A fact that may have been forgotten or lost in the 20 years that Cabling Installation & Maintenance has been in circulation is that the magazine was founded specifically for the contracting trade-the professionals in the service industry of design, installation and management of structured cabling systems for their end-user customers. Over the years the readership makeup has evolved and now the magazine reaches just about equal numbers of contractors and end-user organizations.
Yet the importance of an informed, competent contractor is not lost on the industry. One individual put it well when submitting a nomination. "I would like to nominate cabling contractors as a whole," this individual said. "Why? Because there are those who put forth opinions, and then there are those who act on the opinions. Contractors mold the way standards are viewed, and drive opinions and purchases. They are consultants, and this industry needs knowledgeable consultants. This is evidenced by the sheer number of customers turning to contractors instead of internal labor."
At the risk of inappropriately quoting a hard-rock band that may be unknown to, or disliked by, many of our readers ... For those about to cable, we salute you.