(FORTUNE Magazine) – As you can see from the cover of this issue, and from the amount of talent and space we have devoted to analyzing the chaos currently reigning in the world's financial markets, we at FORTUNE are dedicated to trying to make sense of this most confusing, and scary, set of circumstances. Deputy managing editor Rik Kirkland, who in the past has directed FORTUNE's coverage from Europe and Washington (and who is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations), has assembled an impressive team of writers, both from our staff and from outside, to give you the latest, smartest take on the meltdowns abroad that increasingly threaten the American economic miracle.

Try as we may, we can only go so far in helping you know what to expect in the coming weeks and months. Anyone who tells you what the stock market will do, for example, is making it up. On another subject, though--personal and business technology--we think we can now guarantee you a clearer picture of what to look for when you go shopping for new devices and software. Beginning with this issue, FORTUNE is upgrading its infotech coverage by welcoming back an old friend, Joel Dreyfuss. Joel wrote for us from the early '80s until 1991, when he left to become editor of PC Magazine, where he and his staff tested some 4,000 products a year. After that, he went on to become editor-in-chief of Information Week.

We were thrilled when Joel accepted our offer to set up shop at FORTUNE. His column is just one more reason to turn to our pages for cutting-edge technology information and analysis. He brings three strong attributes to The Dreyfuss Report: a deep knowledge of technology and how it works; a clean, user-friendly writing style; and unshakable integrity. Most people in the industry already know this about Joel. Try giving his premiere column on Windows 98 a road test. We think you'll agree.