Required: a new technology for information systems solutions

Press, 7 May 1987, Page 32

Required: a new technology for information systems solutions

The LINC concept as bom in Arabia but developed in Christchurch by Peter Hoskins and Gil Simpson. Both were employed by Caterpillar Saudi Arabia, Gil as the data processing manager and Peter as the firm’s financial controller. Business was expanding so rapidly in Saudi Arabia

at that time that programmers were faced with the impossible task of finishing their assignments before computers changed with new priorities. The lead time was too long. What was required was a new system, one that could stand up to the stress of modern business, a new technology for developing information systems solutions. Therefore, LINC (Logic and Information Network Compiler), was born out of a frustration with computers not being able to provide adequate timely information for users to make sound business decisions. Also from a data processing viewpoint, many businesses have powerful computers which can process information very fast, but they have not had

programming tools to produce and maintain programes to meet the needs of a dynamically changing business world. Because computer programming was a highly technical manual process there had to be a better way of harnessing this technical process and to automate it. To do this it was necessary to go back and analyse the common attributes of businesses to establish an information system philosophy which could apply to all organisations and therefore allow the automation of data processing skills. The solution to these problems was the origins of LINC. Messrs Hoskins and Simpson returned to Christchurch from Saudi Arabia in 1978 to set up the research and development unit to perfect the LINC system.

Though their previous experience was with NCR, ICL and IBM they approached computer manufacturers and software firms with an open mind. Burroughs equipment was viewed as the most suitable for the development work and fortunately Burroughs New Zealand were very receptive to the LINC concepts. In December, 1979, the New Zealand subsidiary of Burroughs paid $1 for LINC marketing rights for one year. That later became a five-year agreement with right of renewal. Since these days Burroughs (and more lately Sperry) and LINC have formed a tight combination with the giant American company very happy to let the further development of LINC continue in Christchurch.