Joe Feeley is editor in chief for
Control Design and
Industrial Networking. Email him at
[email protected] or check out his
Google+ profile.
One of several ways to measure how we’ve been doing is the mail we receive from readers, most of which we print. We excerpted some of it for this month’s Feedback section, but here’s where it started: the very first feedback reacted to the premier issue. Engineer John Short wrote, “I don’t know how you got my name, but I got your first issue and was glad I did.” He went on to say the articles discussing PLCs vs. PCs, the user guide to proximity switches, and the classification scheme for operator interface helped him with his job. He concluded saying, “You had a lot for me in this issue. I don’t know if this was coincidence, or if you managed to tune in to the technical interests of engineers like me. Only time will tell.”
During these past 10 years, the feedback has told us we’re engaging you in the automation discussion, and often hearing we’ve been of real help. Please keep talking.
Something I say to both current editors and job applicants is my best way of explaining what this brand has to be. I tell them I’m just as terrified by the next issue of Control Design we produce as I was by the very first issue we produced. I tell them they need to feel the same way. Some find “terrified” to be an odd descriptor.
I’m terrified because the next issue will be the first issue for some new readers looking for help. We can’t disappoint them. The next issue will be the first one a current subscriber really takes some time with to find out if it’s worth the read. We have to make sure it is. The next issue might be the first time a new marketing person for a vendor evaluates Control Design’s affinity with its audience if they decided to advertise. We owe it to all of them to be better than they expected to find.
Equally important are you regular readers, who over the years have come to expect high and consistent standards of relevance and value from us. The next issue can’t let you down.
It’s a good thing to “sweat” the next issue. We have to retain that sense of urgency, obligation and high expectation to live up to what we promised 10 years ago. If we ever lost that, we wouldn’t deserve more birthday celebrations.
For a few minutes, though, let’s enjoy the party.