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Volume4No.3'
N",'mb" 1987
FAUCET
FAE Research at McGill An Objective Look at a Contentious Issue by Doug Pollitt The controversy surrounding research into fuel air explosions resurfaced in the form of a noisy protest outside the administration building two weeks ago. While opinions are virulent and plentiful, cold, hard facts about the research are scarce and as such, further debate seems futile. So what are these FAE's? As is usually the case with contentious issues of this nature, it depends whom you ask. According to Prof. Knystautas, who along with Prof. Lee is conducting the research, aFuel Air Explosion is the combustion of fuel mixed with air measured in terms of microns (very small) suspended in air. The fuel can be gas, liquid (in the form of spray) or solid (dust). What makes them so lethal and distinguishes them from other forms of combustion (like for instance, a burning candle) is their rate of combustion. Millions of tiny globules of volitile material have an enormous combined surface area, far greater than that of a candle or puddle of gasoline of similiar volume, and it is this surface area which determines the rate of combustion which, in the case of
FAE's, is measured in terms of kilometers per second. Amy Kaler, a spokesperson for the AdHoc Committee for Responsible Research contendsFAEresearch involves the development of "a device or technique whose primary purpose is that of a weapon." Indeed, there is reason to be skeptical. The work is being funded by the Department of National Defence and when used militarily, as they were in Vietnam' these explosions constitute a weapon considered inhumane by the Stockholm Internation Peace Research Institute. While the results of the research themselves are being published openly, the contract with the D.N.D. is ftlled with blank pages stamped 'classified'. Extremely reluctant to give an interview saying "People already know what they're going to write before they come in here; they just use and contort my words for their purposes", ProfKnystautas insists his work is fundamental research into a common form of combustion: "Three thousand of them take place every minute in your car".
continued on page 5
THE PLUMBERS'
FAUCET PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF THE ENGINEERING UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY OF McGILL UNIVERSITY CIRCULATION OF 2000 COPIES ACROSS THE CAMPUS OF McGILL UNIVERSITY
EDITORS: Joseph Valenti Wah Keung Chan CLUB NEWS EDITOR Sheila S. Eddin ADVERTISING MANAGER DavidSauntry ILLUSTRATIONS EDITOR David Bowick PRODUCT MANAGER Tim Fletcher STAFF: GaryNg,DougPollitt, Howard Chung, Anna Lin, Herb Patschka, DebbieFrail, Nicky R. de C. and
by Joseph Valenti Every year, thousands of engineering students from all over the world participate in the ever-growing IAESTE exchange program. The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience is a worldwide organization whose mandate is to promote and arrange for the exchange of students in engineering and science, and todayis comprisedofgroups frommore than 45 nations worldwide. IAESTE provides students with the opportunity to travel and see the world while simultaneously enabling them to gain valuable technical experience in their fields of study and to earn a fair wage. Under the direction of Dr. Kerr of Queen's University, the Canadian section of IAESTE is among the most dynamic; last year they arranged jobs and accomodation of240 students from all across Canada in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
the Three Stooges. Thanks to: Carole Stabile, Sophie Beauregard and Mike Wood The Dean's Office
Contributions are welcomed from almost all sources (as are ads).
DON'T BE A DRIP! RIGHTFOR
THE FAUCET! This issue of the Plumbers' Faucet was typeset on an Ogivar system V computer.
DGIVAR TECH NOLOG IES MICRO路O ROINATEUA PANAMA
continued on page 5
FAUCET FAE continued/rom page 2 Ms. Kaler argues that the research is "unethical because it may lead to something unethical". She goes on to say "The coincidence between the needs of the military and the nature of research at McGill is too great to think this is for anything but weapons development." It would seem that the particular nature of the research, the control of the detonation of the explosions, has peacefulapplications as well. For example, Prof. Lee was on sight immediately following the infamous Missisauga train de-railment where a huge cloud of volitile gas wafted
IAESTE - continued/rom page 2 In exchange, 210 foreign students were invited to Canada and worked in wide variety of industries. Approximately one applicant in three is accepted into the program. McGill Connection McGill Enginnering has been well represented. Last year alone, 23 McGill students were employed. Students from several departments, people you may see every day, have worked in Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, England and doubtlessly in many other countries as well. Two summers ago, worked at Daimler-Benz in a town not far from Stuttgart, and Steve Lightfoot (U4 Mech) worked on robotic manipulator for a company located in Tampere, Finland. Last year, Genevieve Noel (U4 Chern) and France Gaudreau (U4 Mech) worked in Switzerland, while GordRoy (U4Mech) andMargaretBritt (U4Elec.)wereattheTechnical University of Eindhoven in The Netherlands. While the nature of the work varies from discipline to discipline, some characteristicsofour jobs are quite similar. When students receive firm offers, many are apprehensive about not having the kind of background required to do their jobs. Upon arrival, however, everyone soon realizes that their employers are well aware of the fact that students participate in the program primarily to obtain experience The level of difficulty of the work is often a function of the student's previous experience. Companies and Institutions provide on-the-job training. Most people acknowledge the fact that they could have done a great deal more although, like in all things,You usually get out what you pu in. Some people do enjoy more flexibilty than others: Gord Roy was
