Government Requires Equal Computer Rents

The University will no longer be able to give preferential price rates to Harvard students and professors doing computer research on their own.

The U.S. Navy, official auditors of Harvard accounts involving government money, has announced that the total cost of computer use must be apportioned equally among all users.

In the past, people supported by financial research grants or company contracts have borne a proportionately greater share of computer costs than have "unsupported" users, who have only been charged the cost of supplies.

Per-hour computer prices are divided into two parts: first, the "hardware cost," which is the actual rental fee for the machine itself; and second, the cost of supplies, including electricity, personnel salaries, paper, and magnetic tape.

As a result of the Navy decision, unsupported users will have to pay the "hardware cost" as well as the cost of supplies.