By David Gewirtz
Imagine conducting a symphony when all the musicians are cats, each a card-carrying member of the feline species. Each cat has her own idea of where she wants to go, or what he wants to do. The kitty isn't being difficult on purpose, or even mean-spirited, it's just that cats are highly independent and very mindful of their own needs and desires. Yet cats do co-exist with us humans. They want love, food, and a tummy-rub, not necessarily in that order. But they want it entirely on their own terms.
Starting a new publication is a lot like conducting a symphony of cats. In house, we have our editorial team. But we have to work with, and gently nudge, a number of well-meaning, but feline-inclined constituencies. These include our independent authors, our advertising sponsors, and even the fine people at 3Com, who are providing web page links and watching with amused interest as we try to make this thing work. Even the web itself is like a cheerful little cat, climbing the drapes or refusing to image a file, just for the fun of it.
Yet we've made it work, and this issue is a living, digital testament to that accomplishment. Along with Managing Editor Denise Amrich, I've been conducting this symphony prior to launch for lo' these many months. And I'm extremely proud of what my team here at Component Enterprises, as well as what our authors and other constituents are presenting in this first issue.
Just take a quick look at our Table of Contents. You'll see articles ranging from an enlightening discussion with PalmPilot creator Jeff Hawkins to a product "shoot-out" comparing software for computing the tip at a restaurant, with other articles on Graffiti tricks and Lotus Notes connectivity, and even more.
You'll get this quality and diversity of content each month, and it's all free. PalmPower Magazine is a monthly "how-to" journal about the PalmPilot organizer. Each issue will offer great ideas and helpful techniques designed to help you get the most out of your PalmPilot device. You'll also be able to view the latest news about PalmPilot-related happenings, read product reviews, and interact with other PalmPilot organizer users as well as with vendors of PalmPilot software and hardware products.
Our style and tone extend to the design of the overall web experience. The PalmPower site is designed to be attractive, but with a minimum of fluff. This means that we use graphics sparingly and pay great attention to the user experience and the speed of page downloads. In other words, it'll be fast, even on slower modems.
