Daniel L. Drew

The LACONIQ (Laboratory Computer Online Inquiry) Monitor was developed primarily to support non-numerical applications such as retrieval from very large files by means of a “dialogue” between a system user and a retrieval application. The monitor was designed so that it could work with a small computer (an IBM System 360/30). Therefore techniques for resource allocation were important. For this reason the use of core storage, computational facilities, and input-output were all scheduled. An unusual feature of the system is that it is event-driven rather than clock-driven. The program segments called into execution by the remote CRT consoles are invariably run to completion rather than “rolled-out” to be brought back at a later time.