 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Guest Editorial Stan Johnstone stanj@melbpc.org.au |
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It's quite all right - there hasn't been a takeover of PC Update! Ash Nallawalla had only 24 hours warning for a rush trip to the US right at the beginning of the production period, and invited me to write this guest editorial. I must say it was an honour I was pleased to accept. Ash uses air travel about the same as the rest of us treat travelling by tram. In the past 10 years I know Ash has travelled on more aircraft than I have travelled on trams in the same period!
The New PC Update
Last month Ash spoke of the gradual changes you will see in this magazine. The great effort of the PC Update team was shown with the February issue once again producing the full 64-page magazine we have enjoyed for so many years.
Remember the TV show that said "Never mind the quality, feel the width"? While producing the recent smaller issues, Gary Taig was able to produce PC Update using a heavier weight of paper which gave a better feel even though the content was much less. Unfortunately when printing the full 64-page magazine together with the mailer insert and plastic wrapper, the weight of the paper used becomes critical. At present the all up weight is only marginally below the weight limit, above which the cost of postage would double. I am sure we would like a better feel, but like most things it is a matter of rationalising for economic reasons.
PC Update Online
In the February issue Ash announced the index to past issues of PC Update available from http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/index/. I know I have often spent hours searching through back issues trying to find something I remembered reading previously, and an index like this is proving a great boon. One little trick I developed was to try and guess when I read it and then start searching through issues from 12 months earlier than I thought. Now with an index it is much easier!
Many members would remember the time when we also published an online version of PC Update on the Internet. Unfortunately, despite the fine print in the front of the magazine, one ex-member claimed infringement of copyright so in the interests of protection from legal action, all these pages were removed from the Web. Since then all articles have been published only after an author's release has been obtained. The loss of the online version was a great pity, and I sorely missed the ability to use a search engine to quickly find that article or information I wanted. The online version greatly increased the exposure of Melb PC and PC Update throughout the world as other users found search references back here to Melb PC.
I have been stirring the PC Update team for some years asking what we could do to again publish an online version on the web. Probably just to shut me up, early in January Ash Nallawalla asked me if I would be prepared to take up this task, and excited at the opportunity I immediately started work. Ash and Gary probably regretted it almost immediately as I was quickly back asking for copies of text and images so I could develop a style, even resorting to using scanning and OCR hardcopy versions, just so I could have material to play with.
As a result we should soon be able to announce past issues are available for reading on the web, coupled with search facilities and the whole works.
If you are interested you can visit
http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/sample/ and see a draft sample page I currently have under development.
[ Note: As PC Update Online is well advanced, this sample is no longer
available.]
Honorary Life Members
I was very pleased to read the notice of nomination for the new Honorary Life Members - Richard Solly, John Morris and Ken Thomas. Working with Richard and John on the Internet team seven days a week for more than six years I know the enormous effort they continue to donate to Melb PC. Ken Thomas has worked with the Retired and Interested Persons SIG for over 12 years, ten of those as leader. A remarkable effort on behalf of the members for one of our oldest, largest, and most successful SIGs.
The definition of an Honorary Life Member as defined in the Melb PC rules is quite rightly simple and straight-forward - "in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the Group". I am sure all readers will agree that these members have all made an outstanding contribution and their recognition is overdue.
Thanks For The Memory
Just as I enjoyed writing my monthly reports during my term as President, I have enjoyed this opportunity to play the role of guest Editor, and thank Ash for this opportunity to write to the members.
Many of us shared the anguish of Ash's period of underemployment that ended just over a year ago. Now he finds himself in a completely different situation, and I believe that it is only by checking his diary is he able to remember which country he is in, and which direction he needs to look for oncoming traffic.
Reprinted from the March 2000 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
