When I was a kid, my friends and I would get all excited when we'd see a moving van pull up to one of the houses in the neighborhood. While we still missed the people who had left (unless it was the Thorndikes, who never answered their door on Halloween), that pang lessened as the possibilities the new folks represented piqued our curiosity. What were they like? Did they have any kids we could play with? Would they set up a swimming pool in the summer? And, yes, did they give out good candy on October 31?
I've found that age hasn't diminished the curiosity I feel when one of the houses on my block changes hands. Thus, I think I can imagine what you must be wondering as you read this, having noticed that a new face has moved into the "house" formerly occupied by Susan Woods and the rest of the Connector Specifier editorial staff.
So, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Stephen Hardy, and I am the new editorial director of Connector Specifier. As readers familiar with the fiber-optic space are aware, I hold the same titles at Lightwave, the premier publication in the field of optical communications technology and applications worldwide. Connector Specifier is now under the direction of the same team that leads Lightwave, Lightwave Europe, and Portable Design. We're very excited about our new home in your neighborhood.
And I do mean "we." Valerie Coffey, the new editor-in-chief of Connector Specifier, is likely puzzling over her first "Editor's View" column as you read this. Valerie joins the staff from Laser Focus World, where she spent three years reporting on a variety of photonic technologies. She also worked on WDM Solutions, and covered many of the optical applications routinely discussed in the pages of Connector Specifier. Together, Valerie and I understand both interconnect technologies and their applications; our experience will form the backbone of Connector Specifier's editorial coverage.
Those of you who focus primarily on electronic applications and technologies need not worry that Connector Specifier will suddenly become a fiber-optics magazine, however. Valerie and I have also covered electronics, and we will maintain the consistent coverage of that area that has made this publication so valuable. Whether your focus is communications, military, industrial, computing, automotive, medical, or some other field, you'll find that Connector Specifier will address the interconnect requirements and solutions appropriate to your needs, regardless of media. In this regard we will continue the work of Susan Woods and Sara Skoog, to whom we are grateful for leaving the magazine in such fine shape.
I've used the neighborhood metaphor in this column because we recognize that you and the other readers of Connector Specifier are very much part of a community — and because we recognize that becoming a member of this community carries certain responsibilities. Like any new homeowners we'll make a few renovations to the magazine. I urge you to send me an email via the address below and let me know what you'd like to see when you pick up your next issue of the magazine.
I think you'll find that the new occupants of this house care deeply about their new neighborhood. We're eager to get to know you, to learn how we can help you perform your jobs better.
Oh, and we give out great candy.
Stephen Hardy, Editorial Director
stephenh@pennwell.com
