An analysis of ISLA and DEVIL—two experimental public information systems

This article considers the general public as users of com puter based local information systems and reports on two experiments carried out in Leicester's Central Information Bureau. The first experiment, based on the ISLA System (In formation System for the Leicester Area) took place between 1979 and 1980, while the second, based on the DEVIL System (Diary of Events in Leicester) was carried out in 1983. The results of these experiments are used to support discussion on: the role of a public computer facility within an information bureau, the definition of a general public user profile and the features of hardware and software considered important in the design of human-computer interfaces for the public.