Resumen
Information and communication technology for development (ICTD) is not new -- numerous important though relatively low-profile projects have been building the foundations of ICTD for many years. What's new are its name and, more important, the increased recognition the field has lately been receiving and its potential for exerting greater influence. In this article the authors explore ICTD and examine the role that computer scientists can play in it. The objective is to convince readers that although achieving all the goals of ICTD will not be easy, even their partial realization could have tremendous impact. Although the challenges are great, ICTD is both intellectually rewarding and very attractive to students at all levels. With several recent reports citing the dwindling numbers of students interested in studying computer science, perhaps ICTD is one answer. It may help motivate a new generation of computer scientists to contribute their knowledge, talents, and energies toward solving some of the world's most pressing problems.