HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979-06-19; City Council; 5801-1; Citizens Advisory Committee Data ProcessingCITY OF CARLSBAD
AGENDA BILL NO • .S?Q!-4w1~*/
JUNE 19, i.979 DATE: -------------------
DEPARTMENT: FINANCE ----------------
Subject:
L,07 ~~') ';· . _/
Initial:~
Dept.Hd.--''--
C. Atty . ....,) __
C. Mgr.~
RESULTS OF THE CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DATA PROCESSING
Statement of the Matter
ON APRIL 3, 1979, THE CITY COUNCIL WAS PRESENTED A STAFF REPORT
REVIEWING THE CITY DATA PROCESSING STYSTEM AND OUTLINING THE
PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATED WJTH
THE OPERATION OF THE SINGER COMPUTER. THIS REPORT ~ECOMMENDED
THAT THE COUNCIL INSTRUCT THE CITY MANAGER TO STUDY THE EXISTING
COMPUTER SYSTEM AND.CITY· DATA PROCESS I NG NEEDS AND REOMMEND
AN APPROPRIATE CO~RSE OF ACTION.
EXHIBITS
CITJZEN'S COMMITTEE REPORT, DATED JUNE 10, 1979
APRIL 3, 1979,. REPORT TO COUNCIL ON DATA PROCESSING SYS.TEM.
RECOMMENDATION
IF THE COUNCIL CONCURS WITH THE CITIZEN'S COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS,
INSTURCT THE CITY MANAGER TO PROCEED WITH LOCATING A SUITABLE
CONSULTANT AND PREPARE SPECIFICATIONS FOR A REPLACEMENT COMPUTER
SYSTEM .
. · Council Action·
6-19-79: Council•authorized staff to commence discussions with consultants
~o det~rmine viabl 7 ~o~u~ions, obtain proposals -and costs,
including the possibilities of a joint venture with Oceanside.
MEMORANDUM
DATE: JUNE 10, 1979
TO: CITY MANAGER
FROM: ASSISTANT TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: RESULTS OF THE CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON DATA PROCESSING
BACKGROUND
ON APRIL 3, 1979 1 THE CITY COUNCIL WAS PRESENTED A STAFF REPORT
REVIEWING THE CITY DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM. THIS REPORT RECOM-
MENDED THAT THE COUNCIL INSTRUCT THE CITY MANAGER TO FORM A
CITIZEN'S .lOVJ.SOR•Y COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE 1:XlSTING COMPUTER
SYSTEM AND CITY DATA PROCESSING NEEDS, AND RECOMMEND AN
APPROPRIATE COURSE OF ACTION.
SHORTLY AFTER THAT COUNCIL MEETING, THE COMMITTEE, CONSISTING
OF MR. FRANK STRANGE OF BURROUGHS CORPORATION, MR; MIKE RILEY
OF SAN DIEGO GAS AND E.LECTRIC, AND MR. JOHN ~0!-,.1} OF THE CITY
OF OCEANSIDE, BEGAN REVIEWING •HE CITY DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM.
THE ATTACHED REPORT IS THE RESULT OF THE CITIZEN'S COMMITTEES
EFFORTS. ;;
SUMMARY
DURING THE COURSE OF THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, A LARGE NUMBER OF
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS WERE PROPOSED AND DISCUSSED. SOLUTIONS
INCLUDING THE OLD MACHINERY, NEW MACHINERY, STAFF POSITIONS,
CONSULTING SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE, CONTRACTS AND
VARIOUS COMBINATIONS WERE CONSIDERED. MOST SOtUTIONS FELL
INTO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
1) KEEP THE EXISTING SYSTEM (SOME OR ALL APPLICATIONS).
2) LEASE AND/OR PURCHASE REPLACEMENT IN-HOUSE SYSTEM.
3) SERVICE BUREAU FOR SOME OR ALL APPLICABLE FUNCTIONS.
4) FACILITIES MANAGEMENT (CONTRACTED) COMPUTER SYSTEM.
5) SHARED COMPUTER SYSTEM -TWO OR MORE GOVERNMENTAL
USERS FOR ONE LAR~E SYSTEM.
EACH ALTERNATIVE WAS REVIEWED AND A LIST OF PRO AND £ill! ARGU-
MENTS WERE PREPARED.
TO: CITY MANAGER
RESULTS OF CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON DATA PROCESSING
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE:
JUNE 8, 1978
PAG.E 2
1) REPLACE THE SINGER SYSTEM 10 WITH A SYSTEM CAPABLE
OF USING A MORE COMMON PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE AND
OFFERING SUFFICIENT EXPANDABILITY. THE SYSTEM
COULD BE A) AN IN-HOUSE SYSTEM ORB) A SHARED
SYSTEM WITH ANOTHER GOVERNMENTAL UNIT.
2) USE PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IN PREPARING BID
SPECIFICATIONS AND PROPERLY EVALUATE THE RESPOND-
ING BIDS. IF ADEQUATE STAFF EXPERTISE DOES NOT
EXIST, A QUALIFIED CONSULTANT SHOULD BE RETAINED.
3) HIRE A STAFF PROGRAMMER/OPERATOR. EVENTUALLY, A
STAFF PROGRAMMER/OPERATOR WILL BE NECESSARY TO
PROPERLY ADMINISTER ANY DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM.
THE CITY SHOULD PLAN TO PHASE IN A PROGRAMMER IN
THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
A MORE DETAIL DISCUSSION OF THE COMMITTEE'S COMMENTS AND RECOM-
MENDATIONS ARE FOUND IN THE ATTACHED REPORT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EI\CH MEMBER OF THE COMMITTE AND THF.!P.,BESPECTIVE
EMPLOYERS FOR DONATING iHEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE TO THE CITY
FOR THIS STUDY. ~ACH MFMBER EXHIBITED A DESIRE TO FAIRLY REVIEW
THE ALTERNATIVES AND PRODUCE A USABLE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE
CIY COUNpL.
/·✓w •~~ F. EtLIOTT
AS'S•ISTANT TO THE FINANCE IHRECTOR
( Jf~:LW
ATTACH.
COMMITTEE REPORT
CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON
DATA PROCESS ING_
INTRODUCTION
ON APRIL 3, 1979, THE CiTY COUNCIL APPROVED THE FORMATION OF A
CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE PROBLEMS FACING THE
PRESENT CITY DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM. THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
WERE CHOSEN FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND DATA
PROCESSING,AND THEIR CONTACT WITH CARLSBAD THROUGH RESIDENCE
OR BUSINESS. THE MEMBERS WERE:
MR. FRANK STRANGE -BURROUGHS CORP.
