Integrating PC's into the information center (session overview)

ABSTRACT

Since the concept of the Information Center was developed at IBM Canada in 1976, it has often raised as many questions as it answered. As originally conceived, the Information Center was to provide training, support, and data access to selected members of the user community so that they could develop idiosyncratic applications or produce new one-time reports. The goal was to reduce the programming load on an under-staffed data processing department by cutting demands for program development. The wide spread introduction of low-cost, powerful, personal desk-top computers had a tremendous impact on the nature and function of traditional data processing departments. The Information Center appeared to offer an ideal way to integrate the burgeoning numbers of microcomputers into the more conventional mainframe computer environments of most large business organizations. This session addresses several of the underlying factors involved in both the theory and practice of Information Center utilization. The first paper examines the background of the Information Center concept and the methods in which Information Centers are actually being used by industrial organizations in the San Diego area. The investigation points out that Information Centers are, in fact, very popular, but there is a diversity of management responses about the best way to use microcomputers within the Information Center framework. The paper also stresses that the shift in computer power to the user can have profound effects on the role of Computer Science and Information Center departments in preparing professionals for their business and scientific careers. The second paper examines the use of microcomputers in the Information Center in a different way. It considers the “best” programming language aspect of the problem. The feasibility of using microcomputer-based implementations of PROLOG within the Information Center environment is studied. Several distinct applications are examined and examples of PROLOG programs are presented. The paper concludes that PROLOG is particularly well suited to both business and scientific problems often faced by microcomputer users. The last paper considers the problem of training the heterogeneous user population that is associated with the typical Information Center. Training must cover the entire spectrum, ranging from computer operations to application programming, to data security. The paper reviews microcomputer-based training packages as well as more traditional training devices.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  A. General Literature

General Terms:
Documentation