Communications of the ACM
An edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.
From ACM News
Virtual Farm Games Absorb Real Money, Real Lives
Last century's cash crops included tobacco, cotton, and sugar cane. Now we have magic cauliflower and super berries, too—and even though they can't be sold at...
From ACM News
Stuxnet Could Hijack Power Plants, Refineries
A worm that targets critical infrastructure companies doesn't just steal data, it leaves a back door that could be used to remotely and secretly control plant...
From ACM News
For Kevin Mitnick, Staying Legal Is Job One
Kevin Mitnick was eager to participate in a social-engineering contest at the Defcon hacker conference in Las Vegas last weekend and was told he would target Microsoft...
From ACM News
.s. Military Cyberwar: What's Off-Limits?
The United States should decide on rules for attacking other nations' networks in advance of an actual cyberwar, which could include an international agreement...
From ACM News
Working to Make Combat Soldiers' Lives Easier
In combat, things can be so chaotic and loud that soldiers sometimes aren't even aware they're being shot at.
From ACM News
A Trip Beyond the Edge of the Observable Universe
If you want to see what outer space looks like, there may be no better way to do so than to have Carter Emmart take you on a ride there.
From ACM News
China's Green Dam May Be Ready to Collapse
China's Green Dam software-filtering project has been staying afloat without government funds for the past year, but the project may now be in danger of collapse...
From ACM News
Police Push to Continue Warrantless Cell Tracking
A law requiring police to obtain a search warrant before tracking Americans' cell phones may imperil criminal investigations and endanger children's lives, a law...
From ACM TechNews
Willow Garage Gets Robots Into Researchers' Hands
Willow Garage has given 11 teams from around the world the right to use its PR2 open source robots and operating system to develop new uses for the technology and...
From ACM News
Computer Pioneer Palevsky Was Wary of Google, Games, Pcs
Max Palevsky, the computer industry pioneer and early investor in Intel who died at age 85 last week, had, ironically, a fairly well-documented skepticism of...
From ACM News
Nsa's Boot Camp For Cyberdefense
If you're the kind of person who worries about the security of computer networks, you should know that the National Security Agency is worrying about it too. Since...
From ACM News
Google Backs Yahoo in Privacy Fight with Doj
Google and an alliance of privacy groups have come to Yahoo's aid by helping the Web portal fend off a broad request from the U.S. Department of Justice for e-mail...
From ACM TechNews
Turning Smartphones Into Air Quality Monitors
Intel Labs has developed Common Sense, a portable device that collects and analyzes nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone information, and enables users to...
From ACM News
Internet's Future on Display at Singularity U.
The Internet of the future is an intelligent network capable of proactively acting on our needs, following us wherever we go, helping provide us with focused health...
From ACM TechNews
The Internet Can Make You Smarter, Experts Say
A Pew Internet survey of 900 scientists, business leaders, and technology developers found that most thought that the Internet can improve humanity's overall grasp...
From ACM TechNews
Experts Warn of Catastrophe From Cyberattacks
A panel of experts told U.S. senators at a recent hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation that the United States would be defeated...
From ACM News
Intel Alliance to Invest $3.5 Billion in .s. Tech
Intel President and Chief Operating Officer Paul Otellini wants to see the U.S. more competitive and has announced plans for a new alliance to invest $3.5 billion...
From ACM News
Feds Push For Tracking Cell Phones
Two years ago, when the FBI was stymied by a band of armed robbers known as the "Scarecrow Bandits" that had robbed more than 20 Texas banks, it came up with aconvicted...
From ACM News