Pentax User on PDF

As I say, nothing wrong with beginners, or magazines for beginners.

But there are gazillions of places where material for beginners can be found.

Personally, I don't think that a magazine apparently dedicated to Pentax enthusiasts should be one of them, but that's just my view.

There are also sections in it that are positively perverse, in this day and age. Who on earth posts (or responds to) printed classified ads any more in magazines? Or for that matter, relies on a printed price list for accessories?

I don't see why it can't happily be a mixture of beginners and more advanced articles.

Beginners need basic information with out the complex clutter of alternatives and others need more detailed hard facts, full of clutter.

Well for one thing, I think it's far too short to serve both camps.

I haven't seen anything advanced for a long time, and some articles are neither one thing, nor the other.

Take your article, John, in the same issue, on setting up a digital workspace. I couldn't understand who it was aimed at at all - you mention three editing apps, one of which is 2002 vintage (is anyone still using this?), and two newer ones that are on the one hand very advanced, and on the other, bang up to date and fully featured. Yet you're still including instructions on how to use File > Open, and how to display image thumbnails using Windows folder options.

Someone that new to it all should be using something like Picasa, not one of the PS versions. And if they do want to learn and get into Elements or PS, such an article doesn't really give them anything.

I just don't understand where articles like this are pitched, sorry.

I don't mean to single you out, John, as I usually like your articles. But it's an example of the way PU Mag is perhaps trying to be too many things to too many people, and not really serving the Pentax enthusiasts any more, in this age of the internet.

I guess where I'm coming from is that for a mag that comes out four times a year, I want something to really look forward to, aimed at enthusiastic amateurs like myself, with some real meat in it that will keep me going for a while.

No problem Chris. Those articles are based upon what I find when teaching small groups of absolute beginners. It's easy to forget that for the mass of new digital users, the whole thing is a mystery and yes, they are even using programs such as Photoshop 5 oe Elements 2 in some cases. Some users deperately want to get to grips with their new digital cameras and are not even sure how to get their images onto the computer.

The beginners articles are not aimed at you Chris, and maybe you never were struggling with the first steps, but something simple that works is the idea behind them. As users develop, then they can take on board alternatives and more complex ideas.

I, too, would prefer hard copy, I can browse at leisure and I then put it in my waiting room .

This may sound very snobby and it certainly isn't meant to be but if you can afford a Pentax and you can afford to print out your work, you can certainly afford a hardcopy magazine so cost to the reader doesn't come into it.

Now the environmental issue is another thing. All I can say is that the effect that the production of Pentax User could have upon the planet's resources must be very small indeed in global terms although, in a sense, every bit counts.

I'd still prefer hard copy.


Richard

I get a lot of journal articles as PDFs in my day job. I may skim them on screen to see if they are worth pulling apart in detail, but those I really want to read I always print out.

I’m currently not subscribed, and I don’t think I would subscribe if the magazine were pdf only.

Having pdfs available for back-numbers at a modest cost is great.

Having pdfs available to non-members at modest cost could be a great way to encourage more people to take a subscription.

A pdf library of technical articles would be very good.
A kind of on-line reference database for all things Pentax.

Cheers

A big YES from me! As somebody else said, not the best way to read it but easy to archive.
Why not offer it as an alternative?

Paul.

I'm subscribed to 4/sept/2012. I prefer the magazine. If the change came would I still get what I paid for utill then? Also is the PDF instead of or as well as? or a choice? CHEERS Vic.

Hello Dan admin man,

Just a quickie, as you're obviously looking at cost-cutting, are there any plans, ongoing subscription fees or advertising, for this forum that we need to be aware of?

Thanks

John, Dan, et al.,

I was just wondering if any thought had been given to a free ad-supported PDF version?

I think this could work, and vastly increase your reader base. At which point you can hike up ad prices!

I suppose it could be only for back issues, although I think you should go the whole hog and do it for the current one.

Can I have both?

I'd say yes, if i wanted to sit down in the front room with a cuppa to read it i'd grab the laptop.

I've loved your website. This makes your magaizne affordable for those of us in far off California.

Yes please, PDFs are fine - we can keep the trees to make great photos with.