Integrating Microcomputers into the Business System

How can microcomputers best be integrated into the business system? It depends on the type of application. Microcomputers allow decentralisation and user autonomy. Large clerical data‐processing applications can be left unaltered, and the big “number‐cruncher” jobs will still need the mainframe computer, but the mainframe′s time will be freed up by the “loss” of small calculation jobs that can be done on the microcomputers, along with spreadsheet and word processing applications. Software and hardware needs, data security, microcomputer network linkage, computer viruses and electronic mail are also discussed.