Computing Center in the Hallden Engineering Laboratory

The first computing center at Trinity College was located in the Hallden Engineering Laboratory building (now known as Hallden Hall).

Dave Kiarsis `71 uses the PDP-8 computer. Photo credit: Trinity Reporter

The computers were initially used in science and engineering courses. An article in the Trinity Reporter from 1971 reported that students were learning to use a DEC PDP-8 computer in the Engineering Department under the supervision of Professor August Sapega.

A DEC VAX minicomputer like those in Hallden. Photo credit: Rhode Island Retro-Computer Society, CC BY-SA 3.0

In 1979, a DEC PDP-11/44 computer was installed in the basement. It was primarily for business functions, but it was used for academic purposes as well. A DEC VAX minicomputer was obtained for academic use in 1983 and a second in 1984.

A DEC VT100 CRT terminal like those installed in the Hallden Engineering Laboratory in the 1980s. Photo credit: Jason Scott via Wikipedia, CC BY 2.0

As time went on, computing facilities in the Hallden Engineering Laboratory were used for courses in other departments and by any student who walked in. Terminals were installed in the main laboratory space at the front of the building. Originally, these stood next to laboratory equipment, but eventually non-computing equipment was pushed out and the space became known as the User Room.

The computing center also added equipment to meet the requirements of particular departments. For example, the Sociology department wanted access to demographic databases available on a mainframe computer at Yale University. To accommodate them, a leased telephone line to Yale was obtained and additional terminals were installed in the User Room.

The Rise of Word Processing

Main room of the Computer Center circa 1985. Students are using VT100 and VT200 terminals. Photo credit: Trinity College Archives

During the 1980s, a major change took place in the way computers were used. Earlier, they had been seen as special-purpose machines for solving scientific or financial problems, but they were beginning to replace typewriters as a way to prepare documents. Students could type their papers into the VAX mini computer, run them through a formatter, and print them out on Diabolo impact printers. These printers used electric typewriter mechanisms to print, which meant that they were slow and noisy.

The use of computers to type papers caused strife because the number of terminals was limited and 'serious' computer users had to wait in line behind individuals who were using the computer as a glorified typewriter. To meet these new needs, in 1984, the general use computing center was expanded and upgraded. Trinity had received a $250,000 grant by the Pew Memorial Trust of Philadelphia for this purpose. Improvements included the installation of eight DEC Rainbow personal computers (PCs) and a laser printer. The laser printer was quieter than the Diabolo printers and 15 times faster. It could also print in bold face and italic. It was announced that beginning the following semester, students would be charged $5.00 for a “regular word processing account” and $7.50 for a “term paper account” to cover the cost of supplies.

Plans to add DEC Rainbow PCs were also made, which students would be able to use for word processing, designing graphics, and database management applications.

These new devices increased the hours that the Center was open, but also increased the cost of printing for students. Student opinions of the Center were mixed, with many arguing that it was inefficient. In the September 30, 1986 edition of the Trinity Tripod, Peter Sobering, the manager of Academic Computer Operations at Trinity, responded to these critics, arguing that improvements had in fact been made and that the students' opinions and the Tripod's representation had been unfair.

The Internet

Trinity College installed an Internet connection in the late 1980s. At the time, the Internet was a network of a few thousand educational organizations and defense contractors. Students could send and receive e-mail by logging into the DEC VAX minicomputer. Other uses for the Internet included logging in to computers at other institutions over Telnet and transferring files using the File Transfer Protocol. The initial connection speed was 9,600 bits per second (BPS), but it was soon upgraded to 56,000 BPS and then to 1.5 megabits per second, which was more than sufficient at that time.

Use of the Internet at Trinity expanded slowly. As more computers were installed in Hallden, each one was connected to the Internet. A small number of personal computers in other buildings were connected, mainly for Computer Center staff. But use was limited by many factors including that few had personal computers, few buildings were wired, few organizations other than universities were connected, and the web browser had not yet been invented which meant that using the Internet required special skills.

Accelerated Computerization

A number of companies provided subsidized computers to Trinity College, which were installed in various spaces in the Hallden Engineering building. These included a classroom full of IBM-compatible PCs made by AT&T, a room full of Macintosh computers, and several SUN workstations running Unix. This gave students and staff an opportunity to gain experience with a variety of computers, learn what they could do, and find ways to apply them to their work.

Students were also beginning to purchase computers for their own use. For several years, the Computing Center operated a computer store where students could buy Apple computers and have computers of various brands repaired.

The Computer Center also responded to the rapid computerization of office work that was taking place in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Computer Center staff members installed and maintained personal computers and printers in various offices. While there was a Trinity local area network (LAN), it was available only in a few buildings and most personal computers were not connected. Instead, the personal computers were used for word processing or as terminals to connect to the DEC VAX minicomputer which was used for record keeping.

In December of 1990, the Computing Center moved to the newly-constructed Mathematics, Computing, and Engineering Center, now known as the Nutt Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science Center (MECC).