Data Management at Work

ZX Computing

David Harwood

HARWOOD'S HYPOTHESIS This month we have only four books appearing on this page. This could be due to the fact that publishers aren't letting us reviewers get our hands on the books and then beating them into pulp, or more likely it is because the computer book market is starting to falter. Will it eventually collapse? The problem lies at the hands of two parties. The publishing industry and the computer owner. The former because they knew too early what a good thing was and rushed out and produced books to do this and that on all types of computer, completely flooding the market, which then slackens as everyone who wants one. has got one. Another reason for the fall in the market is that all readers who wanted a book with lists of arcade games have by now got them. Then to produce a book on the Spectrum with lists of games after games is just pointless. Who would buy a new book when there have been thousands on the market for ages already? That is why generally the books this month are starting to move away from the idea that people just want to program their machine to play space invaders. DATA MANAGEMENT AT WORK Pan Books £2.95 The final book is not intended for home computer users, but business users. The book does not relate to the ZX range of computers, but is ideal for anyone thinking of computerising their business, either at home or in the office. The book is called Data Management At Work, written by Kathy Lang, and published by Pan. A the title suggests, the book introduces the reader to some of the capabilities of a business computer and the use of a Data Management System or Data Base System. A data base system is briefly a way of dealing with structured information (the simplest example is the card index system). The author starts by presenting a problem in a social club, and the ideas behind turning the manual process into a fully automated computer system. The case study is at first presented, and the situation evaluated, so the reader can see examples of typical uses of a data base or management computer system. Before using a data base system and writing an application program, the manual method needs to be analysed, so that it is possible to see what the computer can and cannot do. The book starts off by analysing the social club example, and turns this into a real-life situation explaining how the manual method can be computerised. The reader is taken through the various stages of the data base system, from the format of the records to the report structures that will be needed. The author has gone into much needed detail, with the explanation of printers and the problems of setting up a computer system eg., How to train new users? Who should use the computer? etc. It is a well written manual to data base systems, and should be used as a forerunner to all businesses when the question is asked, 'Should we computerise?'. The book does not go into any technical depth, and is totally understandable to the non-computer mind, without being patronising. Each chapter has an introduction, so it is clear what is going to be discussed in that chapter. There is also a short precis at the end of each chapter. Although the book is not designed to glorify any data base packages, it does suggest which ones may be most useful for your application. The correct system for the social club computerisation is then evaluated in detail, so it is easy to see how the method is applied when choosing the correct package. This book is a must for anyone thinking about computing. If you have already followed the millions by buying a business computer, this book should also be read with interest to illustrate the capabilities of such a machine. This book is also one of the few that I can say is totally underpriced. At £2.95, everybody should have one!