MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1982
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SUMMING UP THE ADVANTAGES OF THESE COMPUTER SYSTEMS OVER THE OLD MANUALLY PROCESSED RECORD-KEEPING OF FILES, INDEXES AND CROSS-INDEXES, MR LAU SAID THAT +ASIDE FROM THE CONSIDERABLE SAVINGS IN STORAGE SPACE AND MANPOWER, INTRODUCTION OF
COMPUTER ISATION IN MANY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS HAS RESULTED IN A MUCH MORE STREAMLINED, ACCURATE, FLEXIBLE AND UP-TO-DATE RECORD KEEPING SYSTEM+.
+IN MORE TANGIBLE TERMS, IT MEANS SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS OF TAX-PAYERS' MONEY, A CONSIDERABLE SHORTENING OF WAITING TIME FOR COUNTLESS GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND AN INCREASE IN REVENUE, AS IT WOULD BE A LOT MORE DIFFICULT NOW TO DODGE TAXES AND AVOID PAYING FINES FOR TRAFFIC OFFENCES,+ MR LAU NOTED.
WHILE IT IS GENERALLY AGREED AMONG LEADERS IN THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY THAT THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF COMPUTER SPECIALISTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH TRAINING IN THE BUSINESS APPLICATION OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS, MR LAU SAID THIS IS NOT RESTRICTED TO HONG KONG.
MR GRAHAM MEAD, HEAD OF THE COMPUTER STUDIES DEPARTMENT AT THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC, SAYS THERE ARE AT PRESENT ABOUT 4 200 COMPUTER ANALYSTS AND PROGRAMMERS IN HONG KONG AND THE NEED FOR THEM INCREASES BY ABOUT 25 PER CENT EACH YEAR.
THE POLYTECHNIC PRODUCES ABOUT 100 COMPUTER-STUDIES GRADUATES EACH YEAR AND THE TWO LOCAL UNIVERSITIES PRODUCE 35-50 MORE COMPUTER MAJORS. BUT THE 150 OR SO FOREIGN-TRAINED GRADUATES WHO RETURNED TO HONG KONG WERE NEGATED BY AN EQUAL NUMBER WHO LEFT.
MR LAU AND EXPERTS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR GENERALLY AGREED THAT COMPUTING CAME RATHER BELATEDLY TO HONG KONG. HONG KONG WOULD THUS HAVE TO PUT IN SOME EXTRA EFFORT TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR COMPETITIVE EDGE IN BOTH COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT HONG KONG HAS MORE COMPUTERS INSTALLED THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN SOUTH EAST ASIA.
IN RECOGNITION OF THE CURRENT AND POTENTIAL WIDE-SPREAD USE OF COMPUTERS THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL INTRODUCE A COMPUTER SUBJECT TO FORM FOUR STUDENTS IN 40 SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER 1982.
THE DEPARTMENT'S FIRST EFFORT TO PROPAGATE COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE, HOWEVER, STARTED IN 1977 WHEN IT'S MATHEMATICS SECTION BEGAN ORGANISING SHORT COMPUTER COURSES FOR MATHEMATICS TEACHERS. SINCE THEN, 30 SUCH COURSES, ATTENDED BY OVER 800 TEACHERS, HAVE BEEN HELD. AT LEAST THREE MORE COURSES WILL BE ORGANISED IN 1982.
COMMENTING ON THE RELATIVE SECURITY OF COMPUTER-STORED DATA AND THE OLD MANUAL SYSTEMS IT REPLACED, MR LAU SAID THERE IS +NO QUESTION THAT COMPUTERISED DATA IS FAR MORE SAFE BECAUSE IT IS MORE COMPACT AND ACCESS TO IT REQUIRES NOT ONLY AUTHORISATION BUT THE NECESSARY SPECIAL KNOWHOW+.
/HE ADDED