PARTNERS IN THE TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION.

Conceding "the risk of throwing gasoline on the flames of megahype," Merrill Lynch & Co. analyst Henry Blodget said recently (as quoted in The Washington Post, April 5, 2000) that a business-to-business-fueled Internet can "have as profound an impact on the economy as the Industrial Revolution." B2B is the latest--and by far the loudest--volley fired on the Internet battleground. And the astronomical e-sales figures projected for B2B in the next five years are leading an unprecedented charge to the Internet, for associations and forprofit companies alike.

As the technology challenges intensify, many associations are realizing that their Web sites must be more than informational clearinghouses. Associations are becoming aware that interactivity and customization are the name of the game--and that technology partners may be best positioned to help associations win it.

ASAE's Technology Solutions Directory 2000 responds to the latest challenges in the Internet revolution, with more pages, more partners, more portability, and more coverage of the issues of the hour.

As in years past, companies appear alphabetically on a grid that indicates the products and services that each potential partner provides. Following the grid portion of the directory is detailed contact information for each company. An online version of the directory will be available by mid-June, with hyperlinks to many of the companies listed here. Go to ASAE's home page, www.asaenet.org, and click on "find associations, people, business" and select "Technology Solutions Companies" on the pull-down menu.

New this year is expanded coverage of the hot technology issues facing associations. You'll find out from technology and knowledge-management experts Arthur Esch and Daniel Burns just what's next in technology and what it means for associations. If you have gotten the message that delivering knowledge beats simply posting information, "Power Up Your Web Presence" is a must read. You'll find out what kinds of software solutions can help you deliver the goods--and you'll find a new partnership model (those "ASPs" you've been hearing about) to boot. In "Doing Business the Dot.Com Way" several association executives talk about the technology tools they're adapting to their association needs--and the ways these associations are benefiting from online business options. We close with some cautions on Internet security and a list of ASAE resources for further information on technology topics.

All in all, it's the kind of one-stop information package you'll want to keep at hand--or take with you to the revolution.