Tackling work that others cannot do

Press, 12 June 1984, Page 34

Tackling work that others cannot do

A new company in Christchurch enjoys the challenge of taking on work that no other company has the technical skills to handle. As its name implies, Technology Solutions, Ltd, specialises in solving problems using computer technology. It has particular skills in interfacing computers to other equipment where data is collected and analysed in “real time.” After working together on odd jobs in the past, David Robinson, Michael Shurety and Lindsay Wright formed their own company early this year to formalise a partnership that had become a full-time venture. Messrs Shurety and Wright first met in 1969 as technicians in the electrical engineering department of the University of Canterbury, where they cut their teeth on the EAI 640 computer (a hybrid digital and analogue computer). Lindsay Wright went to work for Gough, Gough and Hamer and Andrews and Beaven as a systems programmer on large IBM

computers. He bought himself one of the first TRS-80 home computers in new Zealand and later used this experience with microcomputers to build up a teleprinter network for Andrews and Beaven using a Video Genie microcomputer. Michael Shurety meanwhile had been working for Business Computers, Ltd, and then Lincoln College. His work experience included building and maintaining both hardware and software systems. David Robinson come to the Kellogg Farm Management unit at Lincoln College from Oregon and developed a farm budget software package. Part of the reason that the three men formed their company was a contract they had with Canterbury Frozen Meat to write software for a PDP-11/03 computer that controls the freezing rates of carcases in the blast freezer at CFM’s Pareora works. The software had been written before, in Focal, but

after an investigation the men decided to use the Modula-2 language. With the system now in operation, Technology Solutions has moved on to a new project for CFM, at its Belfast works. Here a DEC Micro-11 processor is being implemented to oversee an effluent treatment scheme. In particular it is controlling two colour graphics display units which will show operators the status of the scheme. The three men want to stay as much as possible in real-time applications, but also feel that their skills can be applied to other projects where a lot has to be squeezed out of slender resources. They believe that multi-user microcomputers today often need such expertise. As another string to their bow they have arranged a dealership for Sage microcomputers, which are imported by an Auckland company. The two models of the Sage family use the M6BOOO microprocessor and offer fast performance for the

money. A single-terminal Sage II microcomputer, including floppy disc drives, a printer, the p-System software, a word-processing package and a communications package sells for under $15,000. Technology Solutions will be offering a wide range of software on the Sage computers, including business application software. “It is the most powerful machine for its price,” said David Robinson. He said that it had been described as being four times faster than an IBM Personal Computer. With the Sage computer and with hardware and software work, the company see a good future in Christchurch. “To date our expertise has best been applied in the process control and communications market,” the men said. “However, we primarily view ourselves as problem solvers, and will thus provide advice or accept contracts in any markets that require our services.”