A Comparison of Order Structures for Automatic Digital Computers

The choice of design parameters of automatic digital computers represents compromises among many factors. Some of these factors are programing convenience, speed of operation, ease of maintenance, efficiency of storage, cost of implementation, number precision, and machine capacity. The choice of particular values of a design parameter is simplified if the effect of the parameter on some of the indicated factors can be measured. A method is developed which results in a numerical measure of the effect of order types on speed and storage efficiency. This method and considerations of equipment cost are applied to a company payroll calculation in order to determine which of two specific order types is preferable. In addition to testing order type, some estimate of the equipment required to implement these order types is made. Only generally accepted features of the organization of automatic digital computers are assumed for this analysis. The example illustrating an application of this method is taken from actual experience and indicates the kind of information designers and potential customers should have in order to evaluate the performance of automatic digital computing equipment. Some of the detailed programing used in illustrating the method is included. Sample tabulations are also included and show how numerical measures of performance are calculated. Operations Research , ISSN 0030-364X, was published as Journal of the Operations Research Society of America from 1952 to 1955 under ISSN 0096-3984.