This time of year, releasing an issue of the "Information Alley" every two weeks can be a bit of a challenge.

For one thing, due to vacations, we are usually short at least one technical reviewer, so the rest of us have to take extra care when reading articles that may not be in our primary area of expertise. And we need extra reviewing time, in case we want to pass an article by an engineer or other specialist not normally a part of the review team.

In addition, I also take a week or two off in the summer. This means that I must simultaneously edit two issues, so that one is ready for release while I am gone (or the day I get back). Sometimes this inspires creativity -- the two-part "History of the Dogcow" occurred as a result of my being on a scuba trip to Bonaire. While you were reading Part II of that article I was probably 100 feet underwater.

Finally, Apple's technical Summer Camp occurs during the summer. Summer Camp is a series of week long intensive training and technical update sessions for Apple technical staff and support personnel. While we all learn a great deal at Summer Camp, it can also wreak a bit of havoc on our regular work schedules and assignments.

Since our goal with the "Information Alley" is to provide you with the most up-to-date and "hottest" issues, our biggest challenge during the summer is ensuring that the "second" of the simultaneously edited issues includes articles and information that are just as timely and valuable as the "first" issue. This isn't generally an issue, but it does require more pre-production planning.

Probably the toughest part of this whole process, at least for me, is thinking of what to say in two editorial columns. I usually use this column to tell you about special download processes, new or changes in magazine formats, and changes in column layout or arrangement. But there isn't always something like that going on--like now--so I find myself with writer's block. Therefore, I decided to fill you in on our summertime process. It doesn't enhance your Macintosh expertise, or even improve your ability to read the "Information Alley", but it does give you a "peek behind the curtain".

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