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New look Acorn User! |
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John Hoare |
Message #39189, posted by moss at 09:31, 2/4/2003, in reply to message #37194 |
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Anyone applying?  |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #39195, posted by monkeyson2 at 09:45, 2/4/2003, in reply to message #39189 |
 Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
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Anyone applying? Paul F Johnson? Teri Paul? 
I'd consider it if I didn't have (or want) a proper job, if only to try and improve the magazine. I would fail. |
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Richard Goodwin |
Message #39219, posted by rich at 11:57, 2/4/2003, in reply to message #39195 |
 Dictator for life
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I'd consider it if I didn't have (or want) a proper job, if only to try and improve the magazine. There's also the Scientology angle, and the fact that not only do reviewers not get paid (or at least that was the case until recently), a lot of people were asked to write off what they were owed for past articles. Doesn't exactly inspire confidence. Or maybe I'm just bitter about the way they messed me (and my articles) around on the last review - done using hardware I purchased myself!
The new review monkey is going to have to sort out a) getting review copies out b) paying people (this should be across the board anyway) and actually letting them know this is going to happen, and c) not cut the review to shreds due to pressure from the company "supplying" the goods.
Oh, and when I was webmonkey for them I had to buy my own copies for most of my tenure 
</2p>
________
 Cheers,
Rich.
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John Hoare |
Message #39220, posted by moss at 12:03, 2/4/2003, in reply to message #39219 |
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c) not cut the review to shreds due to pressure from the company "supplying" the goods. This is incredibly dodgy. Not only for Acorn User, but for the company who pressured them. If your goods can't stand up to a review, you've got serious problems. |
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Andrew |
Message #39222, posted by andrew at 12:16, 2/4/2003, in reply to message #39220 |
 Handbag Boi
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What's Teri Paul's beef with AU?
Personally the lack of readies deters moi.
Also I've received one issue of a 4 issue subscription (March having not had February's at all) and have been asked to resubscribe! But hopefully they'll sort that out.
[Edited by andrew at 12:17, 2/4/2003] |
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Richard Goodwin |
Message #39228, posted by rich at 12:44, 2/4/2003, in reply to message #39220 |
Dictator for life
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c) not cut the review to shreds due to pressure from the company "supplying" the goods. This is incredibly dodgy. Not only for Acorn User, but for the company who pressured them. If your goods can't stand up to a review, you've got serious problems.
Especially when the company in question's MD 'phones you at the day job, initially pretends his beef is with your website so as not to let on he's read the magazine review before it's gone to press, screams at you for being biased, and then admits after having the 'phone put down on him that they were aware that the item in question didn't work all the time. And say they're going to get back to you with a fix. And then not. On stuff you paid for out of your own pocket.
Plus, that particular review was written from scratch three times, the final version with only half a day's notice. Unpaid.
________
Cheers,
Rich.
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John Hoare |
Message #39229, posted by moss at 12:48, 2/4/2003, in reply to message #39228 |
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Especially when the company in question's MD 'phones you at the day job, initially pretends his beef is with your website so as not to let on he's read the magazine review before it's gone to press, screams at you for being biased, and then admits after having the 'phone put down on him that they were aware that the item in question didn't work all the time. And say they're going to get back to you with a fix. And then not. On stuff you paid for out of your own pocket. Ah, the friendly RISC OS community 
You should have pulled the review from Acorn User completely, and put it on TIB |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #39236, posted by monkeyson2 at 13:12, 2/4/2003, in reply to message #39228 |
Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
Posts: 12380
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This is incredibly dodgy. Not only for Acorn User, but for the company who pressured them. If your goods can't stand up to a review, you've got serious problems. Especially when the company in question's MD 'phones you at the day job, initially pretends his beef is with your website so as not to let on he's read the magazine review before it's gone to press, screams at you for being biased, and then admits after having the 'phone put down on him that they were aware that the item in question didn't work all the time. And say they're going to get back to you with a fix. And then not. On stuff you paid for out of your own pocket.
