BETA Online seeks to address technology's impact on our everyday lives. Although BETA started out as a great proponent of the new information technologies that are wending their way through the world, reservations have emerged, questions posed, worries aired. As editor of BETA Online and a new media professional working in New York City, I find that my relationship with technology -- and particularly with computers and the Internet -- is one of both wonder and distrust. I am a gadget freak on the one hand, yet for some reason I refuse to buy a mobile phone even as I poll my answering machine fifteen times a day. I love the Web, yet I find that my obsession with it sometimes gets the better of me. Each month, along with the book reviews and the cartoons generously contributed by BETA people, I try to portray how in many obvious and strange ways, the new information world is evolving.

I call this site BETA Online because "beta" implies a testing of ideas that are still working themselves out. Each build of this webzine is a work in progress.

The monthly illustrations are limned by Dessolena Bottiglieri, a graphic designer living in New York. She kindly produces them for me, no matter how much of a pain I am. You can contact her at: dessolena (spam-filter) @earthlink.net.

Some of the CGI programming on this site was written Michael Roufa, a talented code warrior. Contact BETA if you would like to communicate with him.

If you would like to e-mail a note, send it to editor (spam-filter) @betaonline.com

Thank You.
David Tomere

Found a broken link or other problems on BETA Online? Send e-mail to bugs (spam-filter) @betaonline.com