MilieuWinter07ExchangeC

On October 6, Houghton College put up the first issue of Milieu to be designed and published exclusively online. Publishing online allowed the college to add a fourth issue of Milieu each year. The college will continue to mail printed issues in January, April and July.—Ed.

This is just a note of congratulations on your October e-publication of Milieu. This is a beautiful website and a wonderful step forward! The format is so familiar, and yet there is much more content and many more pictures (in color!) than in the printed versions.

In an age when we are increasingly concerned about waste of our natural resources, it is so encouraging to see your effort here—trees will be saved and tons of waste paper will be avoided, not to mention reduction of delivery costs.

Bravo for a great new venture!

Charlie Walker ’64

Kingston, Ontario

I just want to say I LOVE the online edition of the Milieu! It is user-friendly, easy to navigate and the pages look neat and professional. Well done! I also love the links to pictures from Down the Aisle and Future Alumni—I’ll have to remember that when my little one is born next month.

One thing that would be nice to have is a “go to top” button, especially on long pages. Other than that, the whole website is impressive and I look forward to reading it again and again!

Kathy (Merchant ’92) Tuttle

Churchton, MD

I enjoyed the first online issue of the Milieu. I suspect many of us would opt for paperless delivery of all four yearly issues; please consider making this an option. One suggestion: put a hyperlink to the “Next article” at the bottom of each page (and “Previous article” at the top).

Jay Thomas ’78

Lakeland, FL

Online is fine. In fact, why don't you give people the option to get all four that way?

Martha (Fox ’67) Sitzman

Trumansburg, NY

The online Milieu is wonderful! What a great idea. Thanks!

Evelyn “Lynne” (Stanley ’71) Murphy

Biatorbagy, Hungary

I applaud your new online Milieu. I love it!

Sharon Lamos (’73) Oppedisano

Honeoye Falls, NY

I like the hard copy much better. I’d rather sit in my living room reading it than in front of the computer.

Clint Newell ’63

Bremerton, WA

Thanks for adding Milieu online! I do, however, still enjoy browsing the print edition.

Heather Dungey ’00

Jennerstown, PA

A comment on the postcard you sent out: the tiny, gold type is almost unreadable without a magnifying glass and strong light for those of us in the bifocal crowd.

Nancy (Tozier ’79) Sieling

Bath, NY

The idea is great. However, it is not for me. I would much rather read hard copy. This is too much to read online. In addition, I print out everything for my wife, Ruth, to read. She doesn’t read things online at all. This is just too much to print. Milestones alone took up 6 pages. Getting one more issue a year is a good idea, and I realize that the savings in printing and postage are considerable, and online is the way to go—for most people, I guess, but not us. Sorry about that.

Bob Merz ’52

Stony Brook, NY

I like the online format—a reaction which surprises me, though I consider myself highly computer literate. However, due to my many years in the printing industry, I very much like the printed magazine—the touch, the smell, the complete unit right there in my hands. But, back to the online version: it is simple to navigate and quite easy to read. All in all, I liked the new format and discovered that it is simple to select the articles of interest to me.

However, there are some Houghtonians we know who are not at all computer literate. Don’t forget that they are almost automatically excluded from seeing this information, unless they happen to have a child or a friend who can help them navigate the Web.

One further comment: on the postcard you sent, the text type is too small and too light for us older citizens.

Merle Baer ’51

Lancaster, PA

Well done! I just read the entire issue online. I normally, however, don't have time to do this. I read the “paper” edition of Milieu a little at a time. I especially liked the fact that the pages downloaded very quickly. Thanks for your work on putting this together.

Sharon (Huff ’64) Anderson

Prescott, AZ

Wow! What a great job! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this edition of Milieu, with its vast supply of information and beautiful photographs. I have saved the site in my favorites for future reference.

Joseph M. Sanger ’65

Lebanon, PA

I’m sure your decision was well-considered and the bottom line is in control, but some of us out here are essentially cut off from such an issue. For us who are on dial-up, our bandwidth really won’t handle the download of the copy. Others are not into the electronic age. In short, some will be disenfranchised by your decision to publish the Milieu exclusively online for the fourth issue of the year. Thanks for your electronic ear.

Fred Shannon, emeritus professor of chemistry

Houghton, NY

What about those of us who do not have computers? Will we be left out?

Michael Schell ’50

East Aurora, NY

I have been thinking of sending some money to Milieu. Today I received your postcard about the new way of distributing the issue, and was reminded…

I am not online, so you can skip the fourth issue. I’ll be glad to get the first three. Thanks!

Frederick J. Bedford ’50

Dayton, TN

Please tell us how you feel. We would be especially interested to know: a) if you would like to have every issue available online in this format, and b) if it were, would you opt out of having a printed version of each issue delivered?

Milieu welcomes your comments.

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