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#1 2010-07-02 19:00:35

Ghost1227
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From: Omaha, NE, USA
Registered: 2008-04-21
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The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Recently I have been repeatedly asked by many people why there hasn't been a magazine for the last two months. I believe I owe you all an explanation. We were scheduled to do a special release last month, but the people I was working with flaked out at the last moment and I was left with next to no content. This has happened all to often lately and I have to admit I'm getting sick of it. As I've stated many times in the past, putting the magazine (and even the old newsletter) together takes a good deal of work and is significantly more than one person can do. However, despite my consistent requests for support, I still rarely get more than one or two submissions over the course of a month. I have done everything I can think of to facilitate the community and make the process easier (take a look at the ALM wiki page for example), but still I get next to nothing in return. And yet, I constantly get asked when the next release is, or why I missed a month. If half of the users that asked me about the next issue put a little time into writing a short article then maybe the next issue would actually get released, but the truth is I just don't have the time to write the entire magazine by myself every month. Therefore... from now on, the magazine will be released exactly as often as users submit sufficient content for the issue to be feasible. I will restrict myself to writing one article per issue if needed, on top of the standard sections (devland, interviews, software reviews, etc) and I leave the rest up to the community. In other words, to all of you who keep asking about ALM... if you want to see it, contribute!


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#2 2010-07-02 19:04:46

drcouzelis
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From: Connecticut, USA
Registered: 2009-11-09
Posts: 4,092
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Ghost1227 wrote:

from now on, the magazine will be released exactly as often as users submit sufficient content for the issue to be feasible.

I wonder if that means the content would be pretty dated...

Have you considered a rolling release schedule for articles, similar to OSNews, but specific to Arch Linux?

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#3 2010-07-02 19:08:56

Ghost1227
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From: Omaha, NE, USA
Registered: 2008-04-21
Posts: 1,422
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Content wouldn't really be dated, most of our articles aren't time sensitive. Unfortunately I don't have any other recourse at the moment. I'm working full time and have a family, I simply don't have the time to write every article for every issue.


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#4 2010-07-02 19:48:19

litemotiv
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Registered: 2008-08-01
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

maybe converting it to an online magazine could make your life easier?


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#5 2010-07-02 19:54:23

dcc24
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Registered: 2009-10-31
Posts: 732

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

@Daniel: I already have an idea for an article. Check your mailbox smile


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#6 2010-07-02 19:58:47

Liuuutas
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From: Cambridge
Registered: 2009-05-02
Posts: 71

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Or even it could be posted via Arch Linux Planet. What do you think about that? It would be compatible with "online" and "rolling release".

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#7 2010-07-02 20:05:41

Ghost1227
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From: Omaha, NE, USA
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Posts: 1,422
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

litemotiv wrote:

maybe converting it to an online magazine could make your life easier?

It already is an 'online' magazine... both html and pdf versions are released.

Liuuutas wrote:

Or even it could be posted via Arch Linux Planet. What do you think about that? It would be compatible with "online" and "rolling release".

I wouldn't want to post via Planet, but the possibility of making it a 'rolling release' kinda deal is interesting.

Last edited by Ghost1227 (2010-07-02 20:06:32)


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#8 2010-07-02 20:58:29

Dusty
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From: Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
Registered: 2004-01-18
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Ghost1227 wrote:

I wouldn't want to post via Planet, but the possibility of making it a 'rolling release' kinda deal is interesting.

That's really just a blog, though, when you think about it.

Which brings an interesting thought: Rather than requesting people write content specific to the magazine, maybe it would be easier to mine some of the numerous blogs for magazine content. Then you have access to content that people are already voluntarily writing. All you need to do is request permission from various blog authors to reprint their stuff. You could then have a blog of your own (crouse'll set you up on archlinux.me, I'm sure) to release the "normal" content: devland, interviews, at your convenience, with no hard deadlines.

Dusty

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#9 2010-07-02 22:06:15

Xyne
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Registered: 2008-08-03
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

A "blogazine" might not be a bad idea.

You could:
*) try to post the regular articles at loosely set intervals and post whatever else as it comes in.
*) partially model it on Ars Technica (in terms of article length and, to an extent, writing style, although that will be determined by submissions).
*) provide an RSS feed and include it on the Arch home page.
*) provide sections for other languages and accept translations.
*) stop worrying about deadlines.


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#10 2010-07-02 22:10:15

Labello
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From: Germany
Registered: 2010-01-21
Posts: 317
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Ghost1227 wrote:

... if you want to see it, contribute!

Your points were very clear and reasonable. I can understand all of them and this is such a consequent step done by you. I hope i soon can provide an article about the upcoming/released KDE 4.5.


"They say just hold onto your hope but you know if you swallow your pride you will choke"
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#11 2010-07-02 22:52:47

whacath
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Registered: 2009-05-26
Posts: 283

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Why not put togheter a permanent magazine crew? People who have to much time always exists! smile

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#12 2010-07-03 20:13:23

whacath
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Registered: 2009-05-26
Posts: 283

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

I love the idea of an pdf-based magazine and I would love to help out, but sadly I am not qualified. hmm

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#13 2010-07-04 01:52:44

orphius1970
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From: Modesto (HELL) California
Registered: 2009-02-27
Posts: 151

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Ghost1227,
  I would be willing to help out with the magazine. I work at home and have plenty of time to "waste".
Any way I can contribute to lighten your burden on it? Let me know.


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#14 2010-07-04 04:29:07

Ghost1227
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From: Omaha, NE, USA
Registered: 2008-04-21
Posts: 1,422
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

whacath wrote:

Why not put togheter a permanent magazine crew? People who have to much time always exists! smile

We've tried this several times. Usually we end up with 10-15 volunteers, but on average only 1 or 2 that follow through.


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#15 2010-07-04 04:29:44

Ghost1227
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From: Omaha, NE, USA
Registered: 2008-04-21
Posts: 1,422
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Dusty wrote:
Ghost1227 wrote:

I wouldn't want to post via Planet, but the possibility of making it a 'rolling release' kinda deal is interesting.

That's really just a blog, though, when you think about it.

Which brings an interesting thought: Rather than requesting people write content specific to the magazine, maybe it would be easier to mine some of the numerous blogs for magazine content. Then you have access to content that people are already voluntarily writing. All you need to do is request permission from various blog authors to reprint their stuff. You could then have a blog of your own (crouse'll set you up on archlinux.me, I'm sure) to release the "normal" content: devland, interviews, at your convenience, with no hard deadlines.

Dusty

Much as I love what crouse is doing... I have three servers... i can self host! tongue


.:[My Blog] || [My GitHub]:.

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#16 2010-07-04 05:28:41

Acecero
Member
Registered: 2008-06-21
Posts: 1,373

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Ghost1227 wrote:
Dusty wrote:
Ghost1227 wrote:

