Abstract
A possible solution for decreasing the load on a centralized computer system is to distribute the load by incorporating personal computers into the system. The personal computers can either be used as smart terminals or as stand alone systems. This study investigates the human factors problems which could occur for such a distributed system. In the study, both faculty and clerical staff were provided with personal computers (the Apple Lisa, the Apple Macintosh, and the IBM PC/XT) which could be networied to a larger, centralized computer system. The errors, needs, and attitudes of the users were evaluated. Significant differences occurred between the two classes of users and between the three computer systems. Suggestions for implementing a distributed system, based upon the results of this study, are provided.
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