I'd like to twist the title to be, "We need to solve more hard problems". A considerable amount of what we do in computing is either (1) re-solving old problem

I'd like to twist the title to be, "We need to solve more hard problems". A considerable amount of what we do in computing is either (1) re-solving old problems with a new shell/language/os/widget library or (2) plumbing between said solutions for communication. This is a fairly ridiculous state of affairs. At the risk of being a snob & starting a flamewar, I'd like to point out that node.js doesn't need to exist: it reimplements systems that already existed, and forces a contorted programming style. Why isn't that energy poured into Erlang or better libraries in C++ for event handling? The same argument can be made for a number of different technologies (why do we have F# divergent from OCaml, why do we have D instead of a better C++? why does MS have to keep spinning their APIs and forcing rework?). My point is, when something is solved, it's good to move on until a compelling reason is found. Operating systems are largely solved, but most of the research stems from the 60s-80s, AFAICT. A number of concepts brought up back then got dropped in the rush to PCs and DOS. One that I particularly remember is the idea of multilevel security partitions. OK, maybe that's a bad idea. But it'd be good to look into it again. What about operating systems written in dynamic languages? What would that look like in a multicpu/multithreaded/multiuser environment? It'd likely be absurdly slow, but maybe it doesn't have to be. There's got to be some great work that was done in Genera that can be leached into the modern world. Why, for instance, is the most common text entry solution a QWERTY keyboard? Why even a keyboard? Isn't there a better solution (voice has worked really badly for me, sadly). Isn't there a better way than what amounts to a revamped typewriter? What about the mouse? My mouse looks suspiciously like Englebart's mouse from '69 or so. Tablets are a great step in this regard. I don't really like them, but I have great respect for Apple, Google, and MS for trying to move beyond the WIMP paradigm. Even if in a decade we still use it, at least we know it's a local maxima. :-)