Visions of control

Technological disciplines are defined by their visions no less than their practices. The long-term, even futuristic, projections of the former serve as beacons, illuminating (it is hoped) the trail for researchers and practitioners who, at any time, are likely to be mired in their quotidian tasks. This is particularly true in the re-engineered world, where the next deadline, milestone, or deliverable may become an all-consuming pursuit-a succession of impermanent efforts that are likely to produce a permanent myopia. Immediate concerns may be necessary stepping stones, but grand visions can become the casualties of their reductive, analytic pursuits. Paradoxically, the greater the successes on the staging grounds, the more remote the ultimate goal can appear. And even research, the activity explicitly chartered with maintaining the long-term perspective, can be compromised