April 2019 - Vol. 62 No. 4

April 2019 issue cover image

Features

Opinion Cerf's up Apr 1 2019

In Debt to the NSF

In 1980, the National Science Foundation sponsored the development of CSNET to connect a number of computer science departments together that had not already been connected to the ARPANET. NSF continues its vigorous support for network research to this day.

Vinton G. Cerf

Computing Profession

Google Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist Vinton G. Cerf

BLOG@CACM Apr 1 2019

Pondering Variables and Direct Instruction

Robin K. Hill considers the nature of variables, while Mark Guzdial reflects on renewed interest in the "direct instruction model."

Robin K. Hill and Mark Guzdial

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Robin Hill, Mark Guzdial

News Apr 1 2019

Soft Robots Look to New Environments

These non-standard automatons appear best suited for applications under water and in space.

Chris Edwards

Architecture and Hardware

Octobot soft robot

News Apr 1 2019

The Future of Data Storage

Research into next-generation storage techniques marches forward, yet tape remains the most viable, dependable medium.

Samuel Greengard

Architecture and Hardware

data storage drive, illustration

News Mar 20 2019

The Fine Line Between Coercion and Care

Employers monitoring their workforce must balance productivity and security considerations with employee privacy and welfare concerns.

Sarah Underwood

Computing Applications

worker monitoring a wall full of screens

Opinion Technology strategy and management Apr 1 2019

Free Trade in a Digital World

Considering the possible implications for free trade, traditionally based on non-digital goods, for a modern global economy that is increasingly based on intangible products and services enabled by digital technologies.

Mari Sako

Computing Profession

cargo storage containers

Opinion Kode Vicious Apr 1 2019

Know Your Algorithms

Stop using hardware to solve software problems.

George V. Neville-Neil

Computing Applications

rows of servers

Opinion Viewpoint Apr 1 2019

The Web Is Missing an Essential Part of Infrastructure: An Open Web Index

A proposal for building an index of the Web that separates the infrastructure part of the search engine—the index—from the services part that will form the basis for myriad search engines and other services utilizing Web data on top of a public infrastructure open to everyone.

Dirk Lewandowski

Computing Profession

spider web and colored lights

Research and Advances Europe region Apr 1 2019

Welcome to the Europe Region Special Section

Europe provides a unique environment for the development of a distinctive computing landscape. You will see this reflected in the Europe Region Special Section.

Panagiota Fatourou and Chris Hankin

Computing Profession

Panagiota Fatourou, Chris Hankin

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Hot topics Apr 1 2019

A Demographic Snapshot of the IT Workforce in Europe

The number of ICT specialists in the EU workforce has grown over 36% in the last 10 years. This increase helps explain why ICT employment has resisted the effects of the region's overall financial crisis.

Lisa Korrigane

Computing Profession

flag map of Europe

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Hot topics Apr 1 2019

Enterprises Lead ICT Innovation in Europe

Europe's tech ecosystem is renewing itself: $3.5 billion was invested in so-called deep tech companies in 2017 across more than 600 deals, up from $2.5 billion in 2016.

David Pringle

Computing Profession

map of Europe, networking concept, illustration

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Hot topics Apr 1 2019

Europe’s Ambitious ICT Agenda

With an aging population and a shrinking workforce, Europe needs to tap artificial intelligence, 5G wireless connectivity, quantum computing, and other ICT technologies that could drive the next step change in productivity.

David Pringle

Computing Profession

hand touching glowing circuit board

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Hot topics Apr 1 2019

Europe’s Well-Connected Consumers

Europeans have mixed feelings about the direction in which ICT is headed.

David Pringle

Computing Profession

man on cobblestone street examines mobile phone

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Hot topics Apr 1 2019

New European Data Privacy and Cyber Security Laws: One Year Later

Two landmark pieces of legislation taking effect in Europe this year represent a major shift in the European industry's approach to privacy and security compliance.

Laurence Kalman

Computing Profession

flag with GDPR initials in circle of stars

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Hot topics Apr 1 2019

Incorporating Europe’s Values in Future Research

Increasing digitalization and automation, growing globalization, and improved financial durability offer many excellent opportunities for development.

Jan Gulliksen

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Hot topics Apr 1 2019

HiPEAC: A European Network Built to Last

High Performance and Embedded Architecture and Compilation (HiPEAC) has grown from 70 to 2,000 computing specialists in the last 15 years, including 200 from industry, making it the largest such network in the world.

