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What computer hardware do you use?
The computer hardware reported by the dealers varied widely. Most of the dealers with PC based systems use IBM PC clones from various vendors. Among dealers using minicomputers, the IBM RS6000 was the most popular machine, with the IBM AS400 also mentioned by several. Most dealers did not report the actual brand of computer used.
How many terminals do you operate?
Many dealers apparently did not understand this question, and thus did not respond. Among the 39 dealers answering, however, the average number of terminals reported was 25. The largest system reported had 4000 terminals. Dealers who use LAN-based PC systems apparently do not see their individual PCs as terminals.
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Is your business software custom written for this business, modified commercial
software, or off-the-shelf software?
Although most dealers operate only one software type, a few use more than one. Nearly 60 percent of the dealers reported using a computer system based on commercial software modified for their particular business. Nearly 30 percent use off-the shelf software, and slightly more than one-quarter of the dealers have custom software written specifically for their businesses. Because several dealers reported using combinations of software types, the percentages in figure 4 total more than 100.
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