Conversational Time-Sharing-A New Tool For the Petroleum Industry

In the last ten years, the use of computers in the petroleum industry has grown spectacularly. In spite of this growth, it cannot be said that computers have become much more accessible to the end user (the engineer, geophysicist, financial analyst); the reverse is often the case. As computers have become larger, more sophisticated and people. The General Electric "Conversational TIMESHARING" Service is a practical example of a new tool that places the Computer directly in the hands of the man with the problem. Access to the computer is achieved by dialing its telephone number from a teletype terminal located in the user's office. Many such terminals can be connected simultaneously hence the term "TIME-SHARING". The computer is valueless if the user cannot communicate with it, i.e. program it. An important aspect of this new tool is the programming language available. FORTRAN is available but the most interesting language is one developed by Dartmouth College called BASIC. A one-day course in BASIC provides the user with enough knowledge to start him using TIME-SHARING to solve his unique problems. "Conversational TIME-SHAHING" is designed to complement rather than replace the conventional computer. A review of the use of TIME-SHARING in two Alberta petroleum companies reveals the scope of this new problem- solving tool. INTRODUCTION THERE IS A NEW and revolutionary tool for engineers, geophysicists and financial analysts in Conversational TIME-SHARING. It breaks down the mystical barrier that, to the average professional, seems to surround the computer. The keys that open this barrier are low cost – a simple programming language and a teletype terminal by the desk. In the last twenty years, the computer business has experienced spectacular development; annual increases of 30 per cent in the number of machines installed have not been unusual. The petroleum industry has contributed to this growth in that Calgary now has the highest concentration of computers per capita of any city in Canada. In spite of this quite startling growth, it cannot be said that computers have become more accessible to the end user, the man with the problem to be solved. The reverse is often the case. As computers have become more expensive the cry has been to run them more efficiently. Work is carefully scheduled to ensure that every second of machine time is used. It is no longer possible to drop by the computer room for a few minutes of time. With computers in use where time can cost $20.00 per minute and more, this is hardly surprising. As mentioned, computers still have a ‘mystique’ about them which seems impossible to dispel. They are still thought of as exotic, complicated machines capable of being Understood by only a select few specialists. This situation must change if computers are really to come into their own as a tool for all professional and technical people. To meet the need, the service required must be easy to use, provide fast turn-around (length of time required to get an answer back), be available whenever needed and, of course, be inexpensive.