OOPSLA's ( aka SPLASH ) mission is to engage software innovators from all walks of life -- developers, academics and undeclared -- in conversations about bettering software. Bettering software involves new ideas about programming languages, tools, conceptual models, and methodologies that can cope with, evolve, and leverage, the complex software-intensive socio-technical system of systems that has emerged in front of our eyes during the past decades. Bettering software requires a deep understanding of the nature of these systems, an understanding that rides on the trends of the moment, but that goes well beyond. These are the topics of SPLASH. SPLASH has three general tracks: OOPSLA, Onward! and Wavefront. OOPSLA -- High quality research work that uses established scientific methodologies, written using high standards of academic technical publications. Onward! -- Innovative ideas that challenge existing beliefs, or early work well written and well argued for. Essays. In other words, ideas worth hearing about without the burden of validation. Wavefront -- Work that has the potential for immediate impact in the practice of software, or descriptions of advanced development and production software, written using established guidelines for technical writing
