Interested in digital magazines?

Leslie Rogalski wrote

on Sep 22, 2008 8:15 AM

A shout out to our readers overseas, in RVs and otherwise facing the challenge of buying or subscribing to print versions of Step by Step Beads and the rest of our magazines! Would you be interested in digital versions on discs of our issues? Let us know!

Zerenity by Inca wrote

on Sep 22, 2008 8:20 AM

 Yeah that sounds sweet - Internet is allso instant - so it means if you subscribe to a oversea magazine you dont get it like before a month late ...
Online digital magazines sounds like a great idea =)
and a "on disc" copy collects less dust, and there is no chance your dog will eat it =)
Great Idea =)

wrote

on Sep 23, 2008 2:13 AM

I like the idea as it would take up much less space than paper copies, but I so look forward to my copies coming in the mail and curling up in my chair to read them.  The computer just isn't the same.  That said, here I am curled up in my chair typing away...

popnicute wrote

on Sep 27, 2008 10:33 PM

i'm with Jeni.. i have a mixed feeling about digital articles.

while digital articles are fast, easy to acess and helps the environment by not chopping down trees, facing the computer for extended amount of time isn't that good for eyes.(not that i spend less than 8 hours a day in front of my comp, mind you, lol).

the winning point of physical magazines is that you can bring them inside your bathroom!! XDDD

Zerenity by Inca wrote

on Sep 28, 2008 6:07 AM

popnicute:

the winning point of physical magazines is that you can bring them inside your bathroom!! XDDD

 WIth a digital one you can print your self a new copy when you fell a sleep in the tub and drowned your magazine =)

wrote

on Sep 28, 2008 6:11 AM

ROFL Inca!

CrystalCubeBead. wrote

on Sep 28, 2008 11:38 AM

Jsmaz:

I like the idea as it would take up much less space than paper copies, but I so look forward to my copies coming in the mail and curling up in my chair to read them.  The computer just isn't the same.  That said, here I am curled up in my chair typing away...

So, if you can type there, you can read there.  Remember, if you need an article to take with you on a trip, you can print it out, and not have to carry the whole magazine

Inca, just do not take the computerinto the tub with you -- the computer may stop working.  [And so might you.]

Stan B.

Zerenity by Inca wrote

on Sep 28, 2008 11:52 AM

Hey it wasnt me that needed to read in the bathroom that was Kay (popnicute) ... 
Only read cartoons and the tv-guide on in the bathroom ... (no disaster if they "die")

Karenra wrote

on Sep 28, 2008 6:22 PM

I think a digital copy would be great.  Less storage space, and can reprint what you need when you need it, and would be easier to search for that article when you need it, then thumbing through all the back issues.  However, i like looking at the actual paper copy also.  So maybe just someday have different suscription packages?  1 - just the maganize, 2 - just the CD, and 3 the maganize and the cd?

popnicute wrote

on Oct 4, 2008 3:06 AM

while it's great to be able to print out the article of your selection, the result wouldn't be as good as the "real" magazine one. i'm pretty sure once they're "CD'd up", they will lower the DPI to web level for copyright purpose and to save some space so they could fit in a CD. also i'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to spend your printer's ink to print at the best result possible :B (also it would be a waste of money on something that's in a web-size. wouldn't look good even when you print it at best.)

i'm pretty sure the size of the pictures are all gonna be small (at least smaller than a full page magazine size). also soft copy is easy to hijack. being in indonesia makes me aware so much about pirating digital softwares/movies XD

i'm not opposed at all to digital copy, mind you.. i'm all for it. just some thoughts :P

CrystalCubeBead. wrote

on Oct 4, 2008 9:07 AM

One of the amateur radio groups I belong to (ARRL) puts a years worth of all three of their magazines, [one monthly an two semimonthly,] cover to cover, with all ads too [!!], on a CD at the end of the calendar year.  Then they are available for anyone, not just members, to purchase.  This includes photos and circuit diagrams, so the quality has to be good.

Stan B.

popnicute wrote

on Oct 5, 2008 4:03 AM

@ Stan: i didn't mean they would put shitty pictures in the digital magazines. i'm sure they will have the same quality pictures. only the file size will be heavily reduced and converted to 72 dpi for easy loading and compactness. for good printing quality, the pics need to be in 300 dpi at the least.

this is more of the technical issue rather than artistry. to upload the original file size in a digital magazine would make it fragile to copyright violation. just imagine if the digi mag uploaded the full sized pic (probably close to 5-8 MB for each full size page picture), people would use these pictures for their own advantages. the quality is superb and prints out great, the readers would make a magazine of their own using these (what they assume as) "freebies" and sell em.

also, how many pictures are there in a magazine and how many pages? if one picture/page (assuming they're in TIFF best quality) is 7 MB, then you will only have 100 pages in a CD. (a CD is 700MB). 100 pages aren't exactly equal to 12 magazines, are they? much less 36 magazines. besides not economical, these pictures would be way to big for your screen in full view.

for the easiest example, try to print a PDF tutorial or a page from a website. that would be the print quality you could expect from a digital magazine. sure they will look good on screen, but not really on paper. would be really sub par to magazine printing quality. because CD/web quality pictures would only have 72 dots per inch (and small. think 800x600 px) while the magazine quality pictures would have 300 dots per inch (big file. think 5000x3500 px or more).

the most used monitor resolution is 1024 x 768 px. so i doubt a digital magazine would make their articles/photos way bigger than that. 5000 x 3500 px is not exactly fast to load on computer as well. especially for those with old and slow computer.

i hope that would explain my point.. x)

elizabeth@83 wrote

on Oct 21, 2008 9:18 PM

 Hi,

I prefer the normal magazines!

I have a bit of a tradition,

I love going to the newsagents on a weekend to see what new craft magazines they have (its an even better find if a magazine you want was hiding behind another type!) - I then flick through the magazine, mostly looking at the project photos. Then I look through it later, looking at every page. Then a couple of days later I look at all the ads. I even do this when I am re-reading old issues!

I know I sound like a freak but I love magazines, and digital magazines take the joy out of magazines for me!

Zoë So wrote

on Jan 17, 2009 7:29 AM

A desire from oversea:

a digital try out to start with would be reeaaaally nice. I am interested in beading magazines (as there aren't many in my tiny country) but I am not sure if I like the content, so  I still have not subscribed yet. As a starter I am especially interested in Step by Step. If anyone like to sell  an old issue for a reasonable price, or...show it to me via youtube... ...I 'd be very thankful!

SCB1 wrote

on Jan 17, 2009 8:24 AM

Zoe here is a web site with some free designs and tutorials. they are not movie type but they are very well illustrated www.bead-patterns.com on the upper right side click on free and look till you find a tutorial or design you want. Follow the directions to download the free ones. They have designs they sell as well, but I believe all the tutorials are in the free section. If you need any more help please come back and ask I will try and help the best I can.

I know there are other sites as well. I will do a search and see if I can help you find what you are looking for.