Dear Readers (Volume 5 Edition 4)

Jeremy Ramsey of Oak Ridge, USA contacted us with a really good idea – short synopses of important papers in the recent literature. There are two problems for me to tackle.

Firstly, it is very hard indeed to define an important paper. I will always remember the late Harry Willis of ICI, the most outspoken Chairman of the UK Infrared & Raman Discussion Group pointing out in public to a learned and rather arrogant academic – ” Remember one man’s good research is another man’s old tool!!”

Secondly, who will do the work? Not me - please. I’m already writing most of the contributed section. Leave it with me, I’ll come back next edition.

We heard from Pentti Pekonen from Sweden….

Your spectrum collection is extremely useful, please add some more if possible (or show links to the free data bases). I like to read your web side stories, the level of presentation is right, even a man out of the art understand these. Furthermore, the personal touch in the articles is something what a “scientific” articles are sometimes missing. Please keep going.

I know there are several free spectrum collections out there. If any of you know of one or more please tell Pentti pentti.pekonen [at] kemira.com and copy the Editorial Office.

Please keep sending your comments and questions, sometimes it may take a while for us to answer, but we will. All your questions and our replies are published here in Dear Readers.