Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cfa!ward
From: ward@cfa.harvard.EDU (Steve Ward)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: Impossible 40MHz R2000 ??
Message-ID: <844@cfa.cfa.harvard.EDU>
Date: 23 Dec 87 19:01:32 GMT
References: <8252@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP> <8280@steinmetz.steinmetz.UUCP>
Organization: Harvard-Smithsonian Ctr. for Astrophysics
Lines: 49
Keywords: fast faster fastest micro east of the GaAs :-)
Summary: non-classified DARPA-sponsored research
	 GE RISC Microprocessor


> 
> The RPM40 chip.....
>
> 
> After ISSCC I hope I can talk design : this was a non-classified
> DARPA project, and GE is NOT in the computer business. Maybe I'll
> be allowed to publish. I hope so : I think we did some great work !
> 
> --
> 	Dennis O'Connor 	oconnor@sungoddess.steinmetz.UUCP ??
> 				ARPA: OCONNORDM@ge-crd.arpa
>         "If I have an "s" in my name, am I a PHIL-OSS-IF-FER?"



I believe that all non-classified federal research must be made
available to U.S. Citizens.  The Freedom of Information Act can be used
to obtain such information if it is not otherwise forthcoming.  DON'T
JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS!  Clearly the researcher(s) have rights to privacy
and confidentiality during the research, so  nobody can or should be
able to force premature disclosures.  However, a research contract with
DARPA will call for research results in the form of reports, findings,
papers, or whatever to be reported to DARPA according to the contract
timetable, which might even be only upon completion/termination of
the research grant/contract.  All such non-classified documents and
research materials may be requested by anyone.  If the research is
classified then only DOD contractors with the need to know and
industrial and foreign spies :-) will gain access.  Of course, one
can always appeal the DOD classification, as well.

All of this is stated here to pose a question:  Dennis O'Connor seemed
to have doubt as to what he could make public in the long term about his
work.  It seems to me that if his work is sponsored by a non-classified
DARPA grant or research contract, that his work MUST be made public as
it is reported to DARPA, meaning that at the very least, the documents
and other information he gives to DARPA should be publically available
in roughly the timeframe in which DARPA receives such information.
Again, preliminary information and general communications with DARPA
are not what I am talking about, but only final results and findings.

Now for my parachute:  We do a lot of federally-sponsored research
here, but almost always with NASA.  Our work is also of a non-classified
nature.  Our scientists live to publish, so the only secrecy is prior to
publishing, then all the beans are publically spilled.  There certainly
may be more to this situation than meets my eye.  I am not an expert on
federally-sponsored research legalities.  Hopefully when the time is
right, all technical information regarding the 40MIPS/MHZ beastie will
be revealed.