From the Editor: Italy

Steven Pemberton

In the long tradition (ooh, at least three years -- but I'm English, and if anything happens once there it's already a tradition) of the July issue of the SIGCHI Bulletin carrying a special feature, this issue's special feature is HCI in Italy.

Much happens around the world in the area of HCI, and each country has its own community and culture of HCI. It is rare that we get the chance to see a country's work presented together in a way like this, and rewarding when we do.

This feature celebrates the founding of the new Italian SIGCHI Local SIG. International representation in the area of local SIGCHI SIGs is growing apace, and it is great to be able to welcome a new representative of a country in this way. For more information about the Italian Local SIG, the contact person is Maria Francesca Costabile, email fcosta@iesi.ba.cnr.it .

I would like to thank Nadja de Carolis for taking the effort of organising and editing a great special feature.

New Editors

This issue also marks a change of guard for three of our editors. Pat Billingsley, the Standards editor since 1989, Kate Ehrlich, the first Local SIGS editor, since 1994, and Jean Gasen, the Education editor since 1993, all bid farewells in this issue. All three have done great work over these years: Pat has kept us informed in the developments of standards in the area of HCI, and I have not known of any better place to keep informed on the state of developments in this area; Kate created the Local SIGs column, and with this and in her role as Local SIGs chair of SIGCHI has made Local SIGs a thriving area; Education is an essential area of SIGCHI, and just looking at her summary in this issue of what she has done in her time as Education editor, we can see what great work Jean has done.

So I hope you will all join me in thanking the three of them for their work. The Bulletin is produced entirely by volunteers, and it is largely thanks to them and all our other editors that the content of the Bulletin is as good as it is.

I would therefore also like to welcome our three new editors, Richard Anderson, Local SIGs, Harry Blanchard, Standards, and Andrew Sears, Education to the noble and honoured ranks! They have a hard act to follow, but I look forward to them continuing in the long tradition set for them by their predecessors!

Future Issues

Next issue is the CHI 96 issue: reports on what happened, and what you missed if you weren't there or if you just happened to be in a different session.

The January issue will be the Future of SIGCHI, CHI and HCI issue, marking the end of the ACM 50th Anniversary Year. If you would like to contribute to that issue, there is still time. Deadline 1st October.

Don't forget that this issue, just as all issues since January this year, is online too, at http://www.acm.org/sigchi/bulletin . I'd love to hear what you think: there's a feedback form there.

Steven Pemberton
Steven.Pemberton@cwi.nl
http://www.cwi.nl/~steven

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Vol.28 No.3, July 1996
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