The Advantages
- Ease of Use - Makes computing available to all members of the lab. Reduces training required to effectively use computer in daily activities.
- Low Costs - Compared to a mainframe system and multiple terminals the Macintosh Office Network can be installed at a significantly lower cost and new work stations can be added as needed without expensive technical support.
- Reduction in Paperwork - Reports and notifications now done by long hand, which are then often retyped into the main computer, could be generated on the Macintosh to begin with. Through the use of a networking system these reports and notifications could be immediately sent to the engineers' desktop computer where if he desired a hard copy he could easily print one out.
- Improved Communications - Networking the lab and the engineering areas would greatly speed communications between the areas. Reports would be more effective with the addition of graphics such as charts and diagrams. Data sheets generated on the Mac look neater and are easier to read than hand written ones.
- Quality of Output - Macintosh generated reports which include graphics that have been printed on either a dot matrix or especially the Laserprinter create a very professional looking document. This in turn could lead to more work for the lab as we establish a higher standard for reporting.
- Increased Productivity - The time required to write reports could be decreased significantly because changes could be made without rewriting the entire report as is often necessary with the handwritten method.
- Established User Base - Many of the engineers to whom we provide services already have Macintoshes, so there would be little resistance to the establishment of a Macintosh network.
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