“Father, son offer computer services”

From The Flamborough Review, January 5, 1983, by E.B. Kennedy:

“This little business developed out of difficulties we encountered in trying to find the most suitable computer for our use at home,” explained Norm Rukavina of Carlisle, in a recent interview about “Cellar Door Software” and its, “Have Computer, Will Travel” service.

‘My son Peter and I had to do so much homework and digging out of information,” he continued, “that we thought we might be able, by sharing what we had learned, to save other people the time and effort of going through a similar difficult experience.”

It was in July of 1982 that the father and son set up the small firm to provide information and education about personal and home computers.

Peter, a Grade XI student at Waterdown District High School, is President of the very active Computer Club at the School, a Club which has 25 regular members and about as many more who attend when they can.

His father, a geologist research scientist on the staff of the Canadian Centre for Inland Waters, developed an eight-week course, “An Introduction to Programming”, which he and Peter began giving at the Hamilton YMCA two evenings a week last September.

“It provides the rudiments of working with ‘Basics’, a language of computers, and includes learning how to write programmes in that language,” our informant explained.

“Since most of those taking the course range in age from nine to 15 years and are interested in video games, our course enables them to reach the point of competence where they can work out programmes for complicated games. That gives them what they need for writing programmes for many practical purposes as well.

“The first course finished and we are now half-way through the course with a second group.”

“The “Have Computer, Will Travel” service is the part of the new little business that more nearly carries out its original objectives. It brings a small computer into one’s own home (or small business) and demonstrates what can be done with computer files, word processing, music and graphics.

It was interesting to see how, with proper daily recording of household expenditures, the totals of what was spent for food, education, etc. could be called up in seconds.

The home service for those who want to know how to write programmes that could be most useful for their home or business purposes includes instruction in writing such programmes in Basic, and the experience of actually working with the computer.

For those interested in owning a computer and who want to know about various types and their particular uses, the service provides helpful information.

“We don’t sell or endorse any particular brand of computer,” Norm Rukavina stated emphatically. “We can provide lists of local sources of computer products, of useful books and magazines, and of reports on home computers, all of which could be useful to a prospective buyer.”

The magic of the computer as word processor was demonstrated by its ability to replace immediately a wrong letter or word with the correct one, to insert a word, and other such operations which are laborious and time-consuming when using a typewriter.

In the realm of graphics, the possibilities seemed almost limitless. Our guide and mentor showed the results of his carefully planned effort to portray, in colour and movement on the screen, the changes wrought upon beaches by wind and wave action. What could have taken many words to convey was unmistakably evident to the viewer in the four-minute sequence resulting from the imaginative use of the computer’s possibilities.

“The average homeowner investing in a computer would use it for the other helpful capabilities we’ve been demonstrating,” the demonstrator admitted with a smile. “I just wanted to give some idea of the range of uses, not only for storing and recalling information, but for helping to present information in an effective way.”

Because the Rukavina father and son enjoy sharing their knowledge of what this relatively new tool can do, they are pleased to respond to any inquiry directed to their “Cellar Door Software” or “Have Computer, Will Travel” service.