G L O B A L   A C C E S S


Volume 1, No. 2                                   September, 1987

                             MUMPS means your never have to say you're sorting.



$VIEW(Editor)

     Where, oh where, has the US Chapter Commercialism Policy
gone?  To my knowledge, as of this moment there is officially no
such animal.  In its place, we have an arbitrary set of restric-
tions, haphazardly enforced, upon what may be presented during
Symposium sessions or published in Newsletters.

     A task force currently exists, with a mandate to revise
[invent?] the Commercialism Policy.  A report from this group was
due at the Nashville Symposium, but that did not happen.  What is
the hold-up?

     The delay might be understandable if the task force had to
build a policy from scratch, but such is not the case.  The DECUS
General International Arm, which comprises Chapters outside the
US and Europe, currently has a tremendously cogently policy (see
next page) in force.  I have submitted copies of this policy to
Board members at each of the last two General Meetings (Sunday
evening, before the Symposium Ice Cream Social), each time with a
very favorable reception.  Then, poof!  Black hole!  I think it's
time for the US Chapter to stop spinning its wheels and enact the
GIA policy.  Then we can apply ourselves to what will ultimately
prove to be a longer and more arduous task:  the implementation,
interpretation, and improvement of that policy.


$DATA

     The MUMPS Users' Group Conference was held in Atlanta, June
8-12.  The conference featured significant international activi-
ty, including formation of a federation to coordinate the trans-
fer of MUMPS information and efforts between foreign countries
and the United States.  In addition, the chairman of the MUMPS
User's Group of Japan, Dr. Wakai, was in attendance.  He had just
presented MUG Japan's Validation Package to the US National Bur-
eau of Standards.  This package validates a MUMPS implementation
against the ANSI standard, and provides a list of language speci-
fications that are not met.
   The tutorials presented at MUG included File Manager,
Artificial Intelligence, Software Development, and Project Design
and Documentation.  Round table sessions included discussions on
fourth-generation interfaces, and how MUMPS and non-MUMPS im-
plementations compare.

     In addition to DEC, major vendors presenting were Honeywell-
Bull, Texas Instruments, Hewlett-Packard, Pyramid, Tandem, and
IBM.

     MUMPS Development Committee business included a review of
procedures embodied in the existing standard, and enhancements
awaiting the new standard.  A simplified format for the subtree
copy was suggested but has still not passed.
                                 --Reported by:  Chris Richardson


$HOROLOG

September 20        Submission deadline for Nov. newsletter
Oct. 29-31          MUG Cont. Ed. Seminars; Washington, DC
Dec. 7-11           Fall '87 Symposium; Anaheim, CA
Feb. 8-12, 1988     Canadian '88 Symposium; Toronto
May 16-20, 1988     Spring '88 Symposium; Cincinnati, OH
June 13-17, 1988    MUG '88 Conference; New Orleans


$ORDER("Product")

     It has recently become standard "corpo-speak" to refer to
whatever it is that people pay you for as your product.  For
example, almost everyone within DEC refers to their output as a
product, and this is reasonably consistent with Digital's primary
emphasis in manufacturing.  In the DECUS realm, things become a
little hazier; certainly, discussion of "Program Library Pro-
ducts" misses the point that the primary function of the Library
is the dissemination of information.  Finally, the most scream-
ingly obnoxious example that I have yet encountered is discussion
among bank officers of their "wonderful new financial products."

     This sloppy usage tramples upon a significant distinction: 
some people are paid for the objects they provide, while others
are paid for the acts they perform.  While we may certainly speak
of products in the first case, in the second we must instead
refer to services.  
$NEXT

     The November issue will be the last chance I will have to
get information into your hands before the Fall Symposium, so
stay tuned to this channel for "Sessions You Won't Want to Miss
in Anaheim."  (As I write this, the Northeast is basking in
respite from the late July heat wave.  Shocking how the schedule
does keep marching right along!)

     $NEXT($ORDER)="Author"


$RANDOM

     Recently, John R. Bilski ran for Chicago Board of Elections
commissioner on a third-party ticket.  His candidacy forced the
city to reprint ballots, and to reprogram computers and voting
booths that were geared for only two candidates.  Mr. Bilski was
defeated--he received just one vote.