New subscriptions, am I thick or what?

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by Steambuff on 02/08/2013 10:35:18:

With the new Digital, you download it to your PC/Device and can keep after your subs expire.

Can you then archive it to DVD so that you are sure of keeping it or is there some clever security system?

Russell.

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

Russell,

The files appear to be encrypted …. but you might be able to backup the directory structure and then restore it. A single issue appears to be made up of many small files.

If I get the time, I could try it …. but remember that you must use their off-line reader to read the files.

This brings up the issue of operating system upgrades (or people using old systems) and the support of the reader. (Will they still support Win XP in 1/2/5 years time?, and how long will it take them to release a new version following a new Operating system release .. i.e Win 9)

Dave

P.S for me the best thing WastingMyTimeMedia should do, is a/ have a "Online Archive" only subscription and b/ add the online archive back into the paper sub (no cost increase).

 

 

Edited By Steambuff on 02/08/2013 11:12:44

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Russell Eberhardt on 02/08/2013 10:43:26:

Posted by Steambuff on 02/08/2013 10:35:18:

With the new Digital, you download it to your PC/Device and can keep after your subs expire.

Can you then archive it to DVD so that you are sure of keeping it or is there some clever security system?

Russell.

.

That, Russell, is the most important point made on this thread so far.

Sarah Sharp's letter, accompanying MEW No.206 states:

"… In addition, a print + digital subscription will give you access to the online archive dating back to Summer 1990 for the duration of your subscription."

So, presumably, it is only the "digitally purchased" [and therefore recent] issues that you can "download and keep".

If someone [preferably Sarah Sharp] could clarify exactly what each of the subscription variants provides, then perhaps we can put this to bed.

MichaelG.

P.S.

I am uncomfortable when I see phrases like "print only ( or as previously described 'complete package' ) subscriptions."

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

From other posts and from my emails with MyTimeMedia,

The Digital Subscription gives you the following.

1/ Access to the "On Line Archive" for the duration of your subscription only.

2/ Download 13/26 Issues of MEW / ME for the duration of your Subscription – These are on your device and yours to keep.

The Print Subscription gives you the following.

1/ 13/26 'Paper' issues of MEW / ME.

The Print + Digital Subscription gives you the following

1/ 13/26 'Paper' issues of MEW / ME.

2/ Access to the "On Line Archive" for the duration of your subscription only.

3/ Download 13/26 Issues of MEW / ME for the duration of your Subscription – These are on your device and yours to keep.

Dave

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

I've subscribed for a number of years, and last month I could also read the online issues, but now I can't. I can see the thumbnails which are clearly "live" (the mouse pointer changes to a pointing finger), but absolutely nothing happens when I click, or double click.

Is it just me? Firefox 22.0 under Win7 x64.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Steambuff on 02/08/2013 11:59:47:

3/ Download 13/26 Issues of MEW / ME for the duration of your Subscription – These are on your device and yours to keep.

Dave

Only while you have the means to read it, will the reader work with windows 10 or whatever ?

In fact will Windows 10 also be a paid per use ?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Dave,

Thanks for the list.

If I understand correctly; that confirms my suspicion that

1. the only way to get continuous access to the "Online Archive" will be to maintain a "digital" or a "print + digital" subscription.
2. it will remain impossible to download issues from the "Online Archive" onto any device, for off-line viewing.

Please correct me if this is wrong !!

MichaelG.

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

John – Correct, as per the comment in 1 of my earlier emails.

Michael – You are correct (Unless MyTimeMedia change things)

Dave

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Posted by Steambuff on 02/08/2013 09:32:50:

For MEW Print + Digital £51, Print Only £42, Digital Only £35.50

For ME Print + Digital £67, Print Only £55, Digital Only £47.95

Interesting ….. when I posted here a couple of weeks ago, the Digital only ME price had increased to £47.95 (from £29.99) but the MEW price was unchanged at £29.99. Seems they've "rationalised" the numbers in the last few weeks.

Still, perhaps they need the increases to cover the losses from people who quit their subscriptions due to the higher costs.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by Steambuff on 02/08/2013 11:10:31:

P.S for me the best thing WastingMyTimeMedia should do, is a/ have a "Online Archive" only subscription and b/ add the online archive back into the paper sub (no cost increase).

Amen to that!

Russell.

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

Well.
I wonder who will blink first

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

ME from June `62 to date and purchased back copies to 1930.

MEW 1st copy to date and still like a pig in muck when each copy arrives.

Managed very well all these years by referring back through my carefully kept library. Very recently given free digi copies which I have occasionally looked through as its lazy option to going in to my `library` so will I miss that when I continue with my print only? No, I dont think so – as the youngsters these days say, "Do I look bovvered?"

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

Posted by DMB on 02/08/2013 17:07:12:

MEW 1st copy to date and still like a pig in muck when each copy arrives.

