of Commerce Computer Science National Bureau and Technology of Standards NBS Special Publication 500-110 Microcomputers: NQS PUBLICATIONS Introduction to Features and Uses QO IGf) .U57 500-110 NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS The National Bureau of Standards' was established by an act ot Congress on March 3, 1901. The Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the Nation's science and technology and facilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts research and provides; (1) a basis for the Nation's physical measurement system, (2) scientific and technological services for industry and government, (3) a technical basis for equity in trade, and (4) technical services to promote public safety. The Bureau's technical work is per- formed by the National Measurement Laboratory, the National Engineering Laboratory, and the Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology. THE NATIONAL MEASUREMENT LABORATORY provides the national system of physical and chemical and materials measurement; coordinates the system with measurement systems of other nations and furnishes essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical and chemical measurement throughout the Nation's scientific community, industry, and commerce; conducts materials research leading to improved methods of measurement, standards, and data on the properties of materials needed by industry, commerce, educational institutions, and Government; provides advisory and research services to other Government agencies; develops, produces, and distributes Standard Reference Materials; and provides calibration services. The Laboratory consists of the following centers: Absolute Physical Quantities-^ — Radiation Research — Chemical Physics — Analytical Chemistry — Materials Science THE NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY provides technology and technical ser- vices to the public and private sectors to address national needs and to solve national problems; conducts' research in engineering and applied science in support of these efforts; builds and maintains competence in the necessary disciplines required to carry out this research and technical service; develops engineering data and measurement capabilities; provides engineering measurement traceability services; develops test methods and proposes engineering standards and code changes; develops and proposes new engineering practices; and develops and improves mechanisms to transfer results of its research to the ultimate user. The Laboratory consists of the following centers: Applied Mathematics — Electronics and Electrical Engineering^ — Manufacturing Engineering — Building Technology — Fire Research — Chemical Engineering-^ THE INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY conducts research and provides scientific and technical services to aid Federal agencies in the selection, acquisition, application, and use of computer technology to improve effectiveness and economy in Government operations in accordance with Public Law 89-306 (40 U.S.C. 759), relevant Executive Orders, and other directives; carries out this mission by managing the Federal Information Processing Standards Program, developing Federal ADP standards guidelines, and managing Federal participation in ADP voluntary standardization activities; provides scientific and technological advisory services and assistance to Federal agencies; and provides the technical foundation for computer-related policies of the Federal Government. The Institute consists of the following centers; Programming Science and Technology — Computer Systems Engineering. 'Headquarters and Laboratories at Gailhersburg, MD, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Washington, DC 20234. ^Some divisions within the center are located at Boulder, CO 80303. 1 OF STAUD/iJiDS Computer Science gc^ and Technology I 00 '500 - NBS Special Publication 500-110 Microcomputers: Introduction to Features and Uses Myron Hecht Herbert Hecht Laurence Press SoHaR Incorporated 1040 South LaJolla Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90035 Sponsored by: Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology National Bureau of Standards Washington, DC 20234 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Malcoim Baldrige, Secretary National Bureau of Standards Ernest Ambler, Director Issued March 1984 Reports on Computer Science and Technology The National Bureau of Standards has a special responsibility within the Federal Government for computer science and technology activities. The programs of the NBS Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology are designed to provide ADP standards, guidelines, and technical advisory services to improve the effectiveness of computer utilization in the Federal sector, and to perform appropriate research and development efforts as foundation for such activities and programs. This publication series will report these NBS efforts to the Federal computer community as well as to interested specialists in the academic and private sectors. Those wishing to receive notices of publications in this series should complete and return the form at the end of this publication. National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 500-110 Natl. