Sl"-AJRMHO.M e . REF ID : A60163 e 

Office Memorandum · uNrTEn sTATEs GOVERNMENT 

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Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 01-23-2014 pursuantto E.O. 1352a 
DISPOSITION FORM 

TO 35 

COPY 

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SUBJEC'f: PJ.anning .tor ATLAS II 

FRCJ-1 3.51 DATE 14 JuJ. 52 ca-oo:NT NO. 2 

S.S. Sr:ryder/329 

1. There is a real possibility that we will be in a worse position of 

preparedness regarding ATLAS II than we were at the time of delivery of 

ATLAS I. Our past experience indicates that starting with entirely inexperienced programming trainees., up to a full year may be required in many cases 

before real contributions can be expected from new people. 

2. It is pointed out that a potential source of qualified programmers 

(and trainees) is available among personnel in 34. While we in 3.5 have the 

assigned responsibility for operation of newly developed computers., 34 has gone 

ahead with development of' a number of people in programming for both ATLAS I 

and ABNER. This activity would not be subject to the same criticism if' adequate 

help were available in 3.5; however., if these peopJ.e can be subject to assignment 

by 3.5, at least until relief can be had., a crisis may be avoided. Also., such 

an arrangement rrould probably eliminate sane unnecessary duplication in training 

activities. 

Inclosures: n/ c 

SAMUEL S. SNYDER 

Acting Head., 

Design and Procedures Branch 

-CONF \OLN r t~t StCIJRITY lNFOLM 1 ION-
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Pl8l1111Dg tor ATLAS II 

351 '2:f June 1952 

M:P. Willard/60383 

1. The delivery date or ATLAS II will be approximatel7 une year hence. In Order to adequatel7 prepare for the use Of this machine a 

great deal or plann1ng. programming and training needs to be dOne. 

2. Test ROutines: In C>rder to help with the testing Of the 

machine. test rout1Des shOUld be written b7 experienced programme~& 

who are tam11181' with the details ot the machine. surticient intormat1on ia available here to dev1ae teats to cover ever7 Order and. subcommand in the machine. MOiae detailed 1ntOrmatiOn can be Obtained on 

visits to .ERA. Teats of the electrostatic storage are espec1all7 · i!QPOrtant since these teats will determine the limits sat on the repe- titive read1Dg ratio. Tests of the magnetic tape storage can test 

magnetic tapes as vell as the MT storage system. Testa a1m1lau- to those 

used on A'l'LAS I will be needed tor the magnetic drum storage. Planning and writing these test programs shOUld take apprOz1mately 160 man hours. 

3. Programmer 'l'ra1D1ng: The training Of a number or pl'og:rammers is a proJec~wErcn ahtfiila be initiated aoon. Programmers with t:ra1ning 

on bOth ATLAS I and ABNER shOUld be able to learn ATLAS II rap1dl7. P:rogrammern with ezper1ence on Only one machine will have to learn the 

different techniques "borrowed• t:rom the Othe:r. Since all available 

programmers are at present quite busy on machines in use or nearillg cOntplet~on. it will be necessai-y to train new programmers tor A'l'LAS II. 

Thia proc~sa or tra1n1ng will take three months and shOUld be initiated 

as soon as possible. since JIUUl7 ot the new people will have to be bi.red. 

Time t~r tra1n1Dg exper~enced persollllel has been toUD.d to be about 2 

months or about 100 man hours or 1Jlstruct1on and assistance. Inexpe~-

1enced programmers require at least another month ot training or a 

total ot about 150 man hours of instruction and aasiatanca. 

4. Training Aidat Certain training aids are help.ful 1.n training p~ogrammers ana Di !iiatructing peOple who have a casual interest 1n the 

mac.b1.ne. A detailed instruction code ot Orders v1ll be necessary 1n 

Ol"der to explain the Operation or the Orders and the apec~.al f'eaturea. 

A training manual will lessen the time which is :requ1:red to explain' details to students. It has been fOund that eemple routines are a 

help 1D training programmers. These tra1n1Dg nJ.da will take a great deal of time to prepal"e and shoUld be available at least as soon as 

training or new progi-ammera is 1n!t1ated. 

-GGNf \9EKl\At 
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~ 351 

. Plann1Dg fOr ATLAS II 

PROM 351 DATE 21 J'Une 1952 

Mr~ W111ard/603B3 

5. Opei-ator Tra1n1ng: Operators :ram1liar with AT.LAS I shO~ld have lit~le trbii1il~ w!'Eh ATLAS II. There 1a one big di:tterence trom 

the Operator•s point or v1ev. however. This 1s J.n the care and use or 

magnetic tape. Training 1n th1a phase should be startelr'ii soon aa 

tape machines are checked oUt and ready tor use. 

6. Maintenance Tl'a1D~1 NO' experience 18 available at present 

on the ma1Dtenance or electi'Oatat1.c storage s7atem.a. por this l'eaaon 

peraOnnel ahOUld be ass1gned to s•ldJ' the experimental equipment ava1.lable at ERA. It is suggested that the tube test (5 digit) units 

could be used to train maintenance personnel until the pilot model baa 

been. tested. Later add1t1ona1 personnel coUld be assigned to gain experience on the p110t model. This tra1n1Dg should be 1n1t1ated 1n 

November 1952 tr po•sible 1D order to a11ow time tor new personnel to 

become thorough17 tam111ar with the equipment. 

7. Operational Programs: A tew la:ttge scale programs have been 

written tor X!'LAS t!. These programs were •ritten to dete1'D11n.e the 

character1st1cs ot the machine and to compare against Other machines. 

Tbe7 are mostl7 Of academic value at the present time. Operat10nal 

programs Dl&J' be 1n1t1ated as personnel are trained and suitable problems 

are determined. At the projected rate of tJ:ta1n1Dg 1.t will require at 

least 6 new tUll time programmer-traira.ees tb have a1x large scale 

programs·readJ' to !'Ull on A!L'LAS II when 1.t 1b delivered. I 

• 

8. PrOpamm1ng Studies: Progl"amm1ng Studies are used to deteism1ne 

the opt1JJPiiii progrifririi1iii tectiD1ques and to gain experience 1n determining the tJP&S ot problems wh1ch are suitable tor the machine. Studies or the 

machine character1at1cs are necess81"7 to determine the times ot Operations~ 

eapeciall7 the 1Dter-relat1onsb1p between electroatat1o and magnetic drum storage. !'hese studies also bring out •tr.1oks• which can be per- formed vi th the orders. · 

9. !rtfO planning d.1agrams are enclosed to show the time scale 

ot this work over the next 7881' and a half". 

10. At the present time one man 1a working part time on AT'LAS II. 

since this machine and a Serial 2 of the machine al'e o:vdel'ed, it 1.a 

neceas817 that adequate personnel be available 1n time to make the beat 

Enc1oeures 

possible use 

1 

ot ATLAS II. /-~ 

''( 

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ATLAS II Plann'lng JAMES M. WILL.Am) ATLAS II programmer Training Electronics Engineer Program. 2 Anal7tic Procedures Section 

CONFlOENTIAL 
PrOtOtJ:Pe COmpleted 

const:ruct1on COmpleted 

eperat1ng 

Mailltenance to Stud7 ES 

Ma1nteiiance 

Test 50Ut1nes tor prototJPe 

Test Routines tor ES 

CONFIDENTIAL 

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