MR. MIKE RILEY -SAN DIEGO GAS AND ELECTRIC
MR. JOHN KOLB -CITY OF OCEANSIDE
THE COMMITTEE WAS ASKED TO REVIEW THE EXISTING SYSTEM AND
APPLICATIONS, CURRENT NEEDS, AND FUTURE NEEDS OF THE CITY,
AND RECOMMEND AN APPROPRIATE COURSE OF ACTlON. ALL DATA AVAIL-
ABLE ON THE PRESENT SYSTEM WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE ALONG
WITH A PROJECTION OF APPLICATIONS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR
FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION.
PROBLEM
THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN PRESENTED A STAFF REPORT (ATTACHMENT A)
REVIEWING THE PROBLEMS THAT :-tAVE BEEN ENCOUNTERED BY THE CITY
FINANCE DEPARTMENT IN OPERATING THE SINGER SYSTEM 10 COMPUTER.
THIS REPORT INDICATES THAT THE PRIMARY PROBLEM IS THAT THIS
SYSTEM DOES NOT USE A COMMON COMPUTER LANGUAGE. THIS LANGUAGE
IS ONLY USED ON A FEW SINGER INSTALLATIONS WITHIN CALIFORNIA
AND IS NOT WIDELY KNOW BY PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMMERS.
MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING PROGRAMS HAVE BECOME A MAJOR TASK AND
REQU!RE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND MONEY TO ACCOMPLISH.
THE SYSTEM IS AT A RELATIVE STANDSTILL IN RESPONDING TO
MANAGEMENT'S CHANGING NEEDS FOR INFORMATION AND THE DESIRE TO
IMPLEMENT NEW APPLICATIONS SUCH AS BI-MONTHLY BILLING OF WATER
BILLS AND VACATION AND SICK LEAVE ,\CCOUNTING FOR EMPLOYEE'S
RECORDS.
THE COMMITTEE'S INTENT WAS TO RECOMMEND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM
THAT WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW, MEET CHANGING
DEMANDS AND STAY WITHIN REASONABLE COST GUIDELINES,
ALTERNATIVES
A DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM CAN TAKE MANY FORMS. FOR EVERY PROBLEM,
SEVERAL SOLUTIONS MAY EXIST T~AT CONSIST OF VARIOUS COMBINATIONS
OF HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND CONTRACT SERV•CES. THE COMMITTEE
{'\ (""")
. CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON DATA PROCESSING PAGE 2
DISCUSSED NUMEROUS SOLUTIONS, MOST OF WHICH FELL INTO Tl:E FOLLOWING
CATEGORIES. AN EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO REVIEW EACH ALTERNATIVE
IN AN OBJECTIVE FASHION LIS ING THE PHOS ANO CONS OF EACt1 ALTERNATIVE
SEPARATELY.
1) KEEP EXISTING SYSTEM -THE PRESENT SINGER COMl'UTER
SYSTEM WAS DESCRIBED IN THE APRIL 3, 1979 REPORT TO
THE CITY COUNCIL. SINGER SYSTEM 10 IS A SMALL
MINI-COMPUTER THAT WAS INSTALLED IN JANUARY 1976
TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE ACCOUNTING BILLING
FUNCTIONS IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. SEE ATTACHMENT
"A" FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS SYSTEM.
PRO
1) COST OF KEEPING THE EXISTING SYSTEM rs CCM-
PETITIVE WITH OTHER ALTERNATIVES,
2) HARDWARE MAINTENANCE PROVIDED BY TRW'OF
SAN DIEGO HAS BEEN VERY GOOD.
CON
1) SINGER SYSTEM USES A VERY SPECIALIZED LANGUAGE.
2) TRAINED PROGRAMMERS ARE NOT READILY AVAI~ABLE.
3) NEW APPLICATIONS ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ADD.
It) OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE SYSTEM.
5) NO BACK-UP SYSTEM EXISTS WITHIN SAN DIEGO COUNTY,
6) CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THE EXISTING SYSTEM MAY
MAKE A CHANGE AT A LATER DATE MORE DIFFlCULT,
7) THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING AN IN-HOUSE SYSTEM
ARE LOST BY NOT HAVING SOFTWARE FLEXIBil.lTY.
2) SERVICE BUREAU -A SERVICE BUREAU IS A COMPANY THAT OFFERS
TO RENT OR LEASE TIME ON A LARGE CENTRAL COMPUTER TO
VARIOUS USERS. THE SERVICE BUREAU IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
BACKING UP FJLES, DELIVERING HARD COPY OUTPUT, THE
SECURITY OF THE SYSTEM, MAINTAINING UP-TIME, AND SOFTWARE
SUPPORT OF CANNED PROGRAMS. BILLINGS ARE USUALLY MADE
ON VOLUME OF DATA, TRANSACTIONS, CPU TIME AND/OR DISK
STORAGE USED.
,---, r';
€ITIZEN 1 S ADVISORY COMMITTE
ON DATA PROCESSING PAGE 3
3)
PRO
1) USE OF LARGE SCALE COMPUTER FOR ALL JOBS 1
COMPUTATION TIME CAN BE GREATLY REDUCED.
2) SOME CANNED ROUTINES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE
SYSTEM.
3) HARDWARE MUST BE MAINTAINED OR PURCHASED BY
THE SERVICE BUREAU AS THE USER BASE GROWS.
CON
1) aosTs ARE VARIABLE BASED ON VOLUMES. AS THE
VOLUMES INCREASE THE COST CAN RAPIDLY INCREASE.
2) IF INPUT HARDWARE IS NECESSARY, THE LEASE OR
PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT CAN BE AN ADDITIONAL COST,
3) REQUIRES TELEPHONE LINE HOOKUP TO MAIN COMPUTER.
LEASED OR DEDICATED LINES CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE.
4) NO CONTROL OF SECURITY OF DATA, BACKUPS OR FILE
INTEGRITY.
5) ALL COSTS ARE OPERATING IN NATURE. NONE OF THE
INVESTMENT IS RETAINED IN THE FORM OF CAPITAL
EQUIPMENT.
