Search

As an exploration of the frustration of users of an online interactive retrieval system, students from the School of Library Science of Syracuse University participated in an experiment using an experimental reference retrieval system for library literature on the IBM system 360/50. The searching consisted of sample searches using key-words. The data base contained library literature citations for the year 1970. In the control group, students were instructed to locate literature related to library management and information retrieval systems. The particular terms in the search and the format were outlined in an instruction session before the students used the system. The experimental group was not restricted to a sample search, or specified search terms, but the format of the searches were to be the same as the control group. It was anticipated that significant variations in the behavior of the users would be displayed and identified by comparing measures of behavior as the man-computer interaction proceeded through the search process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A description of a system using punched paper tape for the retrieval of documents, by author, title, place and date of publication, and subject employed at the Fluid Mechanics Division of the National Engineering Laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Much attention is given to the construction of the codes employed in the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information about new methods of printing and reproducing scholarly materials. Three lines of development are being pursued: composing typewriters producing positive images on paper; film composing machines based on standard matrix assemblies; and film composing machines based on non-standard matrix assemblies. The development of composing typewriters is characterized by two forces, to do something as cheaply as possible and to do it as much like metal types as possible. Major developments in printing machinery can be grouped under two heads, faster and more automatic printing equipment, and refinements in offset.

The current interest in predicting the impact of computers and automation on society, and the disturbing conclusions reached in papers sponsored by the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, raise questions as to whether many studies have been undertaken on a scientific basis, using hypotheses subjected to disciplined and Systematic methods of testing. In the following article, the author makes a preliminary analysis of the credibility of the conclusions reached by considering both a set of sample data and a probability estimation procedure. The author believes that scientific methods are appropriate but have not been used and that the predictions and conclusions of the cited studies therefore cannot be accepted without careful systematic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a reprint of a paper by Daniel J. Leahy of Collegiate School, New York, which was presented at the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science's dinner meeting held October 28, 1961 in New York City. He reports on the implications of automation for the teaching of science. He also examines the issues relating to programmed instruction.

The article presents a list of reports on proposed library facilities. The research paper "Automated Routines in Technical Services," discusses the approach to automation taken by the AFCRL Research Library, applicable to libraries in general. A brief review of the current market of equipments and techniques is followed by guidelines this library will use in order to effect total systems automation. The paper "The Automated Approach to Technical Information Retrieval, Library Applications," describes in some detail measures the Bureau of Ships has taken in an attempt to resolve some of the attending problems inherent in the handling, storage.

Presents an abstract of the article "Digital Computers in Eastern Europe," by Alston S. Householder, published in the December 1955 issue of the journal "Computers and Automation."

Presents the estimates of a complete production function focusing on the neutrality of technical progress and implications of factor substitution and income distribution in Canada. Description and analyses of the result for total manufacturing in 1926 to 1939 and 1946 to 1961; Assumptions on the nature of the production function; Industries that showed a positive rate of automation.

A test collection of documents on solid stote physics was indexed by creating highly controlled ABC descriptors which were categorized and weighted. Overlapping categories were used deliberately. Subject experts judged the relatedness of each paper to each category. Test queries were answered by vector like calculations of query-document correlations. A new quantitative attribute, Deficiency, was devised and used for evaluating and comparing the retrieval results of different indexing systems. An improved matrix worksheet was designed for indexers. The progressive automation of most of the operational steps in using the ABC method is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the spread of automation it is becoming more important and at the same time harder to assess the effectiveness of training--never an easy task at the best of times. The author of this paper, originally presented to the meeting of experts on automation convened by the I.L.O. in Geneva in March 1964, outlines the new types of skills demanded by automated processes, discusses various criteria that can be used for evaluating training programmes and techniques, and, noting that both industry and outside institutions have specific contributions to make. to a training policy adapted to the particular conditions imposed by automation, suggests ways in which the gap between institutional and in-plant training could be closed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a reference guide for finance, accounting, taxation and banking. Names of publishers of books and the addresses of periodicals are provided to aid readers. Listings include only basic material, not news items or reports of transitory significance. In "Corporate Financial Reporting in West Germany," by H.P. Holzer, accounting practices and legal requirements in Germany are explained. "Financing Exports" sums up various ways of financing exports from Australia. "The Theory of Forward Exchange and Effects of Government Intervention on the Forward Exchange Market," S.C. Tslang is a very technical analysis of the subject. "People's Capitalism Revitalizes Europe," by David Ghenier is a brief survey of broader wealth distribution, particularly in stock ownership in Europe. "Tight Money Pinch in Canada," is an analysis of the present high interest rates in Canada. "More About Automation," is a report on automation as used in British banks. "The Joint Stock Banks," by P.E. Smart is an explanation of the workings of British joint stock banks and of how they came to be.

