CompuFest '88Wednesday, September 28, 19885
Keynote speech to address inietwoirkiogiini'
By FEUSA NEURiNGER
Assistant Managing Editor
Kenneth King, president of EDU
COM, will kick off this year's Com
puFest Thursday with a keynote
address on computer networking and
the scholarly community.
"Networking is a mechanism
whereby scholars all over the world
can communicate with each other
electronically," King said in an
interview. "It will eliminate barriers
in space and time in research."
Now almost 1,000 colleges and
universities around the world are
linked together by low-speed connec
tions, enabling professors to send
electronic mail and messages to each
other, he said. Within three to four
years, high-speed networks will be the
newest technology, allowing many of
these scholars to send pictures and
digitized voice messages through the
computer system as well.
Saving time won't be the only
Information technology
undergoes revolution
By THOM SOLOMON
Staff Writer
Easier, quicker and cheaper.
That is what consumers can expect
from the computer and information
technology industry in the future, say
several area computer and informa
tion technology experts.
Evelyn Daniel, dean of the School
of Library Science, prefers to call the
computer industry information
technology.
"It is the computers combined with
telecommunications that have made
the revolution," Daniel said.
The industry is on an upward curve
in several areas, Daniel said. One is
the amount of memory a system can
store..
Students . have access to- more
information than they can process,
so they should strengthen research
skills to accommodate this advance
in technology, she said.
Information technology today is
cheaper, faster and more specialized,
Daniel said. For instance, informa
tion is becoming transferable and
portable.
"Instructors will be able to send
assignments to students, check them
and send them back electronically,"
Daniel said.
Carole Page, outreach coordinator
for the Microcomputer Support
Center, said speed and networking
was the focus of new technology.
Networking is the ability to com
municate from one machine to
another machine, whether it is across
the room or across the nation, Page
said.
"It (having computers) will be just
like having a telephone," Page said.
Networking allows for convenient
and fast communication, she said.
"Imagine not standing in line for
hours waiting for concert tickets, but
instead ordering by computer," she
said.
The technology needed to com
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benefit of high-speed networking.
"Scholars at remote institutions can
become a part of the research com
munity .... by being able to collab
orate with scholars at bigger institu
tions," King said.
The networking also will enhance
research productivity because people
can find everything known on one
subject in one central electronic
resource, he added.
EDUCOM is a non-profit consor
tium of 550 colleges and universities
and 100 corporate associates founded
in 1964. The organization, which
helps the institutions use and manage
information technology, also serves
as a link to the worldwide network.
William Graves, UNC professor of
mathematics and special assistant to
the provost, said EDUCOM is the
country's leading academic comput
ing organization.
Graves said the planners of Com
puFest asked King to be the keynote
municate this way is available, but
people need to be educated, and
machines need to be more available,
she said.
"No matter who you are or what
you do. everyone will use computers,"
Page said.
Networking also requires various
systems to be interchangeable.
Michelle Zedick, purchasing manager
for Carolina Computer Stores, said
computer program developers recog
nize this. ""
"They are trying to make things
more compatible," Zedick said. "I do
not think any system wants to stand
alone; they all want to work
together."
Zedick said the more someone
knows about computers, the better
off he will be.
Libby Evans, education coordina
tor for the Office of Information
Systems in the UNC School of
Medicine, agreed, but said there are
ways consumers can prepare for the
future of computing.
Many people do not use computers
simply because they do not type,
Evans said. Future developments
include voice-activated computers
that would eliminate the need for
typing skills, but until then typing
skills are essential, she said.
Computers are not just a replace
ment for typewriters, Evans said.
Consumers should not be afraid to
explore computers other
possibilities.
The prices of computers may not
reflect that the cost is decreasing,
Evans said. Although the prices are
not lower, the technology is improv
ing, she said.
"In other words, you are getting
more for your money," Evans said.
"I would not buy the same system
that I would have bought three years
ago because technology has changed,
although that same system is. prob
ably cheaper." "
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speaker because of his experience in
the field of academic computing.
