When Computers Err
Sta,—Your correspondent Mr. K. P. Humphries is inquiring only about computer errors in telephone accounts, and far more fantastic errors have been made in gas and electricity bills; but here is a story of a colossal apparent error which may not have been one, a sequence of three events which may or may not have been linked by causality: 1. On August 7, 1964, the Spectator published a letter referring to pioneer electronic computer work by William Phillips in the decade prior to 1936. 2. In November 1964 the Institute of Actuaries awarded William Phillips a gold medal in recognition of this work—no light honour, since there had been only three gold medals previously awarded in 116 years.
3. In January 1965, when his secretary paid £220 into William Phillips's bank account, the bank com- puter credited him with £3,000,220. What is more, it evidently refused to delete the £3 million, for the deletion was made by pen and ink.
WILLIAM HALE
Associated Contributors, 24 Clifford's Inn, Fleet Street, EC4
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