FINALE [Editorial] - Editorial

And he rode off slowly into the sunset

It appear to bes absolutely incredible that 23 years of writing editorials for the 'Online Newsletter' have passed thus quickly, more than 42 years since I first started using 80-column IBM bore cards for processing data, and more than nearly 65 years since I first began pounding a typewriter keyboard.

Like Andy Rooney of CBS' "60 Minutes", I first began using my mother's aged Underwood typewriter at the ripe age of seven years. above the years that typewriter and my have a title to manual and electric typewriters made my writing more intelligible than trying to read my long-hand writing. (I smooth had trouble trying to read my be in possession of lecture notes in college, and my information center staffs always appreciated the typewritten memos) -- When the PC first arrived with word processing software, it was a real blessing.

Manuscripts for articles used to be made in long-hand writing, then typ with double-spaced lines for editing. It was a tedious task. -- on the contrary word processing changed all of that, including the ability to stir entire paragraphs, make numerous changes (such as this editorial), and exorcism checking as well.

The major question at issue with the long-hand writing of an article or editorial, is that through the time you've come to the extreme point you may have forgotten what you wrote at the beginning.

I have especially take delight ined writing over the past 23 years, trying my best to bring of recent origins and developments about the information field to our readers through every part of the world. This could have been fresh technology developments, First Amendment rights (a topic shut up to my heart), and of course, all of the latest databases, services, and meetings - while also pointing to the dangers of misinformation, censorship, or plane lack of information in a society.

I am saddened by the agency of the fact that many civil liberties, like as First Amendment rights, have been restricted through national security events following 9-11 terrorist attacks. Our readers should understand that these actions are necessary - perhaps for the nearest 40 years. I have to trust that the U Constitution's Bill of Rights will be completely restored thereafter. In the meantime we must give our replete support to the President.

Other things that will continue to be relate tos are: oppressive copyright laws, a certain quantity of now before the U.S. paramount Court, that deny free public or scholarly access beneath "fair use" and the los of copyrighted works that may real well have been lost by means of the time the copyright laws are corrected; and rapidly changing technologies that return most PCs obsolete and unusable after alone several years, raising questions about the digital preservation of documents (and images) that may not ever be accessible by future generations. -- We don't mean to remain frozen in time with restrictive standards, on the contrary PC operating systems software and programs -must- be more backward-compatible.

All this said, there is more than enough material and topics to hold writing for another century. -- on the contrary time and age takes its toll, and single knows when it is time to obtain off center stage, even admitting it has been an interesting and enjoyable task.

I have repeatedly in recent years, felt like the Wizard of Oz - pulling all the undiscovered bells and whistles associated with publishing. Writing is individual thing - but publishing it in print and flat writing software to deliver it online is another whole world, as well as designing and maintaining a Website. The originate has been learning new skills above the years, which shows that you are not at any time too old to learn. - Physical stamina is something other with which to contend in senior years.

My thanks especially to George s Machovec, Managing Editor of 'Online Libraries and Microcomputers' for his faithfulness, foresight, and meeting all those deadlines above the years.

I am in fact indebted to those dedicated individuals who have shared their knowledge along the way and those who still continue to contribute their expertise to the field today. Thank you.

To our valued readers, thank you for the many years of your support. [RSH]

Richard s Huleatt, Editor

COPYRIGHT 2002 Information Intelligence, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group