PC Mag goes online, ditches mag - bit-tech.net Forums

Tim S · 21st Nov 2008, 09:10

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/11...-ditches-mag/1

Ziff Davis has announced that PC Magazine is to cease distribution of its printed edition and instead concentrate solely on its on-line endeavours.

_DTM2000_ · 21st Nov 2008, 10:24

I can see this being the direction that many magazines will go in the near future and I don't think that's a bad thing in general.
For the type of magazines that I read (computer, Hi-Fi and car), on-line distribution is perfectly acceptable in my opinion. You don't get any less from the reading experience and you get the bonus of it being free and not cluttering up your house.

I can see some types of magazines being less easy to move on-line. Fashion magazines for example are synonymous with the "glossy magazine" image and many of their readers would object to loosing the experience of turning the pages and staring at the shiny photos of unachievable standards of beauty. The high end fashion magazines are also a status symbol and I'm sure many of their readers would prefer to be seen reading a glossy copy of Vogue rather than some electronic equivalent. At least until electronic paper becomes more widespread.

CandiceC · 21st Nov 2008, 14:38

What about the people that registered for 2 years of PC Mag within the past few months? I recall it being about $80... I bought the subscription for my husband's birthday because he loves that magazine.

Gareth Halfacree · 21st Nov 2008, 14:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by CandiceC

What about the people that registered for 2 years of PC Mag within the past few months? I recall it being about $80... I bought the subscription for my husband's birthday because he loves that magazine.

You certainly used to be able to cancel a subscription at any time and receive a full refund for any issues that hadn't yet shipped, so I'd imagine that you'll get your money back.

CowBlazed · 21st Nov 2008, 18:19

Just bring your netbook to the the "loo" lol.

CandiceC · 21st Nov 2008, 18:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gareth Halfacree

You certainly used to be able to cancel a subscription at any time and receive a full refund for any issues that hadn't yet shipped, so I'd imagine that you'll get your money back.

I hope so; I did do it through a 3rd party though, maybe I have a receipt somewhere. That is a pity that they are stopping that... the ever growing pile of magazines under my coffee table was looking rather handsome....

HourBeforeDawn · 21st Nov 2008, 18:59

I think most magazines relating to any field will soon be digital subscription based why because by the time you get the mag the info inside is already a month or more old, but I guess we can blame sites like Bit-Tech =p for bring the latest news to our finger tips without having to pay forcing these poor mag companies to sell two year subscriptions for like 10.00 lol (thank you Maximum PC for that one) in order to just stay afloat lol

Faulk_Wulf · 21st Nov 2008, 20:35

I loved Maximum PC for a long time but I find that all the parts reviews are outdated by the time I get it. Between Bit-Tech and Engadget and then more arbitrary one-off sites. Some of their how-to's are very well done, but when some issues just don't apply to my interests I have to wonder why I'm playing $32 a year for a subscription. Not that I'm knocking their efforts, its just that printed media isn't a good mesh for technology in this day and age. Maybe E-paper + WiMax where the next issue is downloaded to your E-paper/reader when its ready. But I more likely see the evolution to downloading an online PDF version of the magazine to your E-paper/reader / E-reader for reading on the go. I think we'll see alot of this as time goes on. The bigger question is this: Would you pay for a subscription to a "Magazine Site". (Since it would be the equivalent of buying the magazine.) What would you be willing to pay? Should it be $X.00 a month for access to the new content of the month and access to any previous purchases? Or would it be a yearly subscription with access to the whole website? Thoughts?

HourBeforeDawn · 21st Nov 2008, 20:43

Well CPU Magazine charges $7.00 for a one year digital subscription to their magazine, I think sub $10.00 a year could be worth the cost in those respects and this of course allows you to view online or download a pdf version but again with sites already providing such news is it worth it still?

zimbloggy · 22nd Nov 2008, 02:52

I had been a suscriber in the past year. I can see that they might of been in trouble, there kept getting more and more ads.

Langer · 22nd Nov 2008, 03:07

Who cares?

We got bit-tech's up-to-the-minute reports and reviews. Who needs the old news of the printed tech mags?

I -for one- see user dependent publishing in the near future, webzines that build themselves based on user interests. I see PC Magazines move as a move towards this direction.

(eg: remember -back in 2004- when Reason magazine released an issue with satellite photos of the subscribers house on the cover and their name printed in the cover heading?)

minilogoman · 22nd Nov 2008, 15:54

in my opinion since the magazine is all about PC's then it makes sense to have it on your pc.

21st Nov 2008, 09:10	#1
Tim S Pewlius Caesar bit-tech Staff Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ascot, Berks Posts: 18,021	PC Mag goes online, ditches mag http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/11...-ditches-mag/1 Ziff Davis has announced that PC Magazine is to cease distribution of its printed edition and instead concentrate solely on its on-line endeavours. __________________ Tim on Twitter \| Tim's Blog \| Tim's Flickr The bit-tech Blog \| bit-tech on Twitter \| Join the bit-tech & Custom PC folding team (#35947)

21st Nov 2008, 14:38	#3
CandiceC What's a Dremel? Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 2	That kinda sucks... What about the people that registered for 2 years of PC Mag within the past few months? I recall it being about $80... I bought the subscription for my husband's birthday because he loves that magazine.

