  The voltage induced driving force on a migrating atom in a metallic system is
discussed in the perspective of the Hellmann-Feynman force concept, local
screening concepts and the linear-response approach. Since the force operator
is well defined in quantum mechanics it appears to be only confusing to refer
to the Hellmann-Feynman theorem in the context of electromigration. Local
screening concepts are shown to be mainly of historical value. The physics
involved is completely represented in ab initio local density treatments of
dilute alloys and the implementation does not require additional precautions
about screening, being typical for jellium treatments. The linear-response
approach is shown to be a reliable guide in deciding about the two
contributions to the driving force, the direct force and the wind force.
Results are given for the wind valence for electromigration in a number of FCC
and BCC metals, calculated using an {\it ab initio} KKR-Green's function
description of a dilute alloy.
