1992 was certainly a banner year for microscopy in terms of an incredible total of nearly 3000 presentations given world-wide - at the largest ever joint (E)MSA/MAS/MSC meeting in Boston and at the 3 IFSEM-sanctioned Regional Conferences in Spain, China and Venezuela. Several of the local affiliate societies also mounted well-attended symposia and contributed to the outpouring of words and images. The apparently continuously growing volume of microscopy-related presentations has impacted both conference organizers and publishers.

Poster presentations are being used to an increasing extent to avoid an excessive number of parallel sessions. There is also an economic incentive as a poster session probably costs the organizers less than half that of a platform session of contributed papers. The poster trend draws a mixed response. Most microscopists love to look at posters but hate to prepare them as they are much more work to put together and are costly. They are awkward to carry and often have a one-time use whereas slides are for ever.