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Personal Computers

ntroduction

Traditional computer terminals are being replaced today with powerful, multifunction personal computers. PCs offer all the advantages of terminals, but add personal and organizational productivity applications, such as word processing, spreadsheets, calendars, task lists, electronic mail, project management, legal research, presentation software, imaging, public access, etc. PCs replace proprietary systems with more effective tools at a lower cost and risk. The graphical user interface of the personal computer is easier to learn and use. Instead of typing lengthy commands or navigating complex menu structures, the user presses command keys and selects data from lists supplied on the screen. This new generation of tools can be tailored to the exact needs of modern court officials.

escription

There are five key components of a personal computer: processor, memory, storage devices, input and output devices, and networking equipment. The processor is the single chip in a personal computer that performs logic, computation, and decision-making operations. All other components exist to organize, store, and route data and instructions in support of these processor activities.

The processor works with only a limited number of instructions and a small amount of data at any one time. It must work very rapidly (processing millions of instructions per second) to serve as a cost-effective alternative to human effort, because a simple manual operation may require dozens or hundreds of instructions when performed by a computer.

The instructions and data are stored in the computer’s memory, where they are available as needed. Memory is the computer’s work area. Because it is relatively expensive and of insufficient capacity to store all the data and instructions needed, the personal computer uses storage devices--disk and tape--to hold information that will not fit in memory. While these storage devices are less costly and have greater capacity than memory, they are much slower than the processor.

Several kinds of input devices are used to provide information to the computer, including keyboards, scanners, microphones, and cameras. Other devices are used to move data out of the system, such as monitors (video display screens), printers, and audio speakers. Networks are used to move information between computers.

The PC is not simply a different kind of computer to do the same kind of work done by larger machines. The PC introduced a different kind of computing, focused on individual rather than organizational productivity. PCs are not as good at doing large data management applications as are mainframes and minicomputers (though they make very good computer terminals and are closing in on larger equipment), but are far superior for word processing, spreadsheets, and other applications that help individuals do their own work faster and better.

ackground

The microprocessor was born in 1970, when the first computer on a chip--the 4004--was manufactured. It had a 4-bit data path and ran at 60,000 cycles per second. The chip contained 6,000 transistors. Later microprocessors were sold in kits to hobbyists. Before television-style monitors were used, it was necessary to interpret output by reading banks of lights. By 1977, anyone could buy an entire personal computer, fully assembled, with a monitor.

A number of computer companies came and went in the 1970s and 1980s. New developments made the PC a practical and affordable tool to enhance personal productivity. Gradually, developers started producing hardware and software that was interchangeable among manufacturers.

By 1994, processor speeds had increased 1,500 times, density of chip components was magnified by a factor of 517, and total processor power grew 1,750 times. Yet the 1994 personal computer costs about the same as the earliest PCs, in inflation-adjusted dollars.

MIPS (millions of instructions per second) is a common, though imprecise, way of comparing computer power. A 1975 mainframe cost about $1,000,000 per MIPS; today’s PC costs about $19.60 for the same power. Memory, storage devices, and peripherals have shown similar, though not so dramatic, increases in speed and quality. Perhaps most important is the increase in sophistication of computer software and the user interface, which has moved from character-based, to graphical, to multimedia.

Where is personal computer technology headed? Projections are mind-boggling. Intel Corporation claims that the power of their microprocessor is doubling every 18 months. Other components appear to be increasing in capacity by 20 to 30 percent per year. Conservative projections indicate that the PC of 2005 will have a 128-bit data path, run at 2 billions cycles per second, have 6.6 million transistors on its processor chip, perform 6.8 billion instructions per second, and cost less than $14. Perhaps all the components of that PC will fit on a single chip: that computer might be the size of a wristwatch, use voice input and output, and hold libraries of information.

pportunities

Personal computers provide the opportunity to integrate technology in the court. Many years ago, separate equipment was necessary for case management, office automation, legal research, court transcription, imaging, and courtroom presentations. Now, not only can the PC perform all these functions, it can share information between applications to save time and money.

PCs add personal productivity and enhanced communications capability to traditional case and financial management functions. Word processing, spreadsheets, databases, text management, and dozens of other applications improve staff productivity. Electronic mail, by itself, eliminates barriers of time and space in large, diverse organizations.

Personal computers free courts from dependence on specific vendors for technology products and services. In an open, competitive environment, better service and prices are available.

The personal computer environment allows courts to work with system components, rather than entire systems. In past years, a court purchased a system that included a computer, workstations, storage devices, printers, and software. When the system became obsolete, everything had to be replaced--a very expensive process. In today’s environment, software or a server can be replaced without changing other components. Systems can be built in stages, and PCs can be replaced with different brands of equipment without affecting case management or other software.

imitations

The greatest problem with personal computer technology is the speed with which it improves. The typical personal computer is obsolete about 40 months after it is introduced, and most off-the-shelf software products are obsolete within 2 to 3 years. As products become obsolete, parts and qualified technicians for repairs disappear. Most courts could justify purchase decisions better if cost could be amortized over 7 or 8 years, as was typical of older mainframes and minicomputers.

If a court does not keep up with the rapid improvements in personal computer technology, other difficulties loom beyond hardware and software support. A leap of several generations of a software application (to a supported version) may be impossible without replacing all of the court’s computer hardware. The linkages with older versions of other application programs may not work. In short, everything may have to be replaced, even though personal computer technology was intended to eliminate this need.

The shift to new technology and the rapid change of that technology increase the training investment needed. In the past a court clerk could be trained once and then relied on to function effectively for decades. When about 25 percent of technical knowledge becomes obsolete every year, an employee who does not receive regular training (whether technical staff or clerical personnel) soon becomes obsolete as well.

osts

A court should purchase the best PCs it can afford. Although older technology is cheaper, it ends up costing more because of its limited life span. Consumer-grade, bargain-basement equipment is more expensive to maintain and repair. Today’s PC should cost about $4,000, including a network card and software. Additional funds will be needed to support servers and network functions, such as telecommunications, printing, backup, etc.

Personal computers should not be purchased like mainframes: long-term contracts and expectations for a decade of use are not realistic. The best approach is to replace one quarter of the court's PCs each year, with older models trickling down from power users to those with less demanding needs.

Assistance

The Technology Information Exchange Service (TIES), operated by the National Center for State Courts and funded by the State Justice Institute, provides a number of services to courts:

a Court Technology Bulletin highlights the latest developments in personal computer technology;
a Court Technology Database offers information on PC-based court case management systems;
a vendor-neutral Court Technology Laboratory is available to test and compare the latest application software such as word processing, spreadsheet, electronic mail, fax, presentation software, databases, application development tools, etc.;
the Technology Information Service includes CD-ROM research capabilities to answer your PC questions, and data on dozens of vendors who sell PC hardware and software.

To receive information on TIES or any of the other technology research, education, or consulting programs of the National Center for State Courts, call Court Technology Programs at (757) 259-1544.

This document was developed under a grant from the State Justice Institute. The points of view expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the State Justice Institute.

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