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Cadalyst Magazine v2009 (Editor's Window)

This year brings some ups and downs as we adjust to a changing world.

Publishing a magazine is a huge challenge these days. Print publishers are struggling to maintain revenue as readers and advertisers increasingly turn to online options, while rising costs of paper, printing, and postage cut into profits. Cadalyst, now in its 26th year, is no exception.

At Cadalyst, we're working to keep the magazine — and all our offerings — in good health. As has been the case recently for countless other magazines, this effort involves some cuts. The major change, announced in December, is that Cadalyst is now a bimonthly publication.

As we reduce frequency, however, we are beefing up content. A variety of new authors will offer diverse perspectives and expertise on topics you haven't seen covered in the magazine in recent years. Cover stories, such as this month's report on 3D printing ("Cadalyst Labs Report: Almost Real"), will offer in-depth looks at developing technologies and topics we know you'll value. (Future topics include budget software, configuring a workstation for CAD, sustainable design, and more.)

CAD users as well as managers should be thrilled by the return to the magazine of Lynn Allen and her popular "Circles and Lines" AutoCAD tutorial ("Circles and Lines — Capture the Perfect Selection Set in AutoCAD"), now in its 17th year. Our new "User Profile" ("User Profile — Wisdom from the Trenches") will be a regular feature that brings some human interest to our technical world, introducing you to some remarkable CAD users and managers.

CAD users also will get their due with the introduction of user-written software and hardware reviews. (See Gabriel Mathews' review of Bunkspeed HyperShot.) Our long-respected, expert-written reviews remain a cornerstone of every issue, with user-written reviews appearing occasionally to deliver new perspectives on product performance.

Also new, Cadalyst executive editor Kenneth Wong's "Beyond Engineering" will broaden the focus of his former "PLM Strategies" column to bring product lifecycle management and other product-development technologies into the mainstream. "Beyond Engineering" will appear occasionally in Cadalyst and as a bimonthly edition of our MCAD Tech News e-newsletter.

Robert Green fans should note that his "CAD Manager" column will appear as always in every issue of the magazine, and his CAD Manager's Newsletter continues as a twice-monthly e-mail publication.

Cadalyst's digital publishing efforts are going strong, with a few changes in store. Hot Tip Harry will be hanging out on Cadalyst's CAD Tips site (www.cadalyst.com/cadtips), regularly posting new AutoCAD customization tips — check the Recently Posted list for the latest updates. (Bonus: You'll find the latest tips from our free Tips & Tools Weekly e-newsletter there too.) If you prefer, you can check in occasionally on Harry's new Tip Jar Discussion Forum (www.cadalyst.com/forums) to get updates from Harry himself (AKA Bill Kramer) or consult the list of the latest tips in each issue of Cadalyst. Harry's Programming Concepts Discussion Forum is also new, taking the place of the "Harry's Code Class" e-mail newsletter and allowing Kramer and other forum users to exchange AutoCAD programming expertise and advice on an interactive, instant platform.

Lynn Allen will deliver two new AutoCAD video tips every month on the Cadalyst Video Gallery (www.cadalyst.com/videogallery), and Bill Fane's "Learning Curve" AutoCAD tutorial and Steve Johnson's "Bug Watch" will publish quarterly going forward. "AutoLISP Solutions" author Tony Hotchkiss decided last fall to retire. We, and his loyal readers, will miss him greatly.

A variety of contributors and staff will author our series of Tech News e-newsletters for the MCAD, AEC, and GIS fields. Jeff Rowe, Andrew Roe, Heather Livingston, and Melanie Perry will continue to be involved as contributing experts to share their expertise via product reviews, event coverage, and other occasional assignments.

Many thanks, as always, to our readers who stick with us through thick and thin. I'd appreciate your feedback about these changes and hope you'll take a minute to send it along.