'Tis the Season
by Wayne A. Thorp, CFA
As another calendar year draws to a close, editors like me are obliged to reflect on the year that was and on the year ahead. There have been some exciting developments at Computerized Investing and at AAII over the last year. First, in September we welcomed Z. Joe Lan as our newest assistant financial analyst and CI contributor. I look forward to seeing his fresh perspective in the pages of CI. Also, John Bajkowski, former editor of CI, took over as president of AAII on September 1. I have enjoyed working with John for nearly 14 years, during which time he has been an invaluable resource and a patient mentor. I am excited about AAII’s direction under John as he strives to maintain AAII’s strong commitment to quality, unbiased investor education.
Looking ahead to the New Year, there are many projects I am mulling over in my mind. At the top of the list is enhancing the Computerized Investing website, following the successful re-launch of AAII.com a few months ago. I am always interested in hearing about what CI readers want, as well as what we are doing right and wrong, so feel free to e-mail us at ci@aaii.com.
PC Buyer’s Guide
If your holiday shopping includes big-ticket computer purchases, before you make a decision, be sure to read my Annual PC Buyer’s Guide, which was the November CI Online Exclusive. It is available online. This guide is intended for those looking to use their computer for common tasks, such as Web browsing and e-mail, as well as computer-assisted investment analysis and research.
Online Spreadsheet Programs
For this issue, I had the opportunity to delve into a subject I only knew of in passing—online spreadsheet services. In my review, which begins on page 1, I look at Google Docs, Zoho and EditGrid, three of the more popular online spreadsheet services. By and large, I found these services to be respectable alternatives to spreadsheet software. If you are into more advanced spreadsheet analysis, these services may not fully meet your needs. But they are definitely worth a look if you will only be performing basic spreadsheet tasks. Their low cost, combined with online accessibility, sharing, and linking with financial data providers, makes them a compelling alternative.
Follow Me at CES
As a self-described tech geek, I’m excited about attending my first Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next month. Be sure to follow my Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/ci_editor), as well as my blog posts (www.citechblog.com) and CI’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Computerized-Investing/322511388012).
In closing, I want to wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous New Year!
Discussion
I subscribed to computerized investing and have yet to get one issue. ptbmnn@yahoo.com
posted about 1 year ago by Dorsey from Washington
We will pass your email address on to Member Services, but you may wish to contact them directly at members@aaii.com.
posted about 1 year ago by Wayne from Illinois
