The purpose of this paper is to explain why a microcomputer-based system would be beneficial in identifying and tracking factors that are critical to user satisfaction in buying packaged software. The authors also explain how such a system would be set up.

The satisfaction criteria were determined by sending out a questionnaire to a sampling of users. The results were then statistically evaluated, and the factors were ranked in priority.

The paper starts with an introduction and overview, followed by the practice and theory of purchasing software. The methods and procedures of the survey methodology are then explained, and the results are given. The authors next explain their “microcomputer purchasing software diagnostic system.” They end the paper with a summary and a conclusion.

Tables are used to illustrate the response and ranking of the surveyed criteria. Also, appendices with a sample questionnaire and diagnostic audit trail with recommendations are included.

This paper is an academic research project and is extremely difficult to understand without a statistics background. The authors have done considerable research and evaluation (30 different references are listed), and they have presented some good ideas. Unfortunately, the paper is aimed at a very limited audience. To the normal reader, this is a very difficult paper to understand and follow.