Over the past two decades - in which my own computing experience neatly fits - the making, moving, and re-moving of information has necessarily evolved. From dBASE to MySQL, 68000 to IA-64, Ethernet to Bluetooth, from flat-file to Infoset. Between those lines are very many careers and fortunes, but one thing has remained constant: computing has been information-centric. As such the various constructs built up around that approach are increasingly brittle. Of the computing systems you have designed - how many have adapted to future, unexpected use? How many provide feedback to the computing process? I leave it as an exercise to commenters to debate the extent of data-centricity and componentization during this period.

If the premise holds that ubiquity is the next step, then what is at the center of pervasive computing? What is pervasive computing?

Pervasive computing is the technique of insertion - into our life environments - computing and communication capability. In other words pervasive computing is computing wherever, whenever. In this approach the notion of a computing device includes virtually all material elements. In this approach the notion of connection is implicit. In this approach computing applications are in fact mainlined. Pervasive computing is lossless whether it involves device-device or device-person interaction.

Google this search-stream and you will find many examples, such as:

• Household appliance reports on electricity usage patterns feedback to your provider plan settings.
• Subscribed customers receive groceries via smart refrigerators.
• Wearable computing provide point-of-presence and other vitals on your children in day-care.

It does not take long to see where the trend differs from the current model. The focus is not so much on the information as it is on the service. The focus is not so much on storing information as it is on sharing services. And the focus definitely is about doing all that - wherever whenever needed. If pervasive computing is the next step, what then is required to take that step?

Each enabling technology in pervasive computing has its unique problems to solve before a secure, reliable, and ubiquitous solution can be achieved. In the next few posts I will look at where communication, instruction, and interaction have challenges. Also, I suspect someone has thoughts on the packaging and form factor challenges.