A description is given of a mechanised and automated coordinate index system which by the substitution of punched tape for term cards and the use of film offers a wide range of new applications. As in the Uniterm System, each document receives a number. Each position in the punched tape or film is numbered successively from a selected starting point and these numbers represent the numbers given to the documents. Each punched tape represents one term and a perforation in this tape reveals that the document, the number of which corresponds to that of the perforation, has this term as one of its characteristics. A film contains at each perforation a greatly reduced image of a reference to the document the number of which corresponds to that of the perforation. Thus, if a punched tape and the film are read synchronously, each reference image with a number corresponding to a perforation in the tape will be automatically reproduced. In this way, then, references to all documents for which a particular term is a characteristic can be obtained. On the other hand, by reading several tapes synchronously it is possible to record fully automatically the numbers belonging to those documents which possess all the terms represented by the tapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents several abstracts on the books and the articles pertaining to various aspects of the organization of information. The first one is "Notes on the German Classification of Patents," by Norman T. Ball. The German patent classification system established in 1877 had 89 classes arranged in alphabetical order by their German titles. To date the original German schedule of 89 main classes has been rigidly retained; the system has been developed by increasing the number of subclasses from time to time. Another abstract is "Description of an Automatic Data-Analyzing Machine," by B.S. Benson. It describes a machine developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company for the automatic analysis of bar-graph records.

The article focuses on the research paper "Glossary of Terms in the Field of Computers and Automation." It reports meanings as used rather than meanings which should be used.

The article focuses on "Automation and Scientific Communication," edited by H.P. Luhn, which is a collection of short papers contributed to the theme sessions of the 26th annual meeting of the American Documentation Institute at Chicago, Illinois, held from October 6-11, 1963.

The article focuses on the research paper "Information Theory and Man-Machine Systems," by Gilbert K. Krulee. Information Theory has been used recently as the basis for some experimental studies of the abilities of humans as processors of information. One possible approach to the analysis of man-machine systems is to consider the implications of such experimental knowledge for the design of man-machine systems. Intelligent design of man-machine systems involves compatibility between the control requirements of a system and the capabilities of the men in the system.

The article discusses the forecasting of technological developments' impact on labor, leisure, and unemployment based on the analysis of logarithmic curves. The author predicts an increase in industrial productivity and outlines the effects this increase will have on laborers' working hours while noting that eventual decreases in demand could lead to less working hours and, subsequently, more leisure. He also notes a rise in office work due to the automation and mechanization of industrial processes while arguing that the development of computers could also negatively impact office employment. The possibility that a decrease in working hours could help raise employment is also addressed.

The article discusses the effects of automation on job design. The application of automation makes it possible to lessen the number of personnel whose present jobs are tending or feeding machines, moving material, performing routine information transmission and similar activities. Automation also raises the technical complexity of production. When using automation, work and jobs at the operator level are so different from more conventional production jobs that there are no means for making direct comparisons of content or skills.

The article looks at popular interest of the computer with respect to popular media, journals and books. The author discusses automation, the computer industry, and popular conceptions of the computer. He focuses on executives and scientists, blue and white-collar workers, and computer technicians. Much discussion on computers is focused on either the state of the industry or recently developed applications. The author looks at attitudes concerning present and future uses of computers, including predictions about future uses in management as integrated office systems.

The article focuses on developments in elementary science teaching and education in the United States. Automation and other technology products have been utilized in the teaching of science in the elementary schools, specifically in curriculum development and classroom instruction. Essentially three proposals for providing science instruction have been made through the years which emphasize on the responsibilities of the general classroom teacher, the general classroom teacher with auxiliary aid and the special teacher of science.

