Even in 2010, the CKM parameters V-cs, V-cd and V-ub will be known with les
s than desirable accuracy; the discovery potential for New Physics in charm
decays-in particular, their CP asymmetries-will be far from exhausted; imp
ortant tests of our theoretical tools will not have been performed. I sketc
h the impact a v fact could have in these areas. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science
B.V. All rights reserved.