Magazines?

So I have been helping a mate to restore and renovate a bookshop that he bought ( it had closed due to the covid lockdown), loading EOS onto his till computer :wink: and found that he is stocking the Linux Format magazine from the UK. This in a town of 40k, in New Zealand. And it made me wonder who would buy it?
Surely those who use Linux already have the internet?

So my questions to you all, are would you buy such magazines, and why?

Not regularly, but when I stumble upon a Linux mag in an airport store Iā€™d take one. Because why not? Eventhough the DVDs that come with them are outdated, same as the info inside the mag, and as an Archy user Iā€™m not interested in other distros anyway.
But all the n00b stuff is surely a fun read and makes me feel wise and old. :slight_smile:

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I personally donā€™t buy physical magazines any more as I have a Scribd subscription which means I have access to a multitude of magazines including Linux format via that app.
So, I see no need to purchase magazines when I can just read them through Scribd :nerd_face:

However, like Orca, I do enjoy reading them because after reading the last 4 editions. Some of their ā€œn00b stuffā€ was of interest to me and Iā€™ve actually learnt some stuff from that magazine.

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Since internet, countless e-books and man-pages - i donā€™t see why really, except nostalgia :slight_smile:

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I donā€™t buy them anymore nowadays. Nevertheless I used to buy them regularly some time ago. The most interesting parts for me was the presentation and test of programs. A lot of them (at least to me) unknown. A lot of them were very new and for that reason quite unknown in the community. I also used them to create my own Wiki. Iā€™m more the type of paper than online reader.
In addition to that there are a lot of tourists/hikers in New Zealand. I donā€™t see a reason why they shouldnā€™t buy these magazines for spending some time reading in the afternoon when they come back from daily trips.

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Linux Format is the only mag I still have a sub for the physical edition of. Read it every month and only just renewed my sub last month! :slight_smile:

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Some things are just a little better or different as a physical copy, whether itā€™ll be books, vinyls, magazines and even some people.

First of allā€¦ sure you can surf on your mobile while on the loo, but it has not the same flair and allure to it.

Secondly, itā€™s a interior decoration thing that shows people in your life, and signals to visitors what youā€™re in to, like the art on your walls, and the book shelves in your library, the furniture youā€™ve chossen et.c. does.

You canā€™t exactly leave a few I-pads on around your home displaying that, like you can with magazines.


That said, I buy very few magazines these days, but i got some art, 70ā€™s foodie, and old computer magz laying around. :slight_smile:

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Linux format (and Maximum PC) share some authors, and even articles, and are usually worth a read. I get mine digitally now, though - as the DVDs are becoming less useful with higher internet speeds! I use Magzter (despite the bad reviews - had no troubles, and even had suggestions I made implemeted!) - very comprehensive if you can wade through the hundreds of choices for your $10.

Canā€™t leave 'em lying around - but an old issue would do that job just as well. Perhaps people might get a clue from the 7 different computers in sight! (includes Commodore 128D, Amiga 1000, Amiga A2500/030) and decide I like computers? Which should lead them to the conclusion I might be non-Windows!

I was disappointed with Linux Formatā€™s recent review of EndeavourOS though - it gave a lower score than warranted, and ignored the primary plus factor (this forum). Perhaps it was done in a hurry :grin:

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The only paper that passes through my hands is :roll_of_toilet_paper:* Sad really, I used to travel on trains a lot and a walkman and a computer mag made the journeys bearable.

* Not through the paper :rofl:

image

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Very true. I still love buying physical books and reading them. And like you I agree the books on someoneā€™s shelves or coffee table says a lot about who they are. My dream has always been to have a whole wall full of books. In the meantime I have a small sample of my books on display. The others are in the garage :nerd_face:

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Iā€™m working in that wall. There is a third bookshelf in another room.IMG_20200915_224810

I wouldā€™ve quoted John Waters on the subject of books, but this is a (Linux) family oriented forum.

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Now that is a lot of books! Iā€™m liking the black bookshelf and desk as well btw.

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I only wish I could get it down to that littleā€¦ Iā€™ve cut it down a bit, but there are still 7 bookcases full and 20-30 boxes or so floating around. Unfortunately they arenā€™t all GOOD books :grin: Some I acquired at rummage sales - 5 cents eachā€¦ old Ace double (flip it over for another read!) sci-fi - one box even had a bunch of Westerns in it!

On the other hand, if thereā€™s nothing on TVā€¦ :thinking:

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In raising and home educating the five children I have, it has always been better to have a book for them, resulting in a library of 9m^2. Consequently they are an intelligent bunch of nippers.

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Having too many books isnā€™t always a bad thing :upside_down_face:Theyā€™re a brilliant form of entertainment. You canā€™t go wrong with a good book.

I donā€™t buy as many books as I used to. I either buy them from charity shops for a couple of pounds (after reading the first few pages to see if Iā€™ll enjoy it). Or Iā€™ll read a book on Scribd and if i enjoy it Iā€™ll buy a physical copy too, to support the author.

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Wow I take my hat off to you. Home schooling 5 children canā€™t be easy.
However, I know quite a few children who are home schooled -I work for a youth charity- And most of them are more intelligent and knowledgeable than the kids who attend school :smiley: Though I too think reading plays a part as theyā€™re also avid readers.

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Mad respect! :+1:
Thatā€™s the way to go :grinning:

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Reading is still the best way to get exposed to the thoughts of others - which exponentially increases the likelihood of learning to think! Congrats on your efforts! 5!! :grin: At least you donā€™t have to fight with their teachers about homeworkā€¦

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Yes, the learning to think, but also learning to teach themselves; so they have a chance to think for themselves based upon the information they can garner, rather then accepting what is fed to them verbatim. We will not insist that they adhere to their parentā€™s dogma, but that they honestly seek the truth for themselves. We homeschool because we recognised the state school system failed us in this respect.

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I think thatā€™s a characteristic of ā€˜stateā€™ schools just about everywhere nowā€¦

Howā€™s the electronics use over there? I never thought it hurt me not to have a TV until I was in my teens, for example :grin: (more readingā€¦) - but I doubt that could happen any more! Most of it is up to them, of courseā€¦