Planning for National Networking; Proceedings of the EDUCOM Spring Conference, April 6, 1973, Boston, Massachusetts.

Provided in this report are substantive summaries of the papers presented and discussions held at the Spring 1973 conference convened by EDUCOM, the Interuniversity Communications Council. The general focus is upon issues and obstacles related to the development of national computer networks in higher education; these networks have become more and more necessary due to increases in both the contributions and the costs of computers. Part I of the report considers the general question of networking, with individual papers dealing with the kinds of networks needed, the development of a national science computer network, and computing resource networks from the buyer's and seller's perspectives. Part II treats networking for disciplinary users, with specific presentations reviewing applications in transportation, chemistry and chemical engineering, economics, business administration, and medicine. Part III covers national and regional networking. Separate chapters discuss: 1) the Advanced Research Projects Administration Network (ARPANET); 2) the relationship between the states and the universities; 3) network instructional aides; 4) the datacomputer, a network data utility; 5) Project MAC at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and 6) regional networks as a basis for national networks. (PB)