Ha ha me too! But I find more enjoyment reading the older issues than the newer ones as more in 'em

[SpringbokParticipant @springbok]

Am going to be dumping ME when next sub comes up it is now boreing, full of ad's and basically no longer interesting. Just look at some of the much older issues. New mag, Content articles no 30ish article where the author is panning it out to make extra dosh…

bob

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Like a few others here, I also have copies of MEW back to the first issue, all neatly filed in boxes of a famous porage oats. I have created a database of all or any articles that either interest me, or may have some relevance in the future. (Specifically I am not interested in CNC or REPRAPas it is the manual skills that I am interested in.) I also copy articles into my computer if I think they may be of use and then I print out as necessary. Therefore, digital copies are of no interest to me. And remember, if you havea paper copy, you can copy it at anytime you wish – provided said copy is for your own personal use – whereas a digital copy, unless downloaded permanently, is dependant on the vagaries of the publisher and the reliability of the internet. Even when downloaded, the copies are still dependant on a mechanical system which can fail, unless you have multiple copies to safeguard against this event.

My two pennorth.

Regards,

Peter G. Shaw

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, I've compaired prices per pages for the UK of the last six issues of MEW, ME and a well known rival magazine in a similar vain.

MEW currently appears to have about 537 pages without adverts p/a @ 7.82 pence per page when paying by DD and 8.28 pence when paying one year annual subs by other means, this is for "print" only.

ME currently appears to have about 1174 pages without adverts p/a @ 4.68 pence per page when paying by DD and 5.10 pence when paying one year annual subs by other means, this is for "print only.

Both the above are approximated from the average number of pages from the last six issues.

The rival magazine has 432 pages without adverts p/a @ 6.9 pence per page when buying online and 7.33 when paying by other means.

The rival magazine does not currenly have any online archive or any digital issues available.

I hope this might put some perspective on the value of what you are paying for.

For those who are interested, the first two issues of MEW had 84 pages from cover to cover, issues 3 to 34 had 80 pages c/c, issues 35 to 56 had 76 pages c/c and issues 57 onwards have 68 pages c/c.

I have not compared content as this will differ from one person to the next.

E.& O.E.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 02/08/2013 20:56:12

[Anthony KnightsParticipant @anthonyknights16741]

I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I have downloaded loads of pages from the archive and "printed" them to "Cute PDF writer" which saves them as a PDF file.These are currently on my hard drive, but I can see no reason why I should not be able to save them to a DVD. The process is messy and time consuming as I can only save one page at a time. No doubt someone smarter than me with computers would be able to write a routine to save a whole magazine in one go. Maybe they already have and unlike me, are keeping quiet.

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Nick,
Thats very interesting.
Peter,
I agree with your last post that if you have the hard copy you retain control in being able to copy articles or scan any or all and not risk losing it due to say computer breakdown.
John.

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Posted by Anthony Knights on 03/08/2013 20:28:47:

I probably shouldn't be telling you this,

You're in good company. Many people who park in no parking zones put their emegency indicators on to advertise the fact to the world too. Others are smarter.

Edited By Sid Herbage on 03/08/2013 22:24:59

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Tis the way of the world. Print media in all sectors, from newspapers to glossy magazines, are losing (or rather have lost) massive amounts of advertising to the internet. Traditionally, about 85 per cent of a paper/magazine's revenue came from advertising. The cover price provided the other 15 per cent, in many cases not even covering the cost of printing and distributing the magazine.

It used to be that ME and MEW and the like were the only way for people like us to view the tools and materials and kits etc that were available through the dealers from small shops to RDG Tools, Chronos etc. These days, those companies all have websites and we mostly go straight to thier site and order online. So they don't have such a great need to advertise in print anymore. So advertising revenue declines. Some publications drop advertising rates to retain clients, others actually put their rates up to make more money out of less business. Almost all these days are putting up their cover prices to help make up the shortfall.

If you want your favourite magazine or newspaper to stay in business, support it by buying it. If everyone stops buying them, they will do as many newspapers and magazines worldwide have already done and close down, along with their associated websites which make them comparatively little revenue.

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Posted by Hopper on 04/08/2013 00:47:36:

If everyone stops buying them, they will do as many newspapers and magazines worldwide have already done and close down

If everyone stops buying them then they should close down – they're obviously not satisfying their customers' needs.

You talk as though it's a one-way street.

Edited By Sid Herbage on 04/08/2013 01:07:01

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Sid Herbage on 04/08/2013 01:05:35:

Posted by Hopper on 04/08/2013 00:47:36:

If everyone stops buying them, they will do as many newspapers and magazines worldwide have already done and close down

If everyone stops buying them then they should close down – they're obviously not satisfying their customers' needs.

You talk as though it's a one-way street.

Edited By Sid Herbage on 04/08/2013 01:07:01

Sadly, many fine publications with excellent content have already gone down the tube as more people get their news, inlcuding hobby/special interest, from the net.

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Just noticed …. when you print from the PocketMags reader each printed page has a "PocketMags" watermark running diagonally across the whole sheet. Doesn't seem to prevent you reading anything.

Distracting though and a step backwards from the online archive.

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

Perhaps the proprieters ultimate objective is to do away with paper magazines entirely, and just have digital. This is like Government thinking.

This will also piss Russell off even more!

Phil

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Well I've been buying MEW from the start and last year was persuaded into a subscription. Yes quite convenient to have it arrive each month with postie but now an increase in price make me stop and think.

1) I don't like digital editions so that's facility is of no use to me. ( Why would anyone want a print AND a digital copy?)

2) When I review the content of the magazine I find ,increasingly, that there are areas which have little or no interest for me.

I conclude therefore that I will not renew my subscription and will instead only purchase copies from my local newsagent if there is sufficient interest that month to warrant it – maybe 50% judging from last years issues.

If Phil is right then I guess it's adieu MEW!

Norman

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