Preface xxxv I NEVITABLE (U NPLANNED ) O BSOLESCENCE As I wrote this book, live entertainment control technology continued to evolve. The only thing I can guarantee and accurately predict is that things will change, and the most important thing you can learn in the modern world is how to learn. I've tried to give you as many basic terms and tools as possible, so that five days, five months or five years from now you will be able to read information about "the next big thing," and have some basis from which to under- stand it. To counteract obsolescence as much as possible, I have not dwelled on specific equipment or systems--they age very quickly. This book focuses on the underlying concepts of entertain- ment control systems, which will survive a lot longer than the newest, greatest piece of gear. Of course, there's always the next edition . . . . W EBSITE Standards body and manufacturer contact information, errata on this edition, and much more is available at my website: http://www.controlgeek.net