What started five years ago as a small workshop on compound semiconductor electronics now has grown to an international conference focusing on fundamental aspects of semiconductor interfaces and surfaces. A discussion is presented of the changing emphases, experimental techniques, and technological trends in the field as reflected by the evolution of this conference series. The novel meeting format of PCSI‐6 is described which allowed ample discussion of a large number of related papers while minimizing the ’’second class feeling’’ of poster presentations. A survey of participants critically