. Each of the products was intended to satisfy the performance and cost goals of a particular segment of the memory market. The decisions which were made regarding technology to be used, chip density, package density, package type, electrical performance and environmental performance, reflect the weighted factors of market segment need versus investment required. The resulting product is in many cases a compromise. For example, a lower chip density may result in lower cost per bit at the chip level due to higher yields. However, higher chip densities, inherent when decoding is on the chip, may be required due to the lack of a package with enough leads to accommodate a non-decoded chip. The assumption is that need to capitalize a new package production line represents higher financial risk than that which results from the lower yields at the chip level.

B.A. Kute

Papers

Design Considerations for Semiconductor Ramdom Access Memory Systems