through neighborhoods. In a similiar vein, with reference to transport trucks carrying liquid hydrocarbons (propane) Prof. Knystautas says "People worry about the disposal of nuclear waste, something that may be a problem in ten thousand years, and here they have these potential bombs driving through downtown Montreal. To me, that's scary." Upon being asked if she would have opposed research into T.N.T., Ms. Kaler replied "I know what you're getting at and I won't answer. All I will say is that the potential harmful applications of FAE research immensely outweigh the benefiabletosethisownhourswhereasIhadtobe in the factory every morning at 05:30! People also often ask if language problems frequently arise. It is obviously an advantage to have some knowledge of the local language, both upon application and arrival. Knowledge of English is less common than some expect, yet no one has had truly insurmountable difficulties because of language. Learning to wave your hands is just part of the deal. Accomodation, wages and fun Employers or local student committees generally arrange for students' accomodation prior to their arrival. France Gaudreau was in a kind of hospital residence not far from her job in Winterthur and Margaret Britt lived in a house with another McGill student and her host. The money a student can expect to make varies widely from company to company, but in general it is fair to say that if one works for two months, one will earn not much more than enough to cover airfare, living expenses and the expense of those insane weekend trips to ski in the Alps. So, any other travelling you do will cost you. In Europe, however, the trains are inexpensive (except in Switzerland) and food is relatively cheap. In Australia, I understand that wages tend to be somewhat higher, and that the cost of living in Asia is lower. Personally, I recommend that people do what I did: eat spaghetti and yogurt for four months! Many countries have exceptionally well-organized student committees that put together social and cultural events, arrange tours and help foreign students get settled. In many cities, students are met by committee members at the train station or at the airport and are driven directly to their lodgings! The activities they plan make it easy to meet interesting people
cial." Prof. Knystautas counters "All we want to know is how and why these things happen." The issue thus boils down to the question: Is the researcher responsible for what someone else does with his work? Even if that work is apparently geared toward a particular application? Where do you draw the line? As the contract with Ministry of Defence comes up for renewal in 1989, one thing is certain: we haven't heard the last from either side.
from all over the world very quickly. IAESTE is still relatively new in Canada, but in several other countries it is very well established. Many companies participate in the program largely because many their employees were once members of student committees themselves. Real Life All this is not to say that a participant is in for a trouble- free vacation. Unfortunately, real life knows no borders, and you can't expect your Gold Card to get you out of every jam. There are occasionally problems with accomodations, the job may not be as glamorous as one might hope and it may not always be possible to find a convenient place to wash your socks. On the whole, however, it is an excellent opportunity expand your horizons and have an AMAZING good time. Application forms are available from Vicki McCarthy in Room 161. Prof. Vroomen is the Coordinator at McGill. In exchange for a $110 fee, $85 of which is refunded if no job can be found, IAESTE Canada arranges employment and the necessary visas and permits. Mrs. Kerr, IAESTE National Secretary, also does an excellent job of arranging lodging, though there can't be any direct guarantees. With so many students coming and going, local committees sometimes have to improvise. The deadline for application is Dec 31, 1987, however applicant a are strongly encouraged to have applications in by Dec 15. Preference is generally given to senior undergraduate students, but everyone should be encouraged to apply. You never know what will turn up. Complete instructions can be obtained from Vicki. Buena suerta!
FAUCET
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BOUND DOCUMENTS EXTRA
FAUCET
Student Council Report by Kelli Paquette
Ellgineeri1lg Rep to Cou1lcil Well, here I am again trying to meet the incredibly stringent Faucet deadlines. Never too late for Council news, though. The major issues facing the Students' Society have been raised in last week's referendum, the results of which are the following: Daily Fee Increase: Passed (60.1%) Student Society Fee Increase: Passed (57.5%) Post-Graduate Constituitonal Amendment: Failed (42.8%) General Assembly Amendments: Passed (57%) Unfortunately, a mere 9% of Engineering students voted. Thursday, November 12th, has been declared a provincial day of action in conjunction with a demonstration in Quebec City to protest the provincial Loans and Bursaries program. McGill fully supports this day of action and will be supplying a bus for those students who wish to attend the demostration.
