Word: dec
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...someone, somewhere-but whom?-the memorandum circulated recently at Harvard Business School's division of computer service doubtless made perfect sense. It read, in full: "We have been informed by DEC that a bug in the normalization algorithm used in three MACRO instructions (FADL, FSBL and FMPL) can cause a FORTRAN double precision compare to give incorrect results. A double precision compare should be accurate to 16 digits. This bug can cause the compare to give incorrect results in the ninth digit. We will notify all Users as soon as we receive a solution to the problem from DEC...
Ordinary mortals might blanch at such howlingly incomprehensible computerese, but the message turned out to be, if not altogether graspable, at least mildly approachable. The errant computer in question was built by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and installed at Harvard five years ago, presumably reliably analyzing data at a steady, comforting clip. No one discovered until early this month that it was inaccurate in, of all places, the ninth digit -still quite serviceable for run-of-the-mill computer wizardry, but not the very best the machine was fully capable of. Some infinitesimally remote calculation was slipping ever so slightly...
...Deputy Under Secretary of State for Policy Information would be members of its board of overseers, along with three private citizens. Voice journalists have complained lately that USIA, out of deference to "the U.S.-U.S.S.R." détente, has censored their stories reporting on Communist dissidents (TIME, Dec. 16). The panel recommendations were intended to insulate the Voice from future Government pressure...
...seven years as dean of the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, expansive, flamboyant Dwight Allen, 44, worked miracles (TIME, Dec. 21, 1970). Demonstrating a genius for fund raising, he brought in a total of $15 million in federal and foundation grants. With a flair for innovation, he transformed the small, conservative segment of the state university into a flourishing but controversial school that concentrated on urban education and minority problems and encouraged a "do your own thing" attitude among students and faculty. Wearing colorful custom-tailored African shirts, he toured the country, making as many...
...violently protested the death by prison hunger strike of a gang member named Holger Meins. One result of the violence was the murder of West Berlin Supreme Court President Giinter von Drenk-mann. It is suspected that he was killed in retaliation for Meins' death (TIME, Dec. 9). Unless the six prisoners were released, provided with $52,200 in cash and flown out of West Berlin on a special jet, Lorenz, according to the note, would be executed...