GOZARESH-E-COMPUTER
Computer Report
Vol. 14, No. 117
January-February 1993
Publisher : Informatics Society of Iran (ISI)
Manager : Ebrahim N. Mashayekh
Editor-in-Chief : Ali A. Parsa
Assistant Editor : Saeed Vahid
Circulation: CR is published bimonthly by ISI. Please address your
subscription requests to: Anoosh Hosseini, P.O.Box 61622, Sunnyvale,
CA 94088 USA.
membership: Annual subscription is included in membership fee.
Non-member price: US$ 25 per year ( 6 copies). CR features original and
translated articles, news and reviews on all aspects of computers in Iran and
abroad.
Submissions: Submit you article to: The Editor, Computer Report,
P.O.Box 1196, Tehran 14155, IRAN. All submissions are subject to editing for
style, clarity and space consideration.
Editorial: Unless otherwise stated, articles and reports reflect the
author's opinion. Inclusion does not neccessarily imply approval of ISI.
Mailing List Rental: ISI lists are available for computer-related
products and services.
Postmaster: Send address changes to: ISI, P.O.Box 1196, Tehran 14155,
IRAN.
Copyright (c) 1993 by Informatics Society of Iran. Copying
without fee is permitted with credit to the source.
CR's camera ready copies are produced using TeX-e-paarsi typesetting system.
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Articles:
Spiral Model of Software Engineering..........................22
Cellular Automaton............................................15
Departments:
News...........................................................5
Letters.......................................................11
Editorial.....................................................12
President's Letter............................................13
Book Review...................................................31
Interview.....................................................32
Opinion.......................................................37
Glossary......................................................38
Annual Index..................................................56
Reports:
Asia Pacific Conference on Circuits And Systems...............39
Microsoft's Strategy..........................................41
Farsi Character Code Standards................................42
Rebuilding Los Angeles with RealityEngine.....................44
Ups and Downs of Downsizing...................................45
Scotland Yard Raid Virus Vendor...............................47
What's Ahead for PC/Fax?......................................48
How LTV Mail-enabled Its Applications?........................50
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President's Note
Norooz Greeting
The Informatics Society of Iran (ISI) is an independent technical and
scientific society committed by its constitution to the advancement of
computer-related knowledge in Iran. It is governed by an executive body
elected biannually by its members.
Everyone holding a BS or equivalent in computer science or engineering or
related fields is eligible for regular membership. There are also non-voting
student and associate members from among those interested in the society's
activities. Activities include the publication of a monthly magazine
Computer Report (CR), and of other technical material; organization of
scientific gatherings and short courses; contribution to standardization
efforts, etc.
Being an independent society, ISI has been severly restricted in resources
during its 14 years of activity. This note is to invite you to support ISI.
contributions may range from writing of brief news items (academic events,
new product descriptions, or conference reports), to more detailed tutorial
and survey articles, usually aimed for an upper-division undergraduate
audience. Communication of ideas in the form of letters to the editor of CR
is also encouraged. Your aid may also be in the form of books or subscription
to journals for the Society's library. (If you choose this option please
contact ISI for a list of already available titles.) Direct financial
donations are also accepted.
Currently more than 8000 people are working in computer science or engineering
field in Iran, and the number is growing, as does the investment in this
field. Your support of ISI will help the exchange of technical computer
knowledge in Iran, and thus positively affect this growth. Currently Mr.
Anoosh Hosseini (anoosh@wildcat.mti.sgi.com) acts as ISI liaison
abroad.
Expecting your support.
The President
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Covertly Assembled PCs
The number of PCs fitted together inland, and sold as Taiwan- or
Sigapore-made computers are growing. Computers assembled using components
imported wholesale, are 20-25% cheaper than ready-made ones. Insiders say
in some cases the quality of these PCs are better than their Taiwanese twins,
but because of skepticism of the Iranian costumers about domestic products,
companies offering such computers keep the secret hidden.
Microsoft Invests in Iran
Last January ISI held a seminar on Microsoft's strategies. The lecturer was
Michel Perin, from Microsoft France. He sketched out plans of the
company for the future and said Microsoft has long term cooperation plans
with Iranian companies.
BBS in Iran
Veerayeshgar, a Tehran-based software house, is considering to set up a
BBS in the country. Mr. Arshady CEO of the company said in a phone talk
``We have established a limited BBS among our offices and costumers; and
we are linked to BBSs abroad. We supply updates of software and
sharewares such as virus killers to our costumers.'' Everyone with a modem
connected to his/her PC may link to this BBS. Using Iran's not so much
developed communication lines, baud rates of 14400 and 16800 bps are feasible
and it takes two or three minutes to transfer one mega byte of data, according
to Mr. Arshady. The company has proposed setting up a BBS in Iran to the
Higher Council of Informatics.
Veerayeshgar has already released Farsi version of DataEase, a popular
package for file management operations.
Computer Courses in High Schools
Starting new Iranian educational year,
those high school students of grade 3 in the
field of mathematics and physics are required to pass an introductory
course on computers and informatics. This course has been taught
experimentally for around two years in some of country's high schools.
The book which is going to be used for this purpose has been printed after
considering the feedbacks of two past editions.
RISC Machines for Iran
Negareh Co., the official distributor for Sun Microsystems products in
Iran has recently announced that some powerful machines ordered by
universities are currentlyin Iranian custom waiting for clearance procedures.
According to Homayoon Tadjbakhsh, the managing director of company, so far
Amir Kabir University has received one unit Sparc Server 470 and one Sparc
Station 1+ and four other Sparc Station 1+ belonged to Tehran University soon
will be delivered, too.