/me decides to look through back issues to find which review :rich: is talking about 
[Edited by rich at 13:42, 2/4/2003. Fixed quoting] |
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Paul F. Johnson |
Message #39295, posted by pfj_atw at 10:44, 3/4/2003, in reply to message #39222 |
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Teri Paul does not exist.
If you want to know the full gory story (warts and all), email me off here. I don't want to frighten the kiddies... |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #39296, posted by monkeyson2 at 10:45, 3/4/2003, in reply to message #39222 |
Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
Posts: 12380
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What's Teri Paul's beef with AU? Teri Paul == Pam Turnbull.
It was mentioned by Steve on csa after Acorn Computing folded. |
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Andrew |
Message #39302, posted by andrew at 10:49, 3/4/2003, in reply to message #39296 |
Handbag Boi
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I'm beginning to think this whole thing is a bit shifty. |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #39310, posted by monkeyson2 at 10:55, 3/4/2003, in reply to message #39302 |
Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
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I'm beginning to think this whole thing is a bit shifty. On the other hand, it could be seen as AU trying to claw back some respect and decency. A features editor who isn't involved in advertising sales, and a reviews editor who isn't involved in advertising sales. Plus some fresh blood into the mag. Am I being naive??? |
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Andrew |
Message #39346, posted by andrew at 11:11, 3/4/2003, in reply to message #39310 |
Handbag Boi
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Otherwise more pseudonyms will be invented  |
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Paul F. Johnson |
Message #39445, posted by pfj at 23:03, 3/4/2003, in reply to message #39296 |
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What's Teri Paul's beef with AU? Teri Paul == Pam Turnbull.
It was mentioned by Steve on csa after Acorn Computing folded.
Teri Paul has also been used by me, Steve and one or two others. ISTR one with 6 articles by me, 5 under mixtures of my full name, my sons and Bev's!
I didn't get paid for that gig either. |
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Andrew |
Message #39447, posted by andrew at 23:24, 3/4/2003, in reply to message #39445 |
Handbag Boi
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So what are your views on pseudonyms? To me it seems a bit deceptive and contemptuous of readership - maybe it depends how you look at it? |
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Dave Watson |
Message #39454, posted by Spriteman at 09:28, 4/4/2003, in reply to message #39447 |
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Pseudonyms have been used since the very early days of acorn magazines. ISTR that Micro User only had about 2 writers and about a dozen names
On another note. Anyone seen an AU in GLASGOW?
Barretts on Byres Rd supposedly used to stock it but I've never seen a copy there. |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #39456, posted by monkeyson2 at 09:40, 4/4/2003, in reply to message #39447 |
Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
Posts: 12380
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So what are your views on pseudonyms? To me it seems a bit deceptive and contemptuous of readership - maybe it depends how you look at it? For a feature, I wouldn't mind, but for a review I think it's important to have the person's real name attached - they're expressing their views and opinions after all.
Note that one of TIB's news correspondents goes under a pseudonym... |
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Andrew |
Message #39461, posted by andrew at 10:27, 4/4/2003, in reply to message #39456 |
Handbag Boi
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So what are your views on pseudonyms? To me it seems a bit deceptive and contemptuous of readership - maybe it depends how you look at it? For a feature, I wouldn't mind, but for a review I think it's important to have the person's real name attached - they're expressing their views and opinions after all.
Good point.
Note that one of TIB's news correspondents goes under a pseudonym...
Yes I think that's terrible Jake 
[Edited by andrew at 10:28, 4/4/2003] |
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Richard Goodwin |
Message #39465, posted by rich at 10:33, 4/4/2003, in reply to message #39456 |
Dictator for life
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Note that one of TIB's news correspondents goes under a pseudonym... Well, I'd say that nearly all do. Unless someone actually called their sons "moss", "monkeyson" and so on, eh Phil?
