Welcome to the new WT

In your hands, you are holding a year's worth of planning, discussions, debates and arguments. (A few tears are in there, too.)The result is a magazine that you'll find just as newsy as the Washington Technology you've known, but with more in depth coverage and analysis of the important topics and trends in the market.The most obvious change is that we have become a true magazine. No longer will articles start on page one and jump to the inside. Instead, each issue will have a cover story. This one features our 2007 forecast; others in the months ahead will examine topics such as the human capital crisis, hot contract opportunities and border security.Inside, our Datastream section has been reborn as Need to Know, a roundup of the latest news as well as information on upcoming events, trends and procurements. As many of you told us while we worked on the redesign, you like having a concise, quick way of keeping up with the market.We've added an online table of contents to feature what is happening on our Web site, which also will debut a new look later this month.We've created a News In Depth section to feature articles that will explore trends and issues behind the news in the market.Our Emerging Technology section is still the place to turn to for case studies and technology insights. The IT Crowd will help you keep up with the people and events in the industry.There also is our Last Byte Q&A, where we step back and hold a conversation with a person of note. This issue we talk with former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.Some of the changes are drastic and some are subtle, but all have been made to better serve our readers. I invite your feedback at my Ask the Editor forum, 11 a.m. Jan. 18 at .Finally, I have to sing the praises of our art director, Virginia Bledsoe. She really put her heart and soul into this and it shows.