RE: Recommendations for a newcomer?

The fact that they're still around doesn't make them good. I wouldn't design a system today based on batch processing. I'd make it interactive with instant updates.

I don't get many checks any more, but when I get an expense check or something, I take it to the ATM. The ATM reads the numbers from the check, asks me if the numbers are correct, and gives me a printed image of the check on my receipt. The check and updated balance shows up on my web account within a few minutes.

And yes, it is an over generalization. There's lots of things that do work well with batch, but not all the things that are still being done that way. It's the only tool we had for a long time. When your only tool is a hammer, all the world looks like a nail. Buy a screwdriver and things change.

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Nathan Andelin
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 4:18 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Recommendations for a newcomer?

Why would anyone waste an eight-way processor on
one-card-at-a-time batch.

That reminded me of bank check-clearing operations. Check readers process 1 check at a time, building "batches" which are subsequently posted against accounts. Clearinghouses still accumulate debit and credit card transactions then route them to financial institutions in batches. Payrolls generate batches of ACH transactions, which are submitted to clearinghouses. ACH transaction received by financial institutions are posted as batches and allocated to various deposit and loan accounts. Batches of email notices and confirmations are generated based on ...

A lot of batch operations are part of End of Day, End of Month, End of Period processing.

-Nathan