ages. Our new typeface, in fact, is more efficient, allowing us to put more text in
the same area, so we can increase the space devoted to graphics.
Speaking of graphics: You'll find that more of our graphics now convey information on multiple layers. First, there's the base layer, the static "architecture" of the information under discussion (for example, in a diagram of a CPU's architecture, this would be the block diagram). Then there's the flow layer, where we will illustrate a process on top of the base, to show how the technology or product works. Finally there's the editorial layer, which will have our opinion and judgment on top of the other layers. This philosophy will not be obvious in all graphics, but we hope that over time you'll notice that the pictures in BYTE have more information in them.
Also starting in this issue, the "reviews ghetto" in the back of the book is eliminated. Instead, reviews will run throughout the magazine, in five different sections. We are doing this to acknowledge that it's not just technology that you care about: It's th
e products that realize the promise of the technology. So now you can read about the hottest technologies and the hottest products without having to flip from the front to the back of the magazine.
Starting in this issue we'll also rate the products we review. See this month's Lab Report, "12 Ink-Jet Printers for Quality Color," to see what I mean.
The front of the magazine gets the biggest changes. Our new Bits section replaces News and Views. Bits contains not just the news and analysis you're used to, but also new elements that will educate and entertain, like "Geek Mystique," "Yeah, But...," and the occasionally requested "Bug of the Month" (see, I do listen when you write to me). There's more in the new Bits section, as I'm sure you'll notice.
Other parts of the magazine have been moved around and renamed--all in the interest of improving your reading experience. And at the end, we're going to have some fun: The back page of the magazine now has coverage of the latest, hottest techn
ology gizmos we can get our hands on.
The artist behind our new look is Gary Koepke. Gary has designed such diverse publications as
Spin
magazine and the J. Crew catalog. His work has appeared in several top design journals, including
ID
and
Graphis
. BYTE is Gary's first computer magazine, but as Gary and I came to understand while we worked through the new design, the necessities of magazine design transcend magazine genre: What makes for a good music or news magazine also makes for a good computer magazine. I hope you like BYTE's brand new look. It has been a very enjoyable challenge to create it.
BYTE has always been about the new. This version continues that tradition in an era when all of us have too much to read, too much to think about, and too much to do. Behind our new interface, we remain committed to filtering the noisy stream of data about new computer technology and delivering meaningful, useful packets to you.
Farewell
I'm off to
a new project: running the Web magazine CNet Online. My successor here will be Mark Schlack, who's been with BYTE for four months as its Editor. I know Mark will do a great job. And he had better--because as of today, I'm one of his customers: a paying BYTE subscriber.
BYTE's New Interface
