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I See Features, page 4
The Gamecock
Founded 1908 Eighty Years of Collegiate Journalism Friday
Volume 81, No. 15 University of South Carolina September 2, 1988
Supercom]
By LYNN GIBSON
and STEVE PRADARELLI
Staff writers
USC may have spent $3.3 million on a "super
puter" that is significantly less powerful than first b
ed, according to a man instrumental in negotiate
sale.
But Martin J. Solomon, USC systems vice presider
computing, communications and informa
technology, said that while a few bugs needed to be v
ed out, the computer is everything USC expected and
for.
Trevor Hicks, former president of Paralax C
which worked with Perceptics Corp. of Knoxville, T
in designing and producing the computer, said the Ge
1000 has two-thirds less speed than originally desi
when USC agreed to buy the system last December.
Hicks said Perceptics, a subsidiary of Westingh
Electric Corp., "cut corners" and lacked the technc
to produce the supercomputer it originally set 01
create and sell.
Hicks, who left Atlanta-based Paralax in July 198"
is now trying to form a new computer company in A
ta, said the problem stems from a deviation in the ori,
design.
He said the Gemini 1000 ? the unit that makes al
computations ? is supposed to be connected to its
system ? the unit where data enters and exits ? b
channels, each capable of carrying one million bit!
pieces of information, per second.
But the system received by USC in July had only
channel. As a result, he said, not only is the systen
capable of performing as many functions as quick]
previously believed, but without expensive modificati
the quality of its graphics could be compromised.
"It's like New York City with only one exit," V
said. "If everybody wants to get out, you're going to
a mess."
He said the computer may seem fine now, but
USC adds additional terminals ? and when man
these terminals are in use at once ? the system
become overloaded, forcing one or more of the termi
Blackout da
campus buil
By KELLY THOMAS Dining s?
Staff writer House and
A power outage that hit the USC forced to cl
campus last night left the Russell tinued and c
House and several student residence power came
halls and classroom buildings forced to ea
without power for two hours. Bates House
The Byrnes International Center Computer
and the Thompson Student Health were tempor
Center were also affected. of a 10-seco
A leg of a circuit in one of the occurred at
fraternity houses deteriorated and Rollins, an
caused the entire circuit to blow at Services, sai
5:25 p.m., a Plant Services official servicing the
said. Power was returned to most of said center s?
the USC campus by 7:25 p.m., but as to normal at
of 10 p.m. lights were still out on Residents
fraternity row. South area, i
The outage caused problems for in McBryde
WUSC-FM. The radio station broad- in the dark
casts from the Russell House. The and South T
station was off the air from 5:30 p.m. without the
until about 7:45 p.m., said jour- the outage, t
nalism senior and WUSC station were in the e
manager Dwayne Neil. He said the power failed
transformer was not damaged and These area
that the station was fully operational telephone se
once power was restored. length of tim
^ Classes
r?A _ Monday
r\ pA \) P\wm/J Kbx^ Labor 1
\ t / Gameco
publicati
Freshman ra
By RITA K. COSBY
Senior reporter
A USC student was sexually assaulted Wednesday
near Christopher Towers onpevine Street, less
than one week after the start of Classes.
The incident occurred at 1:55 a.m. while the victim
was walking home alone west on Devine Street.
The 18 year-old female freshman had just left the
Five Points area bar, Pugs, and, according to the
Columbia police report, she then decided to walk
up Devine Street rather than walk up Blossom
Street which has no sidewalk.
She was passing the about 3-foot-high wall that
is in front of Christopher Towers, a home for
senior citizens on Devine Street, when the attacker
briskly came up to her from behind. She was then
forced to climb over the wall into the nearby shrubbery
on the western side of the building.
The victim said her attacker told her he had a
pistol and would kill her if she did not cooperate.
She immediately went to Richland Memorial
Hospital where she was examined and looked after
by a rape crisis team. No bruises were found on the
victim. i
Danny Baker, assistant vice-president for law en- i
forcement and safety, said the incident is not ]
typical because it is so early into the school year. i
"In any case, we must all deal with this and <
realize that everyone has to be careful and alert," <
he said.
pmter not c
m
5, or jbbbbbb^bB
one
n jn_ The Gemini-1000 supercomputer, bought 1
[y as million.
ions, to shut down.
