Farewell to University Computer Shop By K H Poon

The University Computer shop has been a self-financed unit under the Computing Services Centre ever since its establishment in 1990. This popular service arm of the CSC sold all kinds of computing accessories and peripherals and in particular the CTC computer (CityU’s home-made PC), which at one point covered over 80% of the University’s computing provision, generated a turnover up to HK$50 million and saved the University a very handsome amount of money. The Shop has successfully been awarded the dealerships of world-renowned computer companies such as the SUN, Dell, IBM etc., which was and still is a breakthrough in the tertiary institutes in Hong Kong.

In an overcast morning in September, a meeting was called in the office of the Director of Computing Services. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the fate of the University Computer Shop. In spite of the smooth operation of the Shop throughout the years, we were surprisingly told that it was ‘illegitimate’ as the FO and BO were the only departments that were authorised to represent the University to deal with any financial transactions. We were utterly astonished. The reason was for over a decade, numerous transactions have been handled by the Shop with the full assistance of the FO and BO, and the Shop’s legitimacy in doing so was never ever challenged. Naturally, the co-operation of the FO and BO in all these years was taken as their acquiescence to our work. The Shop has represented the University to bargain for quality computer products for campus use, to place orders for computer goods on behalf of our staff and students, to provide computer peripherals for your handy purchase, to examine new models of computers to ensure that only University compatible models will be recommended to you, and most importantly, to establish a trusting relationship with the various computer vendors so that first-hand information as well as favourable terms could be obtained for the benefit of the University.

However, owing to the need to comply with the University’s regulations of authorities concerning financial matters which have long been established and recently reviewed, the Shop has to be suspended from 3 October 2000 onwards despite our 11 years’ unceasing effort and all the popularity enjoyed. It is inevitably a pity to see the Shop stop from operation when it has generated a significant revenue, established a sound network with the computer sector and been widely trusted by the University Community. Though the Shop has to be dissolved, we are very proud of it as it has always put the University interest in the first place and selflessly served the University Community, which are the very mission of the Computing Services Centre.