Fundamental of Pricing and Scheduling Computer Services and Investment in Computer Equipment

In the thirty years since the introduction of large scale multi-user computing services, those services have been characterised, for most users, by congestion and delays. This paper suggests that most of those delays are unnecessary and can be eliminated by using well designed charging and scheduling mechanisms. Apart from the huge savings in time and inconvenience, these schemes have other advantages. They permit user to nominate his turnaround and for it to be honoured reliably. They also provide the necessary information for the efficient management of existing equipment and for correct decisions about investment in new equipment