The task identified by ACM in 2005 has come to fruition. Communications of the ACM has been remade both in print and online. The magazine was relaunched in July 2008, and now we are putting the finishing touches on the Web site to launch in March at cacm.acm.org.
To say a Web site is preparing to ‘launch’ hints at manned spaceflight and adds an element of drama that aggrandizes a site’s unveiling. That’s unnecessary. The development of the Communications’ Web site was dramatic enough.
The drama could be found in the faces of ACM managers when they recognized the developers’ simpatico braininess. It was in the musings of stakeholders sharing wouldn’t-it-be-nice lists, and then realizing that some wishes do come true.
It was in the scrupulous attention that Communications’ Web board members paid to idiosyncratic design details such as fonts, column widths, and bread-crumb trails, and in their elation when they realized their suggestions begat change. And as the launch date drew near, it was in the unbending determination of all parties to work through and past every clash, to square the uncompromising conflict between getting things right and hitting each deadline.
The site is ready, but not finished. That’s not to say it is not a complete product. It is. Unlike its predecessor, it delivers a daily dose of news, blogs, and opinion pieces from ACM and from around the Web. It reflects the rich history of Communications’ 52 years and introduces a new chapter in its editorial scope and global coverage. Indeed, its plentiful content will make you a frequent visitor.
But there are more features, content, and services in the offing. The site’s adherence to user-centered design will influence future developments, as will Web trends, user predilections, and hard economics (for more details, see the Publisher’s Corner on page 7). The site does and will mirror the membership’s diverse and changing interests. Enjoy it!
WenDY haLL aPPointeD Dame commanDeR
aCM president Wendy hall has been appointed Dame Commander of the order of the British empire by Queen elizabeth ii for services to science and technology. the appointment was announced by Buckingham palace as part of the 2009 new Year honours list.
“hall is a member of the United Kingdom’s prime Minister’s Council for Science and technology, former president of the British Computer Society, professor of computer science at the University of Southampton, U.K., and a renowned researcher in Web science including multimedia and hypermedia,” said aCM Ceo John White in a statement. “this honor from the Queen recognizes her service and speaks to hall’s life-long commitment to advancing the field of computer science, as well as supporting her goal of promoting the use of technology to connect people across international boundaries.”
hall is well known throughout the computer science community for her energy and vision, and for being a vocal advocate of women’s opportunities in science, engineering, and technology. in addition to her large number of commitments in areas of policy development, she continues to advance new research directions. in 2006, she was one of the founders of the Web Science Research initiative, along with Sir tim Berners-lee, nigel Shadbolt, and Daniel Weitzner. they are pioneering the new discipline of Web Science, to develop a better understanding of the architectural principles that led to the Web’s growth and success, and ensure that these support the Web’s future development.
taPia 09
the Richard tapia Celebration
of Diversity in Computing
conference is being held in
portland, oR, from april 1–4, and
will include a technical program,
plenary talks, a poster session,
a doctoral consortium, a robotics
competition, and networking
opportunities. For more information,
visit tapiaconference.org.
PhotograPh By nasa/Bill ingalls
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