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT -UNDER A FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
cfilrrRACT, THE CITY CONTRACTS WITH A COMPANY TO PROVIDE
BOTH PERSONNEL AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS THAT WILL ACCOMPLISH
TASKS ASSfGNED BY THE CITY. THE CONTRACTOR PROVIDES
ALL SYSTEM SUPPORT AND OPERATING STAFF ELIMINATING THE
NEED FOR THE CITY TO HIRE COMPUTER PEOPLE OR PURCHASE
A SYSTEM, SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED
AS PART OF THIS CONTRACT. THE CONTRACT IS USUALLY
CANCELLABLE UPON REASONABLE NOTICE BY EITHER PARTY •
.eEQ
1) THE CITY MUST ENTER ONLY ONE CONTRACT FOR SERVICES
COVERING HARDWARE, SOFTWARE AND EMPLOYEES TO
OPERATE THE SYSTEM.
2) THE PERSONNEL PROBLEMS OF HIRING, SALARIES AND
STAFFING LEVELS ARE HANDLED BY THE CONTRACTOR.
~) SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT DONE BY THE CONTRACTOR.
CITIZEN'S ADV1JR{JoMMITTEE
o·N DATA PROCESSING
CON ....,._
l~AGE 4
1) COST -THESE TYPES OF SYSTEMS TEND TO BE VERY
EXPENSIVE.
2) DEPENDING ON THE CONTRACT, SOFTWARE DEVELOPED BY
THE CONTRACTOR MIGHT BE THE PROPERTY OF THE CONTRAC-
TOR NOT THE CITY. IF THE CONTRACT WERE CANCELLED,
THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO REINVENT THE PROGRAMS
DEVELOPED BY THE CONTRACTOR.
3) DEPENDING ON THE CONTRACT -THE RATES MAY BE VARIABLE
UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE CONTRACTOR. RATES COULD
INCREASE WITHOUT DIRECT CITY CONTROL
4) STAFFING LEVELS ARE CONTROLLF.D BY CONTRACTOR.
5) SCHEDULING IS CONTROLLED BY CONTRACTOR.
4) REPLACE EXISTING SYSTEM WITH NEW TN-HOUSE SYSTEM -THE
PURPOSE OF REPLACING THE EXISTING SYSTEM IS TO GAIN
COMPUTER POWER, SOFTWARE MAINTAINABILITY AND THE ABILITY
TO EXPAND AS THE CITY GROWS. THE APRIL 3, 19 7 9 REPORT
TO THE COUNCIL. TOUCHED ON THIS ALTERNATIVE GIVING EXAMPLES
OF THE TYPES OF SYSTEMS THAT COULD DIRECTLY SUBSTITUTE
FOR THE SINGER SYSTEM 10 .
.e.RQ
1) EXPANDED FLEXIBILITY OF THE COMPUTER SYSTEM.
2) INCREASED "COMPUTER POWER •11
3) PRICE COULD BE COMPETITIVE WITH CURRENT INVESTMENT
PER MONTH.
4) CANNED OR EXISTING PROGRAMS MAY BE ABLE TO COVER
SOME EXISTING NEEDS.
5) NEW APPLICATIONS MAY BE ADDED AS NECESSARY.
6) USE OF COMMON COMPUTER LANGUAGE,
7) LARGE NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMMERS ARE
AVAi LAB LE FOR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.
~
1) DATA MUST BE CONVERTED FROM PRESENT SYSTEM.
~) SOFTWARE MAY HAVE TO BE DEVELOPED FOR EACH APPLICATION
'/HERE USABLE SOFTWARE DOES NOT EXIST.
,--_ I~
. CITIZEN'S ADVl~vRY COMMITTEE
ON DATA PROCESSING PAGE 5
5) SHARED SYSTEM -THE CITY OF CARLSBAD AND THE CITY OF
OCEANSIDE RECENTLY USED THE SHARED SYSTEM CONCEPT TO
SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE TWO CITY LIBRARY DEPARTMENTS.
THE COSTS OF PURCHASE AND MAINTENANCE H~/E BEEN
DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN THE TWO USERS ON A YRE-ARRANGED
BASIS ENABLING THE TWO CITIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A
A LARGER AND MORE POWERFUL SYSTEM THAN EITHER COULD
AFFORD INDIVIDUALLY.
IF THIS PRINCIPAL OF JOINING FORCES COULD BE APPLIED TO
A MORE GENERAL SYSTEM AIMED AT MANAGEMENT, ACCOUNTING,
INVENTORY AND SAFETY NEEDS, THE ENTITIES INVOLVED COULD
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A MORE POWERFUL AND FLEXIBLE SYSTEM
THAN COULD BE PURCHASED INDIVIDUALLY. BOTH DATA INPUT
AND ,uTPUT COULD BE CONTROLLED AT THE USER'S SITE WITH
ONLY DATA STORAGE AND COMPUTATIONS BEING DONE AT THE
COMPUTER LOCATION.
PRO
1) POOLING OF RESOURCES TO PROVIDE GREATER "COMPUTER
POWER.11
2) IMPROVED DATA STORAGE CAPACITY.
3) IF SHARED WITH ANOTHER LOCAL ENTITY THE COMPUTER
SYSTEM COULD BE LOCATED VERY CLOSE TO OR IN CARLSBAD
CITY HALL.
4) ONE USER ON THE SYSTEM WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF SOFTt-lARE DEVELOPED BY ANOTHE:R USER IN AREAS OF
SIMILAR APPLICATION.
5) USE OF COMMON COMPUTER L~NGUAGE.
6) NEW APPLICATIONS CAN BE ADDED AS NEEDED.
7) LARGE POOL OF PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMMERS WOULD BE
AVAILABLE.
CON
1) POSSIBLE MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS.
2) DATA TRANSMISSION TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IS DEPENDE~T
ON TELEPHONE LINES.
3) DIFFERENT SOFTWARE MAY BE NECESSARY FOR EACH
USER DEPENDING ON APPLICATIONS.
,--.. ,"l
· •C-ITI ZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON DATA PROCESSING
4) COSTS WOULD HAVE TO BE CLOSELY CONTROLLED.
PAGE 6
5) SECURITY OF DATA WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
THE COMPUTER OPERATOR, NOT THE CITY OF CARLSBAD.
RECOMMENDATIONS
AFTER REVIEWING THE MANY ALTERNATIVES, THE COMMITTEE FEELS THE FOLLOW-
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY:
1) REPLACE THE SINGER SYSTEM 10 WITH AN IN-HOUSE COMPUTER
SYSTEM OR A SHARED SYSTEM.
