Original Design Goals Research Articles

The Mesa programming environment

People everywhere are developing multi-window, integrated programming environments for their favorite computers and languages. This paper describes the Mesa programming facilities of the Xerox Development Environment (XDE). It is interesting for several reasons. It has existed in something similar to its current form for about 5 years. It has more than 500 users, many interacting with it 8 or more hours a day. Several million lines of code have been written by these users, including large, multi-author systems. Previous papers have dealt with the Mesa language [Geschke77, Mitchell79], the operating system [Redell79, Lampson80] and the processor architecture on which it runs [Johnsson82, Sweet82]. This paper describes the programming environment: the user illusion, the set of programming tools, and the facilities available for augmenting the environment. Section 2 gives a short history of the environment, including some of our original design goals. Section 3 describes the current state of the user interface and discusses a few of the schemes that were tried and discarded. Section 4 describes some of the program development tools available and discusses how features of the language have influenced their design, and indeed influenced what tools are in the set. Section 5 describes other tools that, although valuable to the programming task, are largely language independent. Section 6 talks about how easy it is to make additions to the system, and gives examples of user additions—some that modify the environment and some that simply provide new tools. Section 7 discusses what we feel are major successes and what we feel needs to be done in the future.

The space telescope program

The 2.4-m Space Telescope is well into its development phase and is planned for launch in early 1985. The major components of the optical telescope portion are completed and the supporting systems are being designed and acquired. The five scientific instruments, including the ESA provided Faint Object Camera, are on schedule for delivery by the summer of 1983. After successful completion of the optical components, the greatest design challenge has been the pointing and control system. The original design goals of near diffraction limited performance in the visible and near ultraviolet remain as do the other goals of versatility and long life.

Automatic data processing in the cardiac catheterization laboratory

A review of automatic data processing in the cardiac catherization lab is presented. The emphasis placed on online manometry, indicator dilution and off-line quantitative ventriculography. The system organization is described a and several specific examples given to illustrate the level of detail necessary to specify such a system. The clinical use of the system is described together with an evaluation of the original design goals in terms of the actual performance of the system. A few unexpected benefits have emerged with respect to quality control and reliability, but one of the original design goals, speeding up the catheterization procedure, has proven to be unrealistic. The next logical steps in the software and hardware evolution are described with the emphasis placed on making the system a more effective tool for the clinician.

Acoustics of Philharmonic Hall, New York, during Its First Season

Acousticians, musicians, and the community at large have taken a lively interest in Philharmonic Hall, the first building to be completed at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York, N.Y. This interest derives in part from the fact that Philharmonic Hall is the first major hall in nearly 30 years to be built principally for concert uses in this country, but also because the acoustics of the Hall have excited a wide range of opinion since the opening, despite considerable effort to assure fine sound on the part of all who participated in the design. This paper presents the original design goals for Philharmonic Hall and, with reference to the goals, evaluates the Hall's history, during the first year of use.

Acoustics of the Binyanei Ha'Oomah Jerusalem Congress Hall

The 3200-seat Congress Hall in Jerusalem, Israel was completed in the spring of 1960 after a construction period of some 10 years. The original primary design goal was to provide a place for large assemblies the most important of which was the biennial meeting of the World Zionist Congress. During construction, the repeated use of the partially completed “unroofed” structure for out door concerts led to the reconsideration of the original design goals to give primary emphasis to music. The hall now has become the Jerusalem home of the Israeli Philharmonic while still serving its function for congresses and other uses. This paper traces the development of the acoustical design goals as well as discusses the important acoustical design features, the results of measurements made in the completed hall, and the reactions of musicians who have played in the hall.

Acoustics of the Jerusalem Congress Hall (Binyanae Ha'oomah)

The 3200-seat Congress Hall in Jerusalem, Israel, was completed in the spring of 1960 after a construction period of some ten years. The original primary design goal was to provide a place for large assemblies, the most important of which was the semiannual meeting of the World Zionist Congress. During construction, the repeated use of the partially completed “unroofed” structure for outdoor concerts led to the reconsideration of the original design goals to give primary emphasis to music. The hall now has become the home of the Israeli Philharmonic while still serving its function for congresses and other uses. This paper traces the development of the acoustical design goals as well as discusses the important acoustical design features, the results of measurements made in the completed hall, and the reactions of musicians who have played in the hall.