Editorial Pointers

Research efforts to organize and build systems that self-manage and self-monitor themselves with little to no human intervention have moved from experimenting with different alternatives to truly designing methods for facilitating the management of very complex systems more effectively and (hopefully) invisibly.

Some of the most potent cues for the latest "self" research, as you will learn in this month’s special section on self-managed systems and services, come from nature—the science of not only adapting to cyclical elements but repairing and reconfiguring when the unforeseen occurs. Guest editors Jean-Philippe Martin-Flatin, Joe Sventek, and Kurt Geihs contend the need to migrate to strongly distributed management solutions where management decisions are centralized has never been more compelling. Here, they call on recognized researchers in the field to present a wide-ranging view of the opportunities and challenges still facing the technology of self-management.

Also this month, Robert Beatty and Craig Williams warn systems managers to heed the lessons learned by organizations that have implemented ERP upgrades before they tackle such daunting projects. And Zhiping Walter and George Scott examine the differences between managing Internet/Web systems versus traditional systems.

Juan Gilbert explores Applications Quest—an evaluation system developed by the University of Michigan to measure student diversity in existing admissions policies. This pilot program helps admissions officers evaluate student applicants holistically. And Mazliza Othman and Rodziah Latih discuss CS/IT education in Malaysia, where female students outnumber—yes, outnumber—male students. Their study indicates women in this country have a far different perception of CS/IT compared to their counterparts in the West.

Aldo de Moor and Mark Aakhus propose an approach for argumentative support that draws upon the Language-Action Perspective. Vicki McKinney and Mary Whiteside explore the most effective technological ways for maintaining distributed relationships in business settings. And some things never change, according to Martin Halvey et al., who find users surf the mobile Web in basically the same way they surf the traditional Web.

In "Viewpoint," Jeannette Wing sings the praises of computational thinking for its universal appeal and application for all students, not just those in CS. Robert Glass wonders if China and India are the technology threat the media makes them out to be in "Practical Programmer." And David Patterson’s "President’s Letter" this month is a double bill: he shares his thoughts on ways the CS curriculum should change to revitalize the field for students and faculty, then he presents the results of the ACM member vote for favorite CS books.

Diane Crawford
Editor