Section of Report of a Preliminary Investigation of the Possibility of Using Computer Data Processing Methods (1968): a summary of the various parts of this report, and details of its contents (with links to the various parts), are provided separately
In order to reduce costs and to stimulate the use of modern techniques in other non-governmental organizations, it is possible to combine UIA data processing with that of other organizations with similar problems.
9. Production of Publications without Semi-Commercial or Research Processing
Many NGOs prepare reference works, handbooks, directories, etc. which could be produced with the aid of computer typesetting techniques. The main disadvantage of combining with such organisations is that few of them produce reference works independently and those that do, do not have large volumes of information. The UIA would therefore have to modify its basic processing in an already complex program in order to accomodate them without any significant reduction in costs.
10. Production of Publications with Commercial Processing
Combining the production of publications with semi-commercial processing is unsatisfactory for other than economic reasons, as indicated earlier, so that combining with other organizations will not improve the value of this solution.
11. Production of Publications with Research Processing
Combining the production of publications with research is complex and of debateable advantage for the UIA alone for other than economic reasons, as indicated earlier, so that combining with organizations will not improve the value of this solution.
12. Production of Publications with Research and Commercial Processing
Combining with other organizations to produce a highly sophisticated and complex system would be uneconomic for reasons indicated earlier.
Semi-Commercial Processing with Other Processing (5) This system has been discussed earlier under UIA-Only Semi-Commercial Processing.
13. Semi-Commercial Processing with Research Processing This combination was shown to be too complex in the UIA-Only case and is therefore of even less value here.
The collaboration between organizations to utilize common research programs, is not justified. Research programs are either so simple that standard packages exist and the only cost is the run time, or they are complex and very individual. In both cases there is no useful basis for collaboration, except perhaps for the administration and contact with the service bureau, and possible as a means of reducing the fixed costs of setting up the computer to use a standard program. In terms of the UIA's non-profit aims it would be useful to encourage this form of collaboration to get NGOs used to employing modern survey techniques. Some of the reasons why there has been little contact between computer companies and non-profit organizations are listed in Exhibit 27. This also indicates steps which these organizations can take to remedy the situation.
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