Long-running Apple rag MacUser Magazine shuts its doors after 30 years

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  • Reply 21 of 86
    bobschlobbobschlob Posts: 1,074member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by brlawyer View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DaveN View Post



    the article got me thinking. When it comes to computer news, I prefer the Internet when it comes to backpacking information, I read paper magazines almost exclusively. I prefer the paper over the electronic magazines and various web sites. Anyone else feel the same way?



    Yep, me. I am still a longtime subscriber of Mac paper magazines (in this case MacFormat, as said above).




    Ahh… That's why I loved MacWeek (aside from the great writing and awesome computer classifieds).

    You could fold it vertically, like a newspaper, and have it sticking up, out of your pack pocket. (as I moseyed down the street to eat breakfast and read the latest Mac stuff) Ahh… nostalgia.

     

  • Reply 22 of 86
    A sad day but unfortunately inevitable
  • Reply 23 of 86
    How sad. I have contributed to the magazine all along. I have a sneaking memory that it was free at one time in the dim and distant past. There was a dip in quality, but In recent times the standards of the magazine had improved greatly and their were some good, informative articles. I look forward to my last copy. It will be greatly missed! SO, It is now time for Apple Insider to, 'up its game'.So long MacUser!!!!!
  • Reply 24 of 86
    I too remember the good old days. However my most missed publication is actually an Internet one:
    As The Apple Turns
    The daily posts were hilarious, I still smile just at the memory.
  • Reply 25 of 86
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JoshA View Post

    Too bad, but that the way things go.

    I used to buy one or two of the Mac mags each month, but stopped that several years ago, except for the odd issue.

     

    Increasing these mags have become mostly ads, trying to follow google's ad success I assume.

     

    As a former working journalist with friends in what's left of the industry, I want to point out that chasing advertising is not new to Google.

    Ink costs money. Newsprint costs money. The intern who rewrites press releases needs a little coin to buy his or her McDonald's breakfast. Even in the heyday of the NYT, reader subscriptions didn't cover a quarter of the newspaper's operating expenses. But having a certified subscriber list meant the paper's business department could tell the ad department how many readers were potential customers, readers whom advertisers paid to reach and that's what kept the lights on and the presses running.

    Google, like the rest of the instream online ad universe, just took that model and ran with it into the Internet. And really, the model still works the same. Even this site has to pay an ISP. Has a power bill for the 'puters. Has staff who need/want to stuff a burrito in their mouth now and again. As far as I know, AppleInsider has no paid subscriptions, but survives on clicks. Like Google. Both using the model that powered newspapers and magazines for years.

    I guess I'm just cheesed because the history of most media is that as readership declines, ad sprawl increases. If you can't charge $1000 for a full page you either sell quarters for $250 or you lose a page. In print, you really lose at least two and usually four. At some point the gravity of diminishing returns takes hold and you stuff it.

    If you get enough revenue you get keep it all running. Success. If not, bye-bye site.
  • Reply 26 of 86
    pdq2pdq2 Posts: 270member

    The US version of MacUser was the first one I subscribed to, back circa 1991. It was later folded into MacWorld (IIRC).

     

    They were thick mags back in the day, weren't they?

  • Reply 27 of 86
    "rag" is inappropriate. Actually, I think I have the murmurings of feeling offended. Did you hear me? I feel OFFENDED!!!

    AppleInsider has no right to write something that someone might find offensive!!! Where is the respect? Have I ever written something that disparages this often-accurate site? No, I haven't. I expect reciprocity! I don't offend you, well, you never make a big fuss anyway, and so you don't offend me. See how it works so beautifully and harmoniously and peacefully when you think like me and we agree? Come on, get with the program, this is 2014!!
  • Reply 28 of 86
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member

    No big deal. Even when I bought the digital version it was boring. By the time the new issue would come out you would have read it on the internet. MacWorld next...

  • Reply 29 of 86
    appexappex Posts: 687member
    There were TWO MacUser magazines. One was from the USA. The other from UK. The UK MacUser was never linked to the US MacUser.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacUser
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacUser_(US_edition)
  • Reply 30 of 86
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jlaselva View Post

     

    I remember writing a poem for a MacAddict contest to win an eMate 300. Unfortunately, I didn't win, but I think I still have the poem somewhere...




    I was more into A+ myself - remember that one and Sculley's famous article about "eternal support for the Apple //" right before launching consumer Macs?

  • Reply 31 of 86
    I am surprised AppleInsider felt inclined to label the magazine as "rag". I wonder how this site will be remembered when it's closing day arrives.
  • Reply 32 of 86
    davendaven Posts: 696member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by wizard69 View Post





    Now that you ask, I have to say you may be right. I seldom pick up a magazine that is related to computers but will do so for woodworking, astronomy, electronics and other interests.



    Now this is a quick inquiry into why but I have to believe that one reason is that the editorial quality of these magazines went to hell. If I buy any computer related magazine at all it is likely a LINUX publication with articles related to programmin that may be of interest. Even many of the LINUX oriented magazines have gone in the crapper chasing after the short article / limited content reader. In a way many of these magazines have done themselves in.



    I contrast this with the astronomy and woodworking magazines I read where editorial value has not gone away. Article are still meaty and even inspired and there is an effort to avoid the small filler articles that offer little substance. That said I just found out this week that one of my favorite wood working magazines went under. The reality is there is much competition out there and if that competition addresses your targeted market you really need a compelling reason to get people to buy.



