83JUN23



From:   J. L. Bingham
        ManTech International
        2320 Mill Road
        Alexandria, VA 22314
        (703) 838-5600
        VAX Systems SIG Librarian

To:     Nodes of the VAX SIG Tape Distribution Tree for Spring 1983

     The current VAX SIG Tape Distribution Tree is enclosed.  The tree is  a  combination  of  names
from  the  previous  tree,  names  from  the  DECUS office and names of people who have contacted me
directly and contains addresses and phone numbers in my possession as of this date.

     I attempted to reverify the  continued  interest,  names,  addresses,  phone  numbers  and  lug
affiliation  of  the  nodes  on  the tree in St Louis by leaving a listing in the VAX campground for
people representing nodes to correct and sign.  A lot of nodes did not  sign  the  list  there,  but
since  the  entire tree was verified in January of this year and this was the first time I had tried
verifying the tree at a symposium I have not removed anyone for not reviewing that list.

     In order to get some feedback on the progress of the tape through the tree  and  to  provide  a
vehicle  for  verifying  nodes I am including a form for you to return when you get your copy of the
tape.  In addition I will again bring a listing to the next symposium (Las Vegas) and ask  that  you
or  your  representative verify it.  It will not be necessary to both return the form and verify the
listing but please ensure that one or the other is done.

     Dave Leonard is putting the tape together and should have it ready for  distribution  by  early
July.   The  organization  of  the  tape will be similar to the last one except that there will be a
third save set containing about half of the submitted material on a  separate  tape.   We  are  also
distributing  a tape which contains all of the material from the Spring 1979 through the Spring 1982
which was not explicitly  superseded  on  the  Fall  1982  tape.   That  makes  this  a  THREE  tape
distribution (2400' tapes).

     The tapes will again be made with the  /INTERCHANGE  switch  so  tape  to  tape  copy  will  be
possible.  The procedure for accomplishing tape to tape copy is as follows:

      o  MOUNT the backup format tape to be copied (NOT /FOREIGN)

      o  DIRECTORY/FULL to determine the block size of the tape

      o  INITIALIZE the output tape

      o  MOUNT the output tape (NOT /FOREIGN) with /BLOCK=n, n is the size from the above  directory
         command and will normally be 7952

      o  COPY (input drive):*.*;* (output drive):


     Here is how the tree distribution system works:

      o  Find your name on the attached diagram and from there your parent node.

      o  Contact your parent node to determine how he wants to handle the  transaction.   People  on
         the  tree must receive a tape, return mailer and postage or some other exchange suitable to
         both parties.

      o  If you have nodes below you get the tape reproduced and forwarded as soon as possible.

      o  Note that the onus is on the lower nodes to contact their parent nodes and arrange  to  get
         their  copies  of the tape.  If you get a copy of the tape from some source other than your
         parent node please let him know so he will know that your branch has been taken care of.


     If you have complaints or suggestions regarding the tape format or the distribution let  me  or
Dave  Leonard  know, preferably in writing.  My telephone number is listed above but, unfortunately,
it is the number for my office, not the on-site location where I spend most of my time.

     Every node on the tree is expected to be willing and able to copy the tapes for nodes under him
and  for  others.   Every person receiving a tape is expected to be willing to copy it for other VAX
users or make it available to them for copying.  The distribution tree is  being  submitted  to  the
Pageswapper for publication.



                                                J. L. BINGHAM