This article may contain URLs that were valid when originally published, but now link to sites or pages that no longer exist. To maintain the flow of the article, we've left these URLs in the text, but disabled the links.

Welcome to the future of MSJ and MIND.
It's called MSDN Magazine.

1986	1996	2000

In the beginning there was MSJ, and it was good. The first two issues in 1986 featured the recently created Windows (no version, just "Windows"), introduced DDE, rhap�sodized on the coming 386 chip, and earnestly speculated that TSRs were headed for an industry-wide standard, being so ubiquitous and useful. And the Microsoft logo still included the beloved "blibbet."
      Over the years, Windows was fruitful and multiplied. MSJ kept pace with the different generations of Windows. But then came the Internet, and MSJ felt the need of a companion. So in 1996 we took a rib from MSJ and created MIND....
      The concerns of the MSJ and MIND subscribers seemed pretty far apart in 1996. But by early 1999, MSJ readers were asking why they weren't getting more Web programming articles. The MIND readers wanted SQL Server articles.
      We convened focus groups. We consulted developers who were dealing with real-world situations that Web-oriented technology has created. We noted that siblings in the MSDN family—who had a similar division of content, MSDN Online and SiteBuilder Network—were merging.
      We concluded that we should eliminate the division of the two publications in order to offer the full range of Microsoft development solutions and technologies. And so MSJ and MIND begat MSDN Magazine (thought we'd lost that thread, didn't you).

 

What We're Keeping, What's New

      MSDN Magazine will be both MSJ and MIND, everything in between, and whatever comes next. We're keeping many of the features and columns from both publications. Quite a few of our authors already wrote for both magazines, so you'll be seeing a lot of familiar names. We are adjusting the titles and focus for some of the columns, and an entirely new column called The XML Files starts this month.
      New features include a description of each column's content under the column's logo, and a service box on the first page of each feature article where we've added a summary of the article, links to related topics, and background information to our traditional, "assumes you're familiar with" list.
      Staff-wise, MSDN Magazine is a continuation of MSJ and MIND. The same editorial and production group will now be making one big magazine a month instead of two smaller ones.
      Joe Flanigen, MSJ's Tech Editor, and Joshua Trupin, MIND's Tech Editor, will share responsibility for continuing the MSJ/MIND tradition of bringing you straightforward, in-depth, no-bull information. They'll be keeping their respective beats, but now they'll be able to, for lack of a better buzzword, synergize a lot more. Josh, who started with the group as a writer for MSJ, has even returned to the keyboard to craft this month's article on SQL Server 2000.
      Another tradition we're keeping is our full-content Web site. That tradition is one month old and getting rave reviews. Articles will go up when issues becomes available on newsstands, about three weeks after subscribers receive their copies. Online MSJ and MIND back issues will be available through the MSDN Magazine Web site and in the MSDN Library.
      We hope you're happy with your new magazine. Please send your comments, thoughts, and suggestions to mmeditor@microsoft.com.

—ML

For subcription questions, contact: msdnmag@neodata.com

Level of Difficulty   1    2    3   Possibly the most different thing we've tried in creating this new magazine is introducing the "difficulty level." This was based on feedback from both MSJ and MIND readers who asked for a way of managing their time and their staff reading assignments. We were asked to rate the articles to give a clue as to both how brain-labor intensive they might be and how experienced a staff member should be to have an article as an assignment. We went around in many directions on what makes an article or topic difficult and how to define it. The words used in the focus groups were "difficulty" and "how hard is it?" We considered a key such as: Requirements: 1: comfy chair, 2: comfy chair and good light, 3: comfy chair, good light, pull the shades, bar the door, and turn off the phone. We decided to just go with 1,2, and 3 as a generalized levelset for how to plan for an article. Send us feedback and let us know if this is useful since we've created it in response to your requests.   To our subscribers: MSJ or MIND subscribers don't have to do anything to get MSDN Magazine. It will be sent to you for the duration of your subscription. You'll receive one copy of MSDN Magazine for every issue left in your subscription. If you subscribe to both MSJ and MIND you will receive the combined total of both subscriptions. This should happen automatically if your name and address are the same for both subscriptions. If you subscribe to MSJ and MIND with different name configurations or at different addresses (for instance, one subscription comes to work and one comes to your home) you'll need to contact customer service to tell them if you want the two subscriptions combined, and where you want them delivered. Customer service can be reached by e-mail at msdnmag @neodata.com or by telephone at 1-800-666-1084. From the March 2000 issue of MSDN Magazine.