Theory of Files
Lionello A. Lombardi · afips · 1899
The theory of files is a tool for the logico-mathematical treatment of automatic non-numerical data processing problems, such as machine accounting, information retrieval and mechanical translation of languages. The main result which has been obtained sofar from the application of the theory of files is the formulation of a simple pattern to which the data flow of any information processing procedure conforms, regardless of how many files are involved. The flow of each file can be controlled and coordinated with the flow of the other files by means of five boolean parameters, called 'indicators'.A specially designed Algebraic Business Language exploits this result for the purpose of programming digital data processing systems. This paper also probes into the impact of the theory of files upon the logical design of digital information processing systems.