This chapter was intended to introduce the concepts of data processing, to demonstrate the importance of data processing in our economy, and to explore the vital role played by the computer in this everchanging area.
1. the increasing use of data in our present way of life. The changing of the economy from cash-oriented to credit-based has greatly expanded the use of the computer. New service industries are providing numerous services to make life more convenient and pleasant.
2. Data processing is defined as a planned series of actions and operasions upon information using various forms of physical equipment to achieve a desired result. data processing systems consist of programs and physical equipment. The physical equipment consists of various units such as input and output, storage and processing devices to handle information at electronic speeda.
3. The informational demands both from within and without an organization. The growing need for rapid methods of processing data to satisfy these demands. All demands must be combined into an integrated data processing system to satisfy the needs of all users without duplicating the effort of processing.
4. The case study demonstrated how the computer is being used to solve one of the most complex problems of the day, traffic congestion.
5. The sources of information empasizing the media upon which they are initially recorded. The problems of controlling the format of the input data. Internal data can be controlled more accurately as to form while the external data is controlled by the individual organizations that create it, thus both types of data are designed to accommodate the needs of the supplier.