A lifetime ago, as a young Wall Street reporter, I would frequently walk through a major brokerage or banking firm on my way to an interview and see a dormant PC on every desk. Most of these machines were not even plugged in; in fact, you would often see phone numbers or names fingered in […]
Diane Crawford
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In "The battle over the Institutional Ecosystem in the Digital Environment" (Feb. 2001, p. 84), Yochai Benkler essentially claims that peer-produced information products are at least as valuable as commercially available products. This is not true, as today consumers are overwhelmed by the amount of information freely available on the Internet; much of it is […]
This is our third journey into the realm of digital libraries in the form of special sections devoted to defining, designing, and delivering network-based information systems for distributing a world of knowledge to a global community of information-seekers. When we began this coverage in 1995, the technical challenges centered on creating a digital replica of […]
Forum: Evolving Commitment to the Profession of Computer Science
Peter Denning’s new column "The Profession of IT" (Feb. 2001, p. 15) takes an important tack in the evolution of computer science, IT, and informatics. As an educator, I emphasize to my students the need for developing professionalism. This has broad meaning, including membership and contribution to their professional society, a positive attitude about their […]
In the world of telecommunications, more is never enough. Pursuing ever greater capacity and services, the long-time suppliers of voice-based services are transforming themselves into full-service providers of a galaxy of communication and IT options. The challenge now becomes how to manage all we have while still developing more solutions. As usual, we turn to […]
In a couple of weeks, many of the tools and technologies destined to enhance the lives and livelihoods of future generations will move from development laboratories to the San Jose Convention Center. Indeed, as you read this, ACM is putting the finishing touches on one of its most ambitious events—a specialized futuristic conference to educate […]
I agree with Hal Berghel’s thesis ("Digital Politics 2000," Nov. 2000, p. 17) that the major presidential candidates’ Web sites did nothing to advance the state of democracy. The column raises a few questions, including: What steps are necessary to improve the state of democracy? Berghel mentions low voter turnout and the influence of monied […]
Despite the new systems, safeguards, and laws introduced each year promising to protect our digital domain, none have managed to have the needed strength to win the war against hackers. Attacks are escalating; and the casualties (business, financial, health care, privacy, and national security, among others) are mounting on a global scale. Last year goes […]
A new U.S. president was named last night. The pronouncement came 36 nights after the election took place and what occurred between then and now will be dissected for decades to come. Countless words—in every language—have been written on this unprecedented race for the U.S. presidency, and you can bet this is just a warm-up […]
We all have our own personal benchmarks when it comes to trusting technology. It’s that moment when we may hesitate, if not refuse, to perform a function electronically by weighing the convenience over the possible negative consequences. Sometimes the decision is based on simple fear of the unknown, sometimes on real, deep-rooted experience or concern. […]
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