Decus U.S. Chapter SIGs Newsletters

Summary

This document, Volume 2, Number 5 of the DECUS U.S. Chapter SIGs Newsletters (January 1987), serves as a comprehensive collection of information, technical updates, and organizational material for various Special Interest Groups (SIGs) within the Digital Equipment Computer Users Society (DECUS).

Key contents include:

• Software Licensing Issues: The "General Interest" section details concerns raised by the DECUS board regarding Digital Equipment Corporation's (DEC) changes to software licensing policies. This includes correspondence between C.W. Goldsmith (DECUS President) and Rose Ann Giordano (DEC Vice President) regarding license transfers and corporate entity rules.
• Artificial Intelligence SIG: Includes a newsletter titled (THE (LINKED LIST)), focusing on AI events for early 1987 and a book review of "Performance and Evaluation of Lisp Systems" by Dr. Richard P. Gabriel.
• Data Management SIG: Contains an overview of the "State of the DBMS Industry," covering trends in microcomputer and mainframe database systems and the emergence of database hardware solutions.
• DATATRIEVE/4GL SIG: Features the "Wombat Examiner and 4GL Dispatch," containing articles on the architecture of VAX DATATRIEVE, tips for passing information from DATATRIEVE to DCL, and various "magic" tricks/techniques for users.
• EDUSIG: Provides administrative correspondence and information regarding seminars for educational institutions.
• Large Systems SIG: Includes the "AT LARGE" newsletter, featuring the premiere of "From the TOPS-20 Mailing List," which covers historical technical discussions about DEC PDP computer models.
• Pageswapper (VAX Systems SIG): This extensive section includes technical notes on security testing VAX/VMS for "C2" certification, discussions on software development portfolio licensing, and various technical tips regarding VAX/VMS and DECnet.
• RT-11 SIG: Contains "The Mini-Tasker," featuring bug reports, trivia, and an annotated directory of the Fall 1986 RT-11 Symposium software tape.
• Questionnaire/Form Section: Provides various submission forms for software improvement requests and wish lists for different SIGs (DATATRIEVE, IAS, Office Automation, and Personal Computer SIGs).

The document concludes with committee lists, membership application forms, and subscription service information for DECUS members.