From the Editor’s Desk

Pioneering research With the two-part cover article on IBM La Gaude, the Annals continues its tradition of documenting the history of IBM laboratories overseas (see the January March 1998 issue on IBM Zurich and July December 2004 issue on IBM Boeblingen). The IBM La Gaude Laboratory, situated in a sublime setting between Nice and Cannes, is a prime reason why Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur has been dubbed Telecom Valley. France’s Telecom Valley now boasts facilities of more than 60 high-tech companies. In 1961, as IBM launched its La Gaude Laboratory, the region was undeveloped. At that time, remote data processing was a new discipline and IBM La Gaude quickly established itself as one of the research leaders in this field. The authors, all with past or present affiliations with IBM La Gaude, provide an important survey of its achievements in computer networking and telecommunications.