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Version Aversion
From Communications of the ACM

Version Aversion

The way you number your releases communicates more than you might think.

Risks of Undisciplined Development
From Communications of the ACM

Risks of Undisciplined Development

An illustration of the problems caused by a lack of discipline in software development and our failure to apply what is known in the field.

From ACM Opinion

Crisis in Computing

It may not be obvious, but if you’ve checked the weather today, ridden in a car or an airplane, made a phone call, or used any number of consumer products, down...

Why God Did Not Create the ­niverse
From ACM Opinion

Why God Did Not Create the ­niverse

There is a sound scientific explanation for the making of our world—no gods required.

Objects Never? Well, Hardly Ever!
From Communications of the ACM

Objects Never? Well, Hardly Ever!

Revisiting the Great Objects Debate.

Principles of the Law of Software Contracts
From Communications of the ACM

Principles of the Law of Software Contracts

An overview of a new set of legal principles for software contracts developed by the American Law Institute.

Return at Risk
From Communications of the ACM

Return at Risk

Calculating the likely true cost of projects.

The First Church of Robotics
From ACM Opinion

The First Church of Robotics

This constant stream of stories about artificial intelligence suggests that machines are becoming smart and autonomous, a new form of life, and that we should...

The Itch of Curiosity
From ACM Opinion

The Itch of Curiosity

Curiosity is one of those personality traits that gets short scientific shrift. It strikes me as a really important mental habit—how many successful people are...

Rights For Autonomous Artificial Agents?
From Communications of the ACM

Rights For Autonomous Artificial Agents?

The growing role of artificial agents necessitates modifying legal frameworks to better address human interests.

Presenting Your Project
From Communications of the ACM

Presenting Your Project

The what, the how, and the why of giving an effective presentation.

Lithium: Why It Makes Such Great Batteries
From ACM Opinion

Lithium: Why It Makes Such Great Batteries

One theme I ran into over and over while writing about the periodic table was the future of energy and the question of which element or elements will replace carbon...

Is Computer Science Truly Scientific?
From Communications of the ACM

Is Computer Science Truly Scientific?

Reflections on the (experimental) scientific method in computer science.

From ACM Opinion

Venter: The Implications of Our Synthetic Cell

We did not create life from scratch: we transformed existing life into new life. Nor did we design and build a new chromosome from scratch. Rather, using only digitised...

Plotting Away
From Communications of the ACM

Plotting Away

Dear KV, I've been working with some code that generates massive data sets, and . . . I'm finding that more and more often I...

The Resurgence of Parallelism
From Communications of the ACM

The Resurgence of Parallelism

Parallel computation is making a comeback after a quarter century of neglect. Past research can be put to quick use today.

Cloud Computing and Electricity: Beyond the Utility Model
From Communications of the ACM

Cloud Computing and Electricity: Beyond the Utility Model

Assessing the strengths, weaknesses, and general applicability of the computing-as-utility business model.

The Data-Structure Canon
From Communications of the ACM

The Data-Structure Canon

Data structures are part of the foundation of computer science. It pays to revisit them from time to time.

Cloud Computing and SaaS as New Computing Platforms
From Communications of the ACM

Cloud Computing and SaaS as New Computing Platforms

To become an industry platform, vendors must open their infrastructure technology to other product companies.

Be Careful What You Wish For
From Communications of the ACM

Be Careful What You Wish For

Reflections on the decline of mathematical tables.
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