Computer science is no longer just a technology--for nearly all of us, it has become a way of life. Whether we spend our days surfing the Internet, or merely use an automatic teller machine on occasion, computers have affected our lives. This collection of sixteen original essays by distinguished computer scientists celebrates the achievements of computer science research, and speculates about the unsolved problems in the field. Various essays address artificial intelligence, parallel programming, global information systems, and a host of other relevant topics. The book shows that long-term research in computer science is crucial and must not be driven solely by commercial considerations. The authors expose the difficult aspects of their topics in clear terms, and illustrate that computer science is now a full-fledged and growing intellectual discipline.