WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1985
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GIS SEES NEED FOR COMPUTERS
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THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES WAS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO USE COMPUTER EQUIPMENT AND MODERN COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY, TO ENABLE IT TO PERFORM MORE EFFICIENTLY AS A LINK BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT, THE PUBLIC AND THE MEDIA. THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES, MISS CHEUNG MAN-YEE SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE PBC AND INFOTECH 85 EXHIBITION+, MISS CHEUNG SAID THE DEPARTMENT WAS ENGAGED IN AN INTERNAL STUDY OF HOW IT COULD BEST LAY THE FOUNDATIONS FOR COMPUTER AND COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT IN THE FUTURE.
+THIS, I THINK, IS MOST IMPORTANT, FOR IT IS ALL TOO EASY TO RUSH INTO THE MARKETPLACE AND GO FOR THE SYSTEM WHICH SEEMS SUPERFICIALLY THE MOST ATTRACTIVE.
+WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW IS ANALYSING HOW WE OPERATE, THE DEMANDS THAT ARE MADE UPON US AND HOW WE CAN USE MODERN EQUIPMENT TO MEET THOSE DEMANDS, MISS CHEUNG SAID.
DESCRIBING HOW SHE SAW THE FUTURE OPERATION OF COMPUTERISED GIS, MISS CHEUNG SAID +A REPORTER TELEPHONES A QUESTION TO OUR NEWS ENQUIRY DESK WHERE THE OFFICER ENTERS IT INTO THE GIS COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE REPORTER WISHES TO KNOW SOMETHING WHICH IS ON THE RECORD.
+THE OFFICER CALLS UP THE ANSWER FROM THE GIS DATABASE CONTAINING PRESS RELEASES, STATEMENTS, MEDIA CLIPPINGS, STATISTICAL AND OTHER INFORMATION AND GIVES IT TO THE REPORTER.
+PAINSTAKING RESEARCH FROM MISCELLANEOUS FILES AND RECORDS IS ELIMINATED AND A LOT OF TIME IS SAVED. PERHAPS THE REPORTERS CAN EVEN ENTER THE DATABASE DIRECT AND GET THE ANSWER IN HIS OWN OFFICE.
+OR AN OFFICER IN A DEPARTMENT MAY PREPARE A PRESS RELEASE ON A COMPUTER SCREEN. HE PUSHES A BUTTON AND THIS APPEARS IMMEDIATELY ON THE SCREEN OF AN EDITOR AT GIS WHO EDITS IT AND SCHEDULES IT FOR RELEASE. +
THE SYSTEM THEN ISSUES THE RELEASE DIRECT TO THE TERMINALS OF THE MEDIA. DELAY IS ELIMINATED, THERE IS NO PAPER INVOLVED AND LITTLE MARGIN FOR ERROR.
THE IMPACT OF COMPUTERISATION, SHE SAID, HAD ENABLE THE MOST COMPLEX TASKS TO BE COMPLETED IN SECONDS, AND IN THE YEARS TO COME THE PACE OF CHANGE WOULD BE EVEN FASTER.
BUT ALL THESE COMPUTERS AND THEIR RELATED EQUIPMENT WERE, IN FACT, MERELY MACHINES.
/+FAST AND