Beyond calculation [1], to which this book is a sequel, was part of the celebration of the ACM golden jubilee, which also included a conference, ACM97, in San Jose, California. It primarily consisted of essays that dealt with visions of the future of computing, based on talks given at ACM97. This book takes a similar tack, but the theme of the discussions and essays is how computers will influence how we live, learn, teach, and communicate with each other in the coming decades. Many of its essays are based on talks--in fact, many are transcripts of the actual talks--at the ACM97 conference.
James Burke, a television producer, provides an introduction called “Opening Connections” and a summarizing conclusion called “Closing Connections.” He also provides an introduction to each essay, which is essentially the transcript of the introduction given for the speaker at the celebration. Each of these introductions is followed by what appears to be a transcript of the speaker’s talk.
Peter Denning’s “Then Now” introduces the book and provides his analysis of six presuppositions he perceives as running through the essays. These presuppositions are that technology will continue to progress at an ever-increasing rate, producing generally positive change; technology drives social and commercial change, placing technologists in a special stewardship; surprises will abound; computers can--and should--be a leveling force, eliminating class differences and pulling up the indigent; computers and information are great metaphors for understanding how things work; and virtual reality blurs the distinction between what is real and what is not.
Gordon Bell, Joel Birnbaum, James Burke, Vinton Cerf, Peter Denning, Bran Ferren, Fernando Flores, Murray Gell-Mann, Reed Hundt, David J. Kasik, Brenda Laurel, Pattie Maes, Carver Mead, Nathan Myhrvold, William Perry, Raj Reddy, Elliot Soloway, Bruce Sterling, and Maurice Wilkes provide the contributions. They provide a variety of viewpoints from various generations, applications, and professions. Given the nature of the celebration and its affiliation, most of the participants create, use, apply, and make a living through technology. Even from those invested points of view, they attempt to apply critical thinking in their ideas and observations.
The book is a good read. Some of the essays drag, others captivate, and some will stimulate reactions and alternative ideas, depending on the reader’s background, interest, and awareness. For instance, I was stimulated by Ferren’s thoughts on processes used by people to produce things. I found his ideas on the “requirements person” and the contrary “big idea” process provocative--insightful as well as useful. The contributors express many ideas that reflect critical thinking about what is happening or is going to happen. The book is a possible text for courses dealing with the implications of computers. It could also support courses that use the study of critical thinking as a method of getting people to think or to analyze the thinking of others.
The book enables people with visions related to computer technology and its application to be heard and for their ideas to be thought about. That serves a good purpose.
