Communications of the ACM
The opinion archive provides access to past opinion stories from Communications of the ACM and other sources by date.
October 2014
From ACM Opinion
Should We Tailor Difficulty of a School Text to Child's Comfort Level or Make Them Sweat?
"A man who traveled from Liberia to visit family members in Texas tested positive for Ebola on Tuesday, marking the outbreak's first diagnosis outside of Africa, health officials said."
From ACM Opinion
The Planning Machine
In June, 1972, Ángel Parra, Chile’s leading folksinger, wrote a song titled "Litany for a Computer and a Baby About to Be Born."
From ACM Opinion
Your Phone Screen Just Won the Nobel Prize in Physics
You've probably got the fruits of this year’s Nobel laureates' handiwork in your pocket. In fact, if you're reading this on your phone or a relatively recent flat-screen monitor, you're more than likely staring at some of them…
From ACM Opinion
The Fourth Major Era of Computing Kicks In
With mobile users now outnumbering desktop users, a new economic cycle has begun.
From ACM Opinion
Can Virtual Reality Make You a Better Person?
"This is already so real, I don’t know if I even want to do this anymore," I say out loud.
From ACM Opinion
The Nsa and Me
The tone of the answering machine message was routine, like a reminder for a dental appointment. But there was also an undercurrent of urgency.
From ACM Opinion
How The Cold War And George Orwell Helped Make The Internet What It Is
The story of how the digital age came to be involves a cast of more than 40 people, ranging from a 19th century English countess to California hippies.
From ACM Opinion
Intel Meets its 'makers,' with Chips For Diy Set and the Firms They'll Found
Intel's Edison chip has been launched in a rocket, floated in a weather balloon, fitted into a futuristic light-emitting dress and used to power a dancing robot spider.
From ACM Opinion
We Want Privacy, but Can't Stop Sharing
Imagine a world suddenly devoid of doors.
From ACM Opinion
Every Computer System Can Be Compromised
Unfortunately, there are many risks inherent in online banking and debit cards.
From ACM Opinion
Cyber Spy High: Meet the Nsa's Hacker Recruiter
The National Security Agency has a recruiting problem.
From ACM Opinion
How Humans Could Inhabit the Solar System
With our rising planet's population competing for space and resources, some people are convinced we need to look beyond Earth to help ensure humanity's survival.
From ACM Opinion
What It Will Take For Computers to Be Conscious
Is a worm conscious? How about a bumblebee? Does a computer that can play chess "feel" anything?
From ACM Opinion
A Rare Look at Design Genius Jony Ive: The Man Behind the Apple Watch
I first catch sight of Jony Ive across the Apple campus, in a plain Dodger-blue T-shirt and white painter's pants, in conversation, nodding.
From Communications of the ACM
Risks and Myths of Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage
Considering existing and new types of risks inherent in cloud services.
From Communications of the ACM
Outsourcing Responsibility
What do you do when your debugger fails you?
From Communications of the ACM
Vendor: Vidi, Vici
Some hidden costs of outsourcing.
From Communications of the ACM
The Bitcoin Ecosystem
Speculating on how the Bitcoin economy might evolve.
From Communications of the ACM
A Turing Tale
Assessing the accuracy of popular descriptions of Alan Turing's influences and legacy.
From Communications of the ACM
Disrupting and Transforming the -University
Higher education institutions must modify their business models in response to technology-driven influences.