Machine-independence and third-generation computers

Abstract

As a man with keen insight noted when third-generation equipment was first announced, the problems posed by this equipment have only one reasonable solution: "Wait till you have the new equipment before setting up your computer center." Accepting that point of view, it follows that those of us working with existing computation facilities must concern ourselves with somewhat less reasonable solutions and more difficult approaches. It is one of these approaches, intended to reduce (rather than to eliminate) the effort involved in conversion, that will be described first.