Final answer:
File processing systems come with increased maintenance issues due to a lack of data independence. Modern database systems like DBMS offer advantages in reducing program maintenance, providing a layer of abstraction for easier upkeep.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reduced program maintenance is not an advantage of file processing systems. On the contrary, file processing systems do not support data independence, leading to potential issues related to data redundancy, data consistency, and data security as programs become tightly coupled with data. Each time a file format is altered, the programs that rely on that file generally need to be updated, which increases maintenance efforts.
Modern alternatives, like database management systems (DBMS), are designed to reduce program maintenance because they achieve data independence—changes to the data do not necessitate changes to the programs that access the data. This distinction between the logical description of the database (schema) and the physical data provides a layer of abstraction that allows for easier maintenance and more efficient data management.