Abstract
From the beginning, mathematical and scientific programmers have tended to organise their data into arrays — lists, tables and matrices. On the other hand programmers concerned with data processing have normally used an organisation that depends on records and files.
‘The single letter surname O, of which 13 examples appear in the telephone directory in Brussels, besides being the commonest single letter name is the one obviously causing most distress to those concerned with the prevention of cruelty to computers. There exists among the 42,500,000 names on the Ministry of Social Security index four examples of a one-lettered surname. Their identity has not been disclosed, but they are “E”, “J”, “M”, and “X”. Two-letter British surnames include By and On.’
The Guinness Book of Records
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© 1978 Andrew J. T. Colin
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Colin, A.J.T. (1978). Records and Files. In: Programming and Problem-Solving in Algol 68. Macmillan Computer Science Series. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-03561-8_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-03561-8_14
Publisher Name: Palgrave, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-333-23115-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-03561-8
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