    I agree that real content means a lot. The paper subscriptions I have are Consumer Reports, Backpacking magazine, the AARP magazine (comes free with the membership - uh oh... I guess that I'm old), one of the Consumer Reports health letters, and a local newspaper. I also have the electronic iMagazine version of Backpacker but I almost never use it. The advertising is too intrusive. With paper, I just flip past it. With the electronic version it takes over your screen and you have to cast it aside.

     

    One thing I noticed in the Backpacker magazine is that the contributors are getting relatively older. They all used to be young. When I first thought about it, I thought that not as many younger people may be backpacking but maybe it is something else. Maybe it is that older people are sticking with the magazines and younger people contribute and read about their hobbies online?

  • Reply 33 of 86
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    I suspect the title came about from someone trying to find another word for magazine to avoid saying 'long-running Apple magazine MacUser Magazine':

    http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/magazine

    It can be used to mean informal, mostly gossip or tabloid-like media, not necessarily trashy but it would be more respectful to say publication or something along those lines. This is a case where it would be best to email or PM the author because they're the only ones who can make such an update. Editorial choices like these are not always going to be made with any intended disrespect so don't jump to that conclusion when you see them.
  • Reply 34 of 86
    geekmeegeekmee Posts: 629member
    cityguide wrote: »
    <div class="quote-container" data-huddler-embed="/t/184354/long-running-apple-rag-macuser-magazine-shuts-its-doors-after-30-years#post_2662361" data-huddler-embed-placeholder="false"><span>Quote:</span><div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>JoshA</strong> <a href="/t/184354/long-running-apple-rag-macuser-magazine-shuts-its-doors-after-30-years#post_2662361"><img src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" class="inlineimg" alt="View Post"/></a><br/><br/><p>Too bad, but that the way things go.</p>

    <p>I used to buy one or two of the Mac mags each month, but stopped that several years ago, except for the odd issue.</p>

    <p> </p>

    <p>Increasing these mags have become mostly ads, trying to follow google's ad success I assume.</p></div></div><p> </p>

    As a former working journalist with friends in what's left of the industry, I want to point out that chasing advertising is not new to Google.

    Ink costs money. Newsprint costs money. The intern who rewrites press releases needs a little coin to buy his or her McDonald's breakfast. Even in the heyday of the NYT, reader subscriptions didn't cover a quarter of the newspaper's operating expenses. But having a certified subscriber list meant the paper's business department could tell the ad department how many readers were potential customers, readers whom advertisers paid to reach and that's what kept the lights on and the presses running.

    Google, like the rest of the instream online ad universe, just took that model and ran with it into the Internet. And really, the model still works the same. Even this site has to pay an ISP. Has a power bill for the 'puters. Has staff who need/want to stuff a burrito in their mouth now and again. As far as I know, AppleInsider has no paid subscriptions, but survives on clicks. Like Google. Both using the model that powered newspapers and magazines for years.

    I guess I'm just cheesed because the history of most media is that as readership declines, ad sprawl increases. If you can't charge $1000 for a full page you either sell quarters for $250 or you lose a page. In print, you really lose at least two and usually four. At some point the gravity of diminishing returns takes hold and you stuff it.

    If you get enough revenue you get keep it all running. Success. If not, bye-bye site.

    Great points.... Passion helps, but economics is a necessity. I remember in the PCs hay day, when PC Magazine was twice a month and as thick as a JC Penny holiday catalogue each issue. Advertising is the life blood.
  • Reply 35 of 86
    geekmeegeekmee Posts: 629member
    LOL... Now that I think about it, I use to routinely rip out the center page cardboard ads to make it easier to find PC Mag content... Because there were so many ads!!
    ...A brutal reminder that the content was only there to deliver the ads.
  • Reply 36 of 86
    judasjudas Posts: 14member

    Mac Addict was the shit! They were like the anarchist rebel faction fighting against the PC monsters. It really gave one a feeling of solidarity and that no matter what the hope was alive for the Mac.

  • Reply 37 of 86
    I thought it was subsumed by MacWorld years ago.
  • Reply 38 of 86
    davendaven Posts: 696member
    Marvin wrote: »
    I suspect the title came about from someone trying to find another word for magazine to avoid saying 'long-running Apple magazine MacUser Magazine':

    http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/magazine

    It can be used to mean informal, mostly gossip or tabloid-like media, not necessarily trashy but it would be more respectful to say publication or something along those lines. This is a case where it would be best to email or PM the author because they're the only ones who can make such an update. Editorial choices like these are not always going to be made with any intended disrespect so don't jump to that conclusion when you see them.

    May I suggest substituting ''publication' in place of 'rag'?
  • Reply 39 of 86
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jlaselva View Post

     

    I remember writing a poem for a MacAddict contest to win an eMate 300. Unfortunately, I didn't win, but I think I still have the poem somewhere...


    Ah MacAddict. I miss it. MacLife quite frankly blows. It was just so-so when it made the transition from MacAddict to MacLife. Now, it is pretty terrible. They are the next ones to go. Expect that announcement any time.

  • Reply 40 of 86
    daven wrote: »
    May I suggest substituting ''publication' in place of 'rag'?
    I hope it's a typo an they meant mag.
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