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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 1977)
Page 8 THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1977 A computer in every home to play, work with By JOHN F. SIMS Business Writer United Press International NEW YORK — Industry promoters would have us believe that in five years nine out of every 10 homes in America will have their own minicomputers. The electronics industry sees the idea of the home computer — the latest in a long line of spinoffs from America s space exploration pro gram — as one whose time has come. But once you’ve linked a small computer to your TV set and you’ve played Star Trek or Pong and you’ve calculated your income tax — what then? According to the industry, an awful lot. Changes in your lifestyle through the use of computers in the home could be as revolutionary as you want them to be, or can afford. On the other hand, you could just ignore the whole trend and proba bly save yourself a lot of technologi cal anguish. Ryal R. Poppa, chairman of Per- tec Computer Corp., recently told CSlBSON’sl MSCOUNT CENTER! an electronics industry seminar: “To many people, electronics already seems pervasive. But we’ve only scratched the surface. “In offices, homes and industry; in cars, planes and trains; in schools, universities and churches; even in leisure time activities, electronics will improve our lives with an al most insignificant increase in cost... “Only a few months ago I projected that sales of mi crocomputers, the new generation of tiny computers, would reach $100 million by 1980. With the enormous interest and acceptance of our MITS Altair microcomputer, the first to reach the market, and what I now see being accomplished by others in the field, today I’d have to raise that projection substantially. We re now looking for industry sales of mi crocomputers to hit $150 million in 1980.” The first store specializing in small computers opened in Los Angeles in 1975. Now there are more than 500 such stores scattered across the country. Personal computing expositions, each one displaying a larger range of available hardware and software, have been held in several major cities. Carl T. Helmers, editor of the specialist managzine Byte (a byte is a unit of memory in a computer), said: “Personal computing is in its adolescence now, but growth within the next few years should be rapid and exciting.” Some 50,000 minicomputers have already been sold. Most were nomi- penses and working out income tax. V storing names and addresses of friends to ease working out invita tion lists for parties. V converting recipes to fit the size of your dinner party. >/ all kinds of games, from ping pong up to and including a machine that plays master-level chess. computers work such a computer could tell you how much the family spent for groceries last month and compare it with the amount spent in the same month last year,” he said. “More importantly, it would permit more efficient regulation of the heating, air conditioning, lights, pool temperature and even the Children brought up to regard computers as mere tools will not ex perience the “future shock” that leaves many people baffled by the mystique that has grown around computers. Erik Sandberg-Diment, editor and publisher of another computer magazine called ROM, said he had problems breaking that language barrier. Perhaps a minicomputer sitting the corner of the livng room cool make life a little easiei Two ui been obta perhaps, also, it will have a if. Jniversit] humanizing effect. Theodor Nelson, a researched trom the \ The ite Swarthmore College’s departmeii Press ol Do-it-yourself minicomputer kits cost ing as little as $300 are now available. Very sophisticated devices sell for less than $3,000, and for $5,000 you can buy a computer not much bigger than a filing cabinet that is as capable as machines that cost $1 million only 10 years ago. nally for use in the home, but in fact many have wound up being pressed in to service in small businesses. Industry experts predict 1978 will be a boom year in which 150,000 or more minicomputers will be sold. Do-it-yourself minicomputer kits costing as little as $300 are now available. Very sophisticated de vices sell for less than $3,000 and for $5,000 you can buy a computer, not much bigger than a filing cabinet, that is as capable as machines that cost $1 million only 10 years ago. What are the attractions of small computers? LIVE CHRISTMAS TREES Scotch Pine and Fir 1420 TEXAS AVENUE COLLEGE STATION Knowledge is your best Ihe industry s promoters otter a wide range of applications, includ ing the following: . protection. V calculating household ex- X Cari Bussells Diamond Room TEXAS INSTRUMENTS Has The Latest In 3731 L. 24tli H4(i-470H Programmable Calculators Town & Countrs C i nter Loupot’s Bookstore 1 Y-* ; MEMBKR AMERICAN'GKM SOCIETY f or Tomplotp Splertion V a program that allows a small computer to compose quartets and quintets V computers to help the hand icapped. V a very patient computer that teaches children math. Computer buffs say it may not be long before the average homeowner goes to his local electronics store to buy a tape or disc specially designed to program his home computer to keep an inventory of family pos sessions, balance the checkbook, or tell the microwave oven when to start and stop. But a major problem for the man ufacturers of small computers is overcoming popular suspicion of computers in general and the glazed look that most people adopt when confronted with computer jargon. According to Poppa, the day is coming when new homes will have computers built in. “With appropriate software jar gon for the programs that make SOLID WOOD FURNITURE SOLID WOOD FURNITURE LAST TWO of WEEKS RED TAG SALE UNFINISHED FURNITURE CENTER 314 N. Main Downtown Bryan 822-7052 SOLID WOOD FURNITURE SOLID WOOD FURNITURE HAVE LUNCH ON US! Everyone who leases an apt. through A&M Apt. Place ment Service will be given a FREE Lunch at T.J.’s. Our way of saying, “Thanks Ags.” LEASING NOW FOR SPRING '78 . Call for appointment A&M APT. Ufaji) PLACEMENT