This is a straightforward attempt to get doctors, dentists, pharmacists and lawyers to smarten up their operations. It first aims to win them over to the idea of computerisation and then sets out how to go about it.
Probably because doctors, dentists, pharmacists and lawyers are usually reckonwed not to be short of a bob or two, the book's US price tag of $15.95 translates to £15.45 in this country. For this, progressive professionals will acquire a large glossy volume in which the text never fills more than two-thirds of the page. Opticians will appreciate this thoughtful touch.
But what of the content? The sight of Ashton-Tate's name at the foot of every page won't fill you with confidence, if it's impartiality you're looking for, but Dr. Lewis deals skilfully with the problem of having a prominent business software published as a backer. He uses dBase II to produce examples but acknowledgers that there are other possibilities.
As this is a US publication, you must expect expressions like 'bottom line' and 'trade-off'. Dr. Lewis occasionally betrays a background in mainframe computers - or do all Americans sprinkle everyday speech with computer jargon now?
His approach to the matter of computer applications is a lesson in subtlety. Having described how businesses work and where computers apply, he moves on to specific occupations. His style leaves the user with a large element of choice - "if your office runs this way, you might like to try this approach". But to his credit he commits himself to what he believes is the best method, and a pox on how your office runs. This may not be a bad thing.
There is some over-simplification (most businesspeople/professionals will already know what a general ledger is). But on the whole it is a useful book, covering an area that the computer manufacturers have tended to neglect.
27th October 1984