Some of you may have already heard that there was a problem with the Ball Room Bookings for next semester. Originally, the EUS was only given ONE Pub-Nite (Ed. Note: GASP!), but Students' Society has recognized their error and are going to re-do the bookings. Unfortunately, there has been no change on the B.B.P. (Bottom Beer Prke) policy in the Ball Room. The $1.50 minimum set by the Students' Society still stands but we are trying to get around it. Now, for all of you who are eventually going to be Engineers, the OIQ will be coming to McGill very soon. For those of you who don't know, OIQ stands for the Ordre des Ingenieurs du Quebec, and is the professional association of engineers in the province. They will be giving a talk on the advantages and reasons for joining the OIQ. The seminar will take place on Thursday, Nov. 4 from 1 to 2 p.m. and on Friday, Nov 5 from 12 to 1 p.m. That's it for this time. Remember that your suggestions are always appreciated. Just drop by the EUS anytime.
Don't Miss It! No matter what you do this Friday (Nov. 6), don't miss Engineering Career Day 1987! Sponsored annually by the EUS, this event is your best chance to get to know some of the most important engineering organizations in Canada. Great names from industry, research and development, and government will be on hand; names like CAE Electronics, Pratt & Whit1ley Canada, Northem Telecom, and many more... Company representatives will be at your disposal to answer your questions and to present slides, videos and photographs to help you understand what it is that they do. In addition, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation will be announcing its exciting new three-year employment program for graduating students from all departments. Regardless of whether or not you expect to graduate soon, and regardless of whether or not you are actively looking for work, it is well worth your while to learn something about these major Canadian companies, if only to appreciate the opportunities which exist for engineers today. Be curious, ask questions, and of
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McGill's CKUT-FM 90.3 DEBUT DELAYED by GaryNg Montreal radio listeners will have an alternative on the FM band within the next few weeks. Presently, Radio McGill is still operating as CFRM -FM on cable FM, but it will shed its old plumage and take wing as CKUT-FM as soon as it gets the green light from the federal Department of Communications. According to Don Rossiter, Director of Spoken Word and Community Access Programming, the delay stems from the fact that the radio station has yet to pass a test to evaluate the effects of the introduction of the new CKUT signal on the pre-existing radio signals around Montreal. CKUT has already taken to the air for a series of late-night broadcasts in mid-October but, due to technical problems experienced by the aircraft used by the Department of Communications, these tests were inconclusive. A further series of tests were ordered for CKUT thereby pushing back the date of CKUT's debut from November 1st. The aircraft required for the tests has now been booked else-
where but Rossiter was optimistic that it would become available soon. When CKUT does take to the air, it will have a signal of 5700 Watts that will be heard all across the island of Montreal and as far away as the U.S. border. CKUT will initially begin broadcasting between 6 am and midnight but intends to become a 24hour service as soon as possible. CKUT-FM will be a Montreal radio station with a difference. As stated by its statement of principles, it is a non-profit student-run station. Its mandate is "to provide alternative programming to the island of Montreal and its surrounding communities." CKUT will be a radio station that will be all that the others are not, even the CBC. CKUT will devote itself to give exposure to those art forms deserving of attention but whkh are not getting it from the existing radio stations. Rossiter envisions radio as an exciting and provocative medium whose contillued on page 9
portant application forms! One of us found a great summer job as a result of Career Day 1986! We hope to see you all there on Friday November 6th in the Common Room. Bringyour ambition and your Engineering Spirit!
-Career Day '87 Coordillators Raja Abdallah Peter Lopez Vincent Ragosta
M=Cill
FAUCET NEW ENGINEERING ECONOMY COURSE ON THE HORIZON by Howard Chung The Engineering Economy course can expect to see some changes in the years to come. McGill University has received a $50 000 grant from Bell Canada to establish a new course in engineering economICS.
The 1987 EUS Exec. Don't they look dandy? BackRowfrom Leftto Right: Christine Bryce, Eric Shintani, Kelli Paquette, Mary Gendron, Dave Tracy. FrontRow: Peter Cllema all dPh il Beaumier
EXEC PROFILE by Sheila S.Eddin Who are these people? They are the members ofthe Executive ofthe EUS 0/,87'88. If you are ever unhappy about the way things are being done, at least nowyou know what the people in charge look like. Of course, it's also acceptable to commend them from time to time for the work they do on 0111' behalf! President: Peter Cherna
Peter is in his final year of Electrical honours and has always been active in our Engineering community,just look at all the positions he has held. A GPA as high as his would give most of us nosebleeds! As for his interests, he says they include downhill skiing and going to Pub Nites. He is really keen to hear your ideas and comments, so if you have any drop by and see him. V.P. Finance: David Tracy Who is this tall curly blond hair guy? Well, for one thing, he is your V.P. Finance this year. He is also the Pub Nite manager, referee to fIagball games ... At the same time, he is quite an appreciator of the arts - just ask him about the Monet he bought for his wall. His advice to Cats fans is toget close seats so you can catch the facial expressions. What a swell guy! But can he "cook"?
v.P. Extemal: Mary Gendron Mary is always easy to spot in a crowd. She's the "bubbly red-head" with more energy than an atomic reactor. Mary is a 4th year Mech and is very involved in sports. She plays on two football teams, loves to skate and her celebrity as a ringette player precedes her everywhere. Mary's onlyideosyncracy is her dislike of the word "bubbly". I'm certain I've heard Mary proclaim: "I'mNOTbubbly!!!"
