Smalltalk › Squeak › Squeak - Dev

Smalltalk Implementation of the Viable System Model

_‹ Previous Topic Next Topic _›

Classic

List

Threaded

5 messages Options

Robert Bruce Carleton-4

Smalltalk Implementation of the Viable System Model

I've been slowly piecing together an implementation of what is called the Viable System Model, or VSM. The model was developed by operations research theorist and cybernetician Stafford Beer in the early 70's. One of the best known projects to use the VSM was an attempted real-time computer-controlled planned economy in the years 1970 to 1973. It was called Project Cybersyn. The system used a telex network and applications running on an IBM 360 computer.

I've been working on a Smalltalk implementation of the model, that I'm calling the Viable System Agent. It's come far enough along, that I think it is ready to show. There is a small web page for the project:

http://home.rbcarleton.com/rbc/software/smalltalk/VSA/

There is a presentation, along with file outs of the present code. See the unit tests for how it might be used. I have to add that it is just a beginning. If you have previously seen Beers ideas in operations research and cybernetics, you might find it interesting.

Best,

--Bruce

Brad Fuller-4

Re: Smalltalk Implementation of the Viable System Model

On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 09:47, Robert Carleton <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I've been slowly piecing together an implementation
> of what is called the Viable System Model, or VSM.
> The model was developed by operations research theorist
> and cybernetician Stafford Beer in the early 70's.
> One of the best known projects making use of the VSM
> was an attempted real-time computer-controlled planned
> economy in the years 1970 to 1973. It was called Project
> Cybersyn. The system used a telex network, applications
> running on an IBM 360 computer and a specially designed
> operations room for decision making. Given the advances
> in computers and networks, it seems to me that using the
> VSM has the potential to be far more automated today.

can you get this done and hand it over to the "lost" and "needy" in
congress soon? ;-)

Actually, sounds absolutely fascinating..

brad

Robert Bruce Carleton-4

Re: Smalltalk Implementation of the Viable System Model

On Jul 30, 2011, at 9:52 AM, Brad Fuller wrote:

can you get this done and hand it over to the "lost" and "needy" in
congress soon? ;-)

Oh, that's easy:

congress := VSA new.

congress myExecutive vName: 'U.S. Congress'.

congress myManager createOp: VSA.

house := congress myManager getOp: 1.

house myExecutive vName: 'U.S. House'.

congress myManager createOp: VSA.

senate := congress myManager getOp: 2.

senate myExecutive vName: 'U.S. Senate'.

Then the question is, how do you measure actuality, capability and potentiality? ;-)

Robert Bruce Carleton-4

Re: Smalltalk Implementation of the Viable System Model

In reply to this post by Robert Bruce Carleton-4

When I first released this in July, I only had file-outs available. I've packaged the work to date and set up a Monticello repository. The web page is still:

http://home.rbcarleton.com/rbc/software/smalltalk/VSA/

The Monticello configuration is:

MCHttpRepository
location: 'http://home.rbcarleton.com/rbc/software/smalltalk/VSA/Monticello/'
user: ''
password: ''

Please let me know if there are any comments or questions.

Best,

--Bruce

On Jul 30, 2011, at 9:47 AM, Robert Carleton wrote:

> I've been slowly piecing together an implementation of what is called the Viable System Model, or VSM. The model was developed by operations research theorist and cybernetician Stafford Beer in the early 70's. One of the best known projects to use the VSM was an attempted real-time computer-controlled planned economy in the years 1970 to 1973. It was called Project Cybersyn. The system used a telex network and applications running on an IBM 360 computer.
>
> I've been working on a Smalltalk implementation of the model, that I'm calling the Viable System Agent. It's come far enough along, that I think it is ready to show. There is a small web page for the project:
>
> http://home.rbcarleton.com/rbc/software/smalltalk/VSA/
>
> There is a presentation, along with file outs of the present code. See the unit tests for how it might be used. I have to add that it is just a beginning. If you have previously seen Beers ideas in operations research and cybernetics, you might find it interesting.
>
> Best,
>
> --Bruce
>
>
>
>

Robert Bruce Carleton-4

Re: Smalltalk Implementation of the Viable System Model

In reply to this post by Robert Bruce Carleton-4

A lot has happened since I first posted the Viable System Agent (VSA) back in July. I figured it was time for an update.

The VSA is intended to facilitate creating and managing autonomous software systems. It has all the basic features that are on the road map. I have packaged the project and posted it to SqueakSource and SqueakSource3. There are workspace examples and screen shots to help provides some clues about how it could be used. There are a lot of unit tests and comments. The home page is still:

http://home.rbcarleton.com/rbc/software/smalltalk/VSA/

There are workspace examples and screenshots at:

http://home.rbcarleton.com/rbc/software/smalltalk/VSA/WorkSpaces/

The primary Monticello repository configuration is:

MCHttpRepository

location: 'http://home.rbcarleton.com/rbc/software/smalltalk/VSA/Monticello/'

user: ''

password: ''

The SqueakSource link is:

http://www.squeaksource.com/VSA.html

It is also in SqueakSource3 at:

http://ss3.gemstone.com/ss/VSA.html

For updates, watch the SqueakSource RSS feed:

http://www.squeaksource.com/VSA/feed.rss

Please let me know if there are any comments or questions.

Best,

--Bruce

On Jul 30, 2011, at 12:47 PM, Robert Carleton wrote:

I've been slowly piecing together an implementation of what is called the Viable System Model, or VSM. The model was developed by operations research theorist and cybernetician Stafford Beer in the early 70's. One of the best known projects to use the VSM was an attempted real-time computer-controlled planned economy in the years 1970 to 1973. It was called Project Cybersyn. The system used a telex network and applications running on an IBM 360 computer.

I've been working on a Smalltalk implementation of the model, that I'm calling the Viable System Agent. It's come far enough along, that I think it is ready to show. There is a small web page for the project:

http://home.rbcarleton.com/rbc/software/smalltalk/VSA/

There is a presentation, along with file outs of the present code. See the unit tests for how it might be used. I have to add that it is just a beginning. If you have previously seen Beers ideas in operations research and cybernetics, you might find it interesting.

Best,

--Bruce

PGP.sig (498 bytes) Download Attachment