History of Computer - Real-Time Systems, Part 1 of 2

We plan in the history of the series of computer indicated that digital computers were developed as general-purpose machinery. You buy one of our systems, and can be used for a run at the bank, the Lottery to build a machine, or control of shipments for an airline.

Of course there are differences in hardware, peripherals, in particular, depending on the application, but usually is a modern multi-purpose computer is still an animal. The main difference is inSoftware.

One of the most important applications with the latest developments in a combination of hardware and software, is the system in real time. Produces state of the art performances, and has proven to be reliable.

What is a system in real time? The name says it all - all that this system works with data that the damage is only now, in real time.

Non-real-time systems

It may be easier to understand the concept, though on what to look for what is not a system in real time. Atypical computer use is the development of statistical information.

Suppose we want to make a comparison between the number of smokers in the community today than 10 years. (Fortunately, figures obtained 10 years ago!) Hire a consumer research organization to use a cross-section of community conversation, the same questions in the original study.

This company sends researchers to people on the street stop and ask questions. To obtainsimilar cross-section of the interview last survey, they need maybe 25% more than the final number.

The questionnaires are returned to the office, where he sent in writing in a computer database of the Central Directorate of the staff. An analyst runs a program that selects the appropriate survey data to compare, and the original investigation. It produces tables and graphs of all kinds of things, to justify the cost and time.

This process took maybe three months, andemploys some people. Total processing time of the computer? Maybe a minute. This is not in real time, with regard to the computer in question.

These other applications for computers are no less important are their applications are various. A computer can be used in a university for research studies or exercises administrative and programming. It could be in a power company to use for client accounts and billing. Others may be applied for use as a solution. A link may exista State agency to cross-reference the names and addresses - most people use electricity!

Real-time systems

Now consider the following. An airline has a maintenance base for its fleet of aircraft. These aircraft are required to maintain a regular basis, based on mileage flown. They also need engineers repair maintenance errors reported by the crew or flight.

Maintenance with a baselarge parts inventory of nuts and bolts to complete engines, and include things such as radar systems, and various navigation tools. The field is too large to be comfortable for the technicians of the airplane, have a small inventory of commonly used parts on hand.

The inventory for this device in a computer database that kept stored on disks. Like everything these days there are a lot of pressure on basic maintenance to keep costs down.One of the biggest costs is all that expensive equipment sitting in the warehouse, earning a penny.

In Part 2 we will be, how to use a computer in real time, trying to reduce those costs.