The Way Forward: Learning from Our Past

Testimony from past readers drives this issue's content and approach. High on their wish list are a greater emphasis on science content, a more tutorial approach to computation, and a stronger, more utilitarian character. These are appropriate because science sets the context for—and computation, the practice of—computing in science and engineering. But isn't this what we are doing? Our charter commits us to build communities of practice that cross disciplines within the sciences, engineering, mathematics, and computation. Are we perhaps honoring this commitment, more often than not, in its breach? This issue offers three responses.