The article discusses Automatic Control Engineering, a science that gave rise to automation or automatic process control techniques, and its impact on educators. Automation techniques have benefited large industrial firms. However, there is a concern on the possible effects of automation as the current trend in most industries is directed towards replacing humans with machineries in conducting work processes. In the area of higher education, control-system engineering has emerged. One of the most serious problems in automation has been the lack of engineers possessing an overall understanding of control systems. Secondary schools are faced with the challenge of educating their students on developments in science and technology including that of automation.

The objective of this study has been to explore some of the individual and organizational correlates of automation. It has been our purpose to determine some of the social and psychological dimensions of this type of technological change. Toward this end our first study has been in a new, highly automated power plant. We chose power plants because their continuous production has long had many of the engineering characteristics of the new technology; we chose to study a new power plant because its changes in design and control appeared to be even more typical of new automated plants. The introduction of automation into this power plant has produced major effects on its organizational structure and on the attitudes of the workers toward their jobs. Maintenance has been centralized for the entire system. Fewer levels of supervision are required for the smaller work force in the new plant. Job enlargement and rotation have resulted in greater job interest and satisfaction, but also in a higher tension level on the job. The effects of continuous operation on the workers' lives were generally found to be negative. The findings in our study provide some indication of the dimensions of change which have accompanied automation in this one particular situation. Some of these changes were dictated by the new engineering design and controls; others were instituted by management as they attempted to create the most effective organizational machinery to meet the demands of the new technology. It should be emphasized that the effects we have described may be specific to the particular situation. For example, the extent to which the operating jobs were enlarged in this plant was a management decision and was not forced by the engineering changes. Automation introduced in a different situation and in a different way will presumably have different effects. This study suggests some of the dimensions of the psychological and social problems to be investigated more intensively; other exploratory studies will be needed to uncover other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the author's views on the U.S. Patent Office Problems. There are slightly less than three million U.S. patents. If add the foreign patents and the items of technical literature available in the Patent Office, the total swells to about seven million. In the terminology of modern communications theory, in which a "bit" of information is the basic unit, the total amount of information, which must today be dealt with in the Patent Office, has been estimated to be of the order of fifty billion bits. Some 700 examiners struggle with this appalling complexity. There are at least 200,000 claims awaiting examination. Various persons have suggested that the answer to all this is to be found in the use of machines. A characteristic feature of these great electronic computers is that they are equipped with memory devices in which information can be stored in such a way that the computer, whenever it finds itself in need of an item of this stored information, can ask for it and get it very quickly.

The article focuses on psychological and economic aspects of automation. First and perhaps the most potent of the current beliefs used to allay the fears of industrial workers that automation threatens their job security and future, is the emphasis on the opportunity for upgrading. At the Chicago symposium a common conviction of the panel speakers was that when automation replaces relatively routine and not too highly skilled labor functions, opportunities to climb the industrial ladder immediately open up. Automation will mean that human labor in the advanced technological societies will be used less and less for the routine, repetitive functions involved in feeding workplaces through machines and assembling them into finished products. Labor will be more and more up-graded into the kinds of functions performed by the engineer, the designer, the production planner, the skilled maintenance and repair man, the organizer and manager. Another point emphasized at the Chicago symposium maintained that workers who have been upgraded through a retraining program reported increased job satisfaction.

The article presents the abstract from the January-February 1974 issue of Harvard Business Review of the study Don't Overautomate Your Foreign Plant by Louis T. Wells, Jr. Basically, the article contends that multinational firms would be better off to use intermediate technology for their plants in less developed countries. Wells said that although automated plants are easier to manage, LDC governments with large unemployment would prefer intermediate technology that would require the use of higher labor. The minimization of production management problems through automation might be offset by government relations difficulties as compared to good relations from efforts to increase employment.

Reports on the discussion to be made regarding automation during the convention by the Canadian Nurses Association in Montreal, Quebec from July 3 to 9, 1966. Topics to be discussed; Study to be presented on automation during the event.