British Computer Society News

Transcribed from the printed issue; not yet reviewed. Read it in the PDF of the issue, page 31

The BCS now has a Royal Charter, and the transition to the new Chartered body will be completed in July this year.

One of the issues which this has indirectly raised is the status of specialist group members such as the British APL Association membership. In most specialist groups there are some BCS members and some non-members. This can cause administrative difficulties where the BCS members are able to enjoy BCS privileges not available to their non-member colleagues in the same specialist group. One example is the BCS Computer Newsletter, a 10 issues per year newsletter free to all BCS members only - an ideal medium for contacting the BCS membership but useless to specialist groups as only part of their membership receive copies.

To overcome this and other problems it is proposed that all specialist group members (not already members of the BCS) should automatically qualify to be a form of affiliate member of the Society, one of the benefits of which is to receive a copy of the Newsletter. Other benefits will also accrue, such as being able to get discounts from various suppliers of computer equipment through the buying power of a 30,000 membership.

The proposals are at present in the early stages of discussion, but it is hoped to introduce the scheme before the start of the 1986/87 financial year - in May 1986.

I would like to repeat that those Association members interested in corporate membership of the British Computer Society - as Members or Associate Members - should apply to:

Pat Harris
Membership
The British Computer Society
13 Mansfield Street
London W1M 0BP

Expert Systems 85 (ES85)¶

THE BRITISH COMPUTER SOCIETY
Specialist Group on Expert Systems

EXPERT SYSTEMS 85 (ES85)

EXPERT SYSTEMS 85, the fifth Annual Technical Conference of the British Computer Society Specialist Group on Expert Systems will be held at the University of Warwick from 16th—19th December 1985.

Two parallel themes are planned — one on the technical and theoretical aspects of expert systems and the other focussing on practical applications and invited tutorial material.

There will be reports from the Alvey Directorate and a number of invited talks, as well as an exhibition of commercial and scientific software and hardware.

This annual event is rapidly assuming international significance and is one you should not miss. For further details please contact:

BISL Conference Department (ES85)
The British Computer Society
13 Mansfield Street
London W1M 0BP
Telephone: 01-637 0471