Editorial Pointers

Advanced information technology has tapped our imaginations to the core; its effects on our lives and livelihoods simply too profound to even digest. Indeed, the social effects of computerization resonate worldwide, influencing entire cultures, democracies, and economies at the most basic level.

Chronicling even the most critical effects of IT on society over the past 50 years is a daunting task, but one tackled enthusiastically by guest editors Abbe Mowshowitz and Murray Turoff, who spirited this month’s section on our "Digital Society." The articles herein focus on the fundamental IT-based transformations in social organization and structure, including such areas as the growth of the IT work force; human interaction; education; autonomy; aging; and the factors that continue to impede universal access. Our thanks to all authors for sharing their big pictures.

Also in this issue, Malhotra and Segars warn service providers that understanding the factors leading to mobile commerce adoption—and the likely road the technology will follow—is key to designing and producing new services consumers want and will purchase. Kim, Kishore, and Sanders introduce a framework for developing and evaluating e-business systems from the information quality perspective. And Radev et al. introduce a customizable news delivery and summarization system they contend is the first step toward the next generation of news technologies featuring user-driven access.

IT job opportunities are on a comeback, but the skill requirements have changed. Prabhakar, Litecky, and Arnett explore the challenges facing IT professionals today in keeping up with the skills in demand. Adomavicius and Tuzhilin describe a process-oriented approach to personalization, noting the need for solid design principles to integrate all the stages in the process. And Lee, Tan, and Trimi trace the lessons learned from the countries leading the way in revolutionizing how their governments use information and communications technology.

In "Technology Strategy and Management," Michael Cusumano shares his keen observations of software industry operations in Ireland. In "Legally Speaking," Pamela Samuelson scrutinizes the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in MGM v. Grokster, and questions how much MGM really won. Kenneth A. Ross warns how students can abuse the Web’s bounty, sharing his firsthand experience with a student’s attempt to contract out programming "answers" online in this month’s "Viewpoint." And in his monthly "President’s Letter," David Patterson lays out the many new features and offerings of ACM’s Professional Development Centre.

Diane Crawford
Editor