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Digital computers are widely used for the processing of information and data of all kinds, including the pictorial information contained in photographs and other graphical representations. Efficient conversion facilities for puffing graphical information into the computer and retrieving it in graphical form are therefore much needed. One of the most commonly employed devices for obtaining permanent graphical output from digital computers is the microfilm plotter. Regrettably, present models have no provision for producing images with a continuous gray scale or "halftones." In this note several programming techniques are described for obtaining halftone pictures from a microfilm plotter under the control of a digital computer. Illustrative examples of several methods are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents updates related to the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). It was announced that arrangements have been made for the availability of four major ACM periodicals in microfilm editions. The Madison Area Chapter is participating in a program of the Madison Urban League Parents-at-Large which aims to help disadvantaged youths. A list of names of paid members is enclosed in the newsletter of the Puget Sound Chapter.

The article reports that the National Microfilm Association (NMA) has entirely converted its standards to the metric system. It is the first information industry trade or professional group to do so. Other vendors in the micrographic field are also urged to use the metric system on new specification sheets, trade literature, packages, etc. Three methods are used for converting from the foot and inch to the metric system. Don M. Avedon, of Arcata Microfilm, chairman of the NMA Standards Board, said that the changeover came about through the photographic industries great readiness to go over to metric.

The article offers news briefs related to American history. The skeleton of one of the first American warships has been recovered from the Lake Champlain and is now on the beach below Fort Ticonderoga. The National Historical Publications Commission is considering the creation of microfilm edition of the Papers of the Continental Congress.

Reports that the library and business files of the Gilbreth Library is already on microfilm.