| Abstract |
The memorandum demonstrates the feasibility of rapid, detailed, computer-aided indexing of the high-volume, low-density English language material on Communist China. Rand's QUESTER program was modified for magnetic tape Selectric typing rather than keypunching, enabling proofreading before computer input. In one day, one indexer can process the 50-page 'Foreign Broadcast Information Service--Communist China Daily Report.' Results are keyboarded from the marked document and corrected in 8 hours. Computer printout is reduced to 1/13 by computerized typesetting. For headings, names found in the text are used, standardizing forms for recurring concepts. Ignoring scale economies and assuming 1000 subscribers, yearly costs would be $79 each--$588 for all 6 FBIS series--indexed by the government, a university, or a research corporation. A one-month sample FBIS index, with 3600 subject categories, constitutes the bulk of the memorandum. (Author) |