THE COMMITTEE DEFINITELY FEELS THAT TO INVEST A CONSIDER-
ABLE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL CAPITAL IN THE EXISTING SYSTEM
WOULD 6E UNDESIRABLE AT THIS TIM~ WITH THE AVAILABILITY
OF SUBSTITUTE SYSTEMS AT REASONABLE COSTS, THE CITY SHOULD
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE IMPROVED COMPUTER ~FFICIENCY AND
FLEXIBILITY OFFERED BY MANY WELL KNOW COMPUTER MANUFACTURES.
(IF THE EXISTING SYSTEM CAN BE UTILIZED FOR A SINGLE FIXED
APPLICATION, THE CITY COULD CONSIDER KEEPING THE SYSTEM
RATHER THAN TRADING OR SELLING THE HARDWARE. A REVIEW
OF TRADE-IN ALLOWANCES OR USED EQUIPMENT PRICES SHOULD
BE DONE BEFORE THIS DECISION IS MADE.)
IT IS THE COMMITTEE'S OPINION THAT EITHER AN IN-HOUSE
SYSTEM OR SHARED SYSTEM OFFERS THE NECESSARY FLEXIBILITY
REQUIRED TO SATISFY FUTURE CITY NEEDS. THE D~CISION 1v
CHOOSE ONE OPTION OVER ANOTHER MUST BE BASED ON THE
CITY'S REQUIREMENTS FOR TIMING~CONTROL AND THE AVAILABILITY
OF A GOVER~MENT BODY WILLING TO SHARE THE COMPUTER COSTS
UNDER AN AGREEABLE ARRANGEMENT.
2) CONTRACT WITH A SUITABLE CONSULTING FIRM TO PROVIDE ASSI'-
TANCE IN WRITING SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS AND BID EVALUATIUN.
THE EXTREMEI-Y TECHNICAL NATURE OF THE PRESENT DAY COMPUTER
MARKET MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THE USER TO PREPARE SPECIFICATIONS
FOR HARDWARE OF ANY SYSTEM. CONSUL TING FIRMS EXIS'f THAT CAN
PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF ASSISTANCE RANGING FROM TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS ONLY TO ASSISTANCE IN SOFTWARE AND INSTAL-
LATIONS REQUIREMENTS.
3) HIRE A STAFF PROGRAMMER/OPERATOR. MOST SYSTEMS GO THROUGH
CONSTANT UP DATING AND CHANGE TO KEEP PACE WITH DEMANDS
FROM MANAGEMENT AND STAFF. IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY
ADMINISTER A DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM SERVING SEVERAL
FUNCTIONS, A PROGRAMMER/OPERATOR SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO
MODIFY PROGRAMS, WRITE NEW APPLICATIONS AND SCHEDULE DATA
INPUT AND OUTPUT.
,-..('""i
· ,CJTIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ON DATA PROCESSING PAGE 7
REGARDLESS OF THE OPTION THE CITY CHOOSES~ THIS
STAFF POSITION SHOULD BF. CONSIDERED. EVEN IN THE
SINGER-SYSTEM A STAFF PROGRAMMER WOULD EVENTUALLY
BE ABLE TO WRITE SOME SOFTWARE AND AID IN THE S'YSTEM
AND DATA MAINTENANCE.
WE HOPE THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS THESE RECOMMENDATIONS HELPFUL IN THEIR
DELIBERATIONS. A COMMITTEE MEMBER WILL BE PRESENT AT THE COUNCIL
MEETING TO ANSWER WHATEVER QUESTIONS THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE PERTAINING
TO THIS REPORT.
' t
DATE: March: 22, 1979
TO: Paul Bussey, City Manager
FROM: Jim Elliott, Assistant to the Finance Director
SUBJECT: Computer System Software Limitations
J.n August 1975, the City Council authorized the purchase of a
mini-computer system to serve the Finance Department functions of
utility bilJ,ing, gen,~ral ledger, accounting, payroll and fixed asset
inventory. By Janu<',ry, 1976, these functions ware on line and have
been operational since that date with only minor modifications.
The purpose of the attached report is to bring to light the
problems that have been encountered by the Finance Department in
maintaining the r.::omputer softw;ire and obtaining the programming
services necessary to modify and enhance the existing applications.
PROBLEM
The computer currently in use in the Finance Department is a
Singer System 10,, manufactured by the Singer Business Machines Company.
The language used in this machine is called·Interpretive Processor ..
or Table Pr-ocessor, a little kno\'m language used by a very small
'1-_.pcrcentage of the Singer computers. This language is not used or
,t:',,--supported by any other computer manufacturer and, therefore,·' repre-
-~ " nents a m:1jor problem when seeking professional programming assistance.
j• At this point in time, no dependable sourc~ of programming exists •
. Fr9m time to time, modifications are necessary to bring the
existing software in line with changes in the policies or procedures-
used by the City. If no source of programming exists, these modifi-
cations become almor;t impossible to accomplish.
"DISCUSSION
In order to £!Valuate the impact of this problem it is necessary
to consider what is expected from the existing computer system.
Attachment A is a listing of applications currently in use on the
system. Attachment Bis a listing of applications that have been
discussed as improvements to existing programs and possible new
computer functions. If any of the new applications are to be con-
sidered for implementation, thE! alternatives listed below and in
the attached r<::port should be c:onsidered. If no new applications
are to be installed and no changes are anticipated in the existing
system, the problem stated above may be of little importance.
• March 22, 1979 r ,
·. City Manager ,,-\ \.~
P.ag~ 2
ALTERNATIVES
1. Keep the existing system. No new applications or major software
changes will be implemented.
2. Convert from present form of Table Processor to the DMF'2 operating
system. -s cc -r C, 1n
3. Explore new systems with lease or purchase prices that can be
cost effective (considering the importance of maintainability).
4. Hire a staff programmer to learn the Table Processor language
and maintain our existing system •.
5. Gain pr~fessional assistance in evaluating the problem by
·.forming a citizens advisory committee or hiring a professional
consulting firm.
The above recommendations are discussed further in the attached report·.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Until some satisfactory ~olution is found for the problem, no
additional funds should oe spent to upgrade the existing system.
(This is an administrative matter and requires no formal ·council
action.)
