From: A.H.Al_ashaab@lut.ac.uk (AH Al_ashaab) 
Subject: Solicitation of Interest and Ideas for New Technical Journal
Reply-To: A.H.Al_ashaab@lut.ac.uk (AH Al_ashaab)
Organization: Loughborough University, UK.
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 92 10:39:57 GMT

I am posting this message on behalf of Barbara Warthen. PLEASE
all the reply and questions go to her. Barbara EMail and postal
addresses are some where in the message.

Thanks 

Ahmed AL-ASHAAB
Manuf. Eng Dept., Loughborough Univ of Tech
Loughborough, Leics LE11 3TU, England.
EMail : A.H.Al_ashaab@lut.ac.uk  OR     ahmed@mansun.lut.ac.uk
Tel 0509-263171 Ext. 4247       Fax. 0509-267725
==================================================================

> 
> Solicitation of Interest and Ideas for New Technical Journal
>                            on
>             Product/Process Data Technology
>                   from Barbara Warthen
> 
>       >> Please help us by at least answering the first 3           
>          questionnaire questions, below. Thank you. <<
> 
> People worldwide have been finding Product Data International 
> (PDI) which we, Warthen Technology Information Services 
> (formerly Warthen Communications), publish, very worthwhile 
> for the past several years to obtain comprehensive, on-going 
> information on IGES, PDES, STEP and related worldwide product 
> data activities.
> 
> Now that the initial release of STEP is achieving Draft 
> International Standard (DIS) status, however, a number of 
> individuals and companies are finding a need for more in-
> depth and technical information on these activities, as well 
> as a forum for discussions and debates. 
> 
> We are planning to start a new professional technical 
> journal, tentative entitled Product/Process Data Technology 
> (P/PDT), as a companion to PDI, to satisfy these 
> additional needs. This will be a technical journal: PDI will 
> continue on as a comprehensive news report.
> 
> Numerous people worldwide have asked for such a publication. 
> They have stressed (and we agree) the publication must be 
> refereed (for quality), must turn articles around very 
> quickly (since the technology is advancing very rapidly), and 
> must address diverse technical topics centered around its 
> scope in depth. We are committed to achieving these -- 
> refereed articles, fast turn-around, and diverse, in-depth 
> topics.
> 
> The title, P/PDT, includes product and process data to stress 
> the focus is on more than physical product data. Topics will 
> include the work on MANDATE (industrial manufacturing 
> management data), Part Libraries, non-physical product data 
> such as functionality, and more. It will cover the 
> manufacturing, electrical/electronics, and AEC (architecture, 
> engineering, and construction) disciplines. The focus will be 
> on technology, not just standards, although of course 
> standards such as STEP will be covered.
> 
> P/PDT will contain longer, in-depth technical articles on 
> topics such as EXPRESS -- what extensions are required, what 
> needs to be changed; using SDAI; implementation experiences 
> -- problems and successes; STEP AP interoperability; can STEP 
> be used to achieve life cycle integration?; details on 
> various worldwide projects related to STEP and/or using 
> EXPRESS; what direction should STEP go in the future?; non-
> STEP-related product data topics; and 
> more. On-going columns will address debates and discussions 
> in these and other areas. The technical articles will be 
> refereed by worldwide experts to ensure top quality, 
> accuracy, timeliness, and relevance. 
> 
> Our qualifications to publish this?
> I, Barbara Warthen, will be the publisher and editor of 
> P/PDT, as I am of PDI. My entire business focuses on product 
> data technology, with worldwide contacts and knowledge of 
> activities for the journal. As convener (director) of 
> ISO/TC184/SC4/WG3, the STEP Working Group on Product 
> Modeling, I am responsible for STEP application resource 
> models and application protocols. I have been involved in 
> computer systems, CAD/CAM, data integration and exchange, and 
> standards technology as a vendor, end user, and researcher 
> for many years. For the past few years I have been a 
> publisher, educator, and consultant in these areas -- 
> qualifications and experiences necessary to achieve a new, 
> top-class professional journal, I believe.
> 
> Also, the referees and authors will come from industry, 
> academia, government agencies, research organizations, and 
> more, from around the world, ensuring diversity, relevance, 
> breadth of coverage -- which should greatly improve worldwide 
> communication on product data technology, thus help advance 
> this important field, this critical component of business 
> strategies today and in the future.
> 
> So that we can decide if P/PDT is to become real, we would 
> like your inputs. Please send your responses on the 
> following, as well as any additional comments to Barbara 
> Warthen at email warthen@cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu, or contact me at 
>     Barbara Warthen
>     Warthen Technology Information Services
>     N5303 Broughton Road
>     Albany, Wisconsin 53502-9725 USA
>     +1 (608) 862-1702 (phone & fax)
> 
> Please respond on at least the following three critical 
> questions:
> 
> 1. Are you potentially interested in subscribing to P/PDT? 
> Definitely? Maybe? Probably not? Definitely not?
> (No commitment is implied by a positive response.)
> 
> 2. Are you potentially interested in being a reviewer of 
> articles prior to publication? (If so, please mention your 
> specific area(s) of interest or expertise.)
> 
> 3. Are you potentially interested in contributing technical 
> articles, discussion and debate letters, etc. to P/PDT?
> 
> Please pass these questions on to your associates: if 
> response to the above three questions is strong enough, we 
> hope to start the journal very soon.
> 
> You can further help shape P/PDT by answering the following 
> questions.
> 
> Questions continued:
> 
> 4. What topics would you like to see covered/not covered? 
> 
> 5. What columns, on-going features would you like to see or 
> not see?
> 
> 6. Do you have any preferences on length of the journal, as 
> well as any preferences on page size (probably either 8-1/2 
> by 11 inch, or smaller)?
> 
> 7. Frequency will be determined by the number of potential 
> articles, probably 3 or 4 times a year initially: do you have 
> any preferences on the frequency?
> 
> 8. Would you like to see advertising of P/PDT related topics 
> included in the journal? If so, should advertising be 
> restricted to inside covers only, to separate pages only, or 
> embedded within the articles? Also, might your company place 
> an ad?
> 
> 9. Any other comments, suggestions? Please, we really want to 
> hear them!
> 
> If possible, please respond as soon as possible. When we 
> gather the responses, we will send out another message on the 
> status of the journal.
> 
> Also, we will greatly appreciate addresses (email and regular 
> mail) of people not on this email routing who might 
> benefit from P/PDT (and PDI): if you will send them to us, we 
> will notify them of this also. And please route this email to 
> any individuals and/or email lists you believe might be 
> interested.
> 
> Finally, since P/PDT will be a companion to, not substitute 
> for, Product Data International, if you are not aware of this 
> publication (PDI), please contact me for subscription 
> information and/or a sample issue.
> 
> Barbara Warthen
> Warthen Technology Information Services
> N5303 Broughton Road
> Albany, Wisconsin 53502-9725 USA
> +1 (608) 862-1702 (phone & fax)
> warthen@cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu (email)
> 
> P.S. No -- pricing has not been set. It will depend on a 
> number of things, including length, advertising or not, 
> number of subscribers, etc. 
>