V.P. Internal: Eric Shintani Who would believe this innocent looking civil actually turns to a party animal after a couple of beers? Well, it's true, or at least that is what everybody says. He is also very active in sports. And he's been known to cuts his classes in order to coach the Civil girls' team. REP to Senate: Philippe Beaumier A native of Trois-Rivieres, this computer eng. student has been living in the residences for the past four years (Guess some people just can't get enough of those famous tasty meals they serve at BMH). He enjoys windsurfing, sailing and alpine skiing. After graduation this April, he hopes to pursue his MBA at Western. As for his position, it entails chairing Engineering Council meetings, organising and coordinating the equipment fund committee, and representing Eng. students to the University Senate.
The grant will cover the first phase of a three phase $150 000 program. The intent of the program is to create a packaged course in a modular form. Each module would contain exercises, questions and applications in industry. This would make the course more interesting for students as they can better relate to practical problems within their field. The grant will be used toward a market survey of available computer equipment and software, the prefection of the modular course notes and exercises, and the development of case studies and the appropriate methodology. In the near future, students can expect Professors Bilodeau, Lizotte and Davidson to give better class note including exercises and solutions and use improved visual aids.
CLUB NOTES by:SheilaS.Eddin To begin,the FAUCET announces its first retraction 1路 For anyone interested in joining up the Micromouse Project, the numberatwhichto reach Brian is 848-0531,and notthenurriber that .. appeared in ourprevioos issue (sorry,Brianl) ~
As for the project itsel( Brian told us that it's "aliveandwell .. ~ "Now iwhat does that m~an, . you ask? Well; .for one thing, the team finally .. managed to apernianent room in which to continue with their researc;hand testing. The is located in McConnell 324. A meeting is ' gof~9to b~ti~fd 6~aregolarbasis. Watch outtor thedayand time of the meeting on the blackboard in the Lobby. Speaking of moving, Electricals were also busy at it three weeks ago. The EES, IEEE, and CSEE moved from their "mouseholes" (referring to the cubicle sized rooms situated on the fifth and seventh floors) to a temporaryspacious office in Room 303. That's all for this time. Club Reps: Rememeber to keep us up to date with what's happening, both for this column and for the Events Calenderl
get
room
FAUCET A Report from Your VPFinance by David Tracy Hi, my name is David and as VP Finance I'm responsible for all the money and financial transactions that take place in the EUS. Now the good news, I'll be writing a regular column in the FAUCET to let you know about what's going on within our Society. The EUS budget is posted in the cafeteria of the McConnell building. Please take the time to have a look at it; it details all the activities run by the EUS during the school year. Some of these activities include Orientation Week, Engineering Week, Plumber's Ball, the Faucet, the Pot and the Engineering Sum-
mer Employment program,just to name a few. Knowing how your money will be spent will hopefully encourage you to participate. There are so many different events offered to you, organized by other engineering students, that I hope you'll take advantage of as many of them as possible. You must be wondering where the EUS gets the $60 000 to $80 000 it spends each school year. Approximately one third of this sum comes directly from your student fees while another third comes from revenues from the cafeteria. The remaining amount comes from several sources such as Pubnites, sales at Sadies II, lockers and photocopiers. This year we also have a new account designated explicitly for capital ex-
penditures. We have a little over left $9 000 in this fund and if you have any ideas, please let me or your class rep know about them. The new cafeteria chairs were purchased through this account, and the ice cream freezer will be repaired with funds from this account also. This summarizes the main points of the EUS budget for this school year. Hyou have any comments or suggestions (or even complaints) please don't hesitate to come to the EUS office. You can speak to anyone there or leave a note in my mailbox, but please be sure to let us know what you think. Thanks for reading. P .S. Last night I had a dream that I was a muffler .....when I woke up I was exhausted ....... .
I'lL COME RUNNING BY 'fOU;路 AND ,{OU TRV TO ~ GRAB ME BEFORE I GET TO iHE GOAL LINE ...
