Requirements for minicomputer operating systems for human experimentation and an implementation on a 4K PDP-8 computer

Schneider, Walter; Scholz, Karl W.

doi:10.3758/bf03200154

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…The first generation of programming languages in psychology were typically specialized process control languages working in small memory partitions (e.g., Schneider & Scholz, 1973;Scholz, 1972) operating with less than 16Kof memory on machines such as the DEC PDP-8 or the IBM 1800. The second generation had two major variants.…”

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Micro Experimental Laboratory: An integrated system for IBM PC compatibles

Schneider

1988

Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers

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Micro Experimental Laboratory (MEL)is a third-generation integrated software system for experimental research. The researcher fills in forms, and MEL writes the experimental program, runs the experiments, and analyzes the data. MEL includes a form-based user interface, automatic programming, computer tutorials, a compiler, a real-time data acquisition system, database management, statistical analysis, and subject scheduling. It can perform most reaction time, questionnaire, and text comprehension experiments with little or no programming. It includes a Pascal-like programming language and can call routines written in standard languages. MEL operates on IBM PC compatible computers and supports most display controllers. MEL maintains millisecond timing with high-speed text and graphics presentation. MEL provides a systematic approach to dealing with nine concerns in running an experimental laboratory.Developers of any software system for experimentation must trade off considerations of flexibility, learnability, ease of use, precision, experiment generation time, and experimental qualitycontrolto maximize systemperformance. Incorporation of advances in hardware and software technology allow for quantum jumpsin termsof system performance given the above considerations. The Micro Experimental Laboratory (MEL) optimizes these trade-offs within the constraints of personal computers with640Kof memory, human factors considerations about interfacetechnology, fourth-generation software technology, and the use of automatic programming techniques.MEL is a third-generation psychology software system that builds on the lessons learned from earlier programming systems. The first generation of programming languages in psychology were typically specialized process control languages working in small memory partitions (e.g., Schneider & Scholz, 1973;Scholz, 1972) operating with less than 16Kof memory on machines such as the DEC PDP-8 or the IBM 1800. The second generation had two major variants. The first was the subroutine approach, whichinvolved a seriesof subroutines that are called from FORTRAN or Pascal programs (e.g., Osgood, 1985Osgood, , 1988) running on DEC PDP-lIs or Apple lls with 64K of usable memory per process.1 The second variant was the stimulus presentation approach (Eamon, 1982;Poltrock& Foltz, 1982, in whichfixed displays were presented in prespecified orders on Apple II computers. The orders could be either specified within one of three prescribed paradigms, as in CEDATS (Eamon, 1982), or explicitly enumerated, as in APT (poltrock & Foltz, 1982(poltrock & Foltz, , 1988. The subroutine package approach was flexible but required that graduate students be trained as programmers and involved longdevelopment timesto generate experiments. The stimulus presentation approach allowed fastexperiment specification at the costof reduced flexibility and a great deal of typing to enumerate all the stimuli and the stimulus orderings.MEL is a third-generation psychology software system that operates on IBM PCs with 640K of mem...

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Micro Experimental Laboratory: An integrated system for IBM PC compatibles

Schneider

1988

Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers

Self Cite

753

508

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“…isolated development efforts. The first development effort I engaged in (Schneider & Scholz, 1973) involved a small system that I tried to give away; I got only one taker, who never used it. The field badly needs software development, and writing software that other colleagues could use represents a potentially significant contribution to the field.…”

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Equipment is cheap, but the field must develop and support common software for psychological research

Schneider

1991

Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers

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Over the last 18 years, the commercial sector has provided psychology with very advanced equipment at low cost. It is unlikely, however, that the commercial sector will provide psychology with the special-purpose software that is needed for data acquisition. Software costs are now the greatest cost of data acquisition. Psychology needs common software used by many researchers. Efforts and funds must therefore be concentrated so that comprehensive software systems can be developed and supported. Software systems should provide open architectures to allow individual researchers to add specialized functions within an integrated environment.In the 18 years since I joined the Society for Computers in Psychology, there have been great changes in computing. The hardware is now commonplace, but we need to find ways to develop and fund common software. Myattendance at the meetings and my work in developing several software systems have provided me with some perspectives and hopes for the future.Computer hardware has become a commodity ofminor cost in equipping a laboratory. In 1977, the hardware on my first major grant took up about 75% of the direct-cost budget. In my last research grant, the hardware amounted to less than 5%, and all of my data collection is currently done with computerized procedures. For my first grant, I spent weeks evaluating potential computers. Now I think about computers in about the same way as I do about buying a commodity like paper. Who has the best price this week, and who can deliver it in a case with the right size? In fact, I now spend more on photocopying costs than I do on purchasing computer equipment. Let me illustrate how insignificant the cost of raw computing power has become. I am developing a general response box interface that includes a microprocessor. The cost of the microprocessor chip (about $2) is actually less than the cost of having the holes drilled in the printed circuit board (40 pins at $O.W/hole) to mount the processor. Factors other than hardware costs now limit the use of computers.Psychology benefits from the development aimed at commercial markets. The personal computer industry is a multibillion dollar industry that turns out tens of millions of computers annually. The commercial sector has invested billions that can be amortized over millions of Inquiries regarding this paper should be sent to Walter Schneider, LRDC Building, 3939 O'Hara St., Pittsburgh, PA 15260.Note: The author has a direct fmancial interest in one or more of the software products described in this paper.-Editor potential users. This provides us with very powerful general-purpose equipment at low cost.The commercial sector will not meet our specialized needs. In the early 19708, vendors such as DEC were concerned about psychology. They sent salesmen to our early meetings. The last time that I remember a vendor present at the meeting was 1972.1 When the DEC representative was asked why only one DEC person was there that year, he said something like "All of psychology represents less sales tha...

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“…Several recent reviews and articles (Martin & Conner, 1975;Schneider & Scholz, 1973;Shure & Meeker, 1970) have indicated the utility of computer-based systems of control in experimental laboratories. There is also a growing literature describing the use of fullsize and minicomputers in medical and psychiatric assessment batteries (Angle, Hay, Hay, & Ellinwood, 1977;Greist, Klein, & Van Cura, 1973;Kleinmuntz, 1972;Maultsby & Slack, 1971;Mayne, Weksel, & Sholtz, 1968;Slack & Van Cura, 1968).…”

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confidence: 99%