December 2007 - Vol. 50 No. 12

Features

Opinion Editorial pointers Dec 1 2007

Creativity is as individual as the mind from which it springs. While designers have long used tools to help support creative ideas once unearthed, a new set of tools is helping the discovery process by accelerating the journey toward innovation. Moreover, these tools can be used by individuals, groups, and even whole communities. Our cover […]

Diane Crawford

Computing Applications

News News track Dec 1 2007

News Track

As it happens much of the world’s Internet and telephone traffic is routed through switching points within the U.S., where, under legislation introduced in October, the U.S. National Security Agency will be free to continue tapping it. Wired reports the so-called RESTORE Act (as in Responsible Electronic Surveillance That is Overseen, Reviewed, and Effective Act […]

CACM Staff

Computing Applications

Opinion Forum Dec 1 2007

Forum

In "Software Patents: The Good, the Bad, and the Messy" (Oct. 2007), Matt E. Thatcher and David E. Pingry concluded that "…the time and costs associated with collecting, analyzing, and maintaining the information necessary to identify and implement a good policy likely outweigh the potential benefits." The simple model of a lone innovator and lone […]

Computing Applications

Opinion Digital village Dec 1 2007

Credit Card Forensics

Decoding the magnetic attraction of criminals to swiping.

Hal Berghel

Computing Applications

Opinion Viewpoint Dec 1 2007

Powerpoint at 20: Back to Basics

Let simplicity inspire, and resist the lure of unreadable fonts, stock clip art, sound effects, and flying bullet points.

Robert Gaskins

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Dec 1 2007

Creativity Support Tools: Accelerating Discovery and Innovation

How can designers of programming interfaces, interactive tools, and rich social environments enable more people to be more creative more often?

Ben Shneiderman

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Dec 1 2007

Are Your Citations Clean?

If they are, only one can refer to a distinct document; if not, many can refer to the same document.

Computing Applications

News Dec 1 2007

Nominees For Elections and Report of the ACM Nominating Committee

In accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the ACM, the Nominating Committee hereby submits the following slate of nominees for ACM’s officers. In addition to the officers of the ACM, six Members at Large will be elected. The names of the candidates for each office are presented in random order below: President (7/1/086/30/10): Wendy […]

CACM Staff

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Dec 1 2007

Trespass, Nuisance, and Spam: 11th Century Common Law Meets the Internet

Even in the instantaneous world of cyberspace, common law still provides a protective shield over many Internet problems.

Robert J. Aalberts, Percy Poon, and Paul Thistle

Architecture and Hardware

Research and Advances Dec 1 2007

Multidisciplinary Research on the Datapath of the Computing Disciplines

Social cognitive career theory helps determine why minorities and women are still so underrepresented in the computing disciplines in colleges and universities.

Antonio M. Lopez, Frederick G. Lopez, Robert W. Lent, and Madonna G. Constantine

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Dec 1 2007

Moving Beyond User Participation to Achieve Successful IS Design

A call for user engagement cannot be scheduled at a specific point in the software development process. Valuable user input comes in waves throughout the project and developers would do best to listen and learn.

Erica L. Wagner and Gabriele Piccoli

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Dec 1 2007

Standards Development and Diffusion: A Case Study of RosettaNet

The RosettaNet consortium aligns its diffusion strategies with its development processes while adapting them to the local conditions in the home countries of its member organizations.

Wai Fong Boh, Christina Soh, and Steven Yeo

Architecture and Hardware

Research and Advances Dec 1 2007

Implementing Component Reuse Strategy in Complex Products Environments

Tensions grow---and often so do costs---when operating procedures change. This corporate study illustrates how friction between engineers and management can be eased by introducing complementary initiatives.

Ilan Oshri, Sue Newell, and Shan L. Pan

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Research and Advances Dec 1 2007

Tracing Variations in Software Product Families

When one size doesn't fit all, what type of knowledge best helps manage variability in product family engineering?

Kannan Mohan and Balasubramaniam Ramesh

Computing Applications

Practice Dec 1 2007

Self-Organization in Manufacturing Operations

Giving workpieces an active role in searching for processing steps by available machines in a manufacturing system.

Klaus Schild and Stefan Bussmann

Computing Applications

Practice Dec 1 2007

Fix IT-Business Relationships Through Better Decision Rights

"The perils of screwing up (with technology) are greater every year, making the stakes for effective communication even higher." --Stan Lepeak, VP of technology research services at MetaGroup.

Varun Grover, Raymond M. Henry, and Jason B. Thatcher

Computing Applications

Research and Advances Dec 1 2007

Competing with IT: The Role of Shared IT-Business Understanding

Studying why some firms derive more competitive advantage and value than others using IT resources.

Gautam Ray, Waleed A. Muhanna, and Jay B. Barney

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Opinion Hot Links Dec 1 2007

Top 10 Downloads from ACM’s Digital Library

Communications of the ACM Volume 50, Number 12 (2007), Pages 92-92 Hot Links: Top 10 Downloads from ACM’s digital library Diane Crawford Table of Contents Tables Back to Top Tables Table. The Top 10 Most Popular Papers from ACM’s Refereed Journals and Conference Proceedings Downloaded in September 2007 Table. Top 10 Most Popular Magazine and […]

Computing Applications

Opinion Technical opinion Dec 1 2007

Counting the Cost of Virtual Teams

Studying the performance, satisfaction, and group dynamics of virtual and face-to-face teams.

Emmeline de Pillis and Kimberly Furumo

Computing Applications

Opinion Technical opinion Dec 1 2007

Training Future Software Developers to Acquire Agile Development Skills

Giving students experience developing and delivering large-scale systems under time constraints and shifting deadlines.

Chuan-Hoo Tan and Hock-Hai Teo

Computing Applications

Opinion Inside risks Dec 1 2007

Internal Surveillance, External Risks

Building surveillance technologies into communications networks is risky. Two years ago, Greece discovered that legally installed surveillance software in a cell phone network had been surreptitiously activated by unknown persons: over 100 senior members of their government were tapped for almost a year. Things were no better in Italy, where a number of employees at […]

Computing Applications

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