Editing JOSS (section)

===JOSS-1===
JOSS was implemented almost entirely by [[Cliff Shaw|J. Clifford Shaw]], a mathematician who worked in Rand's growing computing division. It was written in a symbolic [[assembly language]] called EasyFox (E and F in the US military's then phonetic alphabet), also developed by Shaw.{{sfn|Ware|2008|p=62}}

The JOSS system was brought up formally for the first time in May 1963, supporting five consoles, one in the machine room and another four in offices around the building.{{sfn|Marks|1971|p=iii}} The early consoles were based in the IBM Model 868 Transmitting Typewriter, as the Selectric had not yet been introduced to market when development began.{{sfn|Shaw|1965|p=3}} The first schedule was published on 17 June, with JOSS running for three hours from 9am to 12 every day.{{sfn|Marks|1971|p=2}} It was declared fully operational on eight terminals in January 1964.{{sfn|Bryan|1966|p=2}} The final version was deployed in January 1965.<ref>{{cite book
 | url=http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_memoranda/RM5270.html
 | title=JOSS: Central Processing Routines | publisher = RAND
 | first =JW | last = Smith
 | id=RM 5270 PR
 | date=August 1967
 | access-date=2012-04-16 | type = reference user guide}}</ref>

By this time the JOHNNIAC was already over a decade old, and its tube-based logic was never highly reliable to begin with. Even when it was working well, the system became so popular it quickly bogged down. Users were enthusiastic, one stated:

{{quote|People adjust their lives to fit around JOSS… No use coming into RAND before 10:00 am when JOSS arrives, in fact noon or after 5:00 pm is a better time, JOSS is less busy. When JOSS starts typing answers, the titillating pleasure is equaled only by the ensuing anguish when JOSS breaks off into {{sic|jibberish}} or goes away commending your code to oblivion. We can hardly live with JOSS, but we can’t live without it.{{sfn|Shaw|1965|p=14}}}}

Another put it more succinctly:

{{quote|It's better than beer — we're hooked.{{sfn|Bryan|1966|p=2}}}}