Radio McGill- continued/rom page 3 purpose is to Inform and entertain as in the days of old and not to be simply a source of muzak. The new radio station has to work within the guidelines presented to the CRTC in its application. Its music to spoken word ratio is 55 to 45 percent but the guidelines allow a great degree of freedom upon its interpretation. CKUT will offer a broad base of topics in its basic broadcasting. On the music front, the station is req uired to have 30% Canadian content but Rossiter says that this will not be a problem at all since the goal of the station will be to give exposure to local talent, especially to non-recording artists with no recording contracts. This is not to say that there will not be any "mainstream" music but the emphasis will be on upcomingtalent. CKUT will also be devoted to the spoken word. CKUT has already made conscious moves in this area through its solicitation of Montreal playwrights for original plays for the purpose of radio
dramatizations. CKUT wants to make worthy plays see the light of day. This will give literary circles a shot in the arm. Contributions from well-established literary cliques such as the Playwrights Workshop, the Montreal Storytellers and many other such groups, both English and French, are coming into the station. CKUT is also devoting a great deal of air time towards minority group broadcasting. Already lined up for future broadcast are shows produced by the Iranian, Latin American, Haitian, Irish, Jewish, Gay and Lesbian, and other communities. Other communities who are interested in having their voice being heard are invited to contact the station personnel. They will always have access, even at an irregular basis, as long as their intents conform to the station's statement of principles of non- discrimination and no promotion of political and religiuos VIews. All this diversity may make CKUT's schedule appear schizophrenic to many but Rossiter says that the role of CKUT is to be challenging and interesting. He does
not expect everybody to like everything being offered but hopes that there is something for everybody in the station's diverse programming. He also warns listeners that at some times the station may not have the slick professionalism heard on other stations to which listeners are accustomed, but quickly adds that slickness should not be prematurely equated with substance. The level of slickness and professionalism will vary with the capabilities of the volunteers behind the shows. Rossiter promises thatCKUT, when on the air, "is going to be great." While this may be hype from an established radio man, one stillshouldgive CKUT a listen when it does come on the air foritwillbeanewanimalon the Montreal radio scene. Who knows, it might turn out to be the mouse that roared. A full schedule for CKUT-FM can be found in the next issue of KRAK, the local arts newspaper and printed organ for CKUT.
FAUCET
On OGIVARs, turnips, donuts, etc. by Anna Lin What is an EE without a home PC? Various answers have been proposed, viz. grossbuckets, a turnip, like a day without twinkies ... you get my drift. And, indeed, for most of my life this is exactIywhat I was, until a fewweeks ago, when Itook my first step into a newer, bigger, better, faster, 10 MHz, 640k RAM, 80286, ATI Graphics Solution Card, mouse and MicroSoft Windows, Ogivar System Vworld. From an earlier issue of this exalted publication, you are no doubt aware of the fact that our illustrious COOP McGill (Rm . 278 McDonald) is a distributor of Ogivar's Systems III and V. Moreover, you are most certainly cognizant of the opportunity of a government loan to help you along to the state of rapture I now experience as the proud parent of an Ogivar. What may not be known to you is a relatively recent development in loan contracts. Previously, only engineering students who had successfully survived twentyfour (24) credits worth of courses could apply for and be assured of a loan. Now, owing to COFIQ's latest achievement, even a U1 (belated welcome to McGill) can obtain a loan by applying to the Caisses Populaires Desjardins. Trot down to COOPfor more info, especially about the interestfree period, and for a gander at the Ogi that could be yours. Now, how did I know about this loan business, you ask, orrather, I askin order to lead in tothe rest of this blurb. It so happened that I noticed some conspicuously placed posters (fee, fi, fo, fum, I smell an Ogivar) announcing a presentation by Ogivar Technologies. It was the free donuts (doughnuts, douknutsorhoweveryou spell it) that got me, of course, when I passed by Rm . 204 McConnell on Wed . Oct. 27 to take a peek. I had the misfortune, however, to be collared at that time byacertain somebody, whose initials mayor may not be WKC, and coerced into doing a review forthe Faucet. Theexistence ofthisarticle istherefore owedto him, read: all his fault, and thus I make myaknolejmentz. The remainder of this humble note is devoted to faithfully recounting some of the other more interesting facts I gleaned from that worthy donut-I mean , presentation. Here is a brief history of the company, slightly annotated by yours truly : Once upon a time, about four years ago , five electrically-minded people banded together and formed a company which magically stuck together electronic parts imported from exoticsounding places like Japan, Taiwan , and China, and then sold the resulting amalgamates. This little venture netted these people a tidy one million dollars in their first year. Now, in 1987, with over
