June 1986 brought together some of the world's leaders in computer-
enhanced analytical spectroscopy at Snowbird, Utah, for what the
attendees decided to call "The First Hidden Peak Symposium." With the
remarkable advances in both computer hardware and software, it is
interesting to observe that, while many computational aspects of
spectroscopic analysis have become routine, some of the more fundamental
problems remain unsolved. The group that assembled included many of
those who started trying to interpret chemical spectroscopy when
computers were ponderous, slow, and not very accessible, as well as
newcomers who never knew the day that spectrometers were delivered
without attached computers. The synergism was excellent. Many new ideas,
as well as this volume, resulted from interactions among the
participants. The conclusion was that progress would be made on more
fundamen- tal problems now that hardware, software, and mathematics were
coming together on a more sophisticated level. The feeling was that the
level of sophistication is now adequate and that it is only a matter of
time before automated spectral interpretation surpasses all but the most
advanced human experts.