Solomon, who oversees the computer's op
licks Hicks's concern about the computer's initia
have were legitimate "a month ago." But he said i
agreement with Perceptics, the company is
once adjustments needed to make the computer pe:
y of as Perceptics said it would without any extra i
may university.
inals "He's behind the times," Solomon said c
rkens ?
of residence halls in the jjJW
as well as those residing BHjgfl
B and Maxcy, were left
as well. Patterson Hall
ower residents were left
use of elevators during
hough all residents who
devators at the time the
were able to get out.
s were also left with no
rvice for a substantial
won't meet on
because of the Jl^
)ay vacation. The rdlse alarm
ck will resume Students stand in froi
on Wednesday. to return inside the bu
outside.
ped while w;
"I always tell female students to
never walk alone or in small groups
around here at night. It is simply
not sate or wise. But 1 still can't
understand how things like this
happen.
John Warner
head of security
Christopher Towers
"I always tell female students to never walk
alone or in small groups around here at night. It is
simply not safe or wise. But I still can't understand
how things like this happen, because the area where
the walkway wall is located is well-lighted, and we
have a security guard on duty at all hours," said
John Warner, head of security at Christopher
Towers.
"This is a horrible thing to have happened to one
of our students. Especially with freshmen, when
they come to a new campus for the first time they
have a lot on their minds ? classes, friends, housing,
etc. We need to keep informing them and
;veryone else at USC that we must always play it
>afe," said Baker.
"It's true that people, especially women, should
leficient, t
^^gggggggggjggl 2mS
rom Perceptics, a company based in Knoxville, T(
ding that on Tuesday Perceptics wil
eration, said speed to eight million bits per seco
J limitations Solomon said that while the comp
jnder USC's operate even faster, it would mal
making any ference and would hardly justify th
rform as fast "I don't want to pay $2.5 millio
:harge to the cond less," Solomon said.
Hicks's criticism of Perceptics
?f Hicks, ad- Perceptics President R. C. Gonzale
^ ^ ^ >1BHK' WSm ,S
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^ v.
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BRIAN SAULS/The Gamecock
rat of the Russell House waiting for the "all clear"
ilding. An alarm had gone off sending students
alking alone
not be walking alone at night. However, ju:
because someone's walking alone, this certain!
doesn't give anyone the right to attack," he said
"No one ever asks to be raped ? no matter whi
the conditions. But students should no longe
disregard any information that may help prever
any unfortunate situations.
"Students need to pay attention to our literatur
and programs available. I understand that there'
other things on students's minds, I was a studer
myself once. That's why we continuously offe
nonrws nn nrntpctinn onH hnia
w.? f * viVVHUH U11U 11??V puui^JlllCLd Mlllll
around in Russell House," Baker said.
"I understand that it's hard to think about this
and you don't want to become paranoid. But don'
take chances. We don't want to be reactive, w
want to be pro-active," he said.
"People have to look after each other and reall;
care about their friends. I hope students use a
much caution as possible. Everyone deserves t<
have a good college life experience," said Denni
Pruitt, vice-president of student affairs.
The victim described the attacker as a black malt
in his late 20s or early 30s. He was wearing a shorl
sleeve, garnet-colored sweater with white trim or
the bottom and a white collar. He was also described
to Columbia police as having short hair, stan
ding about 5-foot, 10-inches tall and weighing
around 175 pounds.
ISC offic
allegations of fla'
PUB incorrect."
"He (Hicks) do<
zales said. "Hicks
person."
Hicks respondec
of Hicks as unqiu
with electronics fo
The Gemini 100
Each of its 16 circv
that the system he
together, can con
Em second.
"All the compi
hand by all the ma
ed can be done i
|| ; Solomon said.
According to a I
the computer wil
engineering marke
H M Installation and <
posed to be accom
^ The first phase coi
?????>??. followed by USC'
network componer
During the secon
system will offer at
BRIAN SAULS/The Gamecock and high-reSOlutiOI
im C1 - Pete Denton, se
.nn., cost USC $3.3 finance, said the $2
was a capital expei
I boost the computer's "In the USC bu<
nd. by Cutting Edge
iuter could be made to covered through o
;e little practical dif- additional costs re]
ie additional cost. through such sour
n to wait one-half se- contracts.
Asked if USC p
also drew fire from funds toward the
s, who called Hicks's nothing stands still
Televised
coming 1
closed t<
By LYNN GIBSON
Staff writer
Longstreet Theatre will open its
doors next Wednesday night for a
debate featuring some of America's
most influential political figures.
But the debate, which will be filmed
live and beamed across the country
on the Public Broadcasting Service,
will be closed to USC students.
William F. Buckley Jr. will host
and mediate the debate as part of his
Firing Line program, produced by
the S.C. Educational Television
Network.
