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Author Topic: Zymurgy Magazine?  (Read 34032 times)

Offline babalu87

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2010, 10:18:51 am »
I prefer the printed page because of where I am when I am reading it:

Either on the couch in between whatever is on TV or .................well, that would be TMI

Jeff

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Offline Kaiser

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #16 on: February 25, 2010, 10:26:58 am »
I can definitely see how this is a hot topic.

I wonder to what extend there are already workable solutions available in the publishing industry. I think that many publishers, especially those of small circulation publications, are looking for a solution to this problem and I would not be surprised if Adobe, for example, is working on support for this.

There is something to be said about collecting the printed issues of any magazine. On the other hand, moving to a digital medium just makes sense. We (society) just have to figure out ways to curb unauthorized use.

Kai

Offline babalu87

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #17 on: February 25, 2010, 10:30:46 am »
Problem is always going to be there.

I can hit print screen and save anything we've ever seen on a CPU screen
Jeff

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Offline Kaiser

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2010, 10:38:16 am »
Problem is always going to be there.

I can hit print screen and save anything we've ever seen on a CPU screen

Yes you can. You can also Xerox a print magazine or record from a CD. The question becomes how much do you want to own a copy of the content and is it easier for you to buy it or copy it. “easier” is meant in the very broad sense of time spent, risk taken, … etc.

I guess we are slipping into a discussion about how copyright and its protection. Which in itself can be very interesting and enlightening but is certainly very much off-topic.

Kai

Offline tygo

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2010, 10:39:31 am »
That would be absolutely awesome.  I hate paper.  I'm not even sure where my last issue is at the moment.  I could ask my wife where she put it but it would be a lot easier to go click on my Zymurgy folder and just pull it up.

I don't know about that.  I don't take a laptop to the "office" in the morning, it's a lot easier sitting on the throne with the paper version. :)

Well, that's a good point as well.
Clint
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Offline dbeechum

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #20 on: February 25, 2010, 10:43:55 am »
Indeed, it's the computer equivalent of the analog hole.

As I'm sure you guys can guess - Zymurgy adds up to pretty much the most expensive thing the AHA does every year. (Although the Conference is pretty damn expensive too). Everyone is moving towards digital distribution because the printing and mailing pieces are the most intensive cost we all have.

When you combine that with changing demographics and realize that to this new generation of brewers - paper doesn't mean as much - well you can see the outcome of that. Several years back my club after years of trying - finally switched to all digital. We had a lot of people b**** about the rest break friendliness of the paper version over the e-version, but those slowly drifted away. For a while we even offered a "paper or bit" option on the membership, but dropped it after only about 5 folks wanted it. Of course, I don't think anyone is deluded enough to think people join a local homebrew club for the newsletter.

So I think one of the things we really need to focus on is making sure the AHA is more than just Zymurgy to our members in addition to other educational bits.

Lastly, if anyone knows of any small "semi-commercial" publication that went digital, please let me or Gary or someone else know so we can study what their experience was. Thanks
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Offline bluesman

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #21 on: February 25, 2010, 10:45:38 am »
It is inevitable. The internet is slowly putting traditional publishing out of business. By the time a newspaper or magazine is printed and lands on your doorstep it is old news. In another 50 years, traditionally published newspapers and magazines will be a thing of the past. I know they will be available for the old school market but for the most part will be a thing of the past.
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Offline Kaiser

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #22 on: February 25, 2010, 10:45:45 am »
I don't know about that.  I don't take a laptop to the "office" in the morning, it's a lot easier sitting on the throne with the paper version. :)

What has become an invaluable “throne companion” for me is my iPod (I’m too cheap to sign up for an iPhone). Yes, the experience compared to having a paper magazine is much worse, but what offsets this is that I have that thing with me all the time and with it stuff to read.

Kai

Offline BrewArk

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #23 on: February 25, 2010, 10:51:13 am »
I'll weigh in too:

I received the current issue last night in the mail.  I'm almost finished reading cover to cover.  For that purpose I prefer paper.  Even if it were distributed in PDF, I'd print it out to read it.

