Computer UFO Newsletter - Vol 1 no 6

Magazine Overview

Title: THE COMPUTER UFO NEWSLETTER
Issue: Volume 01 - Number 06
Date: 1986 (inferred from context of January 1987 notice)
Publisher: Maurizio Verga (Editor)
Country: Italy
Language: English

This issue marks the end of the first volume of The Computer UFO Newsletter, an independent, aperiodic publication dedicated to exploring the intersection of computers and ufology. The newsletter is produced by Maurizio Verga, who also serves as the editor.

Editorial and Content

The editorial section reflects on the first year and a half of the newsletter's existence, noting its experimental nature and the growing interest from the international UFO movement. The editor acknowledges the limitations of the current xeroxed format and the significant personal investment of time and money required for its production. To address these challenges, future issues of Volume 2 will be expanded to sixty or seventy pages each, with improved press quality and the potential inclusion of illustrations. Contributions from readers in the form of articles, software, and other materials are actively sought, with a six-month interval between issues of Volume 2 intended to allow contributors more time.

The newsletter is entirely composed using suitable software on a Commodore 128 personal computer and printed by an MPS-802 printer. Word processor files related to published articles are available upon request.

Subscription and Financials

Circulation is currently limited to about sixty copies, with plans to increase readership. The subscription rates for Volume 2 are 18,000 Italian lire for surface mail and 24,000 lire for air mail. Payments are to be made exclusively via International Postal Money Order, as checks are refused due to high exchange costs. Readers are encouraged to renew their subscriptions and invite others to subscribe.

Key Articles and Features

Introduction to the Fortean Database (TOAD) by Bob Rickard

This lengthy article details the philosophy and design of TOAD, a database system developed by Bob Rickard for the Archives for Fortean Research (AFR). Rickard, who is not an 'expert' in computers but a researcher of unusual phenomena, explains his journey into applying personal computers to his studies. He emphasizes that the soundest approach is to define software needs first before selecting hardware.

Rickard discusses the challenges of managing large amounts of data, such as newspaper clippings, xeroxes, magazines, and books, accumulated through his Fortean research and the publication of FORTEAN TIMES. He contrasts traditional archiving methods with the potential of computer databases and optical storage technologies like CD-ROM.

TOAD Design Criteria:

The design criteria for TOAD are outlined, focusing on:

1. Expansion: Near infinite expansion at the record level.
2. Non-sequential Entry: Ability to enter records and subjects without a fixed order.
3. Multiple Files: Allowing more than two files to be open for complex reports from cross-referenced files.
4. Data Field Types: Support for numerical, character, logical, and special date fields.
5. Operational Alterations: Ability to alter file design while the system is operational.
6. Browsing and Printing: Facilities for viewing data in table format and printing screen contents.
7. Indexing: Allowing as many keywords as possible for indexing.
8. Hierarchical Sorting: Support for chronological or alphabetical subject indexing.
9. Field Carry-forward: Ability to carry field contents forward to new records for repetitive data.
10. Record Location: Swift locating of specific records.
11. Word Processor Output: Ability to output files to a word processor.
12. Error Checking: A range of error-checking facilities.
13. Screen Painting: A facility for customized data entry and report forms.
14. Statistical and Graphics: Facilities for statistical analysis and graphics if needed.

Rickard explains the choice of IBM-compatible machines and the dBASE database language, highlighting the need for reliability and support. He details the process of data entry using temporary databases and a batch filing program to minimize memory wastage and the risk of corruption.

The article also addresses the challenge of subject headings for fortean phenomena, which are often interdisciplinary. TOAD uses a structure of small, specific files that can be reassembled in various combinations to answer inquiries. Direct access to the database is prohibited during data entry to prevent corruption.

Historical Context of Fortean Databases:

The article traces the history of computer applications in ufology, mentioning systems like the German MUFON's 'CODAP', David Saunders' 'UFOCAT', and Ted Bloecher's 'HUMCAT'. These early systems, often based on punchcard methodology, had rigid file designs and limited capabilities.

Important Notice to European Readers

This section announces the probable establishment of an experimental UFO Bulletin Board System (BBS) by January 1987. The BBS will offer services such as electronic mail and the ability to receive files of documents and UFO software. The service will be experimental for at least six months, likely operating during night hours from Monday to Friday, to gain experience and prepare files for users. US friends are invited to participate.

