From our archives

Oct 20, 1983

'Computer manager' in Shanghai

A growing number of Shanghai's 1,600 computers are now being used to ease the managerial workload in a wide range of manufacturing and service industries including transport, construction, chemical production, banking and medicine, Jiefang Daily reports.

A survey of 191 data-base computers showed that 80 were used primarily for managerial work, while out of 461 micro-computers 215 had been applied to management.

For example, the daily work in the business department of the Shanghai Municipal Bank is now almost entirely handled with computers.

Winter coal transport speeded up

Transport of coal by rail, water and road is being speeded up as winter approaches, with priority given to power plants, locomotive engines and household needs, said Economic Daily.

Coal supply in some key power plants has decreased compared with last year. And already residents in some cities have begun to queue for coal, the paper said.

Concerted efforts are being made to improve the situation as in the first half of this month; 230,000 carloads of coal were transported while water transport carried 1 million tons of coal, a 3 percent increase and a 20 percent increase respectively over the correspondent period last year.

(China Daily 10/21/2008 page9)