What's Best for Branch Automation: PC Networks or Unix-Based Systems?

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AT THIS POINT IN TIME, the cost of an intelligent device isn't that much greater than for a dumb terminal.

A PC network configuration also has multiple advantages. An IBM 4700-type teller terminal, for example, can handle a limited number of transaction types. A PC can handle many more types of transactions, with much greater flexibility.

The PC configuration also allows data to be stored on a more localized basis and is much more user-friendly. Off-the-shelf software packages for the PC are very powerful, so when the right package becomes available, you can take advantage of it. And if you look at the overall picture, the branch as a delivery mechanism needs to expand its capabilities. Alternatives like ATMs and toll-free numbers are easier and faster, so any branch automation system must be able to …