Re: News400 RPG Source newsletter -- RPG400-L

You know Brad...

That comment caught MY eye too and at my last job and now at this one, News 
comes
to my name and I MIGHT have received one (maybe 2) surveys in the last 6 or 7
years.... And I'm NOT real sure about that. Seems more like those might have 
been
included in the mag.

Chuck

"Stone, Brad V (TC OASIS)" wrote:

> Here's the key to the whole deal, with News or MC:
>
> "Duke uses extensive and frequent surveys to determine specifically what
> content readers desire. The results of those surveys are often out of
> step with what some of us want to read or write about, but the simple
> fact remains that the market demands such coverage."
>
> Who's desk do you think those surveys end up on?  Not the programmer's I can
> rest assure.  Think of your It dept.  Who is it that would want to hear
> about the latest greatest coolest (and sometimes useless) stuff out there.
> I'll give you a hint.  He/She gives you your review.
>
> Bradley V. Stone
> BVS/Tools
> http://www.bvstools.com
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Jon.Paris@halinfo.it [mailto:Jon.Paris@halinfo.it]
> > Sent: Sunday, September 26, 1999 11:47 AM
> > To: rpg400-l@midrange.com
> > Subject: News400 RPG Source newsletter
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > As I said in my earlier post I forwarded the original
> > comments on the RPG Source
> > to the editor Gary Guthrie, his response follows:
> >
> > I'll start by saying that this is not the first time I've heard of
> > readers upset by the notion that Duke Communications has moved RPG
> > coverage out of NEWS/400 and into The RPG Source. This is an
> > understandable reaction.
> >
> > The idea that the newsletter is a cash cow for Duke, however, is a
> > misperception. A desire for additional revenue is not the
> > reason for the
> > newsletter's existence. NEWS/400 continues to have RPG
> > coverage. I don't
> > think the amount of RPG coverage has changed significantly since the
> > introduction of the newsletter. Any reduction in RPG coverage in the
> > magazine that has occurred over the years would have occurred
> > irrespective of the newsletter's existence.
> >
> > Perhaps a journey through time will shed some light on decisions that
> > led to waning RPG coverage in the magazine. There was a time when a
> > person could fairly well get their arms around the IBM midrange
> > computer. It was possible for a person to know a substantial amount
> > about all of its features. During that time RPG was at the
> > center of the
> > system. As such, the magazine covered RPG extensively.
> >
> > Today, the AS/400 is far less infantile. Its feature set has
> > grown leaps
> > and bounds and the rate at which the growth continues to occur is
> > staggering. NEWS/400 has to grow with the system. There is much more
> > than just RPG to cover now and there's only so many pages available in
> > which to provide that coverage. NEWS/400's content is reader driven.
> > Duke uses extensive and frequent surveys to determine
> > specifically what
> > content readers desire. The results of those surveys are often out of
> > step with what some of us want to read or write about, but the simple
> > fact remains that the market demands such coverage. It is this dynamic
> > that has resulted in any drop in the amount of RPG coverage
> > the magazine
> > provides.
> >
> > I think all of us associated with NEWS/400 know that there is a large
> > number of readers interested in RPG. Though the magazine is
> > committed to
> > providing solid RPG coverage, there are many who want more
> > RPG articles.
> > In an effort to provide increased RPG coverage for these readers, we
> > launched The RPG Source, a tightly focused RPG specific
> > newsletter. The
> > cost of the newsletter, in my opinion, is more than reasonable. In
> > addition to tutorial information, the newsletter contains a
> > good amount
> > of usable code in the form of downloadable utilities. If a subscriber
> > uses but one of these utilities they've paid for a few years worth of
> > subscriptions with the development savings. If a reader had to wade
> > through everything required to get the information provided in the
> > tutorial articles, far more than the subscription cost would
> > be spent in
> > research. Sure, I make a few dollars. Rest assured, however,
> > that were I
> > to calculate my hourly rate and post it for all to see, there would
> > likely be few standing in line to take my place. I put the effort into
> > the newsletter largely because I enjoy making a contribution to others
> > in the industry.
> >
> > I'm sure some will maintain their skepticism, but I am sincere when I
> > say that the decision to publish The RPG Source was not predicated on
> > making a lot of money. It was to provide a service for our readers.
> > Unfortunately, providing this service means we have to pay authors and
> > printers and...
> >
> > Gary Guthrie
> > Editor, The RPG Source
> >
> >
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