\centerline{\bf Pira's Precursor}
\noindent
Pira (the Research Association for the
Paper \&\ Board, Printing, and
Packaging Industries)
is about to start publication of `Commentary'
which will cover the area of `Desktop Publishing'.

They have already published a `Precursor Issue',
which made quite interesting reading. Especially
relevant to \TeX\ was their definition of desktop publishing, namely:
``any system which allows someone --- using a desktop
terminal --- to produce a document of typeset or near-typeset quality\dots
It can run on a microcomputer or a large mainframe.''

Less agreeable is the enormous sums which it will
take to receive this twice quarterly (I think that means 8 times a year)
publication. First-year subscription is {\it\$}350, although members of
Pira are elegible for a discount of {\it\$}70, making it a mere {\it\$}280.
I used to have this weird idea that electronic publication might
make things cheaper. Silly me.  It therefore comes as no real surprise
that ``The contents of Pira Desktop Publishing Commentary may not be
reproduced by any means without  the prior permission of the publisher in
writing''. I am relieved that I merely quote from the Precursor Issue,
and not the real thing. It is rather interesting how the idea of
emulating the Seybold Report mobilises money-spinning ideas.
