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A new human-computer interaction (HCI) in which narrow-form interaction with devices more seamlessly serves broader-form interaction among people and organizations, especially over the Web, marks an important phase of the information revolution of recent decades. Four forms of broad computer-mediated interaction are identified: informational, cooperational, transactional, and social. Who learns what from the new HCI varies significantly across forms. In addition to the parties to the interactions, third parties that facilitate them learn too, amplifying the overall process. The perspective of the new HCI provides a promising foundation for guiding and potentially uniting future information systems research.

This paper reexamines information system (IS) maintainability and takes a new and inclusive view of it and its effects. It proposes that an IS is maintainable to the extent that its maintenance, operation, and use is economical in its use of resources. A model is offered which puts IS maintainability in the larger developmental context and suggests a number of related propositions. To the question of whether increased maintainability should reduce an organization's maintenance effort, a straightforward analysis leads to what, for some, may be a surprising answer. Where IS maintainability is enhanced, organizations can sometimes be better off by sustaining, not decreasing, their overall maintenance efforts.

Seven aspects of measurement are of particular importance in terms of MIS foundations: (1) scientific and technical characteristics, (2) basic design choices, (3) level of information and decision support, (4) managerial functions supported, (5) organizational focus, (6) information system component origin, and (7) behavioral dimensions. A brief summary of these aspects is presented, and it is argued that measurement deserves recognition as one of the most important foundations of MIS.