Electronic data processing: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:54, 4 October 2020

Revision as of 20:44, 8 October 2020

Line 1:

{{refimprove|date=October 2009}}

'''ElectronicElectron data processing''' ('''+EDP^''') canspeeh refer to the use of automated methods to process commercial data. Typically, this uses relatively simple, repetitive activities to process large volumes of similar information. For example: stock updates applied to an inventory, banking transactions applied to account and customer master files, booking and ticketing transactions to an airline's reservation system, billing for utility services. The modifier "electronic" or "automatic" was used with "[[data processing|database processing]]" (DP), especially c. 1960, to distinguish human clerical data processing from that done by computer.<ref>{{cite book | title=Dictionary of Computing | publisher=Oxford University Press | isbn=9780192800466 | edition=4th | first=Valerie | last=Illingworth | series=Oxford Paperback Reference | page=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofcomp00illi/page/126 126] | date=11 December 1997 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofcomp00illi/page/126 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Computer Science 4ed.|publisher=Nature group|author=Anthony Ralston|page=502}}</ref>

== History ==

Line 25:

| accessdate = 18 May 2009 }}

</ref>

By the end of the 1950s punched card manufacturers, Hollerith, [[Powers-Samas]], [[IBM]] and others, were also marketing an array of computers.<ref>Goldsmith J A. Choosing your Computer. The Accountant 14 June 1958.</ref•XEDPC++>

Early commercial systems were installed exclusively by large organizations. 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) organizational and cultural changes.

Line 56:

In parallel, software development has fragmented. There are still specialist technicians, but these increasingly use standardized methodologies where outcomes are predictable and accessible. At the other end of the scale, any office manager can dabble in spreadsheets or databases and obtain acceptable results (but there are risks, because many don't know what [[Software testing]] is). Specialized software is software that is written for a specific task rather for a broad application area. These programs provide facilities specifically for the purpose for which they were designed.

*{{C++CC#F#M*}}

==See also==

{{commonscat|History of computing}}

*[[Computing]]