ICCC Logistics: Notes on a Conversation with Bob Kahn on the ICCC
Detailed notes on the planning and logistics for the ICCC ARPANET demonstration.
Watson, R.W., "Notes on a Conversation with Bob Kahn on the ICCC", RFC 372, DOI 10.17487/RFC0372, July 1972, <https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc372>.
@misc{rfc372,
series = {Request for Comments},
number = 372,
howpublished = {RFC 372},
publisher = {RFC Editor},
doi = {10.17487/RFC0372},
url = {https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc372},
author = {R.W. Watson},
title = {{Notes on a Conversation with Bob Kahn on the ICCC}},
pagetotal = 4,
year = 1972,
month = jul,
} RFC text
NWG/RFC #372 Richard W. Watson
NIC 11022 (SRI-ARC)
12-JUL-72
NOTES ON A CONVERSATION WITH BOB KAHN ON THE ICCC
I called Bob Kahn and had a good chat with him about some aspects
of the ICCC meeting demonstration. The points discussed and his
answers were the following.
What is the physical environment going to be like?
Bob has arranged for the Georgetown Ballroom of the Hilton
Hotel; it has 3000 square feet probably about 75x40 (exact
dimensions are not known to Bob at this time).
A carpeted false floor is to be installed and there will be
a partition for an area to show a movie on resource sharing
which will run more or less continuously.
There will not be booths in the normal sense but details
are not yet worked out. Bob expects to have tables
arranged around the room holding 1 or 2 terminals and low 4
ft. partitions to break up the space.
Who will man the booths?
Bob presently expects many terminals to be unmanned,
although manufcturers could have a sales rep.
There will probably be people from net sites at some of
them from time to time to demonstrate their programs.
We discussed the need for lots of experts from the network
around who can answer questions and help people. Bob is in
favor of such a thing but has not had time yet to pull such
a group together and there is some uncertainty if enough
people will volunteer, his initial approach to people
yielded lots of people interested but with other things to
do.
When will the equipment be on the floor and available to try
there?
NWG/RFC# 372 RWW 12-JUL-72 9:39 11022
Notes on a Conversation with Bob Kahn on the ICCC
The conference is tues-thurs oct 24-26 and at the moment
the room is only going to be available from the 22nd. This
seems to be a short time to install floor, TIP, terminals,
phone lines, etc and Bob is going to try to get the room
the previous Wed or Fri, but doesn't know yet.
Bob would like to have working demo with terminals,
resources at BBN in Aug.
What resources are presently committed?
UCLA Klinerock will have some network measurement stuff to
demonstrate.
Stanford AI has indicated they will have some programs to
demone.
Utah Tony Hearn will have his Reduce program to demo, Berry
Wessler plans to demo something, Harvey Greenfield has some
sort of mdical program.
RAND before recent sakeup indicated iterest, status now not
known.
SDC will have some natural language programs and their
data management systems.
MIT Vezza and Kahn are looking into having some hardcopy
device such as Photon attached to a GE TS system. Al has
some other things to demo.
Bob has contacted a number of non net sources such as the
NY Times (data base), Eastern Airlines etc., but has no
definite commitments yet.
We at ARC will of course have a number of things to
demonstrate.
This ARPANET demo is the only show at the conference. Larry
Roberts has invited the ASIS people over for Thurs afternoon.
NWG/RFC# 372 RWW 12-JUL-72 9:39 11022
Notes on a Conversation with Bob Kahn on the ICCC
The TIP has at this time never been tested with 64 terminals,
but they are going to be putting as many terminal on as
possible during July and testing the terminal to be supplied
ford the conference.
Starting about AUg 1 he expects to start testing to see what
terminals work with what resources and what glitches exist.
I asked Bob if we could have enough space for a ARC NIC booth
with an IMLAC TI and room for people to watch our demo's. Bob
saw no problem there; IMLAC has committed 2 terminals and we
can have one. TI has not indicated they plan to loan terminal
for the show. Hiram French is the man from IMLAC who is
supposed to call us. If there are more than 64 terminal or
the TIP can't support all, then they will have to schedule
terminal connections to the TIP.
