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As you probably know, every number has its own theme. This topic is computer-related – so central to the topic we’re dealing with that it seemed important to deal with it directly.
When I was young, personal computers were something completely new. They were vaguely mysterious – you had to know the language – and utterly fascinating. I spent countless hours tinkering with the programming in my mother’s home office, writing simple programs, mapping the dungeons in Zork, and trying to understand the universe inside that box.
Computers today are obviously everywhere, in every pocket and car, even on the walls of our homes. While computers and computing have become much more common and accessible, their role is even more mysterious now than when they were children in the 1980s. Almost all aspects of modern life are now modulated by systems beyond our control. This is not simply because the network, service, or algorithm is maintained by an invisible entity. Aspect Will Douglas Heaven notesWith the rise of artificial intelligence, the nature of how computers work has changed. We want to help shed some light on things.
This number explores how we got to where we are and where we’re going next. Comprehensive introduction by Margaret O’Mara ground the trajectory of computation in its larger historical context. Discovery of Siobhan Roberts tempting P vs NP question It traces the long way Sisyphean researchers have come in trying to find a definitive answer. Chris Turner’s review Pixel’s Biography It begins by exploring the complex history of “Digital Light” and develops an unexpected, highly enjoyable review of the triumph of Steamed Ham. (You’ll just have to read it.)
But history is to serve the present. Morgan Ames investigates the hype around One Laptop per Child to help us find a better way to ensure that the most vulnerable in our society get genuine access. Fay Cobb Payton, Lynette Yarger and Victor Mbarika explain how we can think building real pathways to industry for underrepresented groups. by Lakshmi Chandrasekaran Examining silicon’s triumph over other seemingly fallow technologies (remember spintronics?) shows how these alternatives can ultimately prove their worth. By the way, Clive Thompson told us The story of ASML, the Dutch company with the revolutionary process that keeps Moore’s Law alive, at least for now.
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