Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 16:46:34 +0000 From: Lambert Schomaker To: tc-11 Subject: Newsletter TC11/2000#01 Dear TC-11 members and affiliates, this newsletter is to introduce myself as your new chairman. I would like to thank my predecessor, prof. Seong-Whan Lee, and all those who bestowed this task upon me. It is my intention to stimulate the research in our area, which is summarized here: http://hwr.nici.kun.nl/iapr/tc-11/research-areas.html As in any field of engineering, it is unlikely that our work will hit the front pages of 'Science' or 'Nature'. This is a predicament with a long tradition: even the early physicists in seventeenth century Europe were not allowed to enter an Academy of Sciences because their work was considered too mundane, i.e., not philosophical enough. The engineer of today will find himself often in a similar position. The late Jean-Claude Simon told us in Bangalore that his fellow-physicists considered us to hover in a sort of pre-Keplerian stage. Such an attitude is understandable, although I don't believe that all of our problems can be solved with a single equation. Nevertheless, instead of running back to our machines and programming chores, we will need to find a balance between theory and practice. Apart from the favored and desirable perspective of solid engineering, it is always conducive to take a few steps back and consider the views which mathematics (evidently), physics, life and cognitive sciences can give to us. Keeping this in mind will help us to maintain and improve the measurable quality of our research output, notably via 'our own' journal, the IJDAR, during these competitive but interesting times. Remarks ======= o If you received this message more than once, the distribution list (N=249) contains an error. Do no hesitate to contact me, also in case you would like to be removed from the list. o The TC-11 website has been updated and refurbished: http://hwr.nici.kun.nl/iapr/tc-11/ o There are some updated links on conferences: 4th DAS: http://hwr.nici.kun.nl/iapr/tc-11/conf/das/2000/ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 10 - 13 December, 2000 6th ICDAR: http://hwr.nici.kun.nl/iapr/tc-11/conf/icdar/2001/ Seattle, Washington, USA, September 10-13, 2001 8th IWFHR: http://hwr.nici.kun.nl/iapr/tc-11/conf/iwfhr/2002/ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, August 6-8, 2002 o The Proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Frontiers in Handwriting Recognition are available on-line: http://unipen.nici.kun.nl/7th.iwfhr.2000/proceedings/abstracts/index.html Also, copies of the paperback book can be ordered from that site. o Suggestions for additions and corrections to the TC-11 web site are welcome. Thank you for your kind attention, best regards, Lambert Schomaker Chairman of TC-11 schomaker@computer.org http://hwr.nici.kun.nl/~schomake/