\section{A Brief History of the SIPB}

%%%%%%%web
%%%% seriously revised by rei

SIPB started in 1969, when it was in 39-541.  Within a year or two, it
relocated to 39-200.  From there it moved to 11-205.  There it stayed
for a while, until its move to its present location to W20-557 in the
summer of 1989.

From the very very very beginning, SIPB has had meetings on Monday at
7:30.  That's an international constant to which the world can
synchronize.  SIPB meetings have even happened with a grand total of 2
prospective members showing up during Christmas break.

SIPB has changed in the more than two decades since its founding, but
a look at the 1978 SIPB Office Manual reveals striking similarities:

{\it 1. What is the SIPB?}

{\it First and foremost, the Student Information Processing Board
(SIPB) is a service organization whose function is to provide easy
access to computer facilities at MIT, and assistance to those who use
them.  We provide funding from our yearly budget to members of the MIT
community who would like to use a computer to assist them with a
project.  Such projects may be related to class work or UROP
(Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program) study, or may be of
only personal interest.  It is our job to assess the value of a given
user's proposal, and to provide funding based on that evaluation.}

{\it There is, however, another side to the SIPB: we are also one of
MIT's many student activiites.  The membership of the Board is
composed entirely of MIT students (Footnote: An ``associate
membership'' mechanism is provided for those who do not fall into this
category, but are still interested in involving themselves in our
activities.)  No knowledge of, or interest in computers is assumed or
required for membership, although the majority of members acquire a
little of both in time.  We generally have a very good time.}

Since 1975, SIPB has gone on to other things such as:

\begin{itemize}

\item[]  Around 1988, SIPB supported dialup service to athena. 
Athena has taken over this now.

\item[]  SIPB supported \LaTeX{} on athena because athena didn't 
do so at the time.  Athena has taken that over too, although SIPB
continues to provide support for it.

\item[]  SIPB also brought discuss to athena (SIPB wrote it, actually).
It was modeled after forum on multics.  Athena also took over this.

\end{itemize}


