3.3 Computeiqzation
- The hardware presently available to ICRAF's MPTS data base comprises:
(i) 1 WANG PC, 768 KB RAM; one floppy disk drive (360 KB); 30 MB built-in hard disk;
(ii) 1 WANG APC, 1 MB RAM; dual floppy disk drive (1.2 MB/360 KB) and 67 MB built-in hard disk;
(iii) 1 WANG PM tape streamer PC-PM038;
(iv) 1 FX 80 Epson printer; and
(v) 1 LQ 1500 dot matrix printer.
- The software used is the MS DOS operating system.
- Data entry and process- ing is performed by using the KnowledgeMan II relational data manager.
- For faster data retrieval the MICRO CDS/ISIS software, developed by UNESCO, is used (Figure 1).
3.4 Structure/format of the data base
- The MPTS data base was established first, followed in late 1985 by the development of a separate data base which facilitated the processing of data related to the Multipurpose Tree and Shrub Seed Directory (see Section 2.2).
- In an attempt to streamline retrieval procedures and to amend the output from the MPTS data base by non-time-sensitive information (e.g. seed pre-treatment methods) from the seed directory data base, the contents of the two previously separate data bases have been merged into one.