Papyrus is a Unix-based online paper reviewing system that currently uses a 1994 precompiled version of the CERN http server on an AIX 3.2.5 host. The code was reorganized in version 2 to handle multiple conferences concurrently, using separate Unix accounts, directories and server processes. Papyrus is almost entirely comprised of ksh programs that use grep, awk, sed, tr, nroff and ex to handle everything from storing and retrieving submitted PostScript files and reviews, to ranking papers and generating final response letters to the authors. Papyrus uses mail or mhmail to send mail. Incoming mail is handled using the Elm filter to sort out submitted papers, requests for forms, long reviews, comments and problems.
Papyrus is somewhat unusual among Web services in that it handles a hierarchy of user groups with different privileges. Only a small part of Papyrus is ordinarily visible to the public. Papyrus accepts papers by email and automatically assigns passwords to the authors to allow them to preview the papers privately online. Most login users also see only a small portion of Papyrus. Reviewers get to see only their respective papers and to review them online. PC members likewise access only their respective papers and get reviews only from their own reviewers. Only the PC chairs and the root can see all the papers of the conference. Only the root can administer all accounts, and has a proxy feature to effectively login as another user for fixing bugs and for walking users through their respective menus.
Papyrus was meant to be functionally complete rather than graphically attractive. Its current form reflects the state of the Web, and Web accessibility of most of its users, at the time of its inception in late 1995. The extreme simplicity means that it supports users with old browsers, such as Mosaic, and tries to accomodate international users with limited Internet access. For instance, papers and review forms can be obtained by email and reviews can be entered by proxy. Only the Program Committee pages use tables for ranking and selecting papers.
Papyrus handled over 230 login users from all over the world from late 1995 through mid 1996 for the PACT'96 conference, comprising PC chairs, members, reviewers, proxies and organizers. Only the chair accounts were created by the root. Chairs and members created and administered their respective subordinate accounts independently.