"In his position as president (of
EDUCOM), he has a real overview
of what's going on all over the
country, and hell be able to share
that with us," Graves said. "He's the
right man. We couldn't have done any
better in selecting the speaker."
King became president of
Washington, D.C-based EDUCOM
in September 1987. Before taking his
Visitors to CorsmpyFest cam win
prizes Socio ding compyters
By JO LEE CREOLE
Staff Writer
Prizes! Prizes! Prizes!
Everyone who shows up for
this year's' CompuFest in the
Union is eligible for a wealth of
prizes.
Computers may not interest you
in the least, but it is hard to deny
that they are the up-and-coming
wave of the future here at your fin
gertips. CompuFest not only dem
onstrates to students, faculty and -staff
the world of knowledge and
fun available through computers,
but it offers free advice, free infor
mation and best of all, free compu
ters to a lucky few.
All students, faculty, staff, hospi
tal workers and anyone else asso
ciated with the University have
received a bright pink card in the
mail with information about this -year's
CompuFest.
"We sent out approximately
32,000 invitations to CompuFest,
and each one is a potential winner in
the drawing for the computers and
other prizes," said John Gorsuch,
one of the main coordinators of the
festival.
By walking into the Great Hall
Hiereare
tares million
AnisHcEns
uSio hsra ted :
one out of to
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Join us with your
generous contributions of
money and time.
L J
atjuerigaN'
V SOCIETY
7 LD
post at EDUCOM, he was vice
provost, for computer systems at
Cornell University, starting in 1980.
There, King was instrumental in
developing the Cornell National
Supercomputer Center project, one
of the nation's university-based
supercomputing centers started by
the National Science Foundation.
Before going to Cornell, he worked
for the City University of New York
for nine years where he eventually
Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 and drop
ping that pink card into a drawing
box, a person is automatically regis
tered for the drawing.
- The main prizes that will be given
away include an Apple Macintosh
Plus, and IBM PS2 and a Zenith
EaZy PC. "These companies
donated these computers when they
heard what we were doing here at
CompuFest," Gorsuch said.
IBM is also giving away a bicycle
worth over $400. And Macintosh
has donated three compact disc
players for the drawing.
Jerry Heald, a work-station mar
keting representative from IBM,
said IBM will also be giving away
six $50 gift certificates to local pop
ular restaurants. At the IBM booth,
students can receive free pens, T
shirts and caps promoting the new
IBM PS2 system.
Each person is allowed to enter
only once. If a card is drawn, that
person must be able to prove affilia
tion with the University.
If a person should happen to
forget his card or lose it, he can fill
out a white card that enables him to
byte type services
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BEFORE YOU BUY
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educatipo
became vice chancellor for university
systems. From 1962 to 1970, King
was director of the Columbia Uni
versity Computer Center.
In 1962, he received his doctorate
in theoretical physics from Columbia,
and in 1 95 1 , he received his bachelor's
degree in physics from Reed College.
King will speak Thursday, Sept. 29,
at 12:30 p.m. in the Carolina Union
Auditorium.
register for drawings for the bicycle,
the CD players and the other give
aways, but not for the three -computers.
- CompuFest is sponsored by repre
sentatives from many departments
around the University, including
Academic Computing Services, Cen
ter for Teaching and Learning, Insti
tute for Research in Social Science,
the Microcomputing Support Cen
ter and UNC Student Stores.
Each of the computer companies
represented at CompuFest will have
a booth set up if you need informa
tion or have any questions.
CompuFest representatives will be
giving away free visors to the first
1,000 people who come into the '
Great Hall. CompuFest T-shirts are
also available for $8, and some will
be given away as prizes.
Even if computing is not your
bag, or if you are an experienced
computer whiz, come check out
CompuFest in the Great Hall Thurs
day through Saturday for a chance
at some great prizes and for a look
at the world of computers at your
fingertips.
DESKTOP PUBLISHING, DATA
ENTRY, AND WORD PROCESSING:
computer typeset resumes,
term papers, repetitive letters,
flyers, dissertations, theses,
graphics end illustrations,
brochures, manuscripts,
transcription, database design,
newsletters, and more...
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