  In the past three years our views on how the standard model of particle
physics could be embedded into string theory have dramatically changed. The
heterotic 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
Type II strings seem now possible. It has also been realized that the string
scale $M_s$ is not necessary close to the Planck scale and could be much
smaller, of order the intermediate scale $\sqrt{M_WM_p}$ or even close to the
weak scale. In addition, semi-realistic three generation models have recently
been constructed starting with Type IIB compact orientifolds. I briefly discuss
some of these developements which represent a revolution in our understanding
of string phenomenology.
