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New look Acorn User! |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #36257, posted by monkeyson2 at 02:18, 9/3/2003 |
 Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
Posts: 12380
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On the cover this month "RELAUNCH ISSUE". Yup, they've relaunched again 
They've done quite a good job, really - they've hired a new chap to do the design and layout (unless Johnathan Caldwell is another of Steve's pseudonyms) and much better use is made of the monochrome pages. I'm not convinced that the main typeface is particularly easy to read, but that's the sort of tweak that can be made in later issues.
It's certainly more inventive - some articles are white text on black rather than the usual; and there's an interesting device used on each article based around the first letter of the page. The contents page, for example, has a large "C" of Contents, and the articles and page numbers are angled like sun rays coming out of the C between 3 and 6 o'clock.
I'd imagine lots of people will hate it though. 
So what have we got within our 50 pages of ex tree?
 News - the GPL debacle (a bit out of date now), but including a bit I've not noticed on the net. Still slightly padded with non RISC OS news towards the end.
 Graphics - producing snazzy lettering
UniPrint review
Wireless networking how to
Making a web site - WebJames, SiteMatch, FTPc etc
Review of the "Mini PC" (as promised in an earlier advert) - but even this is tackled well, explaining about Virtual Acorn and ROX, and UniPrint. Not the usual this-isn't-an-article-about-RISC-OS padding.
 Another installment of the RISC OS vs Windows thing. It's improving, but a flawed comparison.
Mike Cook and USB
Steve's S-Base series. Interesting, even though I've never really got into S-Base.
 Education news. The main thing about this section is always how non RISC OS specific it is, especially considering it was once the major market. I wonder how many AU readers are still in teaching?
Letters page, including Castle's GPL response.
Well, it's certainly better than the last few months - no obvious advertorials (and even the suspicious Mini PC review was handled well), and the improved look makes you look more favourably at it.
Worth peering over somebody's shoulder at. |
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John Hoare |
Message #36280, posted by moss at 11:55, 9/3/2003, in reply to message #36257 |
Posts: 9348
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Sounds rather good
I might resubscribe when I have some money |
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Michael Stubbs |
Message #36292, posted by arenaman at 18:04, 9/3/2003, in reply to message #36257 |
Member
Posts: 112
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Can anyone put up a scan of some pages to demonstrate this? I can't find Acorn User anyway in (central) Leeds. |
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I don't have tourettes you're just a cun |
Message #36333, posted by [mentat] at 21:23, 9/3/2003, in reply to message #36292 |
![[mentat]](/images/smileys/mentat.gif) Fear is the mind-killer
Posts: 6266
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Can anyone put up a scan of some pages to demonstrate this? I can't find Acorn User anyway in (central) Leeds. They used to have it in the main WHS in leeds, but then, they used to have it in my local WHS too... |
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Chris Williams |
Message #36358, posted by diodesign at 01:50, 10/3/2003, in reply to message #36257 |
 The Opposition
Posts: 269
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Any mention of the South West show? There should be a WHS in Leamington that sells AU.
Chris. |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #36372, posted by monkeyson2 at 09:55, 10/3/2003, in reply to message #36358 |
Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
Posts: 12380
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It seemed to go to print just after Castle's GPL reply - that was a stop press kind of thing, so the SW show wouldn't have happened. They might have even had the mag on sale there.
I've decided I really don't like the main font they use - it's not right for main copy at all.
And where oh where has David Dade's comms column gone? |
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Michael Stubbs |
Message #36503, posted by arenaman at 00:35, 11/3/2003, in reply to message #36358 |
Member
Posts: 112
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I find it amazing how hard it is to find this rag - if you can find it at all! I know all the sob stories about low sales numbers, but as the majority of copies are sold through newsagents you would have thought that someone somewhere in Leeds might deem it appropriate to stick a copy on the shelf. I went into a little tiny newsagent in London a couple of years ago and there was at least three different issues of Acorn User on the shelf!! It doesn't seem to appear in Middlesbrough anymore, either It's a shame they don't keep the Where It's Stocked bit of the Web site up-to-date, which was the whole point of me adding it. |
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Andrew Duffell |
Message #36509, posted by ad at 07:55, 11/3/2003, in reply to message #36503 |
Posts: 3262
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It doesn't seem to appear in Middlesbrough anymore, either Probably isn't a copy on sale in <strikeout>Teesside</strikeout>... no... The North East |
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James Shaw |
Message #36518, posted by Hertzsprung at 08:44, 11/3/2003, in reply to message #36509 |
 Ghost-like
Posts: 1746
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I rather enjoyed that advertorials from Xample and Neil Spellings. I thought they were probably the bets articles in that issue. |
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John Hoare |
Message #36536, posted by moss at 08:55, 11/3/2003, in reply to message #36503 |
Posts: 9348
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It doesn't seem to appear in Middlesbrough anymore, either I've never found it since I went to uni up here. It's a shame, as I'd probably buy it even now if all I had to was walk into Smiths and buy it with my SFX.
