DTSS, Inc.

The formation of DTSS, Inc., to license the use of Dartmouth Time-Sharing System software to other computer centers has been announced by college officials. The software, a complete operating system for a digital computer, is the principal asset of DTSS, Inc., a taxable corporation wholly owned by the Trustees of the College.

Developed over the past six years by faculty and students working with the staff of the Kiewit Computation Center, the system accepts and performs the tasks of over 130 users with problem-solving languages such as BASIC, FORTRAN, and COBOL. The system is designated "software," as opposed to "hardware," the computing equipment itself.

"While Dartmouth students and faculty and many outside institutions have direct access to Kiewit, there is a much larger need by users, both educational and commercial, who must operate their own computer facilities but do not have the great flexibility provided by DTSS software," said Robert F. Hargraves Jr. '61, Associate Director of Kiewit and executive vice president of the new corporation. "It is these institutions to which DTSS, Inc., will devote its full-time interest in a concerted effort to give time-sharing a greater impact in the computing field."

Each institution licensed to use the system will receive a copy of the hundreds of public programs stored in the Center's library, including a wide range of mathematical and statistical learning aids, management aids, and games. Users will also be able to write and execute their own programs as their needs and fields require.

Rodney A. Morgan '44, Vice President for Administration at the College, is president of DTSS, Inc.; W. Leslie Peat, assistant to Vice President John Meek '33, is secretary; and Thomas Y. Byrne '55, Assistant Director at Kiewit, is treasurer. Directors of the corporation, in addition to the officers, are Thomas E. Kurtz, Kiewit Director; John S. McGeachie '65, Director of the Data Processing Center; and Donald L. Kreider, Vice President for Student Affairs.