100 employees, this nice company is going to earn over 25 million dollars. In 1984, the glorious Minister of Communications bench marked IBM compatibles, and Ogivar's first bona fide IBM compatible, the PanamaXT, wasnumerouno, which really helped the company's credibility and image. Next, Ogivar's association with MicroSoft began . MicroSoft asked Ogivar to participate in developing the french aspect of computers, such as keyboard and DOS. As Mr. Paul Lachance, National Director of Sales for Ogivar, relates, ever since MicroSoftwas mandated by IBM to develop PC-DOS (during which time MS also developed MS-DOS), MicroSoft has established an IBM (PC) standard, which means that its latest product, OS-2, is soon going to be a commercial standard as well. Thus, Ogivar has reason to be proud for being able to react quickly to this development by announcing in April ofthisyear asecond generation of units which are PS-2, OS-2compatible. No kidding. Ogivar went public in November '86, which helped generate funds and give the company more respectability as well as accountability to shareholders. 1986 was also the year that saw Ogivar as the first Canadian company to include the 80386 in its machines. It was the second in North America, after Compaq. (There's Canadian contentforyou .) Ogivar Technologies participates in government level and special project mandates, such as thecontractwith COFIQ. Itiscommercial partners with Office Equipmentof Canada which commercializes Ogivar's equipment. One of its more recent products, to be shown at an upcoming show, is a laptop computer with a hi-res 600x400 plasma screen (it's red-orange, for anyof you who have never seen one before), a20 MBhard disk, a 31/2" 720 kB drive , modem capabilities, and a 1hourbatterypack. Neatstulf. Neat price. Anaffordable $6800, retail. They're working on an LCD version with a more student-sized price-tag . The last half of the presentation was given by Mr. Denis Vanier, a technical representative. He described in no uncertain terms the happy details of OS-2, which you are about to get second-hand, so hold onto yer hats. For starters, OS-2 is different from standard DOS. How different, you ask, or you 're supposed to ask. Well , OS-2 provides a single-user multi- tasking environment, while standard DOS only provides single-tasking. To illustrate, .suPpose you are running Lotus 1-2-3, no doubt pirated from some irreputable source. You can also run aword processor at the same time,as well as a CAD program, fancy that. OS-2 also has a user-friendly interface, the pointing device, e.g. mouse, and menus, whereas standard DOS usesa prompt, e.g. C:\ >. (Included with the Sys-
tem III or System V is a mouse and a copy of MicroSoft Windows, an operating environment that allows you to run several applications at once) . Moreover, OS-2 has two modes, the real mode and the protected mode, where a failure in one application will not crash the entire system . Standard DOS only operates in real mode. The catch with OS-2 is that it needs 1.2 to 1.4 MBto run, which makes ittrickyto run on astandard 8086 machine. So when you go and buy your computer, keepthisin mind. To finish (finally!), Andrew Bishop won a MicroSoftWord package atthe presentation (fix!), and Ihad twodonuts. Andthisarticlewastyped up on my Ogi. And I think that this is as good aplace as any to finish, since, as Pooh might say, 'I hear my pots of honey calling'. So long!
Big Crash at Air Cargo Competition by Edward Wielgus (MISSOURI) - The second annual SAE Radio-Controlled Cargo Carrying aircraft competition, held at Central Mis- ' so uri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri on May 15th and 16th, did not go without incident. Air Cargo McGill's day ended prematurely with the MOST SPECT ACULAR CRASH. Our other entry, McGill University, which could have won the big bucks had their last flight taken off within the 200 feet limit, took a most commendable third place. Second place went to Ecole Poly technique, with the first prize awarded to Bradley University of Preoria Illinois. Of the 18 universities competing, it is interesting that the heaviest plane won and the lightest came in second. Congratulations to both teams for working hard during the pass year. The McGill University Team of Raberto Caniglia, Robert Ste. Marie, Paul Grenier (pilot), Francois Lamarche, Pierre Gagnon, and Caroline Langlois were sponsored by Canadair, Pratt & Whitney, and Bombardier. The Air Cargo McGill Team of Bobby Chawla, John DiSciullo, Edmund Fournier, Vince Furgiuele, and Edward Wielgus were sponsored by Canadian Marconi, Canadian Engineering Publications, Camco, EUS , and the Mechanical Engineering Department. Hopefully, our teams will bring glory again for the competition next year here in Montreal at Canadair.
FAUCET
WATCHER NOTES by Wah Keung Chan
evc Strikes Again The new grill at the McConnell Building Cafeteria has taken the Engineering and surrounding commmumtles by storm. The enthusiasm for the new menu of Club Sandwich, Grilled Cheese, and the new hot daily special has silenced some critics of the usual cafeteria food. However, CVC appears to be premature in the unvieling of the new grill without a fume hood. A complaint has already been lodged, since already the greasy odor has found it's way to the rest of the building through the busy stairwell. The onset of winter will certainly make conditions worse. Let's hope they get their act together. Again the piling garbage at the cafeteria never ceases. The idea of trays in
M~Ii~~Engil!~ering
the cafeteria, so that users can dispose of their wastes without collecting it with their hands, is a good one. A petition is about to be circulated. Come sign the petition to encourage CVC to provide trays, at the cafeteria or at the PubSoc Office. A Different Show As with most TV viewers, The Crosby Show is one of my favourite. This opinion differs from my first reaction to the spinoff A Different W orldfhe episode on October 29 was overacted and seemed artificial. While the subject matter concerning whether women should pursue a career is quite important, the treatment was one dimensional. The characters were all too predictable. Even star Lisa Bonet could not save the day; without the tutorage of Bill Crosby, she is a different actress. Take away the few consequences of this supposed College setting and this episode could very well mascara de as high school life. For better reflections of stu-
8pdrts...