Bob is not sure who will be at the conference, its theme is
networks and their impact on soceity, implications for
regulation etc. so ther should be a broad spectrum of people;
will send me a program.
We talked about what kind of documentation help, signs etc
will be around to help people connect and use resources and
generally understand wha the deomo is allabout.
Bob's present picture is some large 2x3 signs in the lobby
outside the main lecture room directing people to the demo
and then some signs inside explaining what's happening, a
card with some TIP commands,resources, a brochure with
actual scenerios of resource usage, the movie and some
people as the main on the floor sources of help.
We talked about the need to coordinate all this with NIC
documentation and our desire to help design all this. Bob
and I are tentatively planning to get together the weekend
of July 7 here to plan this. We need to have
thoughtcthrough ahead of time what we think should be done.
ARPA except for Bob does not seem to have set up any budget for
this show except what their contractors are essentially willing
to give as part of their ongoing research, therefore he has a
very difficult job of pulling off such a large show without more
help than he seems to have gotten so far (these are my
conclusions not satements of his).
[ This RFC was put into machine readable form for entry ]
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On this page
§1Introduction
RFC 372 documents a phone conversation between Richard Watson from SRI-ARC and Bob Kahn about the ICCC network demonstration. Watson records detailed planning information including the physical environment, staffing, equipment and timeline, creating a valuable snapshot of the demonstration's organization in July 1972.
After talking to the organizer, someone wrote down the practical details about the big network show coming up in October.
§2The Georgetown Ballroom and Equipment
Watson records that Kahn had arranged for the Georgetown Ballroom at the Hilton Hotel, about 3000 square feet with dimensions approximately 75 by 40 feet. A carpeted false floor would be installed, and a partition would separate an area for a continuous movie on resource sharing. Instead of traditional booths, tables would be arranged around the room, each holding one or two terminals with low 4-foot partitions to divide the space.
Regarding equipment, the TIP had never been tested with 64 terminals before, so testing was planned for July with the actual terminals to be used at the conference. Kahn expected to start testing in August to identify which terminals worked with which resources.
The space would have a special false floor and movie area. There would be tables with terminals instead of booths. They were going to test all the terminals and the TIP machine to make sure they could handle all the visitors.
§3Demonstrations and Personnel
Watson lists several organizations and individuals who had committed resources: UCLA (network measurement), Stanford AI (programs), Utah (Tony Hearn's Reduce program and others), SDC (natural language and data management systems), MIT (hardcopy devices), SRI-ARC, and others. Kahn had also contacted non-network sources such as the New York Times data base and Eastern Airlines, but had not yet secured definite commitments.
For staffing, Kahn expected many terminals to be unmanned, though manufacturers could station sales representatives. People from network sites would staff some terminals to demonstrate their programs. Both Watson and Kahn recognized the need for many network experts on hand to help visitors, though Kahn had not yet assembled such a group despite interest from potential volunteers.
Many universities and companies would bring software to show off. Some people would be around to help visitors, though finding enough volunteers was a challenge.
§4Documentation and Support
Watson records discussion of documentation and help materials for visitors. Kahn's plan included large signs in the hotel lobby directing people to the demonstration, signs inside explaining what was happening, a card with TIP commands and available resources, a brochure with usage scenarios, the continuous movie, and support staff on the floor. Watson and Kahn discussed coordinating this with NIC documentation and planning to meet the weekend of July 7 to coordinate the effort further.
Watson notes that ARPA had not set up a dedicated budget for the show beyond what contractors were willing to contribute as part of their ongoing research, making Kahn's task of pulling off such a large demonstration quite challenging.
There would be signs, cards explaining what to do, a movie, and helpful people on the floor. The organizer was doing a lot without a big budget and was hoping everyone would pitch in.