Over time I had a stack of 15 year old magazines, my beloved determined that they had to go to the recycling station.  For clutter sake I concurred.  Now my problem is I have an online index of articles that I've recycled.

If the PDFs were in a "members only" section, I could reference articles without having to store the library in my brewshack.
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Offline glitterbug

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #24 on: February 25, 2010, 10:52:39 am »
I can definitely see how this is a hot topic.

I wonder to what extend there are already workable solutions available in the publishing industry. I think that many publishers, especially those of small circulation publications, are looking for a solution to this problem and I would not be surprised if Adobe, for example, is working on support for this.

There is something to be said about collecting the printed issues of any magazine. On the other hand, moving to a digital medium just makes sense. We (society) just have to figure out ways to curb unauthorized use.

Kai


All DRM protections can be circumvented and are generally anti-consumer. I think they should approach the problem with the understanding that not all unauthorized use can be stopped.

They should consider releasing articles (not entire issues) digitally after a certain period of time to current subscribers. This will provide an incentive to subscribe to get the newest content and provide a digital archive to current subscribers.
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Offline dean

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #25 on: February 25, 2010, 10:54:58 am »
If somebody wants up to the minute news they should watch the news channels on cable or dish etc.  I like having old copies of mags around because of the "old is now new" phenomena... like homebrewing.   ;)  What if a person suddenly can't afford to renew their membership for one reason or another or has their hardrive crash... a hardcopy at least you can read 10 years later.  Just something to chew on...

Offline denny

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #26 on: February 25, 2010, 10:58:17 am »
What if a person suddenly can't afford to renew their membership for one reason or another or has their hardrive crash... a hardcopy at least you can read 10 years later.  Just something to chew on...

Great points, Dean.
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Offline tygo

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #27 on: February 25, 2010, 10:59:38 am »
...or has their hardrive crash... a hardcopy at least you can read 10 years later.  Just something to chew on...

That's what external hard drives are for.  Or you could back them up and burn them to a DVD as well.  I do like having the paper copy but for archiving purposes it would be really nice to have a soft copy as well.

I think what Drew said above hits the mark.  If people feel that the magazine is the primary value they're getting from the AHA then taking it digital will hurt badly.  If there's enough additional value over just Zymurgy then it's not that big of a deal.
Clint
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Offline Kaiser

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #28 on: February 25, 2010, 11:09:26 am »
All DRM protections can be circumvented and are generally anti-consumer. I think they should approach the problem with the understanding that not all unauthorized use can be stopped.

The same is already true for a hard copy of anything. People are physically able to steal material things as well. It’s just that protection technology lags behind sharing and display technology. Similar to opening a store before figuring out how to keep people from stealing the merchandise.

What if a person suddenly can't afford to renew their membership for one reason or another or has their hardrive crash... a hardcopy at least you can read 10 years later.  Just something to chew on...

This is a problem we already have to solve for ourselves anyway. Our family photo collection on disk is huge and the absence of a reliable back-up system is something that scares me.

I don’t expect Zymurgy to blaze the trail on this and expect that we will enjoy a paper issue for at least the next few years. I just feel that digital distribution is coming one way or another. In the end it may be the force of simple economics that pushes us there. You may still print the magazine at home but at some point that may become too much of a burden and readers may have developed enough to provide a good enough reading experience that you’ll stop doing it.

PS: I just noticed hat Drew made many of the points I made. I just didn't notice his post until after I wrote mine.

Kai
« Last Edit: February 25, 2010, 11:13:05 am by Kaiser »

Offline babalu87

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Re: Zymurgy Magazine?
« Reply #29 on: February 25, 2010, 11:16:50 am »
Maybe they/we could have both?

Have advertising on the web version as well, sort of like what newspapers do?

Funny, my wife saw the GIANT Budweiser ad in this months issue and asked me
Whats THAT doing in there?  ;D
Jeff

On draught:
IIPA, Stout, Hefeweizen, Hallertau Pale Ale, Bitter

Primary:
Hefeweizen,Berliner Weisse, Mead