Accountancy Reliability : It refers to the ability with which the computers remain functional to serve the user. Computers systems are well-adapted to performing repetitive operations. They are immune to tiredness, boredom or fatigue. Therefore, they are more reliable than human beings.
Yet there can be failures of computer system due to internal and external reasons. Any failure of the computer in a highly automated industry is unacceptable. Therefore, the companies in such situations provide for back-up facility to swiftly take over operations without loss of time. Versatility : It refers to the ability of computers to perform a variety of tasks: simple as well as complex.
Computers are usually versatile unless designed for a specific application. A general purpose computer is capable of being used in any area of application: business, industry, scientific, statistical, technological, communications and so on. A general purpose computer, when installed in an organisation, can take over the jobs of several specialists because of its versatility. computer system when installed can take over the jobs of all these specialists because of being highly versatile.
This further ensures fuller utilisation of its capability. Storage : It refers to the amount of data a computer system can store and access. The computer systems, besides having instant access to data, have huge capacity to store such data in a very small physical space. A CD-ROM with .
” of diameter is capable of storing a large number of books, each containing thousands of pages and yet leave enough space for storing more such material. A typical mainframe computer system is capable of storing and providing online billion of characters and thousands of graphic images. It is clear from the above discussion that computer capabilities outperform the human capabilities. As a result, a computer, when used properly, will improve the efficiency of an organisation.
. Limitations of a Computer System In spite of possessing all the above capabilities, computers suffer from the following limitations : Lack of Commonsense : Computer systems as on date do not possess any common sense because no full-proof algorithm has been designed to programme common sense. Since computers work according to a stored programme(s), they simply lack of commonsense. Zero IQ : Computers are dumb devices with zero Intelligence Quotient (IQ).
They cannot visualise and think what exactly to do under a particular situation, unless they have been programmed to tackle that situation. Computers must be directed to perform each and every action, however, minute it may be. Lack of Decision-making : Decision-making is a complex process involving information, knowledge, intelligence, wisdom and ability to judge. Computers cannot take decisions on their own because they do not possess all the essentials of decision-making.
They can be programmed to take such decisions, © NCERT not to be republished