A small Unix-based data acquisition system

The proposed SLAC B Factory detector plans to use Unix-based machines for all aspects of computing, including real-time data acquisition and experimental control. An R&D program has been established to investigate the use of Unix in the various aspects of experimental computation. Earlier R&D work investigated the basic real-time aspects of the IBM RS/6000 workstation running AIX, which claims to be a real-time operating system. The next step in this R&D is the construction of a prototype data acquisition system which attempts to exercise many of the features needed in the final on-line system in a realistic situation. For this project, we have combined efforts with a team studying the use of novel cell designs and gas mixtures in a new prototype drift chamber