en ey a
TAYK
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“CORPORATE F ITN ESS —

. ‘TERRACE — Part of the recent

Canada Fitness activities here

_.. was the Corporate Cup, a com-.

petition intended to get local
workplaces involved in physical
fitness. Sonya Kupka, the nutri-

tionist for. the Skeena Health.

Unit, says the final results are as

follows:

"Results of Terrace”
-Fitweek. Corporate Cup

The. following “prizes: were

' awarded:

Greatest participation overall
— Winner: Northwest Com-

(230); second runner up: Skeena

; Cellulose (224).

Highest average percentage
participation — Winner: ICBC
(85 percent); first runner up:
Skeena Health Unit (58 percent);

second runner up: Social Ser-
‘vices and Housing (42 percent).

Highest one-day percentage

participation — Winner: ICBC

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(100 percent); first runner up:.
Skeena Health Unit (90 percent);
second runner. up: Social Ser-
vices and Housing (69 percent),
_ The following corporations
participated: Skeena Broad-
casters, Canada Safeway,
Skeena Health Unit, Social Ser-
vices: and Housing, Northwest
Community College, ICBC,
Terrace and District Community

Services, Bank of Nova Scotia, :
. Skeena Cellulose, Bell Pole,

Dairy Queen, Mills Memorial
Hospital, All West Glass, Ter-

- oN a. Face Aquatic Centre.
‘munity College® (290); first run- ~
ner up: Skeena Health Unit

The first seven corporations
deserve special recognition in
that they monitored the number

_ Of -active employees every day
during Canada’s Fitweek (May

26 to June 4).

All the entrants came out win- , [

ners by joining in this celebra-
tion of. physical activity. ‘Other
corporations have already ex-

pressed an interest in par-

ticipating next year.

Computalk

A look at Data Management programs ~
One topic area that often gives beginning computer buyers dif-
ficulty is the area of ‘‘Data Management” programs. Since this
topic area abounds with many catchwords and technical phrases,
I'll first clarify some of the terms.
‘Data’: Management programs are those that allow one to store

_ information which can then be selectively retrieved, or sorted‘or _
-“*merged’’ into the infamous form letter (like the ones you get in
‘the junk mail which begin with...

_ already won $10,000,000, so if you subscribe...

you too SALLY, may have
etc.). Typical uses

for a data management program would include maintaining mail-
‘ing lists, parts lists, reservations, and so on,

- Data Management programs are generally classified as being
one of two types, either ‘‘File Management” programs, which
only let one manage simple files such as an address book, or

_**Database”’ programs whicli allow the user to set up links or

‘relations?’ between files such as linking parts ‘records with sup- .
plier. records. There is a difference between the two types not on-
ly in price, but also in learning time and difficulty of use. The.
true Database programs not only cost:more than their File
‘Management counterparts, but they also take longer to learn and
master. Some also require more powerful computer resources to

operate at acceptable speed.

Simple File Management programs are usually provided as a
component of the popular integrated programs. For example,
programs such as MICROSOFT WORKS, PFS First Choice,
Ashton-Tate Framework, all provide file or record. management
‘capability. Generally all of these are quite easy to learn and use.
If all one wants to do is manage a few mailing lists, all one
usually needs is the file management component of one of the

‘popular low-cost integrated packages. Typically, most small

businesses can manage well enough with this solution.

- . However, these programs don’t let the user deal with more
complex data relations such as suppliers-orders-customers. Also,

~ in my experience I have found the performance of these program

really slows down after one reaches 500 records or more. If either

these considerations is a factor, one may want to look at one of
the more extensive database programs. There are a number of

products serving this area, PFS File, Paradox, RBASE 5000,

dBase 111+ and dbBase IV, and a host of others, many of them

.dBase “‘lookalikes’’.

Of these, dBase III +, and more recently dBase IV, are the

most widespread, probably more as a result of “market momen- —
tum?’ than any great technical superiority, Many buyers have mis- |

understood dBase, buying it as an end-user product only to find
_out to their chagrin that dBase requires some computer proficien-

cy ‘before it can really be learned and used. The newest version of

dBase, dBase IV, finally gives the end user some useful tools:to
‘directly manage data without programming. However, although

dBase: IV is a great improvement over its predecessor dBase III +,

it also is. far more demanding on computer resources. It requires
the use of at least an AT level machine if not a 386.and also oc-
cupies alrnost five million bytes (characters) of disk. Space.

