It is a common opinion in the image processing field that a software system cannot be both portable and efficient. Furthermore, when efficiency prevails in the design of an image processing system, the system typically becomes hard to use and complicated to program in. Most efficient systems require the user to worry about external data format, buffer allocation, overlapped input and output and similar details. To show that it is feasible to design an image processing system that is efficient, portable and easy to use, a system has been designed and implemented using the "Software Tools" philosophy. This system has been implemented on two computer systems (the PDP-11 and the VAX-11) under three different operating systems (Unix, RSX-11M and VMS). The image operations have been implemented in Ratfor with the bulk of the image i/o routines written in C. Details such as double-buffered overlapped i/o, conversion of external data formats and virtual memory support (on the VAX-11) are handled automatically by the system. Additionally, the system allows one to perform image operations "on the fly" under Unix, allowing one to use software pipelines for image processing. It is shown that this system is portable and efficient. The system is analyzed to determine where the time is spent during typical image operations. This analysis shows that the features that make the system easy to use account for a small fraction of its time. The performance of the system is also measured under different operating systems.

The use of computer application software could be increased. The goal of this research was to uncover a design for a module which instructs the potential user how to use software. This type of module, called an instructional module, would, when incorporated on software such as decision support tools, increase the willingness of novices to use the software more frequently. Four instructional modules designs, which were the result of combining two states of two variables of instructional module design, were examined. The four designs are (1) an automated programmed learning module; (2) an automated help facility; (3) a manual programmed learning module and; (4) a manual help facility. A financial decision support tool was developed, and each of the four instructional modules designs was placed separately on the decision support tool. This created, in effect, four different tools. Subjects in the experiment were business school students with no formal experience using a decision support tool. Each subject was exposed to two of the four instructional module designs during a training session which lasted one hour. One month after the training session, the subjects were reassembled for a second session. During this session, the subjects selected one of the two tools, with its instructional module, which they had been exposed to previously. The subjects were to use the selected tool to solve problems which would likely require them to access the instructional module. In addition to these behavioral selection data, attitudinal data concerning the instructional module designs were also collected throughout both sessions of the experiment. Based on their selection and their attitudinal responses, the subjects indicated that the tool with the automated programmed learning module was the module of choice. The research methodology successfully provided input for instructional module design for computer application software such as decision support tools.

This work describes the measurement of hyperfine structure in a series of deuterated acetylenes via molecular-beam microwave spectroscopy. Measurements of spin-rotation constants were used to calculate the paramagnetic contribution to the chemical shielding of the concerned nucleus. Where possible, comparisons with NMR measurements were made. Measurements of the deuterium quadrupole coupling determined in this work are compared with previous measurements on the same or similar systems. A review of the theoretical work done in this area is presented as well as a discussion of trends observed from high precision measurements of deuterium quadrupole coupling. A computer program that calculates hyperfine structure for up to four coupling nuclei of arbitrary spin is presented.

This dissertation is based upon a research project designed to identify and evaluate alternative agricultural systems which are applicable to the arid environment of Saudi Arabia within a multiobjective context. The four systems are: traditional; conventional; aridity-oriented; and, controlled environment. These systems differ in their utilization of basic resources, the the amount and type of food they produce, the profits they generate and their compatibility with Saudi Arabian social traditions. Thus, the environmental and sociological consequences of their implementation were considered along with production and economic aspects. The procedure for evaluating the alternative agricultural systems is a computer program called ESAP (Evaluation and Sensitivity Analysis Program) which uses multi-attribute theory as an aid to decision making. Computations to determine the extent of that achievement are essentially a weighting of the variables identified as subdivisions of the goals. Decision makers are also required to give the relative values to the variables, and to select a particular utility function which describes the relationship between value and utility. The values assigned to each variable are usually presented as a range to express the users' uncertainty. Six consultants (five university professors plus the author) with varying professional backgrounds and knowledge of Saudi Arabian conditions were used as individual and collective decision makers to evaluate the four agricultural systems and their combinations. The procedure resulted in grouping these ten different alternatives (four systems plus combinations of any two) into three independent classes: I, Il and III. The grouping was based upon obtaining a clear distinction in overall score between the classes. The grouping into classes resulted in the aridity-oriented agricultural system being the only alternative in Class I. The consultants felt that this system offered the most favorable tradeoff between the economic benefits and the social and environmental factors. In general, the study indicated that the protection of natural resources and the maintenance of cultural factors should be given significant influence along with the economic factors in evaluating a particular plan of action. In utilizing such a procedure, the need for additional data and research became very evident, if there is to be better allocation of the Kingdom's agricultural resources.

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A software solution was developed for remote data acquisition applications, i.e., applications where line power is unavailable. The solution was developed in response to a lack of suitable software for environmental measurements using battery powered computers. The software solution is in the form of a program translator that creates programs dedicated to specific remote data acquisition applications from a dialect governed by specific rules. A methodology is presented for defining real-time measurement applications based upon three time components: a scanning interval, an average period, and an averaging interval. The software solution is termed ADAPT, an acronym for 'All-purpose Data Acquisition Program Translator'. ADAPT was written for a Hewlett-Packard hand-held computer, the HP-71, and a Hewlett-Packard data acquisition system, the HP-3421A. The methodology and algorithms may be applied to other computer and data acquisition systems.

The growing widespread use of data communication networks has led to increased reliance on the availability of network resources. The network itself is a critical resource which must be managed in a timely and effective manner. In order to manage the network effectively, the network manager must have powerful tools that present network information in a fast and logical way. The work presented here is the design and development of a network management tool for Sytek broadband networks. The Sytek Network Management Package (SNMP) incorporates a commercial database management system, Rbase System V, and menu oriented management functions for the University of Arizona Sytek broadband networks. The SNMP is written in C and executes on a PC connected to the Sytek network. The SNMP allows a network manager to manage both the Sytek LocalNet 20 and System 2000 networks.