Technology in the Real World

The IEEE Computer Society Computer Elements Technical Committee has been tracking the progress of new technology for many years. The December 1974 workshop in Phoenix once again focused on the impact of semiconductor LSI, but papers and discussions ranged from social problems of the world to that last uncertain electron tipping a flip-flop out of its metastable state. The various factors in the success of emerging technologies were identified, with technical novelty far down the list–no surprise to the older committee members, but often a disappointment to the young innovator.