Pervasive Computing - the next era of computer science

PervasiveComputing.net is intended to be a information and news website. It will cover various new developments happening in pervasive computing area - basically mobile computing, sensors, networking, security/privacy, ubiquitous access to information, and related fields.

We use the term 'Pervasive Computing' to loosely define the advancements in computer science, where pervasiveness of computing and networking works together to enhance human life in new and imaginative ways. The main ideas were represented long time back in two classical papers. First was published in July 1945 (yes, it's 1945!) - As We May Think by Vannevar Bush. It discussed a hypothetical device called 'memex', that can store all your information, and can recall it in a simple and fast manner. To quote it directly

"A memex is a device in which an individual stores all his books, records, and communications, and which is mechanized so that it may be consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility. It is an enlarged intimate supplement to his memory."

Now-a-days web and desktop search engines are very near to make that a reality. Second paper was published in 1990 - The Computer for the 21st Century by Mark Weiser. It envisioned a world saturated with computing, but helping people in a nob-obtrusive way. It ended with

"There is more information available at our fingertips during a walk in the woods than in any computer system, yet people find a walk among trees relaxing and computers frustrating. Machines that fit the human environment, instead of forcing humans to enter theirs, will make using a computer as refreshing as taking a walk in the woods."

A great vision, but we are still far away from achieving it. Though a lot of interesting work is happening around us to enable these visions, and we hope to capture these in this web-site.

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