The second string (phenomenology) revolution

Over the past three years our views on how the standard model of particle t heory could be embedded into string theory have changed dramatically. The h eterotic string is no longer the only possibility for such an embedding and other perturbative (or non-perturbative) corners of M-theory, like type I or II strings, now seem possible. It has also been realized that the string scale M-s is not necessarily close to the Planck scale and could be much s maller, of the order of the intermediate scale root MWMp, or even close to the weak scale. In addition, semi-realistic three-generation models have re cently been constructed starting with type IIB compact orientifolds. I brie fly discuss all of these developments which represent a revolution in our u nderstanding of string phenomenology.