lottersConcerning Society Jewelry

I am a doctoral student in com-

puter sciences at Columbia Universityas well as a member of IEEE Com-puter Society and I don't want a tiebar or tie tack. I don't wear a tie. Iunderstand that the tie tack is also a

lapel pin, but why should I have tobuy the one with the other? Forform's sake, the lapel pin should havebeen offered separately. (Or else you

could have offered earrings that con-

vert into cufflinks). A masculine item(the tie-tack) that converts into a neu-

tral item (the pin) doesn't seem fair.I'm no "women's libber", but this

is the kind of small thing that isn't so

small because it is repeated so often inthe publications of the professionalsocieties I belong to. By the way, howmany of the Society's members are

women? (Mrs.) Martha H. Stillman

Your point is well taken. For a posi-tive reaction see the column opposite.Less than 1% of our members are

women; hopefully we'll see a steadyincrease as more become computerprofessionals. -Ed.

More on Merging

Dear Al:This is a response to your interview

in the 1972 May-June issue of COM-PUTER in which you solicited mem-

ber reaction toward CS merger withACM. I strongly support the concept; Iwill now rationalize.

There is a large and growing area oftechnical overlap in the interests of thetwo societies. Mike Flynn has said itwell: "Computing's Baroque Era isbehind us," and many importantdevelopments in hardware will consistof "software" (or, after Opler, "firm-ware") logic developments in a highlygeneralized hardware environment. Iexpect that Communications and even

Journal papers will begin to resemblemore and more Computer and Trans-

actions papers. The fact that theyappear in different places (as do our

respective Annual Conferences) is nothelpful to the effectiveness ofintercourse.

Your comment that membershipoverlap between CS and ACM is only1/3, according to the 1970 AFIPSstudy, surprises me, but I feel that thisoverlap must be growing. Just as ACM

is now attracting more and morebusiness-problem people who are get-ting more and more "ACM-ish" asthey start to use more formal andanalytical, as opposed to intutive andempirical, approaches to problem solv-ing, CS is also attracting more andmore people who are interested atleast as much in the use of computersas in their design (perhaps their use indesign?).

Unlike you, I feel that in minorways the two societies are now incompetition: I think this is a nonsensi-cal situation. In several ways we areduplicating effort. Like you, I doubtthat we could avoid much duplicationof costs; but there would certainly beat least some economy to be gainedthrough scale, and the complementar-ity of interests would certainly bringadded values to members of bothsocieties.

Several perceptive people in bothsocieties have spoken to me about thisissue. They are not unanimous at thistime that immediate merger is appro-priate, but they are openminded. Theyagree that at very least we should findmore ways to improve access by eachmembership to the other.

Jointure would bring on some dis-advantages; for example, our AnnualMeetings would get larger and morediffuse, with more parallel sessions,less flexibility as to location, and morebloated Proceedings.

On the other hand, those sub-groups that have similar or relatedinterests should benefit from modestincreases in their membership rosters,in numbers of submitted papers pertopic (justifying more "excellence", touse your word, in selection standards),and in availability of well-qualifiedreferees, discussants, and topic leaders.

Several controversies (e.g., patenta-bility of software, CPM workload pro-filing) that are of interest to membersof both societies are being debated byone society or the other but not both.Definitive papers contributing to thegrowth of important sub-disciplines(e.g., Boolean algebra, data structures)that are important to, and that shouldbe readily available to, many membersof both societies, are being publishedby "one or other not both".

Acting as chairman of both ACM'sSICARCH and CS's TCCA, which havesimilar scopes (computer architecture)and have been acting as one, Mikerecently passed on to Tony Ralston,ACM's President, an expression of the

SICARCH/TCCA membership's inter-est in merging at this technical subunitlevel. Mike pointed out that most ofthis membership are members of bothsocieties anyway, and that the mergerconcept might make sense for otherkinds of subunits too. As he put it,

(at the local and student chapterlevel) ... merged chapters would be -both technically and financially -

much better off." It seems obviousthat there would be less paperclipbusywork if the two groups, in eachsuch case, were not obliged to "(keep) separate books and (stay legal)in procedural matters." These are emi-nently sane thoughts, and I feel thatthey make sense beyond the technicaland geographic subunit level for bothsocieties.

Many CS members may not beaware that ACM is moving toward useof the IEEE administrative supportcomputing software and facilities, atleast in part because membership ad-ministrative support requirements arealmost indentical. Even more CS mem-bers are probably unaware that when(at SJCC'72) a resolution was movedin the ACM Council Meeting to in-struct the incoming President to ap-point a committee to study jointactions with CS, the motion passedunanimously. This committee ischaired by Eric Weiss, who is alsochairman of ACM's PublicationsBoard. It has been given the broadcharter of "ACM-IEEE relations at alllevels," including publications matters(exchanges, near-member rates formembers of "the other society", ex-panded coverage in ACM ComputingReviews to better serve CS memberneeds), as well as strengthened cooper-ation at the SIG/SIC-TC level andbetween chapters of all kinds, and anyother matters of concern to all mem-bers of both societies (including possi-ble merger).

