AEA Meeting
AEX (6) 45
8/12/60
Extract from Minutes
During discussion the following points were made:
- The assessment of the likely needs of users of an
Atlas computer other than the Authority referred to in
previous discussions had been no more than guesses. the
firm requests which had now been received revealed a
somewhat different position, and it was rather surprising
that no Government Department other than the Meteorological
Office had expressed any interest.
- Undue reliance should not perhaps be attached to the
validity of Cambridge and London Universities' assessment
of their own needs, although their assessment had been
endorsed by the University Grants Committee for planning purposes.
- It appeared clear that the Authority would in practice
be the principal user of the machine. Moreover, the
Authority had a firm short-term programme of work for it
which was of a wholly different character from the
long-term and less immediately important programmes of all
of the other users except that of the Meteorological Office.
It was therefore unfortunate from the Authority's
point of view that the computer could only be secured
under arrangements which gave the National Institute
the responsible for its management.
- Nevertheless, the fact that the Authority would have a guaranteed minimum
of time on the computer would not
stop them from claiming whatever share might in practice
be justified of the balance of the time. Moreover, the
proposed arrangements have been arrived at as a result of
careful consideration by the Departments concerned, and
had to be accepted in order to make it possible to order
an Atlas computer in time.
The Authority
- took note of the points made in discussion;
- invited the Chairman to convey their misgivings
about the proposed arrangements,
to the Government Departments principally concerned.
