Computers Discussed At Course

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30156, 13 June 1963, Page 15

Computers Discussed At Course

There was no such thing as a punch card-sized business or computer-sized business—the selection of such machines had to be purely on the basis of suitability, Dr. G. B. Battersby told members of a course on punched cards and electronic data processing at the University of Canterbury last evening. The course, organised by the university’s adult education department and the accountancy department, will comprise a serie? of lectures and demonstrations of modern accounting equipment. The growing interest in electronics in accounting was amply demonstrated by the overflow in numbers on the course roll. Dr. Battersby said. A roll of 60 had been catered for, but 239 people had had to be included and more than 60 others turned away through lack of room. “In the next 40 years there will be accumulated as much knowledge, scientific, economic and social as in the last 10.000 years of recorded history,” said Dr. Battersby.

“In that time our standards of living will also be greatly affected by this electronic equipment and computers.” One of the essentials in installing electronic equipment was being sure that profits would increase, or costs decrease by more than the cost of the machine. It could not be installed as an aimusing end in itself. For the full utilisation of computer equipment in New Zealand it was probably inevitable that groups of firms would have to combine in purchasing equipment in

order to make the purchase and use economical.

“One of the main things to safeguard against is that the machines should not become the masters,” said Dr. Battersby. Eliminate Eccentrics

A director of one of the large computer manufacturing companies had complained that computers advising on business procedures could eliminate all eccentrics and over-budgeting. In fact it Kad been the eccentrics of the firm, working against instructions and outside the yearly budget, who had first developed the computer. “He shuddered to think what would have happened to the computer if there had been a computer to control its development,” Dr. Battersby said. Professor A. N. Davidson, a visiting professor from Oregon State University, lectured on the practical application and accounting methods of business machinery.

Dr. Battersby opened the course in the absence because of the illness of Professor A. S. Carrington, dean of the faculty of commerce.