Electronic data processing: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:25, 13 January 2008

Revision as of 21:19, 13 February 2008

Line 5:

The first commercial business computer was developed in the [[United Kingdom]] in [[1951]], by the [[Joe Lyons]] catering organisation. This was known as the '[[LEO computer|Lyons Electronic Office]]' - or LEO for short. It was developed further and used widely during the 1960s and early 1970s. (Joe Lyons formed a separate company to develop the LEO computers and this subsequently merged to form English Electric Leo Marconi and then International Computers Ltd.)

Early commercial systems were installed exclusively by large organisationsorganizations. These could afford to invest the time and capital necessary to purchase hardware, hire specialist staff to develop bespoke [[software]] and work through the consequent (and often unexpected) organisational and cultural changes.

At first, individual organisations developed their own software, including data management utilities, themselves. Different products might also have 'one-off' bespoke software. This fragmented approach led to duplicated effort and the production of management information needed manual effort.