It has four major goals, which it addresses in varying proportions in the sixteen chapters. It is a testament to Clarke and Kubrick's achievement that 2001 still holds up to close scrutiny in the late 1990s. Even though I've seen the film several dozen times, I have learned an immense amount from the contributors. Teaching The film illustrates key ideas in several disciplines of computer science, and thus provides a springboard for discussions of the field in greater depth, including our own research. Prognostication It is natural, too, to look to the future.
Several contributors make informed and fascinating predictions based on developments in the field.
Many people have been deeply affected by the film, among them several contributors who reflect here about its influence on their own careers and on computer science in general. Clearly, HAL's Legacy differs from books on the making of the film or its cinematography. Now seems like the perfect time for HAL's Legacy. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that much of the general public was interested in HAL too.