‘Therefore, as in other aspects of computer usage, the buyer

- ghost consider his or her needs and the tracie-offa tl that. are fe always

required in a purchasing decision, : =.

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“i see Te FE ma ies ee roa :

et

Free 5 Miineaeiee ie yr aH area ear cea ERE TI alan En ea

Dwight Clarke: The system is 30 to 40 percent more efficient, r runs as quietly as a gasoline
powered pickup truck, and is almost 100 percent pollution free.

Big enough to. burn... natural gas?

--If you noticed a strange look-. -

ing logging truck in Thornhill
last week, your eyes weren’t
playing tricks on you. -Those
torpedo-like tanks on the side
stored the truck’s fuel supply — —
natural gas.

The vehicle was on display for
local truckers to view, and under
close examination they’ discov-
ered’ just how unique it actually
is. According to Dwight Clarke,
a representative of. Centurion

_ Fuel Systems Inc. of- Fort. St.
' John,. it is the first diesel to—

undergo 100 percent natural gas

- conversion. in North America,

and the first coversion in the

world whose power rating (440

‘ horsepower) equals that of an
unconverted engine.

Clarke says that Centurion is

the co-developer of the natural

gas system with Transport Fuel
Systems Inc. of New Zealand.
And as he describes the benefits
of the system, it becomes appar-
ent. that it could well be the
prototype of the industrial
workhorse of the future. Bene-

- fits include the lack of noise:

when running, it makes no more
noise than an ordinary pickup
truck, and the jake brake is far
quieter — though Clarke says
he’s not sure why.

This new contender from
JONSERED with its stronger

mid-section con really —_ i
take a beoting. The |
Super 470 pocks o
powerlul.punch. gf

Jonsered Super 670

| Takes on the
Heavyweights!

D Will out cut anything in its eloss

e onsered r. ProLine

SEE THE JONSERED SUPER 670 AT YOUR DEALER

RIVER INDUSTRIES
(TERRACE) LTD.

P.O. BOX 638 — TERRACE, 8.C. V8G 485
61304 HIGHWAY 16 WEST

And then there’s the lack of
pollution, He says that natural
gas burns far more cleanly than
gasoline and lacks the odor of
pollutants in diesel. And it’s
highly efficient. The operator
can realize a 30 to 40 percent
saving in fuel costs, he says, and

the engine is most efficient when.

worked hard, He explains that a
computer in the system adjusts
pre-ignition automatically and
the motor can “be .run to the
outer fringes of durability and
economy’’. .

Finally, there are lower main-
tenance costs. There’s no fuel
pump, injectors, or setting the
rack.

According to Clarke, it took
two years to develop the system
and it will soon be offered to a
“selective”? market of truckers.
He says selection will be based
on two criteria: the availability
of fuel and specially trained
mechanics. Clarke adds that
many engine repairs can be done
by mechanics using their diesel

repair manuals — only the fuel ©

and ignition systems are dif-
ferent. Clarke says that the con-
version to natural gas will cost
somewhere between $5,000 and
$8,000 but the exact cost isn’t
yet known because the prototype

It’s Cool... It's Fost... It's Tough

ond the challenge
bee cut obove

A CUT ABOVE THE REST

635-7383

uses a coil ignition system while
production models will use elec-
tronic ignition,

The- final question put to
Clarke was the matter of safety.
Clarke says the system is safe.
He says the prototype carries
13,000 cubic feet of natural gas,
enough for about 420 miles of

driving, and the tanks are

“tough’’?, he says: ‘‘They’re
made out of stainless steel... not
brass’’. According to Clarke the
only thing that could penetrate
the tanks are armor-piercing
bullets,

Clarke adds that although the
prototype has nine separate
tanks, production models will
have only one and fuel capacity
will be increased’ by about 20
percent. This will provide ‘a
‘‘more acceptable appearance”,
says Clarke. .

fashionable

smart
chic

elegant —

sharp
in vogue
classy
hip

the last word
v

STYLE

4615 Lakelse Avenue
635-5222

ae ga