IBM 1130 User Manual page 98

Section
Subsections Page
15
20
I
40 01
Detect Errors Before They Do Damage
Whenever there is any chance of erroneous data
being written on the disk, you should provide a
series of checks to minimize the damage. If there
is any possibility that input data cards contain bad
data, they should be checked. Your keypunch
operators should be familiar with the business, so
that they can recognize outright mistakes on source
documents. Programmers should be urged to
build reasonableness checks into their programs.
For example, a program that reads employee
labor cards should always check the number of
hours worked and, if the number is questionable,
take appropriate action (such as type a message
and pause).
Program results in the form of printed answers
should be spot-checked before the next processing
phase. Most errors are easily spotted early in
the game, provided someone is there to look for
them.