[TYPES] Grand Challenge Problems?

[Derek Dreyer]

A note from the moderator:

I agree with Matthias that Purush's question is a vague and extremely
broad one, and it's worth asking if there's a more "scientific"
definition of "grand challenge".

However, given that at last year's POPL there was a panel session
devoted precisely to the topic of "PL Grand Challenges", I believe the
question (even in its vague form) is not out of bounds for a
scientific forum like the Types-list.

FWIW, to address Purush's question, some notes from that POPL'09 panel
session on PL Grand Challenges are available here:

http://plgrand.blogspot.com/

Thanks,
Derek

On Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 11:25 PM, Matthias Felleisen
<matthias at ccs.neu.edu> wrote:
> [ The Types Forum, http://lists.seas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/types-list ]
>
>
> Dear Purush Iyer,
>
> what is a "grand challenge"? I naturally know the funding agency
> answer:
>
>  a tool for extracting a huge amount of money from politicians
>  who need something graphic to convince voters that their spending
>  is acceptable and produces 'good' things
>
> but I'd like to know whether there's a "scientific" definition
> that would make it worthwhile discussing the idea on a science
> mailing list.
>
> Thanks -- Matthias
>
>
>
>
>
> On Jan 16, 2010, at 5:04 PM, Purush Iyer wrote:
>
>> [ The Types Forum, http://lists.seas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/types-list ]
>>
>> Colleagues
>>
>> Now that the lek (er, POPL community)   has decided on vexing questions
>> about papers at POPL, I thought it best to consult this group on a harder
>> problem.  In my current job at a funding agency I am confronted by the
>> question, from Physicists and Control Theoreticians, "What are the main
>> *scientific* grand challenge problems in Programming Languages and
>> Systems?"   I have not too successful to date; hence this e-mail.
>>
>> If y'all can come up with a list of five to ten challenges I would
>> appreciate it very much.  I don't take this question lightly; I had a long
>> chat with Jens Palsberg over the summer and I don't think we were able to
>> make much headway.
>>
>> Sincerely
>> Purush Iyer
>
>