Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
to perform the desired tasks efficiently. There is little question about
what to do or how to do it. The tasks of publishing, for example,
have been performed for centuries; people have considerable exper
tise in solving the wide variety of problems that can arise in typeset
ting and composing a manuscript. The primary advantages of using
a computer are that machinery can store, retrieve, and modify infor
mation as the manuscript evolves, and the computer then can per
form the long, tedious, repetitive tasks for formatting and typeset
ting quickly and accurately.
To summarize, many good applications of computers have the
following characteristics:
The application has welldefined, precise specifications.
The application draws upon strengths of computers, namely
the storage and retrieval of data and the manipulation of
data.
The work environment provides an excellent opportunity for
extended testing. The same capabilities are used very fre
quently, and this constant use of the same features makes it
likely that any errors in hardware and software will be no
ticed promptly. In wordprocessing programs, for example,
users normally proofread their work, and they can help iden
tify situations when a word processor malfunctions. Further,
with frequent use, typists or editors may learn ways to get
around or resolve known errors or peculiarities in a word
processing package.
The interaction between machine and users allows constant
monitoring of results. In wordprocessing programs, users
can correct errors naturally, as part of their work. In weather
forecasting, input data can be monitored for problems with
sensors, output data can be compared with known models,
and predictions can be compared with the actual conditions
that occur later. In such cases, people will notice and be able
to take corrective measures, if hardware or software produce
incorrect results.
The application is such that constant review and revision of
results are practical.
Algorithms (formulae) are well established.
