Many X-ray spectrometers are now equipped with dedicated computers, which provide automated data collection (either Energy or Wavelength dispersive), and perform quantitative corrections to derive concentrations from intensities. Some of these systems are also provided with software to assist in qualitative analysis, or identification of the peaks and elements present.

These programs include simple aids to the user (various graphic display modes, peak identification markers for KLM lines, and so forth), spectrum deconvolution (to reveal hidden peaks), as well as complete spectrum scanning algorithms that attempt to report the entire list of elements present. It is not the purpose of this paper to compare or critique the performance of these various routines, but rather to illuminate them by providing some insight into how human thought processes appear to perform qualitative analysis.