Setting up favorable cross-subscrip-tion rates and inter-society relationscommittee (or committees?) are ofcourse sensible steps to take; but thetwo societies already know a great dealabout each other. We could study andequivocate for years, or we could takeprecipitate action.

I feel that there's a case to be madefor getting rewed up for precipitateaction.

Yours truly,Herbert S. Bright(Member, IRE-PGECMember, ACM)

thru IEEE-CS;

COMPUTER4

Letters continued

The Last Word on"Bring Your Wife"

I would like to comment on the"Bring your wife.. ." Compcon '72display ad.

Perhaps if Bob Warr used a littleempathy he would see why there hasbeen criticism. Would he like it if hiswife were an engineer and received anad that read "Bring your worst com-puter design problems to San Fran-cisco ... Bring your husband . . Youmight leave one behind."? The adspeaks to men only when, in reality,some professional women attend theconference too.

I found his response to the criti-cism distasteful also. Perhaps weshould see a picture of Mr. Warr. Thiswould give us a chance to pass judge-ment on his physique and therebydecide on the merit of his ideas.

It is unfortunately true thatwomen are sometimes their own worstenemy. (This is the case with manyoppressed groups.) Some career

women are so jealous about theirstatus as a female who has achievedsuccess in a male world that theyperpetuate the oppression in an effortto keep other women from intrudingon their territory.

I am glad that the ad seemed toproduce the results intended. How-ever, there is never just one way to dosomething, and I hope next year youradvertising staff will put their talentsto work to create an ad which isimaginative and, at the same time, notoffensive.

Barbara Ash

COMPUTING REVIEWSExpanded Computing Reviews Now Available to IEEE

Computer Society Members

The Publications Committee ofIEEE Computer Society and the Publi-cation Board of ACM have agreed thatComputing Reviews should expand itscoverage to provide reviews of consid-erably more material (books, technicalpapers, symposia proceedings and thelike) of prime interest to members ofIEEE, particularly of its ComputerSociety. These will be critical evalua-tions as characteristic of ComputingReviews, and not abstracts. It is hopedthis step will enhance the usefulness ofComputing Reviews to a wider rangeof computer professionals. Much ofthe additional material will fall in theComputingReviews category for Hard-ware, but the sections on Electricaland Electronic Engineering, on com-puter systems, real-time, telecommuni-cations, and related categories will alsogrow.

This expansion of coverage will beachieved by a working level coopera-tion between the IEEE. ComputerSociety and the Computing Reviews

staff. Robert A. Short, Editor-In-Chiefof the IEEE Computer Society, hasissued a call for volunteer reviewersfrom the ranks of the IEEE ComputerSociety, asking them to accept assign-ments from Computing Reviews intheir fields of interest. Members of theComputer Society are urged to indi-cate their availability by writing to LeeRevens, Executive Editor of Com-puting Reviews, at ACM Headquarters,1133 Ave. of the Americas, New York,N.Y. 10036.

This extended coverage is regardedas sufficiently significant to IEEEComputer Society members that it hasbeen agreed by the two societies tooffer Computing Reviews to membersof the Computer Society at the specialprice of $15, rather than the regular$25 price to non-ACM members. Acomplimentary copy of ComputingReviews will be mailed to those inter-ested in subscribing at this special $15rate. Please write to Harry Hayman,Box 639, Silver Spring, MD 20901.

NOW -A Distinctive Emblem ForIEEE Computer Society Members

OFFICIAL COMPUTERSOCIETY JEWELRY

Working with the L.G. BalfourCompany, we have produced an ele-gant reproduction of the IEEE Com-puter Society logo that can be worn asa lapel pin or tie-tack. A handsometie-bar, specifically designed for to-day's wider ties and a ladies'charm arealso available.

a The pin is 10-karat gold filled witha highly polished finish. The crafts-manship is excellent. This is a qualitypiece of jewelry that will last a lifetimeof normal wear without losing its goodlooks. As a Computer Society mem-ber, you'll be proud to own thisdistinctive emblem.

Use the order blank below to re-quest your jewelry. Orders must beprepaid; price includes postage andhandling.

Make checks payable to:IEEE Computer Society8949 Reseda Boulevard, Suite 202,Northridge, California 91324

Gentlemen,

Please enter mylowing officialSociety jewelry:

order for the fol-IEEE Computer

Lapel Pin/Tie Tack @ $3.25 Qty:-

Tie Bar

Charm

@ $4.85 Oty:

@$3.25 Qty:

am enclosing payment in theamount of $ . Shipment isto be made to:

NameMembership No.

AddressCityState -zip-

California Residents Add 5% Sales'Tax.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1972 5