[SIGCIS-Members] Importance of history to practitioners

[Scott Guthery]

Two allied fields in which one would imagine that history would play an 
integral role are mathematics and computer science both on the grounds that 
what was true and useful yesterday is just as true and useful today. And yet 
history seems to be banned from the normal course of study and sequestered 
in special topic seminars.  Lagrange and HAKMEM (MIT AI Lab Memo 239) are 
examples of texts in these two fields that could be studied today with much 
current value.  In both cases one come to understand how and why the logic 
works and thus is in a good position to apply it, adapt it, and extend it. 
Elegance and generality of exposition can also come with the (usually) 
unintended consequence of obfuscation.
IMHO as always.
Cheers, Scott