Distinguish between the following: Online and Real Time Processing

Online Processing Online processing means users directly enter information online (usually, online, in this case, means online to a central processor, rather than its modern connotation of the Internet, but it could mean both), it is validated and updated directly on to the master file. No new file is created in this case. Therefore, there is near immediate input process, and output. Imagine a cash dispenser transaction or booking a holiday at travel agents or over the Internet. Compared with batch processing the number of transactions will be few. Online comes in many different flavours such as centralised, distributed, time-share etc. and the choice of architecture will depend on cost, speed needed, number of users, number of transactions and time needed for a response. Real time processing Real time processing is usually found in systems that use computer control. This processing method is used when it is essential that the input request is dealt with quickly enough so as to be able to control an output properly. For example, the computer inside the Engine Control Unit in a car has to manage the engine at every moment based on what the driver wants to do. Real time processing has to be programmed very carefully to ensure that no input events are missed. For example, a traffic light system is a real-time system but it only needs to process data relatively slowly. On the other hand, controlling a car engine has to deal with input events happening every thousandth of a second so a very fast computer is needed to do this, but both the traffic light and the car engine computers are carrying out 'real-time' processing. Examples: Traffic lights. Heart rate monitoring. Aircraft control. Computer games. Controlling robots.