Strategy Session: Transformations

These are bittersweet times here at Network Computing. The issue you're reading now will be the last standalone print edition we produce. Now in its 18th year, it's painful to say goodbye to a product that I've worked on for most of those 18 years. Even harder is saying goodbye to many on our team who've put in numerous productive years on this magazine. Along with the names you see on the byline, there's a cast of talented, hard-working professionals behind the scenes who've become something of a family over the years. I'll miss them all.

But while it's no fun saying goodbye to a medium I've grown to love, I'm happy to say that Network Computing, along with its For IT, By IT premise, will live on. Starting in July, Network Computing will be merging with its sister publication, InformationWeek. For those of you who subscribe to both, you'll see For IT, By IT and NWC Labs become a prominent part of InformationWeek. You'll also notice a lot more content at NWC.com, both in terms of planned stories and ad hoc interaction with our editors. And finally, NWCReports.com will become IWeek Reports.com and NWCAnalytics will become IWeekAnalytics. The names are different, but the rigorous testing and analysis that underpins them won't change. If you aren't an InformationWeek subscriber, sign up today at InformationWeek.com/go. This URL is being set up especially for NWC subscribers, who will be given expedited treatment.

So why this move now? It's a complicated question to answer, but you'll find the beginnings of the trend in the moves by other brands. Some competitors have killed their print brands outright, others have changed formats from tabloid to magazine, and some look to reduce frequency, circulation or both--primarily in the name of cost savings.

Rather than follow that path, Network Computing's parent company has launched a bold strategy that does far more than cut costs. By merging key brands, the powerful content that has created a loyal readership for NWC gets a broader platform in industry leader InformationWeek, which has twice NWC's circulation. This new print platform will help you track the most important events in our industry through news and analysis, as well as detailed evaluations of emerging technologies. But to find the real value, you have to look past print.Online, the combination of the NWC and IWeek brands really shines. We can take you from an understanding of the news of the day to an analysis of how the news affects IT and the business itself. We spotlight the right technologies and products to consider, help you understand how your peers are implementing technologies and assess which companies are best at serving your industry. This ability to inform your priorities, strategy, product selection and implementation make the new InformationWeek--and its properties powered by NWC's For IT, By IT promise--unique. We know you'll miss Network Computing in print, but we believe you'll appreciate the combination of InformationWeek and Network Computing even more.

Art Wittmann is editor in chief of Network Computing. Write to him at [email protected].