Robert S. Oelman, Chairman The National Cash Register Company.

The article presents the comments of Robert S. Oelman, chairman of National Cash Register Co., on the future prospects for the computer industry. During the next five to ten years, computer manufacturers are expected to concentrate not just on better equipment performance but on more developmental capital to virtually every phase of information processing which is called a total integrated systems approach. Data terminals are expected to adjust to the needs of the system operator as software and hardware will adjust to the requirements of management. In long-term, computer systems will accomplish more tasks and will completely justify their costs. There are two additional factors which offer considerable promise in improving system performance over the next several years. The first factor involves an evolution of software design similar to the pronounced advances achieved in hardware development over the past few years. This will provide long-expected benefits for computer users who have not only experienced software costs climb but also have experienced the frustration of not having their programs work properly.