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|a In accomplishing any task, a key influence on completion time is the choice of the proper tools are not only pieces of tangible equipment (hardware) but also the intructions and procedures (software) needed to use the equipment properly. By its introductions of the IBM Personal Computer, the IBM organization has had a dramatic influence on user acceptance of the computer as new tool. Before that introduction, fears arising out of the mystique surrounding computers thwarted large numbers of potential users from purchasing them. However, IBM s reputation for quality, dependability, increased productivity, and service support resulted in immediate market accetance of the IBM Personal Computer. The computer languaje chosen by IBM Personal Computer dvelopers is Basic and extended version OF basic called BASICA. BASIC (Beginners All Symbolic Instruction Code ) was originally deloped at Dartmouth College in 1965. The principal advantage of this computer languaje is its easy-to-learn structure, and this makes the computer accessible to the public. The goals of this book are to show how to work with this languaje and to demonstarte how its use can increase users overall efectiveness and understanding. Microsoft BASIC particulary facilitates user understanding by allowing the use of long descriptive names instead of the shorter, less descriptive names requiered in earlier versiions. For example, you can say "Dpreciation" instead of "D%." With earliner versions of BASIC, even the creator of a program might wonder what an inadequately described name means by the end of a long program. The book presents three main ideas for the efficient business use of the IBM Personal Computer. The first, covered in chapters 1 and 2, discusses the development of the more effective languages and the influence of technology on their development. This incluides ideas and suggestions for provinding the end product of data processing --- namely, the report --- in a from understand-able to persons who are not concerned with the operation of the computers system. The second, covered in Chaperts 3 through 9, presents interactive applications programs are four use in an interactive mode; that is, the use loads a program, enters the data, and immediately recieves answers. For each example problem the background is explained. The program run illustrate the solution to the problem posed in the example. Realize, however, that problems can be solved in many ways. The programs therefore illustrate only one perso s programming methods for solving a business problem -- one approach to a solution. The program listing provides a means of introducing the program to your own system. To facilitate this conversion,many, statements that are unneccesary to the excution of the programs have been left in for better understanding. For example, even though LET, PRINT, and the naming of the NEXT item are not needed by the computer, they are included for improved programer understaing. Since the programs are written with long variable names and thus are self-documenting, you can make minor adjustments when adapting a program to for you user-defined needs. This self-documenting approach makes avalaible a library of easly under-stood and usable programs,thereby helping you delevop your own programming style. The third area, covered in Chapters 10 through 13, is devoted to programs that are stored on and retrieved from disk files. As the cost of data storage hardware has descreased over tht years,business and personal computer users have become increasingly interested in microcomputers. Microcomputers connected to disk drive systems provided an inexpensive means of solving problems and then and the storing the results for future refer-ence. To provide storage on floppy disks, the systems uses IBM-DOS.The Operating System supplies the housekeeping and operating procedures neccesary to store data on disks and to operate the system itself. In addition to provinding you with specifc programs and solutions,this book offers the following overall benefits: 1.Routines for use "as is" or in other programs and solutions, this books offetrs the following overall benefits: 1.Routines for use "as is" or in other programs that you develop. 2.Formulas and methods that you can use in other applications. 3.Procedures to develop solutions in a logical sequence. 4. Formating ______
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