2. Obtain the programming services of one of the available local
programmers. Some system support may be available .from this
.source. (A San Diego firm has been contacted by the staff and
has indicated an interest in entering into a software maintenance
contract with the City. This company is not presently familiar
with the table processor language. Sufficient'funds exist in
the Finance and Water Department budgets to cover the cost of
this contract.) 1
3. Form a citi2ens committee of three to five members from the
local business/computer community to help the City evaluate the
existing problem. (If a citizens advisory committee is un-
·acceptable to the Council, a professional consultant could be
re.tained.)
·-~
J}MES F. ELLIOTT
Assistant to the Finance Director
JFE:gb
I '
HISTORY
Cm-lPU'l'ER SYSTEM SOFT1•1ARE LINITATIONS
DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
MARCH 1979
In January of 1975, it had become evident to the Finance
Director and City Manager that the existing mechanical method of
processing accounting and utility billing data was not able to
keep pace with increasing demands. At that time, an inhou.se study
was initiated to find a solution to the immediate Fjnance Depart-
ment EDP problems and identify other EDP needs of the city. The
primary focus of this study was to provide a solution to the Finance
DE:)~artment data processing problems as soon as possible.
The solutions discussed in the study were based on meeting
needs through 1980 and used the following data in estimating work
loads: Population (1980) -28,600, Utility Billing system -
6,600 bills monthly, Payroll -272 employees paid biweekly. The
report also assumed that if no action were taken, four employees
would have to be added to the Finance, Purchasing and Personnel
Departments. The following alternatives were discussed as solutions
to the problem. The cost estimates are projected through 19.::so.
1. Purchase another NCR 500 billing machine -the estimated
cost of this alternative was $194,900 which included the
hardware, maintenance and staff required for operation
of this machine.
2. Improve utilization of present NCR 500 billing machine -
this alternative involved the expansion of the Finance
Department operations to two shifts per day. Several
staff positions would be added bringing the total cost
of this alternative to $211,150.
3. Convert to a computer service bureau -under the pro-
posed plan, costs for this alternative could have run
as high as $202,912 tprough 1980.
4. Replace NCR 500 with mini-computer system -the costs
associated with this alternative were approximately
$88,·000 if only the Finance Department needs were to
be met.
In May of 1975, the City Council selected alternative #4 with
the stipulation that only the Finance Department needs were to be
considered in the purchase of any system. This proved to be the
least expensive of the alternatives and·did not involve the addition
of any positions to the City staff.
I I
·:[.>age 2
The select:ion process used in purchasing the Singer Computer
was the usual bid procedure required on all capital expenditures
of more than $5,000. Specifications were preparea by the City
staff describing the workloads, file sizes and applications, as
well as the maintenance and service support to be provided by
the vendor. The sealed bids were returned to the City Clerk's
office.
Upon opening the bids, it was found that the system prices
ranged from $54,000 to $112,000, with Singer being the low bid.
All specifications were satisfied by the Singer bid, as well as
several otheFs (some of whom are no longer in business}.
The staff was aware of Singer's intention to divest itself
of the Business Machines Division at some time in the future.
Through conversatiohs with Singer and several Singer System 10 users,
it appeared that this would pose no serious problem. Singer had an
established, although small user base t:hat would provide an attractive
investment opportunity for a well developed computer company. It
was anticipated that maintenance and new hardware would continue to
· be available.
The fact that the system used an uncommon language was not
considered to be a major .fault. The specifications had not called
for any particular language, since so many different languages
existed that could satisfy our needs. Singer had contracted with
.Cyberdata to provide all software support and at that time both
,companies were going concerns. ~
In order to eliminate Singer's hid f°rom consideration, a
major deviation from the specifications would have had to been present.
Since t}leir bid was generally in line with the City specifications
and was the low bid, the staff recommended that the Council accept
the Singer bid.
By November 1975, the water billing application had been installed
and tested. Within the next two months, the remaining applications
were installed and accepted as complete.
During the next two years, only minor program modifications were
required to keep the system operating ef·fectively. In late 1978,
several programs were scheduled for implementation that involved
major software development, primarily a vacation and sick leave
accounting system and a bi-monthly utility billing system. So far,
efforts to procure a dependable source of programming assistance
for these applications have been unsuccessful. The Interpretive
Processor language used on this particular system is not widely known
and is not available through the normal prograw.ming sources.
\ ~ . ... ~ , ...... ' ~
During late 1976, (or.-ear.l-y--1-9!7-7·} the Singer Company sold the
Business Machines Division to International Computers Limited (ICL}
and the Maintenance Division to..TWR. At the ~ame time, Cyberdata,
the company that developed nu~ software systems and language, went
out of business. \_ \ --c;.~r
·J>age 3
TRW has done an excellent job of maintaining the existing
hardware and has been able to supply special ribbons, filters and
supplies for the system. Until recently, David Ferguson, formerly
with Cyberdata, had been very cooperative in ~ssisting us with
program modifications and new applications whenever necessary. As
of October, 1978, Mr. Ferguson has had to concentrate more fully on
his current employment and personal affairs, eliminating much of
the time he had been spending on supporting our system.
THE NEED FOR SOFTWARE SUPPORT
All computer systems are made up of two interrelated compo11ents;
hardware and software. Hardware is the collection of mechanical and
electrical devices that make up the physical computer environment.
Software is the set of logical iastructions that perform the compu-
tation and manipulation of data through the hardware environment to
create useful output.
A good hardware system can be created by many vendors from many
different types of devices; but, without a good software s7stem, the
hardware is useless. The quality of software systems is dependent
on the skill of the progra1runers who create the set of instructions to
accomplish a specific task, as well as the language used to write
the instruction set.
In the computer world, there are common languages such a_s
COBOL, FORTRAN, RPGII, PL/1, BASIC and ALGOL and uncommon languages
such as Table Processor and some machine dependent assembly languages.
The advantage of the more common languages come from the fact that
many different computer companies and programmers support these
languages. l. :, ,, ,; ,.1,
•Software, regardless of how well it is written, must occasionally
be modified due to changes in the needs of the user. When this happens,
a programmer, with knowledge of the language used by that system, will
. provide the necessary modifications to bring the system into line with
the new user 1 s needs.
when a common language is use~, the field of programmers avail-
able to modify existing software or create new applications, is
relatively large. The system can be constantly maintained to pro-·
vide the best service possible. When an uncommon language is used,
the number of programmers available to perform necessary modifications
is severely limited. If no source of software support is available,
the system will begin to fall behind the user needs and limit the
effectiveness of the e:x:isting system. Eventually, if major modifi-·
cations are necessary because of changes in legislation or desired
because of innovations in management systems, the system will be
inadequate due to the limitations imposed by the software language
and the availability of programmers.
