MINUTES OF THE CIA COINS TASK FORCE MEETING, 1 NOVEMBER 1966
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Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP80B01139A000100130011-7
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RIPPUB
Original Classification:
S
Document Page Count:
3
Document Creation Date:
December 16, 2016
Document Release Date:
February 23, 2005
Sequence Number:
11
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MIN
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Minutes of the CIA COINS Task Force Meeting, 1 November 1966
IP Staff
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1. pointed out that Col. White had signed off on Agency
participation in COINS and had charged him to marshal the resources to
carry this out. Although there are conflicting interpretations of what the
PFIAB had in mind, indicated that the decision had been made
to test a Community On-Line System; and now, 1 1/Z years later, it is too
late for the Agency to question the requirement unless there is broad
agreement in the Community that the decisions so laboriously reached
should be reopened. F c c ;H (
,
2 . II said. that CODIB had not thoroughly evaluated the COINS
Task Team's plan and that it had not yet reported. to USIB on this matter.
He indicated that the plan could and should be brought into better focus and
cited developments in the Community over the past months that have a
bearing on COINS. These developments include I at DIA and
the OCS plans for implementing on-line time sharing facilities.
3. pointed out that there has been no CODIB considera.:ion given
to analyst interest in the test files and the utility of the file responses to the
analyst. He thought that many of the files nominated for inclusion by other
agencies were in alpha-numeric code which would be useless to the consumer
until they had been laboriously decoded. Moreover, there is no resource
in OCS to decode these files for the analyst and no prospect that such a
resource could be made available during the course of Phase I. In contra-
vention to the most elementary systems analysis, the user (analyst) of this
system has never been consulted about his need for the proposed project.
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4. II agreed with these observations but reiterated the fundamental
proposition that COINS Phase I was designed to test the purely physical
capability of the Community to organize and conduct a connection between
the computers of the members over which analysts in the several agencies
could query files of other agencies and secure a real-time response. The
test files ought not to include garbage, but this is neither a necessary nor
a sufficient condition in the test which PFIAB sought to have conducted.
Everyone should recognize that, when COINS was ordered to start, an on-line,
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real-time system of any sort was a considerable achievement. Toda
it is rather ordinary. LJ{,,,,, wt-1 v1 AJs -9-0 ? I
5. Ourged that an effort be made to have a separa a mee in
of CODIB devoted wholly to a consideration of COINS. Such a meeting a
provide an opportunity for members to look again at the overall utility of
COINS Phase 1. Beyond this if we are to proceed with Phase I, CODIB
should take a searching look at the files which have been proposed for in-
clusion and at least seek to optimize their utility to the analyst given the
design parameters of the experiment.
6. reported that OCS hardware plans include sufficient storage
capacity to handle the CIA files which have been suggested for use in COINS.
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7. Il agreed that the files which furnish coded output would be
virtually useless to outside analysts. He indicated that there were more
useful files being developed but that progress on getting them in shape and
into machine language was quite slow. Six files for inclusion in COINS were
discussed:
8. emphasized that the initial test phase is simply to determine
if the Community can, in fact, organize itself to operate in this technical
environment, regardless of the utility of the pilot system ... though this
may be illogical. IT- 2' wrcc c o Sf TNc- r-00-104A A-117'11
F IT c o,Ts T -h',47 To 096hPl c, WM Ar Ari f alb Fort A
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9 Il
.'tnentioned that a CODIB status report to USIB on COINS,
dated 13 September 1966 was now being disseminated.
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10. who has been named to replace I las the CIA vAa A L2 X1
member of the COINS Task Team, summarized his understanding of the o= A5{'M7R1.
Agency's position re the present COINS plan to be (1) this is not the way to
proceed, but (2) we will go along to prove the technical feasibility and that
the community can, in fact, inaugurate a team effort.
11. Q indicated that OC is in step on Phase 1. DIA is to furnish
lines to NPIC and Headquarters. COMMO will obtain and install the crypto
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devices. He said there are some questions as to what the Community crypto
standards will be. OL and OS will, be involved in making the connections
within Agency buildings.
13. said that the question of using DD/P files in COINS could
be raised again but he saw no advantage to the DD/P analysts in COINS..
Chief, Information Processing Staff
Office of Planning, Programming and Budgeting
Distribution:
1 each person present
1 IPS Subject File
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