The problem of statistical — or inductive — inference pervades a large number of human activities and a large number of (human and non-human) actions requiring ‘intelligence’. Human and other ‘intelligent ’ activity often entails making inductive inferences, remembering and recording observations from which one can make

Abstract not found

One of the second generation of computer scientists, Chris Wallace completed his tertiary education in 1959 with a Ph.D. in nuclear physics, on cosmic ray showers, under Dr Paul George at Sydney University. Needless to say, computer science was not, at that stage, an established academic discipline. With Max Brennan 1 andJohnMaloshehaddesignedand built a large automatic data logging system for recording cosmic ray air shower events and with Max Brennan also developed a complex computer programme for Bayesian analysis of cosmic ray events on the recently installed SILLIAC computer. Appointed lecturer in Physics at Sydney in 1960 he was sent almost immediately to the University of Illinois to copy the design of ILLIAC II, a duplicate of which was to be built at Sydney. ILLIAC II was not in fact completed at that stage and, after an initial less than warm welcome by a department who seemed unsure exactly what this Australian was doing in their midst, his talents were recognized and he was invited to join their staff (under very generous conditions) to assist in ILLIAC II design 2. He remained there for two years helping in particular to design the input output channels and aspects of the advanced control unit (first stage pipeline). In the event, Sydney decided it would be too expensive to build a copy of ILLIAC II, although a successful copy (the Golem) was built in Israel using circuit designs developed by Wallace and Ken Smith. In spite of the considerable financial and academic inducements to remain in America, Wallace returned to Australia after three months spent in England familiarizing himself with the KDF9 computer being purchased by Sydney University to replace SILLIAC. Returning to the School of Physics he joined the Basser