Hector: Heterogeneous Computers Together, A Joint Project of IBM and the University of Karlsruhe Volume II: Basic Projects

The present volume and volume I Hector: New Ways in Education and Research present the results of HECTOR, the four year cooperation project between the Univer sity of Karlsruhe and IBM Germany (represented by the European Networking Center and Scientific Center in Heidelberg as well as IBM Research in Riischlikon). The pro ject was started in spring 1984 and will end in April 1988 with a congress. This congress addresses the scientific community to present experiences and results with a program of lectures and demonstrations. The HECTOR Project has two major aspects: the first is to explore new ways in uni versity education. The second aspect of HECTOR comprises basic research work to develop new technological concepts for the establishment of computer communication networks, supporting academic research and education in all disciplines. The underlying concept is that now and in the future, computer, software and commu nication systems which are required for the broad range of scientific and educational tasks will be of different technical orientation and made by different manufacturers. These diverse systems will, however, need to coexist and cooperate side by side. Today, in most cases, different hardware and software architectures of different manu facturers prevent a scientist or student from choosing freely the computer and software which offers the best alternative for solving his or her current problem. The mutual cooperation of the academic users is also hindered substantially by the many incompa tibilities present. The users’ future is therefore transparency in a heterogeneous envi ronment.