I just got my renewal notice for Macworld magazine, “THE source” for news on things Macintosh.

But lately, I’ve been fed up with Macworld’s tepid and insipid articles, so-so editorials and crappy layout (God, I hate their fonts!)

<iBrotha dons his flame-retardant asbestos suit to face the fans of Macworld and Mac Addict>

Anyway, I’m wondering if that subscription is a waste of money. What do you guys think?

And, am I wrong to say that Mac print journalism has turned into an Apple kiss-up fest?

(Of course, Mac web journalism is the quintessential editorial par excellence )

_________________
“Free your mind & your butt will follow…”

Rodney O. Lain
— iBrotha @TMO
— iBrotha.com

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: iBrotha on 2001-08-30 14:14 ]</font>

MacAddict is the only worth-while print magazine today.  A friend of mine gets it and I am always borrowing it.  He gets Macworld to and it is BORING.  BORING.  BORING.  It should be called Reviewworld.  They do good reviews, but a magazine full of them is just boring.

Didn’t something happen at the magazine like a new editor or something?  Maybe there will be changes or something but I will still be borrowing my friend’s MacAddict.

The fact of the matter is that I get all my news from the Web and if the magazine can’t be fun why bother?

I used to subscribe to both MacWorld and MacUser back in the good ole days, but with demise of MacUser and MacWorld going to the Pot, I began to look elsewhere.  I am very happy with Mac Design (Formerly Mac Today) and Mac Addict.  Both present the platform in funny upbeat way.  MacWrold has become too stuffy. 

Chuck Haislip

I met Scott Kelby (editor of Mac Today, aka Mac Design). The funniest thing is to read the inside page, where it lists the editors, publishers, etc. At the very bottom they have a section, title “how we did it.” There is always some wise crack about Pee Cee users…

Those little wise cracks are what keeps me reading their magazine.  I was so impressed with their writting I just extended my mebership to 2 more years.

Chuck Haislip

On 2001-08-27 21:30, iBrotha wrote:
I just got my renewal notice for Macworld magazine, “THE source” for news on things Macintosh.

But lately, I’ve been fed up with Macworlds tepid and insipid articles, so-so editorials and crappy layout (God, I hate their fonts!)

LATELY??  When I got my G4 I didn’t even bother to sign up for the FREE subscription to MacWorld because it is so awful.  There is no creativity there, no heart.

I was beginning to feel the same way about MacAddict until they got rid of Prison guy and put David Reynolds back in charge, but now he is leaving so who knows what they are going to be like.  Now that I have broadband I detest having to pay for a CD.  Give me a $4 Mac rag with some heart and flare, no CD, and I would be happy as a lark.

Some years ago I bought a copy of MacUser at a newsstand here in europe. I really liked that magazine, but after a few number they merged with MacWorld, and nothing, NOTHING, of what made MacUser such a nice magazine was found anymore. Since then I quit reading Mac magazines. I get my news of the web now, faster, easier, and cheaper. Why wait a month or more for out dated news when you can get it hot off the keyboard.
MacUser was a magazine worth reading,
MacWorld wasn’t and isn’t.

I am letting my Macworld subscription expire and have already renewed my MacAddict one. I’d suggest you do the same. Macworld is all reviews and ads, there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of content. MacAddict at least has some sass.

I get Macworld, use to get MacAddict. Not sure what it is but both mags irritate me. (Could be the font, Rodney)

Macworld’s reviews are useful somethimes, but their tutorials are weak, and nothing in the mag makes me feel like I’ve read some good info.

MacAddict injects some levity into the words, but the layout of the mag bothers me.

The articles in both don’t do much to give insight into the world of the Mac (Macworld, oddly enough, less so than MacAddict). I don’t get interesting applications (resellers who are doing odd things with Macs, universities who are pushing limits with Macs, stuff like that), I don’t get enough peripheral news, and I don’t get enough ads (yes, I want more ads. Show me everything).

I guess the problem is that there are no serious Mac magazines around, everything is geared towards a very general audience or graphic designers. What about the rest of us? Give me some articles on using Appleworks as a serious writing tool, on using iTunes and FileMaker to catalog my CD collection, give me tips on iMovie production techniques, show me how to use Apple’s little used speech recognition software to do something useful.

But, since Macworld and MacAddict are the only real games in town I say renew your subscription, then complain to the editors.

That last post was mine.

I think I’m going for Mac Design (nй Mac Today). They’re cheaper, more spirited and actually act like they have male genitalia…

Mac Design?? Never heard of them, but then, I don’t get out much. For those like me who are not in the know, here’s a website:

http://www.macdesignonline.com

On 2001-08-28 10:18, VSeward wrote:

The articles in both don’t do much to give insight into the world of the Mac. I don’t get interesting applications (resellers who are doing odd things with Macs, universities who are pushing limits with Macs, stuff like that), I don’t get enough peripheral news, and I don’t get enough ads (yes, I want more ads. Show me everything).

I guess the problem is that there are no serious Mac magazines around, everything is geared towards a very general audience or graphic designers. What about the rest of us? Give me some articles on using Appleworks as a serious writing tool, on using iTunes and FileMaker to catalog my CD collection, give me tips on iMovie production techniques, show me how to use Apple’s little used speech recognition software to do something useful.

I couldn’t agree more! Where are the articles that need research? God, what about a story on Mac clustering projects? What about an in-depth investigative article about Motorola’s processor manufacturing future?
Has anyone even seen in-depth articles about using the UNIX layer of X?
What about more general topics such as networking or security, not just totally mac-specific items? Don’t ignore the rest of the computing world outside of Apple. What are other PC companies doing that we might be interested in?

Print publications have gotten lazy and prefer to blame the web for decreasing circulation instead of looking for new writers or fresh ideas.
They are also blind to the fact that nobody wants to pay $6 for a magazine unless the content is well worth it. And reprints of company press releases is certainly not.

If Macworld wants to stay around, they need to provide interesting content that is not available on the web…like some of the ideas listed above.

-Dan

On 2001-08-28 14:57, Photodan wrote:
I couldn’t agree more! Where are the articles that need research? God, what about a story on Mac clustering projects? What about an in-depth investigative article about Motorola’s processor manufacturing future?
Has anyone even seen in-depth articles about using the UNIX layer of X?
What about more general topics such as networking or security, not just totally mac-specific items? Don’t ignore the rest of the computing world outside of Apple. What are other PC companies doing that we might be interested in?

Print publications have gotten lazy and prefer to blame the web for decreasing circulation instead of looking for new writers or fresh ideas.
They are also blind to the fact that nobody wants to pay $6 for a magazine unless the content is well worth it. And reprints of company press releases is certainly not.

If Macworld wants to stay around, they need to provide interesting content that is not available on the web…like some of the ideas listed above.

-Dan

I’m with ya, Dan. Lazy! That’s the word. No one wants to ask the questions. Heck, we got people on this forum publishing more in-depth Mac info than what I get outta Macworld. Look at the Mac/PC shootout. That’s good info! Macworld give us a few reviews, some editorials, and that’s it. When was the last time they talked to Steve Jobs???

Hey, maybe Mac Observer should put out a print mag. I got yer $30 subscription check right here.

Yeah, why do we never see Steve give an interview.  Is he that unaproachable?

On 2001-08-28 15:34, VSeward wrote:

Hey, maybe Mac Observer should put out a print mag. I got yer $30 subscription check right here.

Hmmmmm….. I wonder where they would get all the Macs to do layout and graphics?
-Dan