2. Factors in the emergence of data mining

2.1 Database volume

If we look at the early history of computing, we can identify at least four phases.

• Before 1970: computer science was massively focused on finding the methodological and technological means to efficiently automate the acquisition, storage and retrieval of the vast amounts of data potentially available in organizations' information systems. The file management systems (FMS) used for this purpose at the time provided little guarantee of the semantic consistency, non-redundancy or validity of the information stored on computers. Programmers spent much of their time modifying programs as new data was introduced into the company's information system.

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