The information economy is based on the collection and the exchange of data and ideas. We all either contribute to or use materials from the information economy in most aspects of our everyday lives. Few of us, however, understand all of the nuances of the information economy or the communication factors that affect its operations. This special issue of IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication seeks to "open" this economic model through articles and tutorials that examine the connections between communication technologies and the products, practices, and services that constitute the information economy.

A writing-for-translation intranet site can provide technical writers with the information and training needed to meet their particular goals at any given time. By using systems theory as a design concept, such a site would make information easy to find and could allow technical writers to review training materials at their own pace. Organizations using such a mechanism can, in turn, cut translation costs by reducing the amount of time translators spend reviewing documents and querying authors for clarification.

Traditionally, many American technical communicators have tended to view translation as a "one-way" system in which they create English-language source text that is converted into another language. This singular perspective of translation can be seen in professional communication literature that tends to focus on how to better "write for translation" rather than exploring other ways in which technical communicators might be able to make use of translators or the translation process. While English is a key language used in international technical and scientific discourse, it is not the only language being used. Speakers of languages other than English are increasingly contributing to various scientific and technical fields. As a result of this factor, technical communicators should begin rethinking ways in which they view and use translation if they wish to remain effective communicators in the new global marketplace.

We often hear the expression that mathematics is the universal language of science and technology. Yet, while mathematics can cut across certain communicative boundaries, it is not the actual language of the sciences, for that role has already been filled by English. The author considers how English is the international language of technical communication.