COMPUTER SYSTEMS RESEARCH

The main objective of the Computer Systems Research Group is the development and understanding of relatively complex systems that are reliable, secure and efficient. This includes timeshared and distributed computation systems, as well as networks.

Professors Liba Svobodova (left), Jerome H. Saltzer (right), and Dr. David D. Clark formulate research plans in computer systems research. Professor Svobodova's interests are in measurement and evaluation of computer system performance in distributed processing, and in computer architecture. Professor Saltzer, who heads this large research group, is interested in the engineering of large-scale computer systems; in the protection of information within computers and computer networks; and in data communications. Dr. Clark's interests are in the structure of computer operating systems; in Input-Output processes and in computer communications, networks, and distributed computer systems.


Professor David D. Redell (left) is interested in computer system architecture; software engineering; system implementation languages; and in privacy, security and protection in information systems.

Professor Michael D. Schroeder is interested in computer system structure and organization; timesharing; protection mechanisms; system programming languages; and the correctness of systems.


Professor Stuart (Stu) E. Madnick of the Sloan School of Management and an affiliate member of the Laboratory, is interested in information systems, computer architecture and database systems.


Professor Fernando J. Corbató (Corby), Associate Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, is a pioneer in the area of timeshared systems. In 1961, he headed the development of one of the world's first such systemsÑthe Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS)--and its considerably improved successor--the Multics time-sharing system (1967).

The Laboratory's research and development in timesharing systems gave rise to many direct results such as virtual memory, the writing of a complex system such as Multics in a higher-level language (PL/1), and several novel approaches for privacy and protection of information. In addition, the community of users of these systems during the last 12 years has given rise to many indirect results such as the development of application programs and the realization that time-sharing systems are best suited for sharing information rather than simply sharing hardware resources.




This 1975 MIT Lab for Computer Science Brochure was reconstructed in HTML by Peter Szolovits, 1995.
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