myers@uwmacc.UUCP (Latitudinarian Lobster) (11/03/85)
Computing in Nicaragua
Seventh of an eight part series.
While working as a consultant for an academic computing center of
a major university is relatively rewarding and satisfying, it took a
trip to a developing nation to find out what computer science is
really all about (or should be about). Many of the people with prior
computing experience have left the country for economic reasons, but
it was truly a joy to see groups of bright and interested, if somewhat
ignorant by our standards, computer programmers and operators striving
to take up the slack. In the United States, in a country of
240,000,000 people, it's pretty hard to feel like anything other than
a rather minor cog in a large, internal combustion engine. In
Nicaragua (about the same size and population as our own state), it is
much easier to see how each person is contributing to the development
of the country, it is much easier for a knowledgeable teacher to have
a clear, beneficial impact on a major institution of the country.
Because of this, it is also easy for a norteamericano to develop a
swelled head and an inflated ego.
At risk of self-aggrandizement, let me describe what I was able
to accomplish during my two-week stay in Managua, then conclude with a
general summary of the state of computing in Nicaragua.
I worked for three different organizations during my stay. I
started out at the Ministry of Finance (Ministerio de Finanzas, or
MIFIN), fully expecting to spend all two weeks there working with
their IBM 370 model 115, an ancient, expensive hulk of a mainframe
with about the same computing power as an IBM-PC. I had been led to
believe that there was fruitful work to be done in improving the
operation of the system, but it quickly became clear that there was no
reason to mess around with the smoothly operating, if slow, system.
The staff of 16 knowledgeable COBOL and RPG-II programmers there
really have things under control, and there was no reason for me to
meddle, other than to re-emphasize that they should work towards
replacing the machine.
My day and a half stay at MIFIN was thus somewhat depressing
until I discovered that the ministry owns and uses two Macintosh
micros for word processing. After they were brought to my attention,
I found that only two very knowledgeable but busy people were
acquainted with their use. It also became clear that nearly everyone
was interested in learning about them - if you've ever been forced to
deal with an IBM 370 you'll immediately know why; Macintoshes are
designed to be easy to use and use a desktop file management system.
Unfortunately the systems were in pretty heavy use during that period,
so I simply reccommended in my report to the compan~era in charge of
the computer division that a tecNICA volunteer be placed at MIFIN for
two days to give introductory classes on the Macintosh, and then that
tecNICA leave them alone to experiment with the micros on their own.
As there was so little for me to do at MIFIN, I was shuttled off
on Tuesday afternoon to help another volunteer (who had just quit a
lucrative job with DEC in Massachusetts to wander Latin America at 40
years of age) attempting to learn DBASE III (a database language) on
an IBM-PC which had been temporarily loaned to the Banco Central.
After he had figured out DBASE III, he was to teach a small group at
the bank the rudiments of the language. There is a possibility that a
pilot project will be started at the bank using IBM-PCs and DBASE III
which will work on automating the teller transaction process (similar
to that used by the tellers at your bank). It can currently take up
to two hours to perform a bank transaction in Nicaragua.
The rest of my stay in Managua was spent with the people at
COFARMA, the company which has primary responsibility for the whole-
sale sales of medical supplies (drugs, surgical equipment, etc.) to
smaller wholesale houses and hospitals. Their old computer, which I
won't dignify by naming since the company is long dead, had recently
croaked and wasn't worth saving, so they have been running for several
months using their old inventory printouts. They now have a small
Kaypro-II micro with an Epson printer which is going to take over
their database system. When I arrived, they didn't know too much
about the system other than writing programs with Microsoft BASIC.
Initially I simply helped them to understand each of the operating
system commands (CP/M), showed them a little bit about DBASE II, and
covered the unfamiliar commands and functions in BASIC for them. For-
tunately there was a guy there who spoke excellent English and could
translate effectively to help me through the tough spots - he also has
an excellent head as a programmer, quickly catching on to all of my
explanations.
After this phase, I was able to show them how to effectively
organize and comment large BASIC programs, introducing and emphasizing
various good programming habits which I've picked up here and there
working and TAing. After that, I just let them do their own thing,
answering occasional questions. With their past programming experi-
ence, their in-depth knowledge of their own company, and the good
habits and new knowledge that I was able to impart to them in my brief
stay, I'm certain that they will quickly have their automated inven-
tory system up and running again, and that it will be vastly improved
over their old version.
And now to the more general discussion - the question which
should immediately be raised is, ``How appropriate is it to introduce
computing technology in Nicaragua?'' I believe that the answer to
this question is ``Yes, it's quite appropriate, but caution is
advised.'' It's quite clear that computers can greatly aid the produc-
tivity of organizations which are forced to manipulate large quanti-
ties of information. When introducing new levels of automation, it is
important to allow for disasters, especially in today's Nicaragua,
given the war, the US embargo, and other economic aggressions organ-
ized by the US. One must always allow for returning to the old, non-
automated system.
A major difference in what is appropriate in the US and what in
Nicaragua is in the area of computer centralization and networking.
There is a great deal of centralization of information in the US
today, utilizing large computers, exchange of information over com-
puter networks, etc.; it is economically and technologically viable
and enhances productivity (although it makes surveillance of individu-
als easier). Such centralization is to be avoided in a developing
country, for various reasons, including the necessity of increased
expertise, increased dependance on the smooth functioning of an
increasingly complex system, security considerations, and individual
privacy issues (all too many security forces in Latin America use US
developed computers and systems).
Many are the problems in Nicaragua today, and they include lack
of computer equipment, maintenance personnel, knowledgeable program-
mers, and lack of foreign exchange. Organizations like tecNICA
(described in more detail in the next article) are working to combat
US supplied arms to the contras with North American aid to the people,
the nation, and their everyday concerns.
Next: Helping Nicaragua - What You Can Do.