Ars Technica was founded in 1998 when Founder & Editor-in-Chief Ken Fisher announced his plans for starting a publication devoted to technology that would cater to what he called "alpha geeks": technologists and IT professionals. Ken's vision was to build a publication with a simple editorial mission: be "technically savvy, up-to-date, and more fun" than what was currently popular in the space. In the ensuing years, with formidable contributions by a unique editorial staff, Ars Technica became a trusted source for technology news, tech policy analysis, breakdowns of the latest scientific advancements, gadget reviews, software, hardware, and nearly everything else found in between layers of silicon. Ars Technica was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Amongst those joining Ars Technica in its infancy was Jon Stokes, co-founder and renowned CPU Editor for Ars Technica's first 12 years (Jon served also as Deputy Editor from 2008-2011). Eric Bangeman, co-founder and Managing Editor, joined the site during its earliest years and remains in the thick of the Ars Technica newsroom. Acquired in 2008 by Advance, the parent company of Conde Nast, Ars Technica has offices in Boston, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Today, Ars Technica operates as Conde Nast's only 100% digitally native editorial publication.