Time for Computer Science to Grow Up

Computer science has grown to become a mature field where no major university can survive without a strong CS department. It is time for computer science to grow up and publish in a way that represents the major discipline it has become. Computer science should refocus the conference system on its primary purpose of bringing researchers together. It should use archive sites as the main method of quick paper dissemination and the journal system as the vehicle for advancing researchers' reputations. Researchers from the top CS departments dominate the program committees in conferences and help set the agenda with areas that help their faculty, students, and graduates. As CS grew, the major conferences became even more selective and could not accept all the quality papers in any specialized area. Leaders of major conferences must make the first move, holding their conferences less frequently and accepting every reasonable paper for presentation without proceedings.