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Dr. Dobb's Journal Going Web-Only
paleshadows writes "The first issue of Dr. Dobb's Journal (DDJ) was published in January 1976. A few days ago, Herb Sutter (the chair of the ISO C++ committee and a long-time DDJ columnist) announced through his latest blog post that, 'as of January 2009, Dr. Dobb's Journal is permanently suspending print publication and going web-only.' This follows an earlier announcement that PC Magazine is to become digital-only, too, as of February 2009. To those of us who enjoy reading such stuff away from the computer these are bad news, as there seems to be no other major technical programmers' magazines left standing."
just print it out.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Magazines shouldn't need batteries.
“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
The thing about all the readers is that I simply would not use one in the bathroom for a lot of sound reasons I'm sure you can imagine.
But it seems like one could create a bathroom reader that would be welcome.
Scrap the Kindle and come up with the iPoo.
What I want is a reader that is bathroom and bathub friendly. Also one I could take outdoors and not worry about it getting rained on or something if I happen to leave it out on the deck by accident.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
When I got my January copy it was in a plastic bag with a brochure for sd west. The brochure was thicker than the magazine. I almost tossed the magazine and kept the brochure. So much has been cut back over the years. I will miss the bug of the month. It was an ad but it was fun. Maybe they'll still have it on the web version.
It's hard to believe that's how Micronians are made. Why don't we see it right now by having you both kiss one another?
Tell me about it. I've professionally written some articles in the past, and it seems like there's almost nothing left to write for anymore. Either the magazine is so specific so as to be little more than an advertisement (e.g. Oracle or DB2 magazine) or the magazine doesn't pay (in any meaningful sense of the term) for articles. (e.g. Java Developers Journal) Time will tell if web-based publications will manage to support the same eco-system of authors or if it's time to go write a book.
Probably just time to write a book. ;-)
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
2600 is still in print form.
Not surprised, the last issue was very thin, but still. First Byte (I still miss Byte, see this 10 year old issue for why.), then PC Mag, now DDJ. Ah well, another subscription to not renew.
At least Linux Journal is still a Real Magazine.
Best Slashdot Co
Capt Obvious here. :)
I recently started http://groovymag.com as a PDF-only publication, and have had interest from people in print versions. At the small numbers we're at, it's probably about an extra $5 per copy just to cover print and postage, which I don't think most people are willing to pay that right now, though maybe I'll be proven wrong.
We're in a niche market, so we don't rely on advertising, and have no plans to do so. I suspect we may see more products forgoing the advertising model altogether, and focusing on providing value for 'micropayments' - $2-$4/month for access to content. I think the 'micro' in micropayments has traditionally had people thinking about "2 cents per page view" sort of thing, but that's never proven feasible.
What might arise from this downturn in advertising-driven publications are content networks of like minded publications that offer access to content from all sites for a set fee. Aren't there some industries that already do this (ahem - adult?)
creation science book
This news reminds me of a recent, funny, and relevant strip from the comic Sheldon: http://www.sheldoncomics.com/archive/081229.html
Personally, I prefer on-line versions. With hyper-links and video, the content can be greatly enriched.
While I tend to agree with you, there is something nice about holding printed material in your hand and reading that instead of being in front of a screen. I can't really put my finger on it, though...but it's difficult to "curl up with a good computer."
Plus none of those pesky issues with storing old magazines, or recycling, or worse, land-fill.
Definitely correct here. However, this assumes that their magazine can be downloaded (PDF?) or that they store it to their site for a long amount of time.
....just use your iPhone while you're on the can to read it.
Sure, that's possible, but what good is an iPhone if you run out of toilet paper? 3G won't help you there.
Blank until
Paper's going nowhere fast. We'll still use it for archival purposes, will your RSS feeds, PDAs and Kindles last a thousand years? Paper originals of the Magna Carta still exist today. If it had been written in an early .doc format I would already have trouble reading it, I can go to the British library to read a copy of the Magna Carta written in 1215.
If I have nothing to hide, you have no reason to search me
What's so bad about paper? Most of our paper comes from trees in managed timberlands, which are currently replanting twice as fast as they're harvesting (at least in the U.S.) And much of it comes from tree farms, which are wonderfully eco-friendly. We use a helluva lot of paper, but it's not beyond sustainable levels yet and it's wonderfully convenient. And paper's a renewable and easily recyclable resource, unlike the materials used in e-readers.
Does somebody more eco-wise want to set me straight and explain why an e-reader is so much "greener" than dead trees?
He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
Today we have our laptops, Kindles, RSS feeds, incredible PDAs, hell, my cell phone does more than first computer ever could, ten times over.
I used to read books and magazines on my Palm tungsten. Then I switched to blackberry, and I have nearly $1000 in ebooks that I can't read. At all. Why would people want to run that risk? The capabilities are there, but after /years/ of ebook publishing there's still no standard that will ensure this can't happen. Print media can always be read, no matter what platform you're using.
Of course, there's a much more practical concern: after 12-16 hours, I want to /stop/ looking at a monitor for a while.
Just please don't give me this nostalgic wasn't-it-great-back-then crap about how you used to be so excited for the new issue to come in the mail. Rather, be excited about seeing your RSS feed updated. Shift your focus, enjoy your nostalgia, but put it into perspective.
Nostalgia is longing for something past for its own sake. In this case, there's a measurable difference in quality. I can count on one hand the number of web sites that deliver the kind of quality technical information that DDJ and CUJ used to provide.
And among those web sites, it's still a challenge to find the valid, useful information hidden amidst blog entries where folks will hold forth on topics they know little to nothing about.
I haven't purchased a magazine outside of an airport in this millennium and I don't know anyone else who has, either. There isn't one thing a magazine could tell me that I haven't read (and probably re-re-read) many times over.
In other words, "I don't use this, and therefore nobody else does either"?
They're mostly cutting down 25 year old trees that they planted 25 years ago specifically so they can be cut down now. Then they replant and move over to the next lot which was planted 24 years ago and so on.
I have seen this stupid decision done before.
To accountants it's great on paper, web site's cheaper, and great traffic.
But they don't take into account that it's the print magazine that's been driving there traffic.
As soon as they stop the printed magazine people will slowly stop going to there site and they will slowly run out of cash.
I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso
I'm not sure where you got the 50-year number, but there is a break-even point. Although that point is very different depending on species. Basically the tree is absorbing carbon and converting it to wood. Large trees grow slowly (produce little wood) while young trees grow quickly (produce a lot of wood). More wood production -> More carbon absorption.