Re: Thinner! -- RPG400-L

Comments in-line

Gary

"M. Lazarus" wrote:
> 
>   W/o going into a major comparison analysis I decided to pull an issue
> from a few years ago.  I picked February (to avoid seasonal differences.)
> 
> Cover price Feb. 1999: $129 / year
> Cover price Feb. 2002: $149 / year
> 
>   Not bad.  A 16% difference, roughly keeping up w/ inflation.
> 
> Number of pages Feb. 1999: 168
> Number of pages Feb. 2003: 72
> 
>   Unless I miss my mark, that's about 57% smaller!!  Unless you have
> statistics to show that most of that was not "real" content, I think that
> the total deliverable to the consumer has gone down *significantly*.


But, Mark. That's not an apples to apples comparison. How much more is
on the Web site now than then, plus how much more do you get in the
newsletters now than then. Look at the total package because that's what
you buy now. I maintain that if you look, you just might find that the
total deliverable has not gone down "significantly".

>   Again we agree.  I just don't think that putting out the argument that
> they publish the "free e-newsletters" is valid.  It should not have any
> real influence on the printed version.

Huh? That's material that is NOT in the magazine because it's elsewhere.
Readers consistently rate Tech Corner at the top and want more things
like it. To honor their desires, we move a lot of material out of the
magazine and into the newsletters so that they get just that - MORE of
what they really want. 

> 1)  Don't you think that if the public had access to the code that they
> would get more business?  Penton needs qualified eyeballs looking at their
> web site in order to sell their products and to display vendor ads.
> 
> 2)  Even if you don't accept #1 as valid, the corresponding code for
> magazines that I *have* paid for should be available to me, whether I have
> a current subscription or not.

Well, it was made available to you when you had a subscription. If you
didn't take advantage of your subscription, is that Penton's
responsibility? Mark, there are real costs associated with this stuff.
The Web ain't free, you know. Not when you're the host.


>   The web is an excellent medium to pass along news.  Code and technical
> articles are much better suited to print, since it can be studied and
> stored for reference.  JMHO.

Mark, like you I like to see technical stuff in the magazine. However,
techno-folks aren't the only people that read the magazine. If the
technical stuff was only in the magazine (i.e., not on the Web for
download) would you still feel it best to have News on the Web and
technical in print? I think I smell a "cake and eat it, too" scenario! 
:)

You're asking for what you're interested in to be in the magazine.
Nothing wrong with that, but don't forget there are other folks to
please, too. And, don't forget there's the business side - not only must
readers be satisfied, but so must advertisers.

Again, I know the folks at Penton put lots of thought into bringing
information to the industry and I salute them for their perserverence.
Some of the brightest minds in the industry work hard to bring
information to the community and when you look at the compensation they
receive, it's not always such a healthy hourly rate. I know that many
there have a sincere desire to share with the coumminity in spite of
that fact, though.