The games people play
by Rudi Hoess
The Sydney Morning Herald — July 25, 1978 [OCR text]
Since the introduction of the first personal computer to Australia in November,
1977, Apple II, two questions have been most prominent "What will it do?"
& "can it do something other than play games?" Surprisingly, these
questions have been asked more often by insiders. But, if one analyses what
computers do, the answer to the introductory questions are simple. For one,
computers make logical decisions based on a prearranged (programmed) path taking
into account variables supplied by the user and that is exactly what is
happening when you play a game (computerised or with human partners) - the rules
are set (programmed), while the inputs are based on player inputs. Typically in
computer chess - all possible alternatives are immediately available and
displayed, while in a game such as poker, only some inputs are available (the
players hand), yet computer and player are expected to arrive at a decision
based on available data.
So, how is the process underlying a computer game different from arriving at management information, so necessary to make informed decisions. Indeed the game is the most readily accepted way to make use of the new capabilities suddenly offered by new personal computers. Gone are all the elements that made computers foreign, remote, and difficult to understand. Gone are the necessities to have the computer surrounded by a priesthood of self-servicing manufacturers and support people. These personal computers, as their names implies, are on an eye-to-eye level with its users, both in cost and capability, and ease of use. Now everybody can use a computer. Because the personal computer is satisfying it has the attributes to become man's test friend. It is small, no larger than a portable typewriter. It is some 99.9 per cent cheaper than the second-generation computers of yesteryear. It is interactive, relating to its user in real time, and no longer remote. It is easily programmed, and has a high level language (BASIC at this point of development) residing, so when you switch it on, no longer do you require the hokus pokus of loading a language first. It has neither switching lights nor whirring tape nor disc drives so embedded as the typical big brother computer image. And it is a friendly device, in the true tradition of a good consumer product. The insurance consultant can match his new prospect with the best coverage available, taking into account all the various conditions. The office manager can have a computerised memo-pad doubling up as his secretary - a memo pad that does not take lunch breaks, nor suffer from boy friend or husband influences. The accountant can have all trial balance information on hand. Your children, not being pre conditioned by our fear of computers, will soon show how easy it is to use them.
How do personal computers fit into an office environment? Regardless of the nature of a business, office work consists of tabulating and cross referencing routine information with the highest possible speed and accuracy, to allow management to make decisions based on today's information. That is why big computers were installed in the first place - only cost and support requirements forced the location of them in central positions, thereby remote from the users. Remote, batch-orientated computers were created, where accuracy and timing of inputs were inversely related to the distance from the user, and management information became a secondary function. Now, we can place a personal computer at the service of the office manager, personnel manager, foreman, stock control manager, lawyer, doctor, estimator or insurance agent. When the user has to refer to a larger data-base (as in time sharing), he can now draw on this data-base through communications facilities to extract what he needs relative to new data inputs, and subsequently arrive at the correct decision. Now, a doctor may refer to his appointment list and check his patients' records.
A personal and financial evaluation service available in the United States later this month serves best to highlight the utility of the personal computer in the office or home. It was jointly announced by Dow Jones and Co Inc and Apple Computer Inc. This service combines the local computing power of the Apple II with access to a larger, continuously updated Dow Jones data base to give the user the capability of managing his finances and making investment decisions based on market data. Dow Jones maintains a large computer which is continuously updated with stock quote information (delayed 15 minutes) and current and recent past (up to 90 days) financial news stories from the Dow Jones news media (Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones News Service and so on). This data is made available to the users of Apple II computers through the local telephone connection to a nation-wide, timesharing computer network. The Apple II can fetch data, manipulating it and presenting it in a useful format.
Mr Hoess is managing director at Electronic Concepts Pty Ltd, Sydney.
Dow Jones News & Quotes Reporter for Apple II ad (Nov 1980 Santa Cruz Sentinel)
See also → Rudi Hoess profile - the man behind Apple in Australia - April 1981 Australian Personal Computer
eBook - “A Vision Splendid - The History of Australian Computing” by Graeme Philipson (2017) [35MB PDF]
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May 1983 — Apple takes over Australian distribution (January 1985 Australian Personal Computer)
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► Back to home page — Apple Users' Group Sydney Apple II Disk Collection ◄
