Finally, in Windows CE Power, we've got fellow DVD-fanatic Jason Perlow as our Senior Technical Editor. Jason somehow seems connected with virtually every manufacturer on the face of the planet and he also has managed to provide very impartial, objective, and professional coverage of both Palm devices and Windows CE-related happenings. We're also working on a new publication that we hope to launch this spring, and Jason's been very closely involved in that effort.

None of these Senior Technical Editors are ZATZ employees. They're independent writers, thinkers, and professionals who love what they work with. They have a deep technical understanding of their subject matter, and the talent and ability to write about it with depth and clarity.

They're the people we turn to when our readers ask questions we don't have the answers for. They're the people we turn to when we want to understand the industry at a deeper level. And they're the people who are a big part of what makes our publications so special.

It's interesting. We tried to identify what made someone suitable for the title Senior Technical Editor. Clearly, there's the technical background. But that's not enough. These are people who often represent ZATZ magazines at tradeshows and at industry events. Because they're affiliated with the publications, they often get access to industry executives and information not otherwise available. For some, that helps them in their day jobs.

We found ourselves, one day, asking two key questions: Is this someone we'd feel comfortable bringing along to talk to the CEO at Lotus, a Palm founder, or a Microsoft executive as a representative of our magazine? Would we feel equally comfortable with this idea if we weren't there to provide spin control?

What makes them suitable to be Senior Technical Editors, in addition to their knowledge, is their professionalism. There are a lot of knowledgeable people out there. But there are far less who are always professional, always trustworthy, always people you can count on. Fortunately, Claire, Dan, Richard, and Jason are those people.

A third criteria, frankly, is how helpful, fair, and fun they are to interact with. Are they helpful to us? Are they fun to call? Are they people we look forward to hanging with? This is important because we need to work with them each month. Also, we regularly turn to them for advice. We'll ask whether we're taking the right approach on an article, whether we're meeting our mission for our readers, whether we're pushing our luck on controversial topics just enough, or too far.

And not only that, they can write. That's the fourth criteria for an incredible Senior Technical Editor: writing skill. Can they communicate their knowledge and do so in a fair, impartial, and understandable way? When you read one of Dan's articles, odds are, you're going to learn while you chuckle. When you read one of Richard's articles, you're going to know something in more depth and with deeper understanding - and, often, you'll learn something that'll go straight to the bottom line. When you read one of Claire's articles, you're going to learn how to get the most out of your Palm device. And when you read one of Jason's articles, you'll often be reading about something no one else has access to, and with insider information you won't find anywhere else.