Both the Smiths in Nottingham used to stock it, but neither do now |
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Paul F. Johnson |
Message #36816, posted by pfj_atw at 16:20, 12/3/2003, in reply to message #36536 |
Member
Posts: 7
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Both the Smiths in Nottingham used to stock it, but neither do now I know of nowhere in Salford, Manchester town centre, St. Helens, Wigan, Liverpool or Warrington which stock AU.
Given that it's made about 15 miles from where I sit, what hope does the rest of the UK have.
Mike : Carry through with your threat - publish something in competition to it. We know it will be good. |
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Mark Scholes |
Message #36824, posted by mavhc at 17:04, 12/3/2003, in reply to message #36536 |
Member
Posts: 660
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Both the Smiths in Nottingham used to stock it, but neither do now
I asked at the one in Victoria Centre, they said they do get it, but I've not seen it. |
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Tim Firmager |
Message #36837, posted by Timothy609 at 17:53, 12/3/2003, in reply to message #36280 |
Member
Posts: 42
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it not only sounds good, but also looks good. I better resubscribe though because my subscription has just run out!!! |
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John Hoare |
Message #36844, posted by moss at 18:57, 12/3/2003, in reply to message #36824 |
Posts: 9348
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I asked at the one in Victoria Centre, they said they do get it, but I've not seen it. Either they lie, or someone knows *just* when the single copy arrives... |
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fwibbler |
Message #36866, posted by fwibbler at 19:51, 12/3/2003, in reply to message #36837 |
Posts: 320
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it not only sounds good, but also looks good. I better resubscribe though because my subscription has just run out!!! Yes, but they do this every year or so.
Produce one good mag to get everyone to subscribe for another year, then go back to knocking the usual crap and ignoring emails once they've got your money. |
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Paul F. Johnson |
Message #36890, posted by pfj at 23:15, 12/3/2003, in reply to message #36837 |
Member
Posts: 54
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it not only sounds good, but also looks good. I better resubscribe though because my subscription has just run out!!! /me looks back over previous AU threads and comes to these conclusions
1. Lots of subs are due around the same time
2. The AU quality improves about the time of the largest number of subs due up
3. The AU quality drops like a brick shortly after
4. There is much gnashing of teeth and other things with threats of non-resubscription
Anyone seeing a pattern? |
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I don't have tourettes you're just a cun |
Message #36892, posted by [mentat] at 23:21, 12/3/2003, in reply to message #36890 |
Fear is the mind-killer
Posts: 6266
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No, you're going to have to spell it out for me... |
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Michael Stubbs |
Message #36893, posted by arenaman at 23:25, 12/3/2003, in reply to message #36816 |
Member
Posts: 112
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Mike : Carry through with your threat - publish something in competition to it. We know it will be good. Heh! I don't know if that is deadpan or serious 
But whatever, I am quite tempted to give it a go, anyway.
If competition would be welcome in the way that people would actually subscribe or buy this new magazine, then I will seriously set about creating a new magazine. But I need a way of working out how much real interest there is - if there's enough, then the rest is easy... |
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I don't have tourettes you're just a cun |
Message #36951, posted by [mentat] at 12:36, 13/3/2003, in reply to message #36893 |
Fear is the mind-killer
Posts: 6266
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But whatever, I am quite tempted to give it a go, anyway. You've been saying that for years... |
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Andrew |
Message #36962, posted by andrew at 13:22, 13/3/2003, in reply to message #36893 |
 Handbag Boi
Posts: 3439
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Mike : Carry through with your threat - publish something in competition to it. We know it will be good. Heh! I don't know if that is deadpan or serious
But whatever, I am quite tempted to give it a go, anyway.