21st Nov 2008, 18:59	#7
HourBeforeDawn a.k.a KazeModz Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cali, USA Posts: 1,785	I think most magazines relating to any field will soon be digital subscription based why because by the time you get the mag the info inside is already a month or more old, but I guess we can blame sites like Bit-Tech =p for bring the latest news to our finger tips without having to pay forcing these poor mag companies to sell two year subscriptions for like 10.00 lol (thank you Maximum PC for that one) in order to just stay afloat lol __________________ Current Rig: RubyRED • Lian-Li A05B • (2) Swiftech 220 Radiators • (2) D5 Variable Pumps • (2) Res • and a whole lot of modding • Retired Rig: Project F.E.A.R. • TT Lanbox Lite • Swiftech H2O-120 • Q6600 G0 OC@3.6ghz • 2900XT • 4gb SuperTalent Memory •

21st Nov 2008, 20:35	#8
Faulk_Wulf Internet Addict Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: USA Posts: 280	I loved Maximum PC for a long time but I find that all the parts reviews are outdated by the time I get it. Between Bit-Tech and Engadget and then more arbitrary one-off sites. Some of their how-to's are very well done, but when some issues just don't apply to my interests I have to wonder why I'm playing $32 a year for a subscription. Not that I'm knocking their efforts, its just that printed media isn't a good mesh for technology in this day and age. Maybe E-paper + WiMax where the next issue is downloaded to your E-paper/reader when its ready. But I more likely see the evolution to downloading an online PDF version of the magazine to your E-paper/reader / E-reader for reading on the go. I think we'll see alot of this as time goes on. The bigger question is this: Would you pay for a subscription to a "Magazine Site". (Since it would be the equivalent of buying the magazine.) What would you be willing to pay? Should it be $X.00 a month for access to the new content of the month and access to any previous purchases? Or would it be a yearly subscription with access to the whole website? Thoughts? __________________ -- Faulken S. Wulf "Under the Willow, he sleeps and dreams, of Heaven." Attempting to post intelligently since the year 2000!

21st Nov 2008, 20:43	#9
HourBeforeDawn a.k.a KazeModz Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cali, USA Posts: 1,785	Well CPU Magazine charges $7.00 for a one year digital subscription to their magazine, I think sub $10.00 a year could be worth the cost in those respects and this of course allows you to view online or download a pdf version but again with sites already providing such news is it worth it still? __________________ Current Rig: RubyRED • Lian-Li A05B • (2) Swiftech 220 Radiators • (2) D5 Variable Pumps • (2) Res • and a whole lot of modding • Retired Rig: Project F.E.A.R. • TT Lanbox Lite • Swiftech H2O-120 • Q6600 G0 OC@3.6ghz • 2900XT • 4gb SuperTalent Memory •

21st Nov 2008, 10:24	#2
_DTM2000_ Senior Super Douche Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Sheffield, UK Posts: 229	I can see this being the direction that many magazines will go in the near future and I don't think that's a bad thing in general. For the type of magazines that I read (computer, Hi-Fi and car), on-line distribution is perfectly acceptable in my opinion. You don't get any less from the reading experience and you get the bonus of it being free and not cluttering up your house. I can see some types of magazines being less easy to move on-line. Fashion magazines for example are synonymous with the "glossy magazine" image and many of their readers would object to loosing the experience of turning the pages and staring at the shiny photos of unachievable standards of beauty. The high end fashion magazines are also a status symbol and I'm sure many of their readers would prefer to be seen reading a glossy copy of Vogue rather than some electronic equivalent. At least until electronic paper becomes more widespread.

21st Nov 2008, 18:19	#5
CowBlazed Multimodder Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 110	Just bring your netbook to the the "loo" lol.

22nd Nov 2008, 02:52	#10
zimbloggy Multimodder Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 75	I had been a suscriber in the past year. I can see that they might of been in trouble, there kept getting more and more ads.

22nd Nov 2008, 03:07	#11
Langer Jesse Lang Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 2,449	Who cares? We got bit-tech's up-to-the-minute reports and reviews. Who needs the old news of the printed tech mags? I -for one- see user dependent publishing in the near future, webzines that build themselves based on user interests. I see PC Magazines move as a move towards this direction. (eg: remember -back in 2004- when Reason magazine released an issue with satellite photos of the subscribers house on the cover and their name printed in the cover heading?) __________________ PROMETHEUS^CU - powered by: AquaComputer, Corsair, MiPS, and Watercool --- Click here to resister for my MyBrute clan today! Last edited by Langer; 22nd Nov 2008 at 03:19.

22nd Nov 2008, 15:54	#12
minilogoman Wannabe Modder Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: United States, Virginia Posts: 16	in my opinion since the magazine is all about PC's then it makes sense to have it on your pc.