Roger Hill's Home Page
Applying Cybernetics to copper mining A description of the first major computer system I developed. It was used for controlling mining operations on Bougainville in 1978. It was originally printed by a Miller Freeman publication the World Mining journal in Feb 1980. The systems design was based on Stafford Beer's Platform for Change.
The Crime of Control Are crime waves a product of the police/judicial/media control system rather than the activities of criminals? This review of Jason Dittons book 'Controlology Beyond the New Criminology' was first published in the UK Systems Society Newsletter in May 1982
Information is what confuses us! This logomachy (dispute about words) was published in the UK Systems Society Newsletter in September 1982. It tries to explain some of the ideas from William Kent's brilliant (if rather technical) book 'Data and Reality'. The title incidentally is a parody on Stafford Beer's statement that "Information is what changes us".
Computer Cargo Cults The mystical response to new technology is not confined to Papua New Guinea. It is rampant right here. A computer cargo cult occurs where the objective of the project is unrelated to the function of the organisation. The demand for a computer is framed in terms of the ceremonies of computer use, in the mistaken belief that it is the ceremonies which create wealth and power. This was published in Computing on 5th Feb 1987.
Sizewell B Control System The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate report on Sizewell B's Primary Protection System was obtained by Computer Weekly. They offered it to their readers and asked for comments. I read the report and they published my comments in November 1993, so here they are.
Dynamic Context Recording and Modelling System A description of the type of computer system needed for archaeology. Originally published in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology Volume 23.2 in May 1994. Reproduced here by their kind permission.
Spreadsheets allows you to download 2 spreadsheets. The first converts between the Hijree or Islamic calendar and the Gregorian calendar. The is a simulation model of the game of blackjack, allowing you to vary the players strategy.
If you have any comments then you can e-mail me at roger.hill@which.net
Whilst diving with Peter off Baros in the Maldives this lovely creature came by to have a good look at us. Peter took the photograph.
The Scuba Diving club I belong to is AMSAC.