The Finance Department has been actively pursuing programmers
able to write in the Table Processor language. Several leads have
appeared in the form of two Los Angeles based and two San Diego based
programmers. Although the two Los Angeles programmers are conversant
'. Page 4
with the Table Processor language, one offers only minor support and
the other offers a conversion from one form of Table Processor to
another. The two San Diego based p1:ogramr:1ers would have to learn
Table Processor from the ground up.
Neither option truly offers dependable support alternatives.
It appears that as long as the Table Processor language is in use,
the field of capable programming support will be severely limited.
When system support depends on one or two individuals, the future
of that system, as far as improved.utilization is concerned, is
questionable.
SYSTEM COST
Before any action is considered, a review of the cost of the
present system is called for. The system was initally purchased
with the idea that by 1980, some form of action would be required
to continue to meet the workloads of the Finance Department. Since
fiscal year 1979-80 will begi11 in four months, now seems to be a
,good time to ev.aluate the alternatives.
By 1980, the system will have been operating for 50 months.
The current investment in the system is $77,500 plus $500 per
month for maintenance. This equates to a monthly cost of $2,050.
In contrast, if the City had elected to stay with the existing
accounting machine system, at least two clerks at a cost of approxi-
mately $2,075 per month, and additional accounting machinery at
a cost of $300 to $400 per month would have been acquired -.a total
cost of about $2500 per month. In this respect, the present Singer
System has been cost effective.
In order to maintain the existing services through 1980 some
additional equipment will be required. For Example, an additional
Finance Department CRT terminal is scheduled for purchase in 1978-79
to provide customer inquiry access to the data base and act as a
third input device. Although this has been deferred temporarily,
satisfying this need would cost about $4,000.
If new applications such as a personnel information system or
a utility inventory system are to be implemented properly, additional
hardware costs of $12,000 to $16,000 may be necessary. The hardware
acquisitions necessary include CRT terminals for input and output of
data and upgrade of the CPU. ~Both applications require direct access
to the data base on a daily basis and, therefore, require terminal
dedications. If large data files are necessary for new applications,
an additiona~ $15,000 to $18,000 would be required to expand the
existing data storage capacity.
Other applications such as the bimonthly utility billing syste.~,
Workmens Compensation reporting and the budget preparation system
would require no direct hardware acquisition. The data necessary to
operate these systems already exists in a relatively usable form.
Only software modifications and new programs would be necessary.
: Page-, 5
With each software and hardware change goes the assumption
that the useful life of the computer has been extended. By extra-
polation, it appears that the existing system would continue to
cost approximately $2,000 per month over the next few years. It
would also have tc, be assumed that (a) software support is available,
(b) new hardware c:ontinues to be available and (c:) that TRW con-
tinues to maintain Singer equipment.
There is no accurate way to measure the "opportunity costs"
of not being able to add applications that would enhance manage-
ments' ability to control the operations of the City. This situ-
at:i-on may exist as software and hardware become more difficult to
acquire. ·
It may be in the interest of the City to consider conversion
·to another system of comparable price that offers maintainability
in both software and hardware. Systems of this type exist from
several manufacturers. For the purpose of this r~port, IBM, Honey-
well, and NCR were asked to present examples of their systems that
would directly ~ubstitute for the Singer System \-'hile allowing for
an acceptable growth path. These systems have the advantage of a
. common computer language as well as the support •.:if a national
company. These examples appear in the following secion. Further
research would be necessary before a suit.able system could be
selected. ·
CONCLUSION
The City Finance Department is experiencing a slowdown in its
l;lbility to implement program modifications and development. This
inability to secure competent programming services poses a definite
problem to management in the area of utilization of data for
decision making purposes and to the Finance Department in the area
of tne flexibility of the system.
This problem stems from the language used to program the Singer
· System 10 computer, and the lack of qualified programmers trained
in this language.
ALTERNATIVES
l. Keep the present system -the present system seems to be meeting
the current demands of the Finance Department. The primary
problem is the inability to provide acceptable programming
support to add new applications and make necessary changes in
existing programs. This may not pose a serious problem if it
is determined that no n~w applications are to be added. How-
ever, the City has no control over some of the changes that
may be required. For example, in the payroll portion of the
system, if significant changes are received from the State or
Federal government in the area of taxes, retirement or insur-
ance, the City may have difficulty complying with the new
regulations. ·
It may .be po:;zible to continue to use the existing system
until 1,uch time that program modifications are required by
legislation or management policies.
2, Convert from the present form of Table Processor to the
DMF2 operating system. A search of the market place has
t~rned up one possible solution to the immediate problem.
The Singer Company had another operating system developed
called DMF2. Installations usi11g this operating s-ystem
have an advantage over our system in the number of pro-
grammers available to support this version of Sin9er soft-
ware. In our location, the support would come primarily
from Hr. Guy White, a programmer in the Orange county area.
Although this is not a majc;,r increase in the avai:~ability
0! programming services, it seems to represent a 1nore
reliable source than is now available.
A converflion to DMF2 also has a benefit in the ha:cdware
Area. The new CPU's developed by ICL are not compatible
with the present form of our software. A change to DMF2
would allow the City to take advantage of future improve-
ments in the speed and fle~ibility of the ICL computer
hardware.
Conversion to the DMF2 operating system would req,uire changes
in all of the existing software ns well as purcha.sing the
DMF2 package it~elf. No specific price has been negotia~ed,
but indications aro that a total outlay of $6,00CI may be
required •.
?.'here appear to be two disadvantages to this conversion. one,
Mr. White has not yet established a software company to support
a cuatome,: bnsc. The problem still exists that there ar.e
only a few uncertain sources for programming services in the
TAble Processor language. If Mr. White is unable to support
o~r ay,tem for any reason, we will find it difficult to find
software support.
Two, there seema to be some disagreement between the "experts"
AD to the advantages of converting to DMF2 from our present
system. hpparcntiy some advantages of the present software
ayatcm would be traded for.other c:tdvantagcs of DMF2.
3. Bxplore n!lw computer systeme with lease or purchase prices that
could be CO$t effective, In order to evaluate this alternative,
meetings have been held with throe of the major computer equip-
ment mnnufncturing companies; IBM, Honeywell and NCR. In each
caoc a syotcm coi\figuration similar to tho one now in use was
t\iacuasod, koopin9· in mind potcmtial system growth, common-
nlity of lun9ua9os ~nd company support of the user.
