SUN STREAK bibliographic database - interim report (U)
What this is
That on 15 November 1990 an officer of DIA's DT-S reported the interim state of a SUN STREAK bibliographic database to the Chief of DT-S.
That a DBase III+ bibliographic database for SUN STREAK was built in-house during November 1990 and held more than 200 references by 9 November 1990.
That the database indexed parapsychology literature by author and title, using J. B. Rhine as the worked example of an author search.
That the officer who wrote and programmed the database was under orders to transfer, and warned that the third stage would be abandoned unless another DBase III+ programmer could be found.
4 passages read · 2 pages held · the rest is not described
Open the document at cia.gov →4 passages read
“UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT memorandum DATE: 15 November, 1990 REPLY TO ATTN OF: [REDACTED] DT-S SUBJECT: SUN STREAK bibliographic database - interim report (U) TO: [REDACTED] Chief, DT-S”
CATALOGUE FACT - THIS DOCUMENT IS DATED AND SUBJECT-LINED. The work order lists it under its release identifier only. The form is 'OPTIONAL FORM NO. 10 (REV. 1-80), GSA FPMR (41 CFR) 101-11.6', printed at the foot with 'GPO : 1984 O - 461-275 (272)'. Two solid black redaction boxes on this page, one in the REPLY TO ATTN OF line and one in the TO line, each covering a name and leaving the office symbol beside it in clear; marginal code SG1J appears twice. The date is typed with a comma - '15 November, 1990' - as printed. - the memorandum carries no classification marking of any kind: no SECRET, no NOFORN, no SS-level warning notice, unlike every other SUN STREAK document in this batch. Its paragraphs are marked (U).
“1. (U) The programming for the SUN STREAK bibliographic database is complete through the first stage: a. The ‘shell’ programming was completed on 5 NOV 90. This ‘shell’ is only a translator, converting simple user requests into the complex DBase III+ language. It allows the bibliographic database to be used by anyone, whether or not they know all the hundreds of various commands required by DBase III+. It does not input or retrieve data, but does act as a ‘controller’ for the programs which do (see below). b. The ‘data input’ programming, which allows input of bibliographic data, was completed and tied into the ‘shell’ programming on 7 NOV 90. c. By 9 NOV 90, more than 200 bibliographic references were entered into the database, to give an initial foundation, as well as to act as a test base for the programming.”
Subparagraph d, not quoted here, adds that data retrieval programming was completed 9 NOV 90, 'Testing of this program was completely on 13 NOV 90' - 'completely' where sense requires 'completed', as printed - and tied into the shell on 14 NOV 90.
“1) The present method of data retrieval allows a user to enter known information into a blank (for example ‘Rhine’ into the author field and ‘Psy’ into the title field). The program will retrieve, in this case, all bibliographic references which have J.B. Rhine as an author or co-author, and the letters ‘Psy...’ in the title. 2) In the final stage of programming, a ‘retrieval by index’ capability will be provided, where the user can cursor down through an index of subject topics. When the cursor is on the desired line of the index, a button can be pressed, and the programming will retrieve all references dealing with that subject matter.”
J.B. Rhine is given with initials only. The earlier part of this page states that a future capability will allow retrieval 'by subject matter (i.e. "hypnotism", "research", etc.)', which is the only indication anywhere in the file of what subject headings the database was to carry.
“4) Time requirements for final implementation on the SUN STREAK database cannot presently be projected with accuracy, but should require at least an estimated month. This time estimate includes consideration for other work loads. It does not take into consideration that, as of the present time, I am on orders to be transferred to another military unit. If this does occur, the third stage of programming will have to be scrapped, unless another programmer familiar with DBase III+ programming can be found. [REDACTED] SFC, USA DIA, DT-S”
CATALOGUE FACT ON AUTHORSHIP: the signature block is a solid black redaction box covering the name, with 'SFC, USA' and 'DIA, DT-S' left in clear beneath it - so the author is a Sergeant First Class of the US Army working in DIA's DT-S. Marginal code SG1J to the left of the box. The memorandum is written in the first person ('I am on orders'), which is unusual in this corpus. - nothing in the file says whether the transfer happened or whether the third stage was ever built. Note also paragraph c 3) on this page: 'This is an entirely new concept in database retrieval and no known programming presently exists to allow for this capability.' - that is the author's own assessment of his design, not an independent one.
Where no sheet is shown, the quote was still read off the page, rendered from the file we hold. A page image has not been prepared for the web for that page yet.
What this document is used for
Nothing on this map rests on this document yet, and nothing has been tested against it. It is here because it is held.