FYI.  Not about serials, per se.  But an interesting publishing
model and endeavor, nonetheless.    -- Birdie

---------- Forwarded message ----------

The MIT Press is pleased to announce its first World Wide Web
interactive book, *City of Bits: Space, Place, and the Infobahn* by
MIT's Dean of Architecture William J. Mitchell.  Published
simultaneously on the Web and in traditional hardcover book form,
*City of Bits* is a book about a new type of city, a largely invisible
but increasingly important system of virtual spaces interconnected by
the emerging information superhighway.

The World Wide Web site is up and running and the book was shipped to
stores on May 31.

The url is http://www-mitpress.mit.edu/City_of_Bits/

We offer the electronic, hypermedia version of the book as one
possible model for electronic publications that exploit the unique
power of the World-Wide Web.

Not simply the ascii text of a book with the occasional hyperlink and
a few images, *City of Bits* is a graphically rich site that has been
enhanced with over 200 links and exceptional social and navigational
functionality.

The on-line version of *City of Bits* is meant to function as a
companion to its printed counterpart.  The in-text hotlinks and the
"Surf Sites" catalog of topic-specific links allow readers to
customize their browsing itinerary for either casual or calculated
exploration on the Web.

One of the most interesting features of *City of Bits* is the "Read
and Send Comments" feature, which is an integral part of the site.
Readers are encouraged to post comments or queries - to skywrite -
anywhere within the text.  The postings are literally embedded in the
text to become part of an on-going discourse in which the author will
also participate, answering questions and elaborating on or countering
readers' editorials.

We are not charging an entrance fee for this experimental site.  (This
is not simply an act of charity: Advance indications are that
publicity associated with the availability of the on-line version will
enhance rather than diminish sales of the printed version of *City of
Bits*.)  Our hope is that the site will provide an opportunity for our
publishing colleagues as well as our readers to think in new ways
about what publishing electronically can mean.

Frank Urbanowski
Director
The MIT Press
furb@mit.edu