SCETV is producing the program
as part of its 30th anniversary
celebration, SCETV spokeswoman
Jenny Tindal said. The title of the
H#*hatp ic f? Tli/> T2ir*Ut ?V D/?f
nwi/irtw. A / It A \ Igr 11 WCt"
ter Able to Deal with the Soviets than
the Left.
The debate will pit the erudite and
scholarly Buckley, Rep. Jack Kemp
R-N.Y., former U.S. ambassador to
the United Nations Jeane Kirkpatrick
and former Secretary of State Henry
Kissinger against former Coloradan
senator Gary Hart, former South
Dakotan senator and 1972
democratic presidential nominee
George McGovern, Paul Warnke,
chief U.S. negotiator for the 1977-78
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, and
Rep. Patricia Schroeder D-Colo.
The debate will not be open to the
general public because Longstreet
Theatre only seats 250 people, Tindal
said. The audience will consist of
5t program underwriters, major ETV
y contributors and the media.
Tindal said SCETV is renting
rt Longstreet Theatre, and it is
;r therefore not a university
rt production.
"The people who will be attending
e are the ones who are funding this
s event," said Tindal, adding that
Lt although USC students won't be able
;r to see the debate live, it will be aired
g live on WRLK-TV channel 35 in
Columbia.
; USC is the first of four universities
t that will hold the debate on campus.
e USC is also the only university of the
four that will not be allotting seats
y for students.
s North Carolina State University
3 will host an Oct. 5 debate. N.C. State
s spokeswoman Frances Milk said the
debate will be held at Stewart
Theatre, which seats more than 800.
; Seating will be determined by invita1
tion only, with the majority of the
1 audience consisting of state
legislators, UNC Board of Governors
and others to be decided later. One
> hundred tickets are reserved for
NCSU Student Senate. Any returned
ial says
ws in the computer's design "totally
ss not understand the numbers," Gon;
is a business person, not a technical
1 by saying Gonzales's characterization
ilified is "totally ridiculous. I've been
r 25 years."
lO 1C oVinnt in faat C. *?11
v to uuuui x\j ivtl lung anu u icci tan.
lit boards holds 64 computers, meaning
>uses a total of 1,024 computers that,
ipute up to 2 billion instructions per
nations that have ever been done by
thematicians in the world that ever livn
one hour" with the Gemini 1000,
JSC news release dated Dec. 18, 1987,
1 be used to support research and
ts.
expansion of the supercomputer is supplished
in two phases, the release said,
nsisted the Gemini 1000's installation,
s acquisition of additional terminals,
its and specialized peripherals,
id phase, scheduled to begin in the first
! is expected to become the initial inn
even more powerful computer. That
least 16 billion instructions per second
1 graphics.
inior vice president for business and
1.3 million paid by USC for the system
iditure.
iget, we provided for that expenditure
(state) resources, and the rest was
ther fees," Denton said. He said any
lated to the computer will be covered
ces as user fees, research funds and
lans to use any more of its operation
system, he said, "Today, no. But
I. Things become obsolete quickly."
I debate
to use,
) public
Program won't
disrupt parking,
USC police say
By LYNN GIBSON
Staff Writer
Some USC parking spaces will be
reserved for the Wednesday filming
of Firing Line at Longstreet
Theatre, but it won't be an inconvenience
for students, a University
Police official said.
Associate Vice President for Law
Enforcement Ernie Ellis said that
Davis Field, which is the small
metered parking area between
Thomas Cooper Library and
Longstreet Theatre, will be reserved
from 2 p.m. to midnight
Wednesday.
The top floor of the Computer
Center Garage will be closed from 8
p.m. to midnight.
"The Computer Center doesn't
have parking for students, and the
Davis Field plus a few spots on the
library lot adds up to maybe 25
spaces," Ellis said.
tickets will be allocated to students.
The University of California at
Davis will host the program at
Recreational Hall, which seats 7,000.
U.C. Davis's program is open to the
general public.
The University of Houston isn't
sure where on campus the debate will
be held, but UH publicist John
Moore said students would be
invited.
According to Paul Sweeney, the
associate producer of Firing Line,
holding the program in Longstreet
Theatre was a joint decision made by
Firing Line and SCETV. The
primary reason for the program's
location is that Firing Line's ex
ecuuve producer warren ^reioei produced
a debate there between
Buckley and Ronald Reagan in 1978
and liked the atmosphere the small
theatre provided, Sweeney said.
"The intimacy of Longstreet
Theatre works very well with a program
of this nature. The (round)
structure of the stage especially adds
to the quality of the debate," said
Tinka Tiemann, director of communications
for Firing Line for Producers
Inc., a Columbia-based production
company."
Some professors have expressed
disappointment that the debate won't
See "Debate," page 2