 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Editorial Major Keary |
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Well, I have been elevated from acting to substantive Editor. A hard act to follow after the luminaries who have raised PC Update to its present high standard.
From a circulation of 650 in October 1985 we reached 7,300 for the October 1992 edition of PC Update. Since Melb PC was established almost ten years ago I think we have had fewer editors than secretaries. Maybe those with an editorial bent are thicker - or they may be more tenacious.
Some think of editors as prima donnas, and one person even suggested there was an editorial cabal. An interesting word, cabal; while it derives from medieval Latin (origin of the French cabale), in English its usage was established from the initials of Charles II's five ministers - Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley, and Launderdale - who made up a small committee of the Privy Council. And thus originated the word, Cabinet, of the Westminster system
However, back to hard-to-follow-acts. Our early editors created a foundation on which Ash and Peter constructed the PC Update that has won international recognition. It has been a lot of hard work and long hours. A quiet band of sub-editors has provided essential support, convening the occasional sow's ear into a silk purse.
I am still climbing the Ventura learning curve and am most grateful to Peter and Ash for their support and input. How they managed to edit the magazine, earn a living, and retain their respective families is still a great mystery. It is not a task for anyone with ulcers or blood pressure.
Ron Wilby has kindly undertaken to write a New Starters column, the first instalment of which appears in this issue.
From Pen to Print
Our present printing arrangements impose a fairly long lead time for copy, which some SIG co-ordinators find irritating because they feel their reports are old fiat when they appear in print. Unless we are prepared to pay a high premium for short-order printing there is nothing we can do about it in the short term.
It's Quality That Counts
When user magazines are being judged for the six awards a number of factors are considered. One of those is consistent style and a high standard of English. Some contributors will have noticed that their articles undergo a process of change between submission and publication; feedback indicates most authors are happy with the way in which their material is treated. It is sometimes necessary to refer contributions back to authors when substantial changes are needed, either in the organisation of the material or the way in which it is written. Please understand that is not because of pedantry, but is for the purpose of maintaining a standard and making articles more readable. Melb PC is not a professional or academic organisation where complex matter is deemed to require complicated language, comprehensible to only the author's peers. We welcome articles on prime numbers, or even Fouriers last theorem, provided ordinary people can enjoy reading them
Reprinted from the November 1992 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