Having pen names is a long standing tradition in literature; for instance when women were treated as second class citizens many female writers had to adopt male names. Other writers have had to conceal their identity to either protect their life/reputation, or to start afresh without bringing along baggage from any other endeavours they've been involved in in the past. Example: "Richard Bachman" writing science fiction such as The Running Man was outed as Stephen King, horror master, simply by reading the copyright message at the front of the book . I don't have a problem with this kind of thing.
However, boosting the apparent author count in a magazine by having one or more "writers" that don't exist, while not being unheard of in magazine circles, is a little dodgy - it's representing the magazine as being something more than it is (well staffed, rounded opinions etc.). Having one name that other people can use when writing on a controversial subject is a good get-out sometimes, it stops the real author getting lynched in the streets - or, jumping to tech support, some companies have a phantom tech support guy so that if the luser calls back, they'll ask for "Jim" and everyone will know the guy on the phone is a f***wit. But should a professional magazine be engaging in routinely misleading its readership? It lessens the articles in the magazine, and by extension the magazine itself.
________
Cheers,
Rich.
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Paul F. Johnson |
Message #39528, posted by pfj at 23:44, 4/4/2003, in reply to message #39465 |
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However, boosting the apparent author count in a magazine by having one or more "writers" that don't exist, while not being unheard of in magazine circles, is a little dodgy - it's representing the magazine as being something more than it is (well staffed, rounded opinions etc.).
It help in two ways though :
1. folks see plenty of authors and are more likely to subscribe *or* submit articles themselves with a diverse set of opinions
2. it boost the sellability to advertisers ("we have 20 writers working for us" when really it's 3 people and 1 staff writer)
At AU it falls over. Why? The editor doesn't have the guts to publish something negative when something negative has to be said. The articles are then all within a very narrow range of acceptability and end up looking (and reading) the same.
Having one name that other people can use when writing on a controversial subject is a good get-out sometimes, it stops the real author getting lynched in the streets - or, jumping to tech support, some companies have a phantom tech support guy so that if the luser calls back, they'll ask for "Jim" and everyone will know the guy on the phone is a twit.
Actually, authors who speak their minds are less likely to be jumped than those who smile and say everything is wonderful. Couldn't agree more on the tech support one though - not that I've ever done that ;-p
But should a professional magazine be engaging in routinely misleading its readership? It lessens the articles in the magazine, and by extension the magazine itself.
If it was any other mag, I'd agree wholeheartedly. Take the latest C-Vu and Overload. In total it has roughly the same number of pages as AU, but with sod all advertising and respected authors. No nom-de-plumes. If something stinks in a book, then the review of it says so. The articles are written by professionals and you can see it in the quality
Compare this to AU. AU's articles are practically worthless, written by one or two people (anyone else has long since turned their backs on it after being shafted by them time and again) under a number names. The articles are influenced by backhanders (also known as advertorials) and everything is happy and smiley. Unfortunately, you can't tell as the type face is abhorent and the mag is badly put together.
How many re-launches has AU had since Acorn's sad demise? I think we're upto about the 7th - that's more than one a year!!!!
AU should have one more relaunch - only this time do it properly - new owners, unbiased opinion and unafraid to pull its punches. Under current management, it will carry on toddling down hill with everyone going "oh look, there was something we once all loved and admired, oh well" until it disappears.
Little known fact : Between AUCD 8 and 10 readership (and subscriptions) went up from 6500 to just over 11,000 in the UK alone. After the debacle surrounding the 11th CD (end of 1999) it has dropped to below 5000 now; the majority of the drop coming in the 6 months after AU CD 10.
Moral : put something worthwhile in a mag (or on it) and people will buy it. |
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Andrew |
Message #39798, posted by andrew at 11:48, 9/4/2003, in reply to message #39528 |
Handbag Boi
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I think you should continue to buy it Paul just to keep it in check |
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Phil Mellor |
Message #39800, posted by monkeyson2 at 11:49, 9/4/2003, in reply to message #39798 |
Please don't let them make me be a monkey butler
Posts: 12380
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he  s to hate it.
not got this months issue yet.  |
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