SERVICE fW' A Free Service JfW 693-3777 That Place CURLING IRON SPECIAL $g99 This beautiful curling iron a great Christmas gift. Only $6.99 with a hair service) SALE ENDS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16 707 TEXAS 846-6933 ■ • ' X£ v r a. If you are being commissioned You may want to join the Bank of A&M’s i • World-Wide program. When you go on active duty, your banking requirements will change dramatically. You’re going to move around the world. Your need for credit and for cash will be quite different from your classmates who return to their hometown to work and live. And the penalties for record keeping er rors are more severe for military officers than most (if not all) other professions. The World-Wide Department of the Bank of A&M was conceived to meet the needs of A&M officers on active duty. The department is staffed by Aggies with first hand experience of TDY, overseas movement, car financing in a foreign city, check-cashing problems at a military installation, allotments, telephone transfers, etc. The World-Wide program includes all the features of the so-called “military banks”: direct paycheck deposit, telephone loan service, write your own loan program, overseas car financ ing, automatic transfers from checking to savings (and visa versa), credit cards, overdraft protection . . . plus personal service by senior bank officers with career military experience and Aggie know-how. Visit the Bank of A&M today (or some day of convenience) before your commissioning date to learn how the Bank of A&M’s World-Wide Department can be of service to you. \M The Bank of A&M member/fdic 111 University Drive/College Station/846-5721 Col. Robert W. Elkins ’51 (USAF-Ret.)/Lt. Col. Glynn P. Jones ’43 (USAF-Ret.) sprinklers, based on the amount of moisture in the soil,” he said. “That will lower utility bills and help pre serve precious natural resources at the same time — well worth the rel atively low cost of the micro computer.” The technology is available now, Poppa said, but America is not quite ready. “The present school-age genera tion is being trained with computers and by the time these people are ready for their own houses, the built-in computer will be widely ac cepted,” he said. “Computerland seemed to be walled in completely by gibberish,” he wrote in an editorial. “I knew it wasn’t really gibberish: it all meant something. But even those who tried to explain the jargon to me used the same language to describe terms as the terms themselves did.” of mathematics and author of sod works on computers, has liigl hopes. “We are on the brink of the k* computer age,” he said recentlt, “By 1980 there will be persoiil computers, I believe, in someil million American homes... How will people survive if they don’t computerize their lives? Obviously not too badly. House hold accounts and taxes can be worked out on a hand-held cal culator, or even just with pencil and paper. A parent can teach a child math and games at home need not be electronic. “The new developments in am- puter usage will cause convukitf changes, not merely among useis, but within the computercommimij itself,” Nelson said. “There painful dislocations but we to a world where the messy ends taken care of automatically and formation comes to us when, wh and how we want it. The human memory still can compete with the computer for re minding people of day-to-day things like birthdays, anniversaries and dental appointments. “A world with a lot more edge spread around in it —a more fun. And it may bethataaess to information, real access people’s control, may yet maktlii Kelmscott Books of 1 Selectii [terns was ilication rchitect A&M. Tl voted to sign, pub nually. copies, a . assistant tions. Examii lenior le Kelmscot creation jentury < Geoffrey at Morris nersmitl iluding 5 ilustratioi book the a better world, may reverse ike printer tides of apathy and illiteracy I rise daily.” Small might public school district lose new HEW fund United Press International WASHINGTON — The Depart ment of Health, Education and Wel fare Tuesday told 27 small public- school districts, including Leander I.S.D. and Refugio in Texas, they will be ineligible for new HEW funds effective Jan. 12. The elementary and high school systems in 13 states failed to submit to HEW legally required forms stat ing they do not discriminate against female students and employees, HEW said. The statements are required under the Title IX federal sex dis crimination law. Title IX, a section of education law, bans sex discrimi nation in schools receiving federal funds. Among the 27 school systems are 11 that receive no federal aid from HEW. However, statements from them are necessary if they decide to apply for school subsidies or other HEW funds in the future. HEW also conceded that some of the 12 school systems and colleges similarly notified last week as being ineligible for federal aid were not receiving any HEW funds. However, many colleges that re ceive no federal aid still might have to file nondiscrimination assurances if students attending the colleges benefit from federal student loan programs or receive assistance under the Veterans’ Educational At sistance Act, the announcement said. In addition, some schools be receiving funds from federal agencies other than HEW—like revenue sharing funds — that become the subject of separate chi rights enforcement procedings, a spokesman said. The 27 newly identified systems were told in letters that,ef feetiv-e Jan. 12, they will be ble for new HEW grants, and ad ministrative enforcement proceed ings will be launched thatcouldlead to a cutoff of existing federal aid. PACK’S PLASTER AND CERAMICS One of the largest selections of plaster in Texas. Art supplies, ornamental concrete and candles. Tues., Wed., Thurs. 2 p.m.-9 p.m. Saturday 10a.m.-5p.m. Sunday 2 p.m.-5 p.m. FM 2223, Old Wheelock Road (off Tabor Road) 823-3965 None of the school districts are likely to lose existing federal ail during the current school year Enforcement proceedings can take year or more. 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