Some

considerations regarding arrangement of records on magnetic tape By P. Giles* This paper discusses the structure required for a set of life assurance records on magnetic tape, with the aim of picking out some of the basic features of organization of business records. These features must reflect both the elements of record present and the dynamic problems of processing them. There should be no arbitrary separation between the records and the procedures which operate upon them as has often been the case in past commercial languages (Cormack, 1965). One of the first problems in the employment of a com-puter for large-scale file maintenance is that of finding the specification which can perform the work required at the lowest cost (Giles, 1964). A major item in this cost, and one which affects the size of fast store required, is the magnetic tape on which the records are held. Efficient use of tape will at least reduce the time require