Koen De Bosschere, Marc Duranton, and Madeleine Gray

Computing Profession

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Hot topics Apr 1 2019

ACM Europe Council’s Best Paper Awards

The ACM Europe Council's Best Paper Awards recognize authors of outstanding technical contributions to ACM-sponsored conferences held in Europe.

Joaquim Jorge, Mashhuda Glencross, and Aaron Quigley

Computing Profession

gold medal, illustration

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Big trends Apr 1 2019

Connected Things Connecting Europe

Modern embedded system microcontroller and transceiver technology advancements have brought forth the kinds of systems we have defined for some time in Europe as "embedded intelligence."

Architecture and Hardware

communication connections on map of Europe, illustration

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Big trends Apr 1 2019

Women Are Needed in STEM: European Policies and Incentives

In Europe, gender balance in research and innovation is understood as a social justice and equality issue.

Panagiota Fatourou, Yota Papageorgiou, and Vasiliki Petousi

Computing Profession

woman in science lab

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Big trends Apr 1 2019

Informatics as a Fundamental Discipline for the 21st Century

Informatics should be recognized by all as a truly foundational discipline that plays a significant role in education for the 21st century.

Michael E. Caspersen, Judith Gal-Ezer, Andrew McGettrick, and Enrico Nardelli

Computing Profession

student at computer in classroom, 'Informatics' on blackboard

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Big trends Apr 1 2019

The European Perspective on Responsible Computing

Europe is at the forefront of the regulation and reflections on digital systems through its institutional bodies.

Paola Inverardi

Computing Profession

Marienplatz Square in Munich, illustration

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Big trends Apr 1 2019

Toward a European Exascale Ecosystem: The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking

European supercomputing infrastructures represent a strategic resource for understanding and responding to the increasing challenges European citizens will face in the years to come.

Thomas Skordas

Architecture and Hardware

data center with server cabinets

Research and Advances Europe Region Special Section: Big trends Apr 1 2019

Web Science in Europe: Beyond Boundaries

There is increasing concern in Europe—and beyond—that the Web has become a vehicle of disintegration, polarization, and exploitation. Web Science seeks to investigate, analyze, and intervene in the Web from a sociotechnical perspective.

Steffen Staab, Susan Halford, and Wendy Hall

Computing Applications

group of people, illustration

Practice Apr 1 2019

Identity by Any Other Name

The complex cacophony of intertwined systems.

Pat Helland

Architecture and Hardware

fabric petaled rose

Practice Apr 1 2019

Metrics That Matter

Critical but oft-neglected service metrics that every SRE and product owner should care about.

Benjamin Treynor Sloss, Shylaja Nukala, and Vivek Rau

Computing Applications

man with giant ruler measuring the word 'Reliability,' illustration

Practice Apr 1 2019

Research for Practice: Edge Computing

Scaling resources within multiple administrative domains.

Nitesh Mor

Architecture and Hardware

3D geometric structure, illustration

Research and Advances Contributed articles Apr 1 2019

Analytics for Managerial Work

Work in finance, marketing, human resources, and operations increasingly relies on analytics—with more to come.

Vijay Khatri and Binny M. Samuel

Computing Applications

managing multiple tasks, illustration

Research and Advances Review articles Apr 1 2019

Neural Algorithms and Computing Beyond Moore’s Law

Advances in neurotechnologies are reigniting opportunities to bring neural computation insights into broader computing applications.

James B. Aimone

Architecture and Hardware

brain inputs and outputs, illustration

Research and Advances Review articles Apr 1 2019

Cyber Security in the Quantum Era

Quantum systems will significantly affect the field of cyber security research.

Petros Wallden and Elham Kashefi

Architecture and Hardware

cyber security, illustration

Research and Advances Research highlights Apr 1 2019

Technical Perspective: Was Edgar Allan Poe Wrong After All?

Umesh Vazirani and Thomas Vidick's "Fully Device Independent Quantum Key Distribution" provides an unexpectedly simple and elegant secure protocol solution, indeed one that is almost within reach of current technology.

Gilles Brassard

Systems and Networking

Research and Advances Research highlights Apr 1 2019

Fully Device Independent Quantum Key Distribution

We rigorously provide the device-independent security of an entanglement-based protocol building on Ekert's original proposal for quantum key distribution.

Umesh Vazirani and Thomas Vidick

Systems and Networking

black box, illustration

Opinion Last byte Apr 1 2019

Fighting for Lava

There are vast underground lava fields in the western U.S. Imagine a pair of tunnelboring energy-extraction companies are competing to cool the lava, make some money, and provide carbon-free energy besides.

Dennis Shasha

flowing volcano lava

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