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The Icon Bar: News and features: New Editor for Acorn User: round 2
 

New Editor for Acorn User: round 2

Posted by Richard Goodwin on 18:23, 13/11/2001 | , ,
 
It would appear that, after one issue, Acorn User will be changing editors again. John Cartmell has posted to comp.sys.acorn.announce that he is standing down:
When it was announced that I would edit the magazine a group of us were at an advanced stage of negotiations with a director of Tau Press to purchase Acorn User magazine. We understood that it had been agreed that two of our group would work on the magazine for a limited time prior to purchase. Soon after the announcement was made it became clear that Tau Press no longer had any interest in such an agreement. They were no
longer willing to sell the magazine.

In our opinion Acorn User has a future if substantial changes are made in addition to changes to its editorial content. We were prepared to make those changes but could do so only if we owned the magazine.
Not only will the new broom no longer get the opportunity to sweep in changes that he - and many other people - feel are needed to ensure Acorn User can continue; it also looks like the new (or indeed old) editor will be without the writer for the news and graphics column - i.e. John.
 
  New Editor for Acorn User: round 2
  This is a long thread. Click here to view the threaded list.
 
James Message #89445, posted at 17:01, 26/11/2001, in reply to message #89444
Unregistered user Sounds like a good reason to me :)
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
guy Message #89446, posted at 09:05, 27/11/2001, in reply to message #89445
Unregistered user because when I buy an Omnega from Microdigital running RISCOS licensed from Pace, why should I want to buy "Blst-from-the-past User"?
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Andrew Weston Message #89447, posted at 09:43, 27/11/2001, in reply to message #89446
Unregistered user But the majority of people have Acorn machines and besides the Acorn brand is ongoing and the magazine has been called that for almost 20 years. It also says RISC OS clearly on the front.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
guy Message #89448, posted at 09:15, 28/11/2001, in reply to message #89447
Unregistered user The trouble is, the Acorn name has the same invisibility cloak that bedevils the Liberal democrats - everybody knows and likes you, but can't bring you to consciousness. Time and again my fellow IT "experts" are amazed and amused to find Acorn stuff still around, but they never take it seriously. We need a 'new Labour' style marketing makeover to get RISC OS taken seriously again, and Acorn User seems a good place to start.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Dave Message #89449, posted at 21:22, 28/11/2001, in reply to message #89448
Unregistered user By taking the 'soft option the Government took on
board a white elephant. IT that needs high maintenance
and high energy requirements can surely be described as such.
Millions spent on the upkeep of PCs every year could be better
spent on providing pupils with high quality teachers,
books etc, and hospital beds for NHS patients. Acorn
as a brand name has become moribund, unfortunately,
so to rejuvenate AU, a name change is expedient; I
reiterate, how about RISC IT! Let's get rid of the
'soft white elephant and put money back in tools for
creativity that don't cost the earth in upkeep.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
John Hoare Message #89450, posted at 12:33, 30/11/2001, in reply to message #89449
Unregistered user Because RISC IT! is naff?

Seriously, puns in magazine titles don't (usually) work - it doesn't make people take the magazine seriously.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Nick Wright Message #89451, posted at 15:20, 1/12/2001, in reply to message #89450
Unregistered user Agreed. 'RISC IT!' is a bad title!
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Dave Message #89452, posted at 10:47, 2/12/2001, in reply to message #89451
Unregistered user There is a long history of using puns for serious purposes.
purposes. Their use in heraldry, for instance,
reaches back many centuries and up to the present
day. For example the British Association of
Urological Surgeons and their heraldic use of
Lathyrus odorata (Sweet Pea), and the National
Heart Hospital with Viola tricolor (Heart's-ease)
(Ref. Helen Harrison's article Gardener's Arms
pages 914/915 Journal of the Royal Horticultural
Society, The Garden, Vol 126, Part 12, Dec 2001)
We do have to lighten up in the RISC OS world.
We don't want to remain miserable for ever,
or do we?
RISC IT! was only a suggestion to get the ball
rolling.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
John Hoare Message #89453, posted at 14:44, 2/12/2001, in reply to message #89452
Unregistered user I take your point, but the examples you have mentioned are very specific. It's like having puns as the contents of the magazine, which is always done anyway, re. Mike Cook's Run The Risc column. But puns don't work as magazine titles, especially in a case like this, as it looks unprofessional.

The point as to whether the magazine needs to change it's title is really about the question "Is the name Acorn a laughing-stock?" I don't know whether it is or not - it certainly was in my secondary school, but it's not at uni. If the name Acorn is laughed at in a wider context than I have experience of, the magazine title needs changing in it's relaunch.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Dave Message #89454, posted at 18:03, 2/12/2001, in reply to message #89453
Unregistered user I was being specific beacause puns are found everywhere.
Visually in Art, written in Literature and verbally in
Countdown!
To The PC owners I know, the name Acorn certainly raises
a smile, but certainly no enthusiasm to risk (pun intended)
writing off their investment in PCs to support what was superior
technology but in their eyes has long been left in the doldrums.
I took a risk buying an A3000 in 1990 when advised to buy
a 286 computer and again in 1995 when I bought a RiscPC. I
have never regretted investing hard earned money in a system
which has so much potential and is still being developed by
people who are technically excellent and know a Good Thing
when they see IT (sorry).
Acorn is dead long live RISC OS and RISC IT!
PS I do subscribe to AU and wish it well whatever its name.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Guy Message #89455, posted at 16:39, 4/12/2001, in reply to message #89454
Unregistered user I still prefer RISC Format or RISC User (if reincarnation is legal). If I was a punter and saw RISc Format, RISC IT and Acorn User alongside, I know which I'd pick up first.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
Guest Message #89456, posted at 22:26, 6/12/2001, in reply to message #89455
Unregistered user RISC IT obviously. It is short and to the point.
Although it is the content of the magazine that counts.
  ^[ Log in to reply ]
 
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The Icon Bar: News and features: New Editor for Acorn User: round 2