Science: Bit Talk

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The U.S. would probably be the first to arrive on the moon, said a paper-weary executive at San Diego's Convair-Astronautics plant, if it just climbed there on IBM cards. To combat the problem of swollen documents and varicose office memos, Convair-Astronautics Communications Manager Charles T. Newton circulated one of his own (which Convairites promptly proceeded to ignore). Excerpts:

"One responsibility Communication Department: provide rest of Astronautics assistance improving ability transmit information one person to another. Therefore this experiment to improve memos originated Communication Department. If this experiment success in Communication, possibility adoption throughout Astronautics.

"All memoranda inside company, originated by Communication, written in telegraphic style 'bit talk'—wherein include only words needed to move thought along.

"This system new, will seem strange for while."

Strange seemed indeed.