Readerships and their Opinions [Unix/World and other magazines]

[lauren at RAND-UNIX.arpa]

Greetings.  Many of you who know that I've been writing a column
for "Unix/World" magazine since its inception have occasionally
asked me to inform the network in advance of any significant
changes at the magazine that aren't confidential.  I thought I'd
mention that some editorial changes will be taking place
as of the upcoming January issue, with a view toward making the
magazine more "commercial" in the marketplace.

For example, as part of these changes my monthly "sync" column
will no longer appear.  The current executive editor of the magazine 
feels that the readership isn't interested in "issue/opinion"-oriented
columns of the sort represented by "sync," columns that were frequently
more concerned with people's and society's interaction with technology 
and computers, rather than strictly with the nuts and bolts of 
technology itself.  I don't claim to fully comprehend the nature of 
the magazine's audience--perhaps he's right.  Personally, I like
to think that some portion of the readership has enjoyed columns
that had an "issues and opinions" orientation, were sometimes
(at least somewhat) humorous, and that often weren't purely
technical in nature. 

I'd like to emphasize to the community that to the extent you don't 
let editors and publishers know what it is you want in any given magazine,
they will make decisions based on their perception of your
desires--perceptions that may or may not be accurate.  It's often
worth the time to let the people in charge of such publications know
what it is you like and/or dislike about their magazines.  But it
is the readership's responsibility to let their thoughts be known.
If you like the way a magazine is going, tell them so!  If you don't
like something, tell them that, too!  Believe it or not, most
magazine people are desperate to hear from the readership, regardless
of whether that contact contains praise or complaints!

While I can't be of much special help for any other magazines, 
I can give you contact information for Unix/World.  Consider letting
yourself be heard, not only by Unix/World, but by the other publications
you read as well.  Magazines are steered by their readerships, 
but the readership has to speak up!  Likes or dislikes, praise 
or complaints, telling magazines what *you* think is very important.

--Lauren--

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	      "Unix/World" Magazine (Tech Valley Publishing)

Executive Editor:

	David L. Flack
	Tech Valley Publishing
	444 Castro St. #1220
	Mountain View, CA  94041
	(415) 940-1500
	{seismo, clyde, ihnp4, decvax, trwrb}!vortex!uworld!davef

Publisher:

	Robert A. Billhimer
	Tech Valley Publishing
	444 Castro St. #1220
	Mountain View, CA  94041
	(415) 940-1500
	{seismo, clyde, ihnp4, decvax, trwrb}!vortex!uworld!bobb