Any experienced traveler knows that a good guide book to any destination is invaluable. In the U.K., the ubiquitous A-Z guides are must-have travel accessories. The distinctive red, white and blue covered maps, both regional and national, available at practically every "petrol station" in the country, show highways, minor roads, city streets, rivers, forests, rest stops, airports, historic sites, restaurants and pubs, parks and more. Don't start your car trip without one. The detailed ones for cities such as London are necessary even if you don't have a car.

The web offers similar guides. For example, the A-Z Guide of Britain (http://projectbritain.com/topics/index.htm) does the same sort of thing for British culture in general.

These days, such guides are available for nearly every place in the world.

Process automation is a little like any travel destination. Even the seasoned traveler occasionally needs direction, and the newcomer always needs all the help he or she can get. A wrong turn here, a misunderstanding of vocabulary there, and you find yourself in a dead end and totally confused about where to turn next. A good guide is necessary here too.

ControlGlobal.com is an A-Z or Zagat guide to the world of process automation. If it's relevant to process automation, chances are, ControlGlobal.com will have information about it. Our online guides (www.controlglobal.com/extras/onlineguides.html) take you to links to information about asset management, batch manufacturing, distillation control and optimization, fieldbus, integration, process analyzer systems, simulation, sustainable process automation and wireless. The Topics tab at the top of the home page also will take you to hundreds of articles, whitepapers, videos, podcasts, interviews and other information on these subjects. The Product Info tab is your guide to shopping in process automation. Brief descriptions of thousands of automation products, from actuators to Zigbee wireless tools, and the contact information for the companies that sell them are yours at the click of a mouse. Don't visit Automationland without your ControlGlobal guide.

Like a good road map or travel book, these online guides are vital tools to aid your journey through the world of process automation. They'll help you on your way, point out many of the pitfalls and complexities of the trip, help you to see the important sites, and get you to your destination in a timely manner.