There .· ·· wer~ sorriesurprises this seasc;l1, most of thembadon.e~. Two teams .•.... .. <. '.. . . . .. .. tliatdidiIDpress\Vereth~Concrete Cantpe¥n's Spor Treps (a.k.a.Larry,CudY .. . .. ... .. ... . ... Mo) . . ... ... rubals (CiviIU1) aiidMechanical Advaritage (MechtJ1): at least they showed 1:'he regular seas9Ilis drawing to a dose . . hp imdbothwol1three games. ChampionnE~gineering Flaghall ~ith the 23 teagl ' Sllip years corning upsoOri; espeCially ifthe biigue (the stonge#in rece~t years!)riow > · .· l~ague weakensinthecofriing years. riJ.Ii~e<ido\Vri tbtpetop.)2 tbims. For . . .. . ... ..... . ...... . . .. hos.fof y6u<knock~douF6f the playoffs, . ·· Stillup i~the~iris ~phiyoffspotwhich ·.i llbefilled..b. y.·.·o. . n.eof. . the. foll. owin . gpowere s~Y:"Face it,yq4guyswereAWFUU. .. . . ... houses -PCB'S;Circuit Breakers or sa matter 'of faCt; some of those who . . . ... . .. . . . Pseudo Force. With these teams in the ad~it into the phiyoffsaren't much bet• . phlyoffs, who needs~bye??? ei."lYou kiiowwho you are;noneed for urther commbpt. . . •. •,. by.Gerry, Daveand Herb .
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Engineers Shine in Varsity Semi-Finals by Herb Patschka The McGill football team broke a 95 year-old home-game playoff drought against Queen's with a 27-24 semi-final victory last Saturday. By now, most of you already know about the great second half comeback by the Red & White. Trailing 24-7 at the half, the Redmen put together drives of 62, 60, 54 and 71 yards to take the lead. The offence was led by Gerry Ifill's 122 yards on 13 carries as well as a great second half performance by quaterback Bryan Fuller. The defence, which was porous in the first half, was rock -solid in the second, allowing no penetration by the Gaels beyond the 50 yard line. I'm also
delighted to report an excellent turn-out of engineers at the game: no one can say there's no spirit in our faculty! The victory puts McGill into the fmal next Saturday against the Bishop's Gaiters, in Lennoxville. Although McGill has lost in two previous encounters between the teams, they have won five games in a row including three straight on the road. However, the Redmen will have to playa full 60 minutes of football if they hope to have any chance of upsetting the heavily-favored Gaiters. In another comeback on the weekend, the Soccer Redmen advanced to the final against the Concordia stingers with a 2-1
dent life, try The Facts of Life, or Degrasy Junior High, an excellent Canadian production about brr;aking into high school life. School Elections Montreal Municipal School Board Elections are coming in November. Those of you registered voters are encouraged to find out who the candidates are and vote for the best. We represent the success stories of our school system. Help choose people who will make more success stories. The IEEE Computer Resource Centre (McNaughton Centre) is currently working on implementing an Electronic Bulletin Board System, aptly called the "Oracle", on one of their computers. When the system goes up in November, computer users with a modem can log on to find out the latest in McGill, Engineering and IEEE activities. Watch for more details.
Of those teams seeking the champion ship; seven are1egitimate contenders: .... 1. Agent Odmge -Good D,little else 2; Flaming Flaggots - Can you grab flags? 3. Jerry's Kids 7 Hate the l1ame, orie TD short 4. Rez crew~· Can any team stop Lui? 5. PartyVariables- Last Chance to Primary! 6. Torsion Club - Man, are those guys ugly! 7. Mad Mechs III " The sagasags~ .. SeeyouallatFAG nite: November 18 in the Union Caf!!! Be there! (P,S. bring teammate; we want morethim sixper tea this year!)
overtime victory over the Sherbrooke Vert et Or. Louis Konstanopoulous was McGill's big man of the day. He tied the score at one in the first half with header to the corner and then capped the c,omeback by setting up Jeremy Prupas from a corner kick early in the first overtime period. The game, an intensly fought battle, erupted into a brawl at the 65 minute mark. The altercation proved costly to McGill as two of their players were given red cards for their involvement. This means McGill will have to play in the final without Wesley Young and Felice Mastrostefano. Come on out and show some spirit! Cheer on the Redmen in the finals; they need your support!
FAUCET
Senate Announces New Exam Regulations by Phillipe Beaumier Engineering Rep to Senate On Wednesday, September 30th, Senate approved new regulations concerning final examinations. These regulations could conceivably come into effect asearlyas next semester, however theywill likelybe deferred until next September. The new regulations will not alter the way things are done in Engineeringvery much, but some of our friends in Arts are going to cry abou t having to delay their early trips to the Bahamas!
