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The Evil Genius of Fantasy Football
From ACM Opinion

The Evil Genius of Fantasy Football

Watching football means watching young men damage their brains.

Here's Why Cops Should Be Required to Wear a Lapel Camera While on Duty
From ACM Opinion

Here's Why Cops Should Be Required to Wear a Lapel Camera While on Duty

Police officers in Rialto, Calif., carry cameras to record their every action while on duty.

The Many Meanings of Open
From ACM Opinion

The Many Meanings of Open

I was recently asked to talk about the idea of "open," and I realized the term is used in at least eight different ways.

Nobel Prizes 2013: Computer Models That Can Mimic Life
From ACM Opinion

Nobel Prizes 2013: Computer Models That Can Mimic Life

We talk about computer modeling a lot in the context of climate science—powerful algorithms that help scientists get a better idea of how climate systems work,...

Want to Evade Nsa Spying? Don't Connect to the Internet
From ACM Opinion

Want to Evade Nsa Spying? Don't Connect to the Internet

Since I started working with Snowden’s documents, I have been using a number of tools to try to stay secure from the NSA.

A Second Look at the 'second Screen'
From ACM Opinion

A Second Look at the 'second Screen'

Social-media enthusiasts, especially those on Twitter, tend to think their hobby is more popular than it really is. If you're on Twitter a lot, and the people you...

Humans 1, Robots 0
From ACM Opinion

Humans 1, Robots 0

Computers seem to be replacing humans across many industries, and we're all getting very nervous.

Google in Jeopardy: What If IBM's Watson Dethroned the King of Search?
From ACM Opinion

Google in Jeopardy: What If IBM's Watson Dethroned the King of Search?

Remember Watson, IBM's Jeopardy! champion?

How Tom Clancy Changed Video Games
From ACM Opinion

How Tom Clancy Changed Video Games

The widespread mourning of Tom Clancy's death last week is clear testament to a man who managed to have a significant impact across a range of media.

Rage Against the Algorithms
From ACM Opinion

Rage Against the Algorithms

When was the last time you read an online review about a local business or service on a platform like Yelp?

The Lessons of Aaron Swartz
From ACM Opinion

The Lessons of Aaron Swartz

On the day after Aaron Swartz's death in January, President Reif and I spoke about how MIT might respond to the breaking news of his suicide.

What the Future of Sports Games Should Look Like
From ACM Opinion

What the Future of Sports Games Should Look Like

What is realism?

How to Manage Your Digital Afterlife
From ACM Opinion

How to Manage Your Digital Afterlife

After their son's suicide, one Wisconsin couple was desperate for answers.

Putting 'quantumness' to the Test
From ACM Opinion

Putting 'quantumness' to the Test

What is a quantum computer?

Students Are 'hacking' Their School-Issued Ipads: Good For Them
From ACM Careers

Students Are 'hacking' Their School-Issued Ipads: Good For Them

Almost immediately after receiving their new school-issued iPads this fall, students in Indiana and in California (and probably elsewhere) managed to bypass the...

Frax App Brings Fractal-Exploration Glory to iOS
From ACM Opinion

Frax App Brings Fractal-Exploration Glory to iOS

In 1983, intrigued by an article on fractals, I wrote a program to display the Mandelbrot set on my family's TRS-80 Color Computer.

Scientists Must Spearhead Ethical ­se of Big Data
From ACM Opinion

Scientists Must Spearhead Ethical ­se of Big Data

The recent revelation that the National Security Agency collects the personal data of United States citizens, allies and enemies alike has broken the traditional...

Your Digital Trail, And How It Can Be ­sed Against You
From ACM News

Your Digital Trail, And How It Can Be ­sed Against You

While the collection of private information by the National Security Agency is under scrutiny worldwide, a remarkable amount of your digital trail is also available...

Why Free Software Is More Important Now Than Ever Before
From ACM Opinion

Why Free Software Is More Important Now Than Ever Before

It is now 30 years since I launched the campaign for freedom in computing, that is, for software to be free or "libre" (we use that word to emphasize that we're...

In Search of Planetary Intelligence
From ACM Opinion

In Search of Planetary Intelligence

It is said that Mahatma Gandhi, when asked about Western civilization, remarked, "I think it would be a good idea."
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