(
As the following descriptions show, the system price may vary
according to company. Also, the system size and the number
of program packages included will vary. The data included ie
to be used for exampl~ purposes only. No effort was mad~ co
evaluate these packages as to the overall adequacy of each
syst.em. If this alternative is chosen, further study of
various systems is called for. •rhe evaluation was limited
to t:hree companies since covering the entire market place
at t:his point would se~ve no useful purpose.
A. IBM
1 CPU
2 CRT's
1 Printer
-System 34 -Cost -approximately !3 .. d--0;~)
per month (lease) as configurea---Capproxi-
mately $65,000 to purchase hardware).
-64K CPU with diskette feature included.
The CPU also includes 27.1 Mbytes of
disk storage (fixeo). Back up onto
single diskette or diskette magazine.
Terminals used as data input. devices
and control station for CPU. Includes
a standard 1920 character screen.
-300 LPM chain printer for hard copy out-
put of data.
Included in the above price is the ope-
rating system, utilities and system
support, RPGII compiler and the accounting,
payroll and personnel software packages.
If required, COBOL Qr FORT.RAN compilers
are available.
The System 34 is a state of the art machine that appears to offer an
excellent substitute for the Singer system. The lease price of
$2,100 per month is consistent with the current average rnonthl.y cost
of the existing· system. The lease price may vary slightly under the
terms of a governmental lease agreement.
IBM offers both hardware and soft\u'are support out of the San Diego
office. The cost of hardware support is included in the lease pric~.
Software support for special applications or modifications to exist-
ing programs would be supplied on a time and material contract.
J\n RPGII compiler is provided with the IBM System 34. This language
is supported by IBM on all of its machines, in addition to offering
COBOL or FORTRAN options. These are all very common languages that
can be supported by rnost. programmers.
The IBM System 34 p=esently requires about twelve month lead time
for installation.
B. Honeywell
l CPU
Model 60 -Level 62. Cost -approximately
$2,400 per month (lease) as configured.
-160K processor with diskette feature.
l disk drive -40.3 Mbyte on line disk storage. Back up
onto diskette.
4 CRT's
1 pri:r.ter
Soft.ware
-Terminals used for input of data, inquiry and
control 0£ the CPU. The terminals have a
standard 1920 character sGreen.
-450 LPM printer for hard copy output of data.
-This price includes all necessary software for
computer operation, including a COBOL-74 com-
piler. No application software has been
included. This system has RPGII and FORTRAN
compilers available.
The Honeywell Level 62 computer is a very strong system readily
-available on today's market. The system is capable of substituting
directly for the Singer System 10 and includes an excellent growth
potential. Although Hon~ywell does not directly supply application
software, a catalog of systems developed by userz is available to
any customer. Since conm1on languages are used, very little diffi-~
culty should be e>:perienced in locating cornp~tent programming services
in the Carlsbad or San Diego area.
1he Honeywell lease agreement allows approximately 50 percent of
the first year's payments to accrue toward the purchase of the
system.
System support is available from Honeywell at the San Diego office.
Software contracts are available on an hourly or monthly basis at
·a rate of $23.00 per hour.
The cost of application software has not been considered at this
time. Costs could run from $5,000 xo $15,000 depending on the
.applications to be implemented.
C. NCR -8270 -Cost approximately $2,000 per
month on lease basis as configured (pur-
chase price approximately $85,100).
1 CPU -128K Processor with cassette feature
included.
1 Disk drive -54 Mbyte Drive, 41 Mbyte fixed, 13 Mbyte
removeable. Backup onto removeable disk
packs.
4 CRT -Terminals are used for input of data,
inquiry and control of the CPU. These term-
inals have a standard 1920 character screen.
Page 9 ,-
In addition to the above equipment, a
price of $7,800 would be required to
purchase the Interactive Financial Manage-
ment System (IF:MS), payroll and utility
billing software packages. The NCR operating
system and utility software is included in
the lease or purchase price. Both COBOL and
FORTRAN compilers are available on this system.
The NCR 8270 Computer is a very competitive machine capable of pro-
viding a high level of service to the City in many areas. The 8200
series has been on the market since 1976 and has been recently
enhanced by the addition of the 8270 model to the product line.
NCR provides several software packages for use on the 8200 series
computers written in COBOL, complete with documentation and user
instruction~. Training is provided by the systems analyst on each
application as it is installed at the user's site.
System support is available for both hardware and software directly
from NCR. Since COBOL is the primary language used in these systems,
programming services ~re available from a wide range of vendors.
NCR provides a five year lease/purchase agreement with a $1.00
buy out at the end of the lease term. A percentage of each lease
payment is accrued toward the purchase of the equipment.
4. The Table Processor language is similar to other computer languages
in that it requires a string of logical commands to accomplish
a task. Since professional programmers are normally dealing with
several different languages, learning one more should be within
the realm of possibility. A programmer could be hired as a city
employee and trained in the Table Processor language; thus,
allowing the city to continue using the existing equipment. A
rough estimate of the cost of adding a programmer to the staff
(including benefits) is $2100 to $2500 per month.
5. The Jl'inance Department staff has already invested a considerable
amount oi time in the problem of procuring competeht programming
services. A great deal more time would be required to bring the
staff up to a level where the technicalities of analyzing sub-
stitute computer systems a~d programming languages could be
efficiently accomplished. To speed the process and perhaps to
improve the end results, some form of professional assistance
~ould be sought to study the problem. This assistance might be
gained two ways:
A. Citizens committee of three to five members could be
formed from the computer using community of Carlsbad.
These individuals along with sta-ff could review the
existing alternatives and make recommendations to the
City Manager~ Cost -none. ·
Pt3:ge 10
B. Professional consulting firms exist that have the
.necessary expHrtise to analyze the existing problems
facing the City's EDP section. They a~e familiar with
the technicalities of the computer systems and soft-
ware capabilites. A study performed by one of these
companies could provide the necessa~y direction to the
City. Cost -Approximately $2,500 to $5,000.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Since November 1975, the Singer System 10 computer has cost
approximately $77,500. The last addition, a 400 LPM Printer,
was required to maintain the current level of service. Other
additions to the hardware system may be required over the vext
few years to provide continued service even with no changes to
the existing software systems.
Unless the problems faced by -the software system can be solved
in the near future by a dependable solution, it is recommended
that no additional funds be spent to upgrade the existing hard-
ware. This has been implemented administratively and requires
no formal council action.
