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This is one of the easier articles to write. That's because we're notsaying good-bye, we're saying, "Hello! My name is Dennis Sheridan and I'llbe your editor this millennium. How may I help you?"
While the print edition of Data Communications is being
incorporated into Network Magazine (http://www.networkmagazine.com),
the web version is alive, vibrant, and thrilled to meet the challenges of the
DataComm community.
I first entered the datacomm field in the 1980's. There isn't enough
space -- or time! -- here to reflect back on what has brought us to
this moment. What we all know is that not only are we not in Kansas
anymore, there probably isn't even a Kansas anymore -- at least the
one we think we remember. While the school board in that state can
attempt to move society back a couple of hundred years, datacomm
professionals can't even return to last month.
In a sense, our work today is defined by intensity and complexity. Nothing
on the horizon suggests that will change, despite the best rhetoric of some
marketing departments. This iteration of Data Communications recognizes
competition only accelerates as technology advances. Management issues seem
to gobble up time and resources exponentially. There are books and
magazines devoted to all of this.
But at the end of the day, it's still about tools and solutions. You need
to know what products are available, how they perform, and what they'll do
for you. You need to know where the technology is with accurate, on-demand
evaluations. If there is a problem, you need a solution -- right now. Our
role is to provide you with the information you need in a clear and useful
manner, precisely when you need it.
We also need to know who our audience is, and who might be added to this
audience by future developments. What industry has added more jobs to the
lexicon over the last 10 years? And what other industry will add more jobs
in the future? We will be expanding our coverage to include areas we've not
covered previously, and fleshing out our content to provide a more complete
resource for a broader range of datacomm professionals.
We hope you will participate and tell us what you'd like to see on our
site, as well as telling us what you think we should drop. Data
Communications is your resource. Our entire purpose for being here is to
ensure you have the tools, resources, and solutions you need when you need
them.
All we ask in return is your help in letting us know what your needs are.
Please take a few moments and answer our questionnaire at http://survey.agora.com/survey/question.asp?survey=10.
Our
guarantee is that the return on your investment will make you very glad you
did.
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