Call for Papers

Following up on a previous experimental issue, the newsletter issues another call for papers. Readers using computers for UFO activities are invited to submit texts discussing their work, hardware, software, and project aims. Graphics, tables, and other relevant topics are welcome. Papers should be in English, typewritten on A4 sheets, with figures on a separate page. Contributors with Commodore 64 or 128 computers are encouraged to submit texts as word processor files.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme of this issue is the integration of computer technology into UFO research and the archiving of fortean phenomena. The editorial stance is one of pioneering and experimentation, aiming to advance the field through technological application. There is a strong emphasis on the need for reader contributions and community involvement to support the newsletter's growth and the development of new resources like the proposed BBS and the TOAD database.
The newsletter positions itself as a vital resource for researchers interested in both ufology and computing, encouraging a proactive approach to data management and information sharing.

This issue of "The Computer UFO Newsletter" (Issue 6) features an in-depth look at the TOAD (Thesaurus of Anomalous Data) system, a project focused on cataloging and analyzing Fortean and UFO phenomena. The article, titled "A look at T.O.A.D.", details the philosophical underpinnings, design, and development progress of this ambitious database.

The TOAD System: Philosophy and Design

The article begins by highlighting Charles Fort's philosophy, emphasizing the importance of "connections between things" rather than isolated phenomena. Fort distrusted rigid categorization but recognized the need for a system to organize his vast collection of notes. The TOAD system aims to emulate this by providing a flexible classification structure.

The core of TOAD's design revolves around 'subjects' as distinct phenomena, which can be broken down into 'cases' comprising multiple incidents. A key feature is the use of subject codes, which are five-digit numerical identifiers designed for efficient machine processing. These codes are linked to descriptive text strings in a 'look-up' file, allowing for user-friendly output and easier database maintenance. The system is designed to be expandable, with plans for regular updates to the subject catalogue.

Subject Catalogue: Several thousand legitimate topics with assigned codes have already been listed in the TOAD subject catalogue, with plans for expansion.

Case Names: The database includes a field for 'case names' (witness name, place name, or descriptive phrase) to facilitate the reconstruction of incident collections.

Codes vs. Text: Subject codes are preferred for machine efficiency and storage, while text strings are used for user readability. The 'look-up' file acts as a bridge, allowing for easy updates to subject descriptions without altering the core database.

Multilingual Potential: The use of a text-based 'look-up' file also opens the possibility of translating records into different languages.

Date Handling in TOAD

TOAD incorporates a special 8-character date field designed for flexibility. It includes functions to automatically insert the day of the week, calculate witness ages from birth dates (and vice versa), and compute new dates by adding numerical values to existing ones. A significant challenge addressed is handling pre-1900 data, as dBASE III (the underlying system) was initially configured for post-1900 dates. A routine was developed to bypass this limitation, though the newer dBASE III+ command 'SET CENTURY' presents its own set of issues regarding date interpretation.

The system accommodates both 'full dates' (where all numerical components are known) and 'vague dates' (e.g., "the first Tuesday of March", "sometime in summer 1945", "in the early 1870s"), using fields for both codes and text.

References and Sources

Organizing references and sources is identified as a complex task. TOAD aims to provide general links between subjects and references, as well as specific links between incident records and references. The system distinguishes between primary sources (self-contained, like books) and secondary sources (variable content, like newspapers or journals), with secondary sources requiring a primary source code.

To manage the variety of source types (books, clippings, films, photographs, reports) and avoid massive repetition of data, TOAD employs a cluster of files: primary source, secondary source, and a cross-reference file (x-ref) that links bibliographic files with incident data files. Figure 3 illustrates the relationship between these files, including Subject, Place, Date/Time, Citation, Meteorology, Witness/etc., Animals, and Others.

Relationships: One-to-Many / Many-to-One

• The described structure allows for flexible relationships, including:
• A single subject code linked to many incident records (reconstructing 'cases').
• A single subject code linked to many primary and secondary source records (bibliographies).
• A single incident linked to many primary and secondary source records.
• A single date linked to many incident records (chronologies).
• A single place record linked to many incident records (gazetteers).
• A single primary source record linked to many secondary source records, which in turn link to incident records or subject codes.
• Correlations between various data points like witness names, days of the week, animal types, locations, and phenomena.