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ. 500-110, 144 pages (Mar. 1984) CODEN: XNBSAV Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 84-601005 U.S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1984 For sale by the Superintendent ol Documents, U S, Government Printing Oltice, Washington. DC 20402 TABLE OF OONTEKIS LIST OF FIGURES V LIST OF TABLES ......... vi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY viii ABSTRACT AND KEYWORDS 1 1 INTRODUCnCW 2 1.1. Motivation 2 1.2. Federal Regulations Affecting Microcomputer Procuronent and Use 4 1.3. Contents of this Report. 5 1.4. Disclaimer and Trademark Identifications 6 2 OVERVIEW OF MICROOOMPUTERS 7 2.1. What Is a Microcomputer 7 2.2. Microcomputer Hardware . 7 2.3. Systems Software 25 2.4. Programming Languages 30 2.5. The User Interface 36 2.6 Types of Microconputers 38 3 FEDERM. USERS 42 3.1. Clerical Users 45 3.2. Administrative Users 47 3.3. Professional Users . , . , 49 3.4. Technical Users. 52 4 MICROCBMEOTER APPLICATIONS 54 4.1. Word Processing 55 4.2. Data Management Software 58 4.3. Spread Sheet Processors 64 4.4. Graphics Software 68 4.5. Microcomputer Canmunications 77 4.6. Specialized Software 85 4.7. Application Integration 86 iii lABLE OF OGNTOnS (continued) 5 mxPGEMEtrr issues of MCROGQMFUTERS 90 5.1. Motivation for Using Microcomputers 90 5.2. Costs of Microcomputer Systems 92 5.3. Risks of Microconputers 94 5.4. Prevention of Problems 97 5.5. Sources of Microconputers 100 6 OCNCLUSION 105 6.1. Summary of Key Points 105 6.2. Useful Areas for Guidelines and Standardization Activities . .107 REFERENCES Ill APPENDIX A - GLOSSARY 118 APPENDIX B - ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 127 iv LIST OF FIGORES Figure Title Page 1-1 Projected Growth of Microcomputer Installations 3 2-1 Microcomputer Hardware Devices 8 2-2 ASCII Characters Displayed as a Series of Dots 17 2-3 Integrated Circuit and Socket 23 2-4 Printed Circuit Board 23 2-5 Assembly Language and High Order Language Representations of a Division of IWo Numbers 31 4-1 Representation of Data in a File Management Syston 59 4-2 Report Created by the Data Managonent System 60 4-3 Sample Spread Sheet Model 65 4-4 Types of Graphics for Display of Numerical Data 69 4-5 Scatter Plot Produced by Character Printer 71 4-6 Scatter Plot Produced by Dot Matrix Printer with Software Controlling Each Dot Individually 72 4-7 Plot Produced by Fully Formed Character Printer with Precision Position Control 73 4-8 Scatter Plot Produced by Plotter 74 4-9 Topologies for Local Area Networks 83 V LIST OF OyVBLES Table Title Page 2-1 Major Microcanputer Hardware Components 9 2-2 Cannon Microprocessors 11 2-3 Floppy Disks 13 2-4 Camion Pointing Devices 15 2-5 Types of Integrated Circuits 24 2-6 General Functions of Systems Software 26 2-7 Configurations of Operating Systems 28 2-8 Common Higher Order Languages Used in Microcomputers 33 3-1 Job Functions of the User Classifications 43 3-2 Characteristics of User Classes 44 3-3 Clerical User Characteristics and Desirable Syston Attributes 46 3-4 Administrative User Characteristics and Desirable System Attributes 48 3-5 Professional User Characteristics and Desirable System Attributes 50 3-6 Technical User Characteristics and Desirable Syston Attributes 53 vi LIST OF TABLES (continued) Table Title Page 4-1 Types of /^plication Software 54 4-2 Uses of Word Processing 56 4-3 Classes of Microcomputer- Based Data Management Software 61 4-4 Uses of File and Data Base Management Software 63 4-5 Uses of Spread Sheet Programs 67 4-6 Characteristics of Graphics Hard Copy Output 70 4-7 Graphics Software i^lications 76 4-8 implications of Communications Software 78 4-9 i^lication Integration 88 6-1 implications of Microcomputers to Classes of Users 91 6-2 Microcomputer Cost Factors 92 vii Executive Surnnary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report describes microcomputers, their uses, and costs. Its objectives are to introduce microcomputers to readers with some knowledge j of computing ! but little or no background in microccmputers and to identify important issues associated with their implementation in Government agencies. Because of their low cost, microconputers provide an opportunity to automate | activities in ways that had previously not been achievable. In addition, they can provide a Icwer cost alternative to executing similar programs on larger ; systems while providing users with more control over the computer. Microcomputers pose a particular management challenge because of their » dispersion