If competition would be welcome in the way that people would actually subscribe or buy this new magazine, then I will seriously set about creating a new magazine. But I need a way of working out how much real interest there is - if there's enough, then the rest is easy...
I'm still not clear as to why you left Acorn User in the first place. They didn't even say 'he's moved on to different things' to my knowledge, you just seemed to disappear. |
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Simon Wilson |
Message #36995, posted by ksattic at 16:35, 13/3/2003, in reply to message #36890 |
 Finally, an avatar!
Posts: 1291
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I would like to pick up a copy of AU to see how it's changed since I stopped reading shortly after the demise of Acorn in '98. Has *INFO been dropped? What about Run the Risc? |
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Jeffrey Lee |
Message #37000, posted by Phlamethrower at 16:56, 13/3/2003, in reply to message #36995 |
 Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot stuff
Posts: 15100
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*INFO and RTR have been gone for some time I'm afraid |
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Simon Wilson |
Message #37011, posted by ksattic at 17:13, 13/3/2003, in reply to message #37000 |
Finally, an avatar!
Posts: 1291
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*INFO and RTR have been gone for some time I'm afraid |
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Michael Stubbs |
Message #37095, posted by arenaman at 02:55, 14/3/2003, in reply to message #36951 |
Member
Posts: 112
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But whatever, I am quite tempted to give it a go, anyway. You've been saying that for years...
Not quite that long!!  |
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Michael Stubbs |
Message #37096, posted by arenaman at 03:10, 14/3/2003, in reply to message #36962 |
Member
Posts: 112
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I'm still not clear as to why you left Acorn User in the first place. They didn't even say 'he's moved on to different things' to my knowledge, you just seemed to disappear. Hmmm. I did just type a rather large explanation but it is probably not what I should leave on a public forum. Sorry
However, I can tell you that I resigned - not to move on to anything else in particular, but just to get the hell away from them. |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #37097, posted by monkeyson2 at 09:25, 14/3/2003, in reply to message #37096 |
Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
Posts: 12380
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To move on away from Scientology?  |
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Andrew Duffell |
Message #37158, posted by ad at 15:11, 14/3/2003, in reply to message #37011 |
Posts: 3262
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*INFO and RTR have been gone for some time I'm afraid
*INFO was great |
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Paul F. Johnson |
Message #37183, posted by pfj at 21:29, 14/3/2003, in reply to message #36816 |
Member
Posts: 54
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I know of nowhere in Salford, Manchester town centre, St. Helens, Wigan, Liverpool or Warrington which stock AU.
Fun conversation between me and someone at Smiths in St. Helens.
me : "Have you got Acorn User?"
wh : "That went bust years ago"
me : "No it didn't - it's still going"
wh : "wow!"
me : "Do you have it?"
wh : <checks> "no"
me : "Can you get it?"
wh : <checks> "no"
me : "Why not?"
wh : "We no longer can order in mags which we have no chance of selling"
me : "Even if I pay for it?"
wh : "Nope. Not even then."
me : "Any ideas where I can get it?"
wh : "Specialist newsagents"
Now knowing the chap from Smiths, his idea of a specialist newsagents is one which manifests itself with glossies glorifying the female form with various insertive devices...
me : "Ah."
wh : "We could contact our suppliers"
me : "Please"
wh : <disappears> <comes back>
Now this is the suprising bit
wh : Distributers for specialist press are no longer carrying it due to them not paying their bills.
Hmmmmm, is that really a suprising bit?
Arenaman : Publish man - we're waiting for a damned good RISC OS read (that is not deadpan, but actual pleading!) |
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Chris Williams |
Message #37185, posted by diodesign at 22:14, 14/3/2003, in reply to message #37183 |
The Opposition
Posts: 269
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Arenaman : Publish man - we're waiting for a damned good RISC OS read (that is not deadpan, but actual pleading!)
I was about to loudly cough something in retort but I guess the point of a magazine is the non-news articles and reviews.
Chris. |
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Dave Lawton |
Message #37194, posted by law at 13:53, 16/3/2003, in reply to message #37183 |
Member
Posts: 14
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Strange, WH Smiths in Doncaster never has a problem getting
my copy. |
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