Temas Variados

Appendix 2: GMU ISM Software

GUIDE TO GMU ISM SOFTWARE
(Appendix 2 of Handbook of Interactive Management)
A2.1 GETTING STARTED.
The GMU ISM PC software is expected to run on an IBM-compatible machine, provided
the machine also contains a math coprocessor. Attempts to run the programs without the
coprocessor will cause an error message to occur that mentions floating point. For thissoftware
to run successfully, the IBM-compatible PC must have at least 640K of RAM. Old machines
sometimes have only 512 K, and we know from experience that the software will "hang up" at the
point where querying begins. It is also necessary that the machine have a graphics capability,
because the querying may use more than one font, depending on the length of the query.
In this particular versionof ISM software, three software commands are featured, one of which
will be chosen in a specific structuring application. These commands are: DOMODEL,
DOCLUS, and DOPRIOR.
DOMODEL. DOMODEL is the most general command, and it can be used in any ISM
structuring application. As programmed in this software, it will not be as efficient as the other
two commands for those applications where theother two are appropriate. The user should learn
when to use DOCLUS and DOPRIOR and choose one of them when appropriate. For all other
applications, the user should use DOMODEL.
DOCLUS. The DOCLUS command is to be used when and only when the user knows at the
beginning that the structure to be produced will consist only of one or more cycles. (This
knowledge allows the machine to use thefollowing inference rule: If ARB, then BRA for all
A&B. Conversely, if A is not related to B, then B is not related to A.)
DOPRIOR. The DOPRIOR command is to be used when and only when the user knows at
the beginning that the structure to be produced will consist of a priority structure (or a
structure that meets all the requirements of a priority structure). Such a structure will have a
single pathfrom one end of the structure to the other. It may have cycles on this path.1
These notes have been prepared to help the user apply the software, once it has been installed in
the C Drive. After the software has been installed, the ISM programs are held in the ISM
Directory. This directory will also hold user-produced files, which will be explained in the next
section. To see the programfiles in the ISM Directory, after installation of the software,
you transfer to the ISM directory as shown later in these notes, and then you enter this command:
C:\ISM>>DIR /p
and press the ENTER or RETURN key. You should then see the following on your screen:

1

C:\ISM.dir
Volume in drive C is DISK1_VOL2
Directory of C:\ISM
PRIOREXE
MODLDK
MYFLAG
OLDNEW
OLDOLD
CLUSDK
NEWNEW
NEWOLDHALOIBMG
RUNISM
DOCLUS
DOMODEL
DOPRIOR

301456 8-13-88
1:59 p
EXE 299520 8-13-88
DAT 128
8-12-88
DAT 128
8-12-88
DAT 128
8-12-88
EXE 251344 8-13-88
DAT 128
8-12-88
DAT 128
8-12-88
DEV 9862 4-02-88
BAT 25
11-08-90
BAT 339
11-08-90
BAT 339
11-08-90
BAT 339
11-08-90

15 File(s)

11:36a
10:05a
10:04a
10:05a
10:18a
10:04a
10:05a
6:50p
2:03p
2:02p
2:02p
2:03p8734720 bytes free

Each time you use the ISM software, you will create a matrix file ("mat") and a text file ("txt") .
After you have created matrix and text files, they will also appear in the ISM directory listing.
Instead of the listing shown above, the screen will then present a display like the following
(showing just one illustrative matrix file and one illustrative text file):Same contents as in the above files listing, followed by:
TEST1MAT 10741 11-13-90
TEST1TXT 57792 11-13-90
17 File(s)

11:34a
11:34a

8663040 bytes free

In the above, TEST1.MAT is a name that a user has arbitrarily assigned to a matrix file; while
TEST1.TXT is a name that a user has arbitrarily assigned to a text file. Many other names could
have been used, such as JOE, SALLY,...