From the Editor

Last Issue on Paper Going Fully Electronic

This is the last issue of the newsletter that appears on paper. Starting from the January 2001 issue we will produce it in electronic format only.   

As you know the newsletter has been on the web now for some years. This service will continue and you can access the issues and articles as before either through the link on the IFMBE homepage (www.ifmbe.org) or directly at www.iee.org.uk/publish/ifmbe.   

A PDF-formatted file will replace the paper version. PDF is a file format that can be opened and printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader. Adobe Acrobat Reader is a freeware that can be downloaded from the Adobe website (http://cgim.adobe.com/acrobat/reader15/download.cgi ).   

Instead of sending the secretariats of the affiliated societies a package by surface mail every two months, we will send an email with the PDF file attached. It is then up to the societies to decide how to distribute that to their members. They can forward the email to those having an email account. If there are members that prefer to receive it on paper, this can be done by the secretariats or by the members themselves just by printing the file.   

The decision to make this change has been discussed now for some time in various IFMBE meetings. In Chicago last July the secretaries of IFMBE affiliated societies were asked whether the PDF approach is acceptable. All present preferred this arrangement to the old procedure.   

This new arrangement has several benefits. First, the delay from the publisher to the members is reduced considerably. Secretariats will receive the PDF file more or less instantly once it is released. Distribution from there to members will also be very quick, e.g. societies can establish an automatic email distribution list. Once the file arrives it is automatically forwarded to subscribers.   

Second, this arrangement saves money. There will be no printing and mailing costs anymore. Considering that a full volume of the newsletter comprises roughly 120 pages and this is printed in a quantity of close to 20,000 we will also be saving a lot of trees.

Niilo Saranummi

Email: Niilo.Saranummi@vtt.fi