Several Sun compatible machines such as Tatung and TwinHead have already
brought in Iran. AdvanTechs International from Netherlands is currently
representing TwinHead computers in Iran. Pooya, the official distributor of
ICL also claims that have Samsung machines built based on Hewlett Packard
workstations available.
ICCME '93
The International Congress on Computational Methods in Engineering is to be
held from 2 to 6 May 1993 in Shiraz. The congress is organized
by the School of Engineering of Shiraz University. The application and
development of computational methods in composite materials,
computer aided design and manufacturing, control engineering and robotics,
electromagnetic, expert systems, fluid dynamics, geomechanics, heat and
mas transfer, optimization, signal processing, and solid and structural
mechanics are among congress topics. Those interested in attending
this congress should contact Mr. Yaghoubi, the co-chairman of congress
on (071) 32224 for further details.
Iranian Team in SGI
The ``R4x00'' project at Silicon Graphics Inc. was partly accomplished by
Iranians. Amir Nayerhabibi who headed the Architectural/Design Verification
efforts for R4000 initially; later became the project manager of the R4000
and its next version known as R4400. Previously he headed the verification
team of 486 at Intel. Two other Iranians, namely Ali Massoumi and Nader
Vasseghian, work in the Circuit Design area. Behrooz Yadegar, Asghar
Bashteen and Ali Moayedian work in the Test Team; and Anoosh Hosseini works
in the Tools Group.
Open Systems Workshop
Tehran-based Ouns System Company, the official distributor for Logitech
products in Iran is to run a specialized workshop in the area of distributed
information systems in August 1993. Subjects such as applications of computer
networks in distributed informatin systems, distributed operating systems,
the applications of artificial intelligence in distributed environments, and
the applications of neural networks and fuzzy logic in distributed environment
are among workshop's topics. Contact 627851 for further information.
Why Indians?
The bid announced for implementation of a computerized management information
systems for Imam port complex was given to a firm from India. This is not
the first case in which Indian firms are showing more sucessful in geting
projects.
Farsi on Display
Tehran-based Donyaye Pardazesh (973096) has recently launched a
computer-controlled check in system to be used in offices to check the
working hours of personnel. The interesting point is that the system
is able to dispaly information in Farsi. The system is capable of
collecting, processing, and report generating and can also be plugged into
computer networks.
New Polytechnic
To come up with ever-increasing shortage of skillful manpower for country's
industrial centers, a new polytechnic will be opened next year.
Dr. Javad Azhari, the research deputy for Ministry of Culture and Higher
Education said: ``Decision to open this university is based on demands
of country's industrial centers and therefor will need their contribution
too.'' Students will study practical oriented courses. The university is to
train both engineers and technicians.
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Book Review
Circuit Analysis with Computer Applications to Problem Solving,
Behrouz Peikari et al.,
Wiley Eastern Limited, Fifth Repeint, 1991,
ISBN 0-85226-349-X.
This book is the outgrowth of class notes written for a two-semester course
which aims to integrate basic circuit analysis with the use of the digital
computer as a tool. The objective in this text is to develop the basic
principles of circuit analysis while at the same time introducing the
computer as an aid in solving linear, and time-varying problems. In level
and content the book is intended to provide a basic introduction to circuit
theory and, in recognition of the fact that an introductory circuits course
is often a basic course for many curriculums, to present techniques important
to a wide variety of more advanced engineering topics.
The particular method of presenting the computer material has been motivated
by the belief that the student must learn the analytical part and then should
be able to use simple numerical procedure to evaluate his results. Also
because the digital computer has become an essential analysis and design aid
in all phases of engineering, including the analysis and design od electric
circuits, it is desirable for the student to start using the computer as
early as possible in his educational career. Hence throughout the text the
student is motivated and encouraged to learn to write his own computer
programs. The computer programs developed within the text range from a
simple integration routine to programs that solve a set of simultaneous state
equations. The text can also be used if no computer applications are to be
considered. In this case, all the sections or subsections involving computer
programs can be omitted without loss of continuity.
Profile
Massoud Namjou is the designer of Sparc RISC processors at Sun Microsystems.
Mr. Namjou received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from ``Sharif
University of Technology'' of Tehran in 1977. Then he went to the U.S. and
worked for M.S. and Ph.D. in Stanford University. He has worked at Hewlett
Packard on designing ``Spectrum'', a processor which was renamed to ``Decision
Architecture'' later. Then he moved to Sun Microsystems, and there guided a
team to design the first Sparc RISC processor. Being a bachelor at his late
30s, he enjoys driving racing autos and listening to jazz and pop music.
E-mails
New Friend
I got your E-mail address from Mr. Anoosh Hosseini in the US. Congratulations
on establishing E-mail link with the outside world. A short technical
biography of myself: I have a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University
of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. I am currently working as a
Research Scientist in NTT Basic Research Labs, Tokyo, Japan. My area of
specialization is computer vision, image processing, pattern recognition and
some artificial intelligence.
I will be happy to provide technical assistance to ISI as much as possible.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if need arises. I will also be glad to
cooperate with professors in Iran as best as possible in the areas of
Computer Vision, Image Processing, Pattern Recognition and some Artificial
Intelligence.
Sincerely
Farzin Mokhtarian
E-mail: farzin@apollo3.ntt.jp
Good Idea
Your English section is very good. Infact many people would like to know
about events in Iran. It will also make it easier for people to write you
articles. I think the survey regarding articles in CR is a very good idea. I
also read more articles over the weekend and found them to be very good.
Anoosh Hosseini
E-mail: anoosh@wildcat.mti.sgi.com