Science, industry, and the new Japanese challenge

The Japanese Super-Speed Computer project, recently begun, has generated pressure for a response in the United States and other countries. The background for the Japanese project is the world-wide effort to computerize four hundred years of science, in support of industrial applications of science. In the United States, a number of barriers are slowing progress of the computerization process. The barriers include software problems, lack of U.S. university participation in the computerization effort, poor matching of resources to needs, etc. The computer revolution is also part of the background for the Japanese project, and problems caused by the computer revolution, such as inadequate education, also require attention. Specific recommendations to overcome these barriers are proposed. Computer-assisted instruction meeting the standards set by Professor Arnold Arons combined with teacher retraining would help science education. A national computer communications network for basic and applied research would greatly improve technology transfer within the United States for an absurdly low cost; Britain already is developing such a network. The diverse groups engaged in the computerization of science need a sense of community which a national network would provide. They also need more decision-making power, and more effective sharing of resources. The U.S. Government should establish the network and provide seed money to help private industry, universities, and government laboratories collectively implement the other recommendations.