Dear Reader,<p>


We've launched an exciting new Discussion Area at Directions, and I want to focus on it in this week's message.<P>


For years the Internet has provided a powerful resource for getting answers to thorny questions about mapping.  These take the form of email-based discussion lists, each usually devoted to a particular piece of software.  A person sends his inquiry by email to the discussion list server; the message is then broadcast, again by email, to all list "subscribers"; and with luck, the answer is forthcoming.  Monitoring these lists has given thousands of users their basic mapping education.<P>


We are now collecting the postings of the most popular of these mapping lists at <a href="http://lists.directionsmag.com/discussion/">http://lists.directionsmag.com/discussion/</a>  By putting the messages in databases, and by making them available in your browser, several advantages occur, such as:
<ul>

<LI>many of you will find it more convenient to read messages in your browser, avoiding email in-box clutter


<li>you'll have one web location for monitoring the activity of all lists; what's new, what's active, and so forth.  Our cover page gives a quick snapshot of recent list activity


<li> list messsages can be searched by author, subject line, or the body of the messsage.  This search can be restricted to one list, or conducted across all lists.</ul>


Facilities are available for you to suggest a list that we've missed so far (<a href="http://lists.directionsmag.com/discussion/suggest_list.php">http:/.lists.directionsmag.com</a>) and also to suggest that there is need for a new list to be founded (<a href="http://lists.directionsmag.com/discussion/create_list.php">http://lists.directionsmag.com/discussion/create_list.php</a>).  If this latter turns out to be a good idea, we're set up to host that new list.<P>


With your help, I'm sure we'll find other ways to make this a fruitful resource.<P>


(You'll also find that this Discussion area incorporates the beginnings of a new design for our magazine.  Let us hear what you think!)<P>