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Laboratory-style teaching of computer science is discussed. The paper describes an approach, used for some years by the nuthors, that wus developed after studying the methods used in the traditional laboratory sciences; its use helps to establish the equivalence for funding purposes of computer science with other laboratory sciences. Examples are given, and techniques that have been found useftd are described. The factors to be considered when setting tests for grading are examined in detail.

The paper describes in detail the implementation of INMON, a prototype monitor for recording and displaying interaction networks. The interaction network is designed to show the interrelationships between significant events that occur during the processing of an interaction on a loosely‐coupled distributed system. By being directed at analysing what happens in an interaction, this approach is fundamentally different from other graphical representations that show what happens during the execution of a single program on a distributed system. Examples are given of interaction networks recorded by INMON. The approach is based on very general models of a distributed system and of an interaction, and could be widely applied. We conclude by summarizing what is needed to provide facilities within any operating system for recording interaction networks.