REGULATIONS CONCERNING FINAL EXAMINATIONS Preamble The objectives of these Regulations are: (1) To protect students from excessive workloads; (2) To use the full 15 week term to maximum advantage.
Regulations 1. These Regulations shall apply to undergraduate courses up to and including the 400 level, that are evaluated by the use ofwritten examinations. Theyshall not apply to clinical, field, laboratory, performance, and seminar courses, or to other courses that are evaluated solely by the means of a design, paper, program, or project. 2. Written examinations (including take-home examinations) shall not be held during the last two weeks of scheduled classes during the fall and winter ternls, except where a pattern of continuous evaluation has been established, in which case the total value of examinations given in this period shall comprise no more than 10% of the final mark. 3. If the written examinations in a course constitute 50% or more of the final mark, one of these shall be given as a final written examination; and it shall take place during the examination period after the last day of scheduled lectures in December or April.
4. A final examination given during the examination period shall be worth at least 25% of the final mark. 5. Students shall be informed of all course requirements by the end of the course change period. All term work shall be assigned early enough in the term for students to complete the assignments(s) by the last day of class. 6. TIle due date for term work in courses to which these regulations apply shall be no later than the last day of classes. 7. In full year (D) courses, instructors who wish to give a mid-year examination in December must schedule it in the formal examination period. 8. TIle principles enunciated in these Regulations shall be applied, appropriately modified, to courses given during the summer, to other courses of less than 13-week duration, and to courses in the Faculties of Law, Medicine, Dentistry, and Education that do not follow the normal university timetable. 9. Individual faculties may propose variations in these Regulations to the Academic Policy and PlanningCommittee in order to meet their special needs. 10. These Regulations, and any variations to them, shall be made known to students byeach faculty.
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FAUCET
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FAUCET - Mon, Nov 9 at 9:50 PM Men's Intramural Basketball, Smelly Sox (Elec Eng) vs. Phi Delts
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- Wed, Nov 4 atl PM Thurs, Nov5at 12 PM Ordre des Ingenieurs du Quebec (OIQ), on the role ofthe Order in the Enginering profession. Special session for McGill Engineering students. -Mon, Nov 9 at 4 PM Biomedical Enginering Seminar, Robert C. Emerson, on "Non-Linear Analysis of Visual Corti-
Women's Sports
by Nicky and Debbie
Hiya sports fans! Here we are again, reporting live to you from the President's office. The women's engineering flagball league is off to a great start, despite all of those @#*! cancellations. (Thanks for making our lives more interesting and exciting everybody!) Well as of October 26th the standings in the league are as follows:
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LooseScrews.
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- Tue, Nov 17 at 11:20 PM Men's Intramural Ice Hockey, Beer Police vs. M.B.A. - Wed,Novl8 atlO:15 PM Men's Intramural Ice Hockey, Beer Police B vs. Medmen
- Mon, Nov 16 at 6:30 PM Men's Intramural Basketball, Smelly soxvs. 86ers Women's -Sat, Nov 21 at 6:30 PM Intramural Ice Hockey, Babushkas vs . Cyrogenics -Mon,Nov23at7:45PM Women's Intramural Ice Hockey, Babushkas vs. Mother Puckers - Wed, Nov 25 at 10:15 PM Women's Intramurals Ice Hockey, Babushkas vs. Ghettoblasters Miscellaneous - Sat, Nov 7 at 9:00 PM Concert by Rock/Pop group The Parachute Club, Union Ballroom. - Wed, Nov 11 from 4 to 6:30 PM Electric J ello Party in the Common Room (you know, Jello with the real stuff instead of water), sponsored by the EES -Wed,Nov11from2t04PM Tour of Matrox Company, departure time 1:15 PM from IEEE office (Rm 303), free for IEEE members. Maximum of 15 people; First come, First Serve.
-Wed,Nov4at9:lOPM Women's Intramural Ice Hockey, Babushkas vs. Medskaters As you can see the race to be number 1 is as tight as the race to stay out of last place. The Loose Screws have been doing suprisinglywell and are one ofthe teams to watch for in the playoffs. But what happened to those Superstructures and Iron Maidens? Off to a slow start, but hopefully they will pick up by the playoffs! In intramural action the Engineering Co-Recvolleyball teams are having a great time showing those artsies how the game is played. In the hockey league the "Babushkas on Blades" won their first game, but tied their second while having a great time hitting their favorite law student. Congratulations are going out to E.J. for scoring her first goal in 4 years in the victory, and also to A.F. for scoring a double hat trick. In the Flagballleague the Plumber's Pride has finished in first place in the regular season with a 5 and 0 record. If anyone else has any other interesting in-
tram ural information please letus knowso that we can get it into print (and possibly make someone famous). Until the next issue, we wish everyone the best ofluck in the playoffs!
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