Figure 3-5. Information was conveyed at great speed to the Apollo astronauts
on a real time basis by UNIVAC.
Airline reservations
Medical appointment scheduling
Banking
point-of-sale transactions
Credit verification
Prescription record updating
Electronic funds transfer
Production control
Financial analysis
Stock transfers
Hotel Booking
Text-editing
Inventory control
Sales order entry
Table 3-1. Sampling of real time systems.
3-16. SERVICE BUREAUS AND TIME-SHARING COMPANIES
a. Services Provided. Many companies cannot afford the expense of a major
computer system of their own. Service bureaus can fill this gap by providing data-
processing services such as system development and computer operations. Time-
sharing companies maintain computer facilities rented by a broad range of users who
want the sophistication of a large system without the expense. Time-sharing companies
can also benefit organizations that do not need 24-hour-a-day processing. With the
advances made in data communication equipment, time-sharing companies have
experienced significant growth. Customers usually buy input/output devices needed to
access the time-sharing company's computer. Storage space on magnetic tapes and
disks can be rented, with the customer paying for CPU resources on a monthly prorated
basis. Since some companies have networks of computers spread throughout the
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