Progress and Use of TOAD

Progress on TOAD has been slower than initially hoped, primarily due to the learning curve with dB3 and dB3+ programming languages and the limited time available for development. The current state of play includes:

• Main Data Entry Program: In its third version, nearing completion.
• Source Data Entry Program: Functional, with the source database operational.
• Subject Thesaurus Program: Functional, but nearly 1000 records were lost due to a disk crash, requiring reconstruction.
• Filing Program: Near completion, responsible for filing data into the TOAD database.
• Maintenance Programs: Exist only in pseudo-code.
• Query and Reporting Programs: Planned, with some existing in pseudo-code.

While going "on-line" is an attractive future prospect (at least 2-3 years away), improvements in inquiry procedures and data security are needed first. In the meantime, AFR plans to make data entry accessible to anyone, even those without computers, by providing data forms and guides. They also plan to publish a subject code catalogue and a catalogue of sources, offered at reduced rates to members. Future plans include purchasing a dBASE compiler to create cut-down versions of the database for researchers with micro-computers.

The TOAD system emphasizes flexibility, and its structure is expected to evolve as it is used more extensively.

UFOCOMFILE: An Australian Computer Project

The newsletter also briefly introduces UFOCOMFILE, an Australian project for storing a national UFO casuistry on computer. The project, headed by Andrew Cole, aims to create a network of personal computers where ufologists can contribute data. The article notes that UFOCOMFILE has faced challenges, including a lack of concrete contribution from local groups, potentially due to the complexity of coded data entry and a perceived lack of psychological participation from contributors. The authors suggest that a network of personal computers, each contributing to a common database, is a more suitable solution for computerizing a national casuistry.

• UFOCOMFILE Objectives:
• To act as a quick-access filing system for Australian UFO reports, accessible to contributing groups and other researchers at ACUFOS's discretion.
• To provide the means for conducting research into the UFO phenomenon through data comparison and statistical evaluations.

Operation and Data Format: The article touches upon the historical development of UFOCOMFILE, from punched cards to disc-based multi-user systems, and its data record format, which comprises forty-four characters including parameter pairs and monitor flags.

General Data Section: This section details the components of the file number (001-009), including source group code, report year, and report number. It also explains the Sighting Identification Level (Possible Identified, Positively Identified, Positively Unidentified) and the Sighting Category Number, which expands on J. Allen Hynek's original classifications (Nocturnal, Daylight, Instrument readings/trace only, Close Encounter Type 1, Close Encounter Type 2, and four new categories for Close Encounter Type 3).

Notes and References

A comprehensive list of notes and references is provided, citing various books, reports, and articles related to Charles Fort, UFO classification systems (UFOCODE, TASCAT), and geophysical anomalies. These references offer further resources for researchers interested in the topics discussed.

Probable Meeting Among CUFON Readers

The newsletter announces a workshop dedicated to computer applications in ufology, to be held during the fourth international BUFORA UFO Congress in London (August 23-25). A similar workshop will also take place at the international ICUFOS Congress in Turin (May 1987). These events are intended to foster discussion and exchange of ideas among ufologists interested in computer applications.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue strongly emphasizes the growing role of computers and structured databases in the study of anomalous phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be supportive of systematic data collection and analysis, recognizing the complexity of UFO and Fortean research. There is a clear belief in the potential of well-designed database systems like TOAD and UFOCOMFILE to advance the field, despite the inherent challenges in data management and classification. The newsletter actively encourages reader participation and the sharing of ideas and data, reflecting a collaborative approach to ufological research.

This issue, number 6, of 'The Computer UFO Newsletter', published by 'An Australian Computer Project', is part of Volume 01 and appears to be from around 1980, based on the content and the reference to 'Volume 02' being the next issue. The newsletter focuses on the systematic collection, classification, and computerization of UFO-related data, with a strong emphasis on developing databases and analytical tools for ufologists.

Data Classification and Entry System

The newsletter details a comprehensive system for classifying UFO reports, particularly those involving entities. It defines five categories of 'Entity Reports' (ERA to ERE):

• ERA (Entity Report, class A): Covers reports where an entity is seen inside, entering, leaving, or in close proximity to a UFO, implying 'occupancy'. This includes human, humanoid, anthropoid, or monster-like entities and corresponds to CE3 and Webb's A-C degree of association.
• ERB (Entity Report, class B): Reports where an entity is observed without an associated UFO, but the entity resembles types previously reported with UFOs. This covers 'humanoid' and Webb's 'O'.
• ERC (Entity Report, class C): Reports where an entity is observed, but no association with any UFO phenomena can be established at the time. This includes Yetis, Yowies, Black Panthers, and Webb's 'E' and anthropoid classes.
• ERD (Entity Report, class D): Covers reports of telepathic, audio, invisible, or visible communication, including 'contactees' and 'bedroom invaders' like the Stuart case.
• ERE (Entity Report, class E): Covers cases where a witness enters a UFO involuntarily and undergoes a medical examination or similar procedure administered by UFO entities, including abduction cases.

