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December 1999

Microsoft Systems Journal Homepage

Editor's Note

While last month's parting words from our (now) Editor-at-Large, Eric Maffei, are still fresh in your mind, it's time to discuss more changes. Perhaps you're wondering who is filling the Editor-in-Chief's shoes? Even if you're not, we'd like to introduce him anyway.
      Moving higher up in the panoramic digs at One MSJ Plaza is none other than Michael Longacre. Avid MSJ and MIND readers have always known Michael as our Creative Director. Michael's been around since he helped launch MSJ 13 years ago, so we're confident that we'll still be valiantly makin' the monthly donuts.
      We're anxiously waiting to discover how Michael will make his defining mark as Editor-in-Chief. Will he hit a homer and be the first to allow the inclusion of sports analogies into the editor's notes? (Yes.—M.L.) Maybe there'll be a new Op-Ed section added to these hallowed pages. Will he soon be swilling scotch and sucking on cigars? On that note, Michael assures us not in this millennium or the next. We say time will tell.
      You've probably figured out another change from our cover. We have a new column! Basic Instincts will be written by world-renowned Visual Basic guru Ted Pattison. Ted has also been reporting on Visual Basic issues in the Advanced Basics column for our sister publication, Microsoft Internet Developer (MIND). Basic Instincts will take a look at various Microsoft technologies from the perspective of the developer using Visual Basic. This month Ted discusses the use of SetComplete and SetAbort with Microsoft Transaction Services.
      The last change to report this month is news from the desk of Laura Euler. After a decade of service to MSJ and MIND, Laura is leaving her post as Senior Editor, hopefully to become a Senior-Editor-at-Large (SEAL). Over the years Laura has brought both her writing talents and programming mastery to polish and perfect countless articles, columns, covers, and of course editor's notes. Through Laura's diligence you've all been spared the monthly use of the words "hallowed," "valiant," "bailiwick," and "gleaned." (I also know to put the punctuation inside the quotation marks.—L.E.) We'll definitely miss her, but hopefully we'll still earn her SEAL of approval.
The MSDN Online Developer Center for XML
      The MSDN Online Developer Center for XML

      An ednote wouldn't be complete without some newsworthy, technical tidbit. So we'll take this opportunity to plug the MSDN Developer Centers (http://msdn.microsoft.com). Launched this summer, they are and will be your one-stop web shop for technical content on Microsoft developer products and technologies. At the present time there are three Developer Centers—Windows 2000 (http://msdn.microsoft.com/Windows2000/), XML (http://msdn.microsoft.com/xml/default.asp), and Exchange (http://msdn.microsoft.com/Exchange).
      Guess what? This is our final ednote of the millennium! Happy New Year! -J.F.
—J.F.

From the December 1999 issue of Microsoft Systems Journal.