1. A starloop communication system comprising in combination: a plurality of terminals, a central processing unit, and a starloop controller including a digital switch and a switch controller operable to selectively connect said terminals to said central processing unit or to each other, said digital switch and said switch controller including means for connecting a first one of said terminals to an output port of said central processing unit for receiving messages from said central processing unit, means for sequentially connecting a first portion of said plurality of terminals into a loop network for transferring messages from said central processing unit and between ones of said terminals, means for connecting a last one of said first portion of said terminals in said loop network to an input port of said central processing unit for transferring messages from said terminals to said central processing unit, said starloop controller also including means for monitoring said loop network for continuity of exchange of messages between said terminals and said digital switch and said switch controller being operable to modify said loop network to exclude ones of said terminals detected by said means for monitoring as failing to maintain said continuity of exchange, said digital switch and said switch controller being further operable to connect a second portion of said terminals into a star network.