Headlines and other design elements have been reworked. The purpose of our new look is not to introduce change for its own sake but to make the magazine more attractive, as well as easier to navigate and read. We will continue to fine-tune the design in the coming year, and we welcome suggestions for making the magazine more readable and more useful. In addition to summaries of work in progress and improved searching capabilities, the site now hosts the online version of Research magazine, with the full text of all the 1996 and 1997 issues. A new online form also simplifies the process for subscribing and requesting back issues.
Simplification happens also to be the theme of the current issue.
The topic is a timely one. Both those issues are dealt with explicitly. Based on a lifetime electronic connection between a PC and a service center, it would free the user from ever worrying about updates and fixes. These are crucial steps in the evolution of computing. Just as a stage was reached at which computers became essential in designing new ones, so we can expect to see computers being enlisted to simplify the way we use them in everyday tasks.