A New Observer In The House!
May 4th, 1999

It is a pleasure to write for a new audience. As a new Columnist and Contributing Editor for The Mac Observer, I am quite excited to face a new challenge. Some of you might know me because you read me at MacSoldiers, or when clicking links in the "MacOS News Around the Web" section at the Mac Observer. MacSoldiers is the site where it all started for me as a writer. I would not be here if I did not have a whole year of experience at that site.

If you do not know me, I will give you a short bio. I live in Montreal, Canada, and I have been using Macs since 1994. I had been using PC's before I discovered the Mac in college. I used them in computer labs and at a student newspaper. After being acquainted with them, I never wanted to use a PC again. Since then I have learned about the platform and made my debut as a Columnist at MacSoldiers in May 1998. I also became Assistant Editor for that site. I have a degree in journalism and a bit of experience in that field. Although my mother tongue is French, I got used to writing in English on a regular basis. Slight grammar errors might slip from time to time, but fear not, I am careful about this. After all, it is crucial to bring information in the best possible way.

Why do I call this column On the Flip Side and what is it going to bring you? I like to see myself as someone who does not follow the mainstream, so I will give you a different perspective on current Mac issues. I love playing devil's advocate and contradicting people. My approach is to look at what happens on the Mac platform and analyze the current events, or even fundamental things. I usually come up with different conclusions. It is important to do this, simply because the news headlines provide the latest information, but we must go further. What some people publish is propaganda. It is canned and precooked for people to eat it up without asking questions. The Internet takes its place under the sun, and one day, it will be as indispensable as print and television. The biggest difference its freedom. As it is more liberal (or wild), some of us have to be more critical...

It might lead me to respond to PC columnists. It will sometimes make me contradict what I hear from fellow Mac users. Sometimes, I might just set the facts straight by destroying what I consider myths. On a timely basis, I might adventure an opinion about the Internet in general. Sometimes, both Mac and PC users have issues to face without platform considerations. I will not center this column on a highly specialized topic, but on a state of mind.

I am ambitious and full of ideas. I plan to help The Mac Observer to become an essential site for Mac users who want quality information on the Internet. By joining its team, I am committed to contribute to a site that wants to bring the best possible content to users, and to become an important player in the Mac community.

Stay tuned for next week's column.

Your comments are welcomed.