The Systems Approach to Data Transmission
The Computer Journal · 1963
A one-day Symposium on "The Systems Approach to Data Transmission" was held on 12th Maich 1963, at the Northampton College of Advanced Technology, London.The Symposium was organized by the Data Transmission Committee of the Society and its purpose was explained by the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. R. G. Dowse (Dolcis Ltd.), in his opening remarks at the Morning Session:"The role of the Data Transmission Committee is to draw public attention to the possibilities inherent in this comparatively new technique, to help in spreading knowledge of the subject, and to provide a forum in which it can be discussed.The B.C.S. has organized several meetings on Data Transmission but these have been mainly concerned with the technical characteristics, and the limitations of the equipment, and it seemed to us that there was a need to consider the technique in the whole context of data processing.Data Transmission is not an end in itself-merely one of the new methods at our disposal.For this reason we selected the title 'The Systems Approach to Data Transmission' and we hope that the papers which will be presented to you will enable you to view the technique as one which will assist in solving many difficult problems in operational control and which will enable us to realize the full possibilities of integrated data processing."This afternoon, Mr. Smith will present the views of the Committee and therefore I do not wish to anticipate his paper at this stage.I should like however to draw your attention to the problems of standardization.If data transmission equipment is to be fully integrated into a system and not merely treated as an alternative means of communication, then it is obvious that there must be a high degree of compatibility between the transmission equipment and the central installation.Unless effective standards are established, there will be a tendency for development to be patchy and unco-ordinated, with the waste that so frequently occurs when standards are finally introduced, due to obsolescence.Manufacturers need assurance that the products they develop will not be wasted by changing standards and in a rapidly shrinking world, this is true in the international field as well as in U.K., "The British Standards Institution has a committee charged with responsibility in this field.The B.S.I. performs a useful and essential function but it seems to