ZDNet AnchorDesk: Passing the torch

AnchorDesk

Passing the torch

Patrick Houston
Editorial Director, AnchorDesk
Friday, Mar. 19, 2004

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Dear AnchorDesk readers:

Writing a column--a credible column--is a hard thing to do. Writing a column for you, the informed, articulate, and opinionated AnchorDesk audience, is even tougher. But writing a column for you not once, not twice, but three times a week is nothing short of Herculean.

That's why we want to offer a giant thank-you to David Coursey, who wraps up his three-year stint as AnchorDesk's lead columnist with today's edition.

You see, some columns that are supposedly written by a single individual really aren't. Many columnists are backed by researchers or ghostwriters. That's never been the case with David. What you got under his name on AnchorDesk was always David himself--pure, clear, and often controversial. The column had his words, his insights, and 9 times out of 10, topics that he had chosen. Unless you've tried to do it yourself, as I have, it's hard to appreciate the mettle it takes to produce something that (one hopes) is compelling and useful day after day, week after week.

David himself can tell you what the next chapter in his career will look like. But as he says good-bye, please say hello to those who will be filling his very big boots.

If you're a regular, you already know Robert Vamosi, who writes about computer security, and Jason Parker, who gives you the skinny on downloads. And lately you've been seeing contributions from Joni Blecher, our Cell Phone Diva, who answers your burning questions about the little devices that have become as widespread and indispensable as the PC. You've also seen columns from Eliot Van Buskirk, our MP3 Insider, who cuts through the hype to find out what's really going on in digital music.

Both Joni and Eliot will be appearing more regularly on AnchorDesk. And in the next few weeks, they'll be joined by a roster of new writers, including:

Rafe Needleman, who joins us as our lead editor on work-related technologies. His "Works for Me" column debuts this Monday in our Desktop edition.
David Carnoy, an executive editor who focuses on home theater and HDTV tech. His "Fully Equipped" column will usually appear in our Friday Home & Entertainment editions and sometimes on Mobile on Wednesdays, for topics such as how to play movies on your Pocket PC.
Brian Cooley, our newly appointed audience advocate. His job is to make sure you're heard--by us, by product manufacturers, and by service providers. His "Living It" column will address your frustrations and seek to have them alleviated.

In other words, instead of having a single dominant voice, as it has in the past, AnchorDesk will now offer a wider variety of voices--less a solo act and more like a chorus.

One thing won't change: through our experts, and with your feedback, AnchorDesk will continue to help you think, buy, and use technology, whether you're home, at work, or on the road.

--Patrick Houston, editor in chief

What do you think? What would you like to see in AnchorDesk? What can we do to serve you better? TalkBack to me below!

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