First, advertising dollars help offset the cost of producing My Mac every month. In 1999, My Mac will begin paying our writers and staff, and to do this we must have a way of generating revenue. And since you don't pay to read My Mac like you do Macworld or MacAddict, that means we must rely on sponsors.

The other reason is simple: I like to look at the ads in magazines. Back when I was getting MacWeek, the full-page ads in the back were always very important to me. What do I want to buy? What are the prices? I loved it. And now that MacWeek, eMediaWeekly, and MacUser are all gone, there are fewer places left to look at these ads.

I think this is a natural progression for My Mac. While I understand some of you may not like it, I hope you'll at least take a look at these ads and see some of the great deals our sponsors have to offer. These companies also all have extensive websites of their own, and we encourage you to make an electronic visit to the friendly people who keep My Mac free for you to enjoy every month.

20th Anniversary Everyone wants an iMac or the new Blue and White G3s. So do I, but to be honest, I want a 20th anniversary Mac a whole lot more. To me, these are simply the coolest computers every made. If anyone out there has one they would like to trade or sell, please let me (Tim Robertson) know!

Changes Some of you may have noticed that My Mac has had several new writers join our ranks lately. After you've read their columns, drop them a quick line to let them know what you're thinking. Every new writer appreciates feedback, because that's the way he or she finds out if they have an audience. I think you'll find they'll really appreciate it, even if it's just say to say "hi."

Susan... For all the faithful readers of Out of the AppleCart, a quick note to let you know that Susan is still recuperating and isn't quite ready to resume writing her column. Well-wishers can reach her at her email address listed on the last page. Susan, all of us here at My Mac miss you greatly and wish you a speedy recovery!