As today marks the third anniversary of my first GripeLog column, it seems like a good time to let my weblog readers know that they're going to be seeing a few changes soon. The GripeLog and the InfoWorld Gripe Line, which have been appearing under two separate banners even though they are largely the same content, are going to be merged. Together again, as it were, but I think you'll find that -- whichever site you have been using -- it will soon be easier to use, more interesting, and even more effective in dealing with the vendors that bug you.

On May 8, 2003, I thought I was cutting all ties with InfoWorld, and it was most certainly cutting all ties with me. Not for the first time, either, because in the 13-plus years I've been writing the Gripe Line and the 20-plus years I've been associated with InfoWorld, there have definitely been some ups and downs in our relationship. Fortunately, three years ago cooler heads prevailed, and InfoWorld and I eventually worked out a deal whereby I continued to provide InfoWorld a feed of my GripeLog content for the Gripe Line. It's occasionally been a bit confusing -- for me, for InfoWorld, and sometimes, unfortunately, even for my readers -- but we've managed to keep it going.

We mean to put an end to that confusion in the next few weeks when we roll out the new InfoWorld Gripe Line by Ed Foster. And I am thrilled to be able to tell you that nothing my readers like about the Gripe Line or the GripeLog is going to be lost in the process. OK, inevitably there will be some bugs and glitches, but we'll work those out. If it looks to you like something's missing, let me know and we'll fix it.

One very big reason for putting these two weblogs together again is to make it possible for readers to post their comments about my stories in one place. The smartest decision I made three years ago was to go with webmaster Jeff Foster's recommendation that we implement a blogging system that would allow readers to have real-time threaded discussions, because those comments invariably add a great deal of value to what I write. So we will be implementing the same system for reader posts in the new blog, and those of you who have log-ins on the GripeLog will find they still work the same way. And Gripe Line readers will no longer have to click on a "Read and post comments ..." link at the end of the story, because the comments will be right there.

More importantly, though, combining the Gripe Line and the GripeLog will make for a voice that's even harder for vendors to ignore. As I'll discuss in more detail tomorrow, we've had a good string of successes in that regard in recent months, but we can always use more. And the more you voice your concerns over vendor practices that you find unacceptable, the more success we will have at calling them to account.

One thing you can be sure won't change is that it will still be the reader's voice that counts. I said earlier that cooler heads kept me and InfoWorld keep from going our separate ways three years ago. Who did those cooler heads belong to, do you suppose? That's right -- InfoWorld and Gripe Line readers. InfoWorld and I both thank you for steering us right then, and we both hope you will continue to do so.

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