Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!jarthur!ucivax!ucla-cs!twinsun!eggert From: eggert@twinsun.com (Paul Eggert) Newsgroups: comp.org.acm Subject: Re: New format of CACM Message-ID: <1991May8.224630.11619@twinsun.com> Date: 8 May 91 22:46:30 GMT References: <2675@oops.cme.nist.gov> Sender: usenet@twinsun.com Organization: Twin Sun, Inc Lines: 21 Nntp-Posting-Host: ata Dennis Ahlgrim joined the CACM masthead as art director in January 1990. His name has been mentioned prominently in illustrations since the great format change. I'd guess that most of the blame for the unreadable new design can be laid on his doorstep. CACM changed its format in order to attract readers, and the only sure way to convince CACM of its mistake is to stop subscribing. Normally, readers noisily cancel their subscriptions because of _content_, not _style_, but if the Fabulous Fetzer Fiasco of September 1988 wasn't enough to turn your stomach, the new format might do the trick. You might try waiting patiently for the changing of the guard at editor. I suspect complaining won't help much. In response to earlier complaints, executive editor James Maurer politely gave readers the raspberry, writing: Thanks to readers who have commented on our redesign, however we are not quite finished. As you will see over the next few months, we will continue to refine it. (CACM, August 1990, page 5)