Surfing & cruising

It’s time to log off

by Bret Kelly

This is my last Surfing & Cruising column. When I landed this
gig in 1998 I was ecstatic because I finally had an outlet for my
writing. It seemed like a natural fit since I was already working
on the Net.

Ninety-nine percent of the e-mail that I’ve received from read-
ers has been enthusiastic, positive, and congratulatory. This is
what kept me going for so long. In person (and even once in bed)
guys would tell me how this column was the reason that they
got on the Internet in the first place. It’s a pretty amazing feeling
—— knowing that you’ve made a difference.

Every issue, I felt that I was helping people who were strug-
gling with the beast that had been labeled the ‘super information
highway’. When visiting friends, I would constantly get asked,
“Do you know about this software?” or “How do I get on a chat
room?” Their questions naturally turned into column ideas and
that in turn gave me a sense of pride.

Unfortunately, over 60 columns later (and few articles in
between) I’ve run out of steam. Some weeks I sit here trying to
come up with a new topic and when I do, I’ll realize I covered
it last year. The Net has become a lot easier to navigate and it’s
almost as much a part of our everyday lives as television. I was
happy to be the captain of your journey but I think you can take
the wheel for yourselves now.

Personally, I want to focus on my Web sites. While I have
been maintaining them, I feel that there’s a lot more I need to
accomplish. I have a fairly large online audience and that’s
where I want to focus my energy. Not that I’m making any
excuses but I do need to sort things out and decide where I want
to go next.

You can always catch up with me at my personal site (bretkel-
ly.com) and of course, you can always send me an e-mail at
bret@bretkelly.com.

Before I go, I want to thank John for giving me the opportuni-
ty to fill this space. He helped me fulfill a childhood dream and
for that I will always be loyal. There’s something special about
having your words on a printed page and being able to show it
to your friends and family. It doesn’t have the same magic
online — and that’s something that I’ll really miss.

Do you think you have what it takes to replace Bret Kelly? If
so, e-mail jeremyparkes@home.com and tell us why you’re the
right person to take over Surfing &- Cruising.I