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The objective of this paper is to consider the recommendations and expectations of the IMIA WG10 working conferences at Nijmegen (1988) and Go¨ttingen (1991) from the present perspective. The methods: the original task description of WG10 is considered and the main items during the Nijmegen and Gottingen working conferences are addressed. The design and use of a HIS are compared by those for a ship. The results: the tasks of WG10 have only partially been completed. However, for several items significant progress has been made. The conclusions: the recommendations of the earlier conferences are to a large extent still valid. A scientific foundation for HIS development has not yet been created, in this respect HIS design and development compares unfavourably with shipbuilding. The choice has to be made: either we consider HIS development as an art or we give priority to the development of a Science of Health Information Processing (SHIP) to found the HIS development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]