The newsletter acknowledges the limited number of 'occupant' reports and suggests a future special investigation into entity descriptions.

It then outlines a detailed data entry system using character codes (CHAR.) for various aspects of a sighting:

• CHAR. 012-015 (YEAR OF SIGHTING): The year the sighting occurred, not the report year.
• CHAR. 016-017 (MONTH OF SIGHTING): The month of the sighting.
• CHAR. 018-019 (DAY OF SIGHTING): The day of the sighting.
• CHAR. 020-023 (LOCAL TIME OF SIGHTING): Local time, with a note to convert Daylight Saving Time to Local Standard Time. It highlights potential date shifts when converting times around midnight.
• CHAR. 024-027 (SIGHTING TIME AS G.M.T.): Sighting time converted to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) for standardized comparison. It notes that this conversion might also affect the date.
• CHAR. 028-037 (PLACENAME OF SIGHTING): A ten-character field for the sighting location, used as a visual aid. It can include the nearest landmark, creek, town, or homestead, but is not used for data comparison due to potential abbreviation variations.
• CHAR. 038 (Code of the State): A code for the state where the sighting occurred.
• CHAR. 039 (STATE OF SIGHTING): A single character code for the state.
• CHAR. 039 (QUANTITY OF WITNESSES): This field is described in detail, covering different types of evidence:
• "Instrument readings only": Anomalies detected by equipment with no observers or sightings.
• "Trace marks only": Ground marks, broken trees, indentations without apparent sighting association.
• "Photographic evidence only": Anomalous photographs or those from unattended cameras.

Computerized Mapping and Data Compression

The newsletter introduces a computerized mapping system using a grid reference (CHAR. 040-044) instead of traditional latitude and longitude. This 'Australian Map Division' grid system is preferred to avoid implying a false degree of accuracy and to assign an area rather than a precise point. It includes:

• CHAR. 040 (AUSTRALIAN MAP DIVISION): The first part of the map reference system.
• CHAR. 041-042 (MAJOR GRID REFERENCE): Referencing a map appendix.
• CHAR. 043-044 (MINOR GRID REFERENCE): Referencing a map appendix.

Data compression is achieved using a PARAMETER TABLE (CHAR. 045-124), where characters are set in groups of two, each combination having a unique meaning. This is crucial for handling the large amount of data in written reports.

MONITOR FLAGS (CHAR. 125-128) are used by the computer during specific programs and can change meaning depending on the program.

Software and Subscription Information

The newsletter announces a new 'Offer of Software' section in the upcoming Volume 02, featuring items for personal computers and UFO catalogues available at cost price. It also announces the end of Volume 01 and opens subscriptions for Volume 02, which will have two large issues published five to six months apart. Subscription rates are provided in Italian lire: 18,000 for surface mail and 24,000 for air mail. Payments must be made via International Postal Money Order to 'Maurizio Verga', as checks incur high exchange costs.

Contents of Volume 01

Pages 3 and 4 provide a comprehensive table of contents for Volume 01, listing numerous articles, authors, and their corresponding issue and page numbers. Key topics covered in Volume 01 include:

• Project UFODATA by Per Andersen.
• Databases and Systems: Programs for investigators, databases for UFO events, entity cases, UFOCOMFILE, UFODOC (for Dutch/Belgian cases), Fortean database, and computerized catalogues of Italian close encounters.
• Methodology and Computerization: Suggestions for methodology in computerizing cases and reports by D'Orazio & Lollino.
• Ufologist Census: Preliminary censuses and up-to-date lists of computer and ufologists.
• Software and Hardware: Offers of software and hardware.
• Specific Cases and Topics: Tasmanian UFO catalogue programme notes, horoscopes in ufology, astronomical IFOs, UFO data processing, and a bibliography on computer applications in ufology.
• Editorials: Numerous editorials are listed, covering various aspects of ufology and the newsletter's content.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the systematic approach to UFO research through computerization, the development of databases, and the classification of UFO phenomena, particularly entities. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of applying scientific and computational methods to ufology, aiming for a more organized and analytical understanding of reports. The newsletter positions itself as a tool for ufologists to share methodologies, data, and software related to computer applications in the field.