A few weeks ago, Ron and I talked about the process of putting together each issue's cover, explaining what goes into each decision regarding cover lines, art and design. Starting with the January issue, which we're working on now, we will also periodically ask our readers to weigh in on some of these choices. Increasingly, magazines are looking to subscribers and potential newsstand buyers to "steer them right" on the wording and look of their covers.

This is where you come in. I'd like to invite you to participate in our current cover survey. There you'll find several questions on a number of potential cover lines; you'll be asked to rate them in various ways. Toward the end of this week, we'll tally the results and use that information to guide us as we shape the final version of our January cover. In coming months, we'll solicit the opinions of a small percentage of subscribers and registered Web site users for each cover; your views and comments will, as always, be greatly appreciated.

--Jeff Reich, senior editor

Have a comment? Please post it here in the forum.