The Event Horizon

1. Editorial: The monster lives!

Dear Fellow Inhabitants of a non-degenerate Universe,

Nowadays, it looks like dear old EH is constantly on the edge of dying. Yes, it has been a long time (months) since the last 'official' issue of EH. For a while, even I thought it couldn't be revived.

Due to various difficulties we encountered getting print versions of EH out, I've decided to help save a few dead trees (or should that be dead branches?) and produce an electronic version instead (with possible print editions for those of us who do not have e-mail address, either by choice or necessity. You know who you are.). So, here it is: the first official electronic version of EH, right before your eyes!

At present, two versions of EH will be produced. One is the plain ASCII text version, done with minimal formatting, which will be mailed to the SFAS mailing list. This allows the maximum number of people to read it with the minimum amount of tools (no Netscape equipped with Collabra needed here...). Another version, to be archived at the SFAS web site, will be a minimalist html file that requires a simple browser to view. Even Lynx, my favourite text-based browser, will suffice.

(For the more technically minded among you out there, here is an explanation: I'm writing EH using SGML-Tools, a set of tools usually used to generate documents in the Linux Documentation Project. The base text is in sgml (with the proper DTD) and sgml2xxx translators are used to generate the text and html files. Simple, isn't it? Of course, it isn't perfect, since the tools is meant for documentation, not for producing newsletters. But until I can get up the strength and energy to master SGML and produce my own DTD, it will have to do. Of course, anybody out there with enough free time on their hands is welcomed to contact me and volunteer to help put together the DTD and sgml tools...)

EH will, as usual, have all the rambling stuff you have come to know (and love?) from me. So far, nobody has mumbled a word about replacing me so, as long as I have something to say, I'll probably be in the hot seat.

EH is also (desperately?) looking for contributions. Anything related to the field of SF or would interest SF readers is welcomed. Articles/items should not be too long (a few screenful of text only) to keep eye strain to a minimum. The length of individual articles will be adjusted in the months to come.

So, read on and enjoy(?) the new(?) EH. Please send comments directly to me at kysoh@ctlsg.creaf.com or ca052@torfree.net to minimise flamage (and damage) to the SFAS Mailing List.

webmaster@sfas.org.sg