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Societal Implications of the Emerging Smart Grid
From Communications of the ACM

Societal Implications of the Emerging Smart Grid

Seeking solutions to concerns that go beyond the engineering of the smart grid.

Learning to Teach Computer Science
From Communications of the ACM

Learning to Teach Computer Science: The Need For a Methods Course

A multipronged approach to preparing computer science teachers is critical to success.

Decentralization Versus Centralization in IT Governance
From Communications of the ACM

Decentralization Versus Centralization in IT Governance

It's not as simple as you might think.

Oracle v. Google
From Communications of the ACM

Oracle v. Google: Are APIs Copyrightable?

Assessing the first phase of the trial based on claims that Google's Android platform infringes Oracle's Java-related copyrights and patents.

The Research Value of Publishing Attacks
From Communications of the ACM

The Research Value of Publishing Attacks

Security research can be improved by more effectively sharing what is learned from attacks on information systems.

DARPA-Funded Radio Hackrf Aims to Be a $300 Wireless Swiss Army Knife For Hackers
From ACM Opinion

DARPA-Funded Radio Hackrf Aims to Be a $300 Wireless Swiss Army Knife For Hackers

Since the days of Alan Turing, the promise of a digital computer has been that of a universal machine, one that can be a word processor one minute and a robot brain...

Ipad Mini Launch: Why Steve Jobs Thought 7in Tablets Would Fail
From ACM Opinion

Ipad Mini Launch: Why Steve Jobs Thought 7in Tablets Would Fail

So if Apple is really launching a 7.85in "iPad mini", how does that square with what Steve Jobs said two years ago?

Fresh Windows, but Where’s the Start Button?
From ACM Opinion

Fresh Windows, but Where’s the Start Button?

Over the years, Keith McCarthy has become used to a certain way of doing things on his personal computers, which, like most others on the planet, have long run...

Star Trek Technology: How 21st Century Scientists Are Making It So
From ACM Opinion

Star Trek Technology: How 21st Century Scientists Are Making It So

Destination Star Trek London has kicked off at the ExCeL exhibition centre, and I'm willing to bet that among those heading down for a weekend of pointy-eared fun...

And the Firewalls Came Tumbling Down
From ACM Opinion

And the Firewalls Came Tumbling Down

There's much to like about "This Machine Kills Secrets," Andy Greenberg's well-reported history of WikiLeaks and the many projects it has inspired, but one unintentionally...

Patent Could Shackle 3D Printers with Drm
From ACM Opinion

Patent Could Shackle 3D Printers with Drm

One of the greatest benefits of 3D printing technology—the ability to make replacements or parts for household objects like toys, utensils and gadgets—may be denied...

How I Accidentally Helped Compromise the Secret Keys of High-Security Handcuffs
From ACM Opinion

How I Accidentally Helped Compromise the Secret Keys of High-Security Handcuffs

In the age of freely available modeling software, laser cutters and 3D printers, shapes that must stay secret for security's sake don't stay secret for long. Especially...

Google's Little Nemo Tribute: Maybe The Best Google Doodle Ever
From ACM Opinion

Google's Little Nemo Tribute: Maybe The Best Google Doodle Ever

Winsor McCay (1869–1934) was one of the first important creators of both comic strips and animation, and a pretty fair political cartoonist to boot.

The Chinese Steve Jobs Is Probably a Pirate
From ACM Opinion

The Chinese Steve Jobs Is Probably a Pirate

When discussing innovation, the Chinese like to tout the country’s "Four Great Inventions"—paper, gunpowder, the compass, and woodblock printing—and their enormous...

A Better Approach to Huawei, Zte, and Chinese Cyberspying? Distrust and Verify
From ACM Opinion

A Better Approach to Huawei, Zte, and Chinese Cyberspying? Distrust and Verify

In the wake of the 60-page report from Congress’s Select Committee On Intelligence recommending U.S. companies stop buying Chinese-made telecommunications gear...

The Apple Maps Debate and the Real Future of Mapping
From ACM Opinion

The Apple Maps Debate and the Real Future of Mapping

The news of the last couple weeks about the stark differences between Apple and Google's mapshave shed light on how hard it is to build a mobile map.

Digital First Isn't an Option for Media—It's the Only Way Forward
From ACM Opinion

Digital First Isn't an Option for Media—It's the Only Way Forward

Everywhere you look in the traditional media industry, you can see signs of turmoil and disruption: to take just a few recent examples, the New York Times is ...

Twitter: Who Do the Politicians Follow?
From ACM Opinion

Twitter: Who Do the Politicians Follow?

You can tell a lot about a politician's priorities from who they deign to follow on Twitter. When David Cameron joined the service on Saturday, he started out following...

How Steve Jobs' Legacy Has Changed
From ACM Opinion

How Steve Jobs' Legacy Has Changed

When Apple co-founder Steve Jobs succumbed to cancer in his California home a year ago today, the world rushed to eulogize him in glowing terms: Genius. Visionary...

Facebook's 1 Billion ­sers and What They Say About the Future of Computing
From ACM Opinion

Facebook's 1 Billion ­sers and What They Say About the Future of Computing

After several months as the Internet's punching bag, Facebook finally has something to brag about: 1 billion active users.
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