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Latest News News Archive Refine your search:
dateMore Than a Year Ago
subjectComputers And Society
authorThe Atlantic
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An edited collection of advanced computing news from Communications of the ACM, ACM TechNews, other ACM resources, and news sites around the Web.


How Aristotle Created the Computer
From ACM TechNews

How Aristotle Created the Computer

Modern computers would not exist without the influence of Aristotelean principles.

How Aristotle Created the Computer
From ACM News

How Aristotle Created the Computer

George Boole is often described as a mathematician, but he saw himself as a philosopher, following in the footsteps of Aristotle.

Chinese Characters Are Futuristic and the Alphabet Is Old News
From ACM TechNews

Chinese Characters Are Futuristic and the Alphabet Is Old News

Stanford University professor Tom Mullaney believes computers make Chinese far more advantageous than typing English via a QWERTY keyboard.

Even Bugs Will Be Bugged
From ACM News

Even Bugs Will Be Bugged

When mark zuckerberg posted a picture of himself on Facebook in June, a sharp-eyed observer spotted a piece of tape covering his laptop’s camera.

The Internet's Favorite Website
From ACM News

The Internet's Favorite Website

It's usually idle curiosity that drives me to Wikipedia.

Is Digital Privacy Becoming a Partisan Issue?
From ACM News

Is Digital Privacy Becoming a Partisan Issue?

In a Congress where lawmakers have trouble performing even the most basic functions of the legislative branch—funding the government or approving judicial nominees...

Facebook Is Making a Map of Everyone in the World
From ACM News

Facebook Is Making a Map of Everyone in the World

Americans inhabit an intricately mapped world.

The Research Pirates of the Dark Web
From ACM News

The Research Pirates of the Dark Web

There's a battle raging over whether academic research should be free, and it’s overflowing into the dark web.

How Do Americans Weigh Privacy Versus National Security?
From ACM News

How Do Americans Weigh Privacy Versus National Security?

Three years ago, Edward Snowden leaked troves of previously classified information that laid bare the American government's widespread surveillance of its citizens...

The Strange Rituals of Silicon Valley Intern Recruiting
From ACM Careers

The Strange Rituals of Silicon Valley Intern Recruiting

The Wozniak Lounge, located on the northern side of campus at the University of California, Berkeley, looks like it was decorated by engineers, to the extent that...

The Convenience-Surveillance Tradeoff
From ACM News

The Convenience-Surveillance Tradeoff

People love free stuff. That's the principle that helps explain the complicated series of privacy-related calculations that modern life increasingly requires.

What Does the Internet Actually Look Like?
From ACM News

What Does the Internet Actually Look Like?

It’s difficult to define "the cloud." Even more difficult, perhaps, is photographing it. But that's precisely what Peter Garritano set out to do with his photoThe...

The High-Stakes Race to Rid the World of Human Drivers
From ACM News

The High-Stakes Race to Rid the World of Human Drivers

The race to bring driverless cars to the masses is only just beginning, but already it is a fight for the ages.

Why New York Subway Lines Are Missing Countdown Clocks
From ACM News

Why New York Subway Lines Are Missing Countdown Clocks

There are people who stand every morning outside the Carroll Street station in Brooklyn staring dead-eyed into the middle distance.

After 10 Years, Google Books Is Legal
From ACM News

After 10 Years, Google Books Is Legal

On Friday, a federal circuit court made clear that Google Books is legal.

The Most Mysterious Star in Our Galaxy
From ACM News

The Most Mysterious Star in Our Galaxy

In the Northern hemisphere's sky, hovering above the Milky Way, there are two constellations—Cygnus the swan, her wings outstretched in full flight, and Lyra, the...

If You're Not Paranoid, You're Crazy
From ACM Opinion

If You're Not Paranoid, You're Crazy

I knew we'd bought walnuts at the store that week, and I wanted to add some to my oatmeal.

Computers Can Predict Schizophrenia Based on How a Person Talks
From ACM TechNews

Computers Can Predict Schizophrenia Based on How a Person Talks

A new algorithmic analysis technique can identify the disjointed patterns of speech considered a hallmark of schizophrenia.

The Secret Agents Who Stake Out the ­gliest Corners of the Internet
From ACM News

The Secret Agents Who Stake Out the ­gliest Corners of the Internet

When President Obama launched his Twitter account in May, people noticed his rapid accumulation of followers, a silly back-and-forth with President Clinton, but...

Beware the Listening Machines
From ACM Opinion

Beware the Listening Machines

One of my great pleasures in life is attending conferences on fields I'm intrigued by, but know nothing about.
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