2. Some software services may be available from three or four
different sources. Since these companies may be able to
provide at least a low level of support to the software sys·tem,
these services should be considered. Funding for these services
exists in the Finance and Water Department operating budgets.
3. The Computer Industry is dynamic and r~quires special knowledge
of the technical aspects of user requirements and computer
systems. The Finance Department staff does not presently
possess the necessary technical knowledge of the computer field
to fairly evaluate the alternatives listed above. In order to
gain the technical assistance necessary, the City could form a
three to five member committee of local computer users to assist
the staff in the review process. The members selected for this
committee should be chosen on the basis of their knowledge of
the computer field. The cost of this approach would be only
±he staff's time required to assist the committee. The com-
mittee should submit recommendations to the City Manager with-
in four to six weeks.
If a citizens advisory committee is unacceptable to the council,
another alternative would be to hire a professional consulting
service to review the existing applications and systems. The
results of this study might provide a more technically correct
answer to our problems. The cost of this type of study could
run as high as $2,500 to $5,000. ~o firm estimate has been
received; but judging from other studies, this figure shoul~
be in line.
ATTACHMENT A
CURRENT COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
1. Utility Billing
2. Payroll
( 3. Accounts Payable
;
4. General Ledger
\ . ', 5. Fixed Asset Inventory ',
,6. Housing Authority Accounting System
7. Report Generation System (Expenditure/Bu~get Reporting)
•. _ 8. Vendor Listing
· · , Page 12
ATTACHi.\fENT B
APPLICATIONS ANTICIPATED FOR COMPUTERIZATION
1. Water Department Bi-monthly Billing System
2. Vacation and Sick Leave Accounting System.
-3. Payroll -Workman's Compensation Program
-4. Personal Information System ,...._
5. Budget Preparation System
.
6. Capital Improvement Program Preparation System
-7. Total Compensation Cost Calculation for Personnel
8. Business Licenses
9. Mechanical Maintenance Inventory System
-10. Vehicle Maintenance System
11. Purchasing -P.O. Processing System
12. Job Costing System for Public Works
1'3. Streef Index
14. Land Use inventory
;::
15. Class Scheduling and Instructor Compensation System (P & R)
16. Water Department Inventory System
17. Purchasing -Vendor Class~fication System
18. Investment Inventory System
Page 13
'ATTACHMENT C
Application
Programs
Batch Processing
.Baud
.Binary
Bit (Binary Digit)
Byte
Central Processing
Unit {CPU)
COBOL {Common Busi-
ness Oriented
Language)
Compiler
')
1
GLOSSARY OF 'l'ERHINOLOGY ( l} .
Standard and frequently used programs that are
tailored to a user's vocational needs; i.e.,
Payroll, General Ledger, Personnel lnfonnation
Systems.
Data processing in which a number of sL~ilar
input items are grouped together and pro-
cessed during a single machine run.
-A unit of transmission speed, from one piece
of hardware to another, equal to the number
of signal changes in one second. This term
can often be used interchangeably with "bits-
per-second."
Consisting of, or marked by two things or parts;
relating to, being, or belonging to a system
of numbers having two as its base.
The smallest element of binary machine language
represented by a magnetized spot on a recording
surface or magnetiz"ed· element of a storage deyi_ce.
A sequence of adjacent bits operated ~pon as a
unit and usually shorter than a word.~
The central processor of a computer contains
the internal memory unit (memory), the arith-
metic logic unit (ALU}, and the input/output
control unit (I/0 Control}.
A specific computer language by which business
data processing procedures may be precisely
describ~d in a standard form. T.he language is
intended as a means for directly presenting any
busin<~ss program t'o any suitable computer for
which a COBOL compiler exists and also as a
means of communicating such procedures among
individuals.
-A computer program that translates a program
written in a high level language such as COBOL
into a machine readable set of instructions.
The program that results from compiling is a
translated and expanded version of the original
program.
(l) NCR Educational Publications -EDP Terminology
Pe.g1= 14
Data Base
Debug
FORTRAN
-All the information that exists at any time.·
A corporate data base is all the information
that exists in the company records at any
given time. An Application Data Base is all
the data that exists on a certain aspect of
the company's operation, i.e., payroll, accounts
receivable, etc.
To locate and correct any errors on a computer
program.
(Formula Translator)-A programming system including a language and
a compiler, allowing programs to be written
in a type of mathematical language.
Hardware
Kor KB
MB
Microsecond
Millisecond
,Nanosecond
Program
RPG (Report
Program Generator)
Software
The mechanical, magnetic, electronic and
electrical devices or components of a computer.
Kilo bytes or thousand bytes. Usually used
to refer to CPU storage size or data transfer·
rates. 40,000 bytes= 40 K
Mega bytes or million bytes. Usually used to
refer to disk storage devices. 20,000,000 bytes
of storage capacity= 20 MB
One millionth of a second. 1 second==: 1,000,000
microseconds
One thousandth of a second. 1 second= 1,000
milliseconds
-One billionth of a second. 1 second= l,000,000,000·
nanosecond
A sequenced set of instructions to a computer to
do a particular job.
-A programming language developed by IBM to perform
many of the complicated functions of handling
business type data.
Various programming aids that are supplied by
the manufncturer to facilitate the user's efficient
operation of the equipment. The collection of
programs and routines and documents associated
with a computer.
· P_age 15
source program
Word
y
-A program coded in other than machine language
that must be translated into machine language
before being executed. CODOL, FORTRAN and
RPG are source languages.
-A set of char~cters having some particular
significance which is treated as a whole.
Bits make up a byte, bytes make up a word,
a group of words can make up a record (one
piece of data}.
.::
..
_,,....
DATE: March 22, 1979
TO: Paul Busse~•, City Manager
FROM: Jim Elliott, Assistant to the Finance Director
SUBJECT: Individuals available to serve on a Citizens Committee
to review City data processing needs.
T~e following individuals have indicated that they would be
available to serve on an ad hoc committee to review the City's
data processing needs. Other individuals have indicated that
-they might be available if current demands on their time are
lifted.
John Kolb, Data Processing Manager, City of Oc~anside
Frank Strange, Manager of Management Systems, Burroughs
Corporation
Mike Riley, Manager of Corporate Systems, San Diego Gas
and Electric Company
Bill Hare, Vice President o~ Operations, Dyna-Med
Bob Wergen, Manger of Data Processing, Hughes Aircraft
John Walsh, Data Processing Manager, United Way