The purpose of this article is to explore the application of computers to actuarial science. It is frankly a propaganda attempt to counterbalance the emphasis on data-processing applications which there has been in the past.

I think that this emphasis has been an unfortunate mistake. Computers can be regarded as glorified desk calculators or high-speed punched-card machinery but this misses the real potential of the qualitative difference between computers and earlier machinery. This potential can only be realized when we learn to look at jobs ‘computer-wise’. There is only one way to learn this and that is to learn how to programme and then to get down to some hard detail.

In February 1957, R. G. Mallett presented a paper on behalf of four South African actuaries entitled ‘The Actuary in South Africa” (J.S.S.14, 4). The object of this paper is to describe some of the developments in South Africa since that paper was presented, and also to describe briefly the conditions and the problems with which actuaries have to deal in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and in the East African territories Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika. The majority of actuaries working in South Africa are concerned in some way with the administration of business in these countries, as are actuaries of British companies which operate there either direct from the United Kingdom or through a branch office in Johannesburg or Cape Town.

In October 1961, the author wrote the editors a letter which was subsequently published (J.S.S.16, 481) urging the submission of articles which were only germs of ideas. Part of what follows has arisen out of earlier research, and part falls into the ‘germ’ category in the hope that it might give rise to future development.

Ever since the days when Makeham‘s formula appeared to have ceased to fit most mortality experiences, some actuaries have striven to find an ideal formula to take its place, and perhaps others have been interested. Even if such a formula were found, it might only be a matter of a short time before the shape of the mortality curve changes in such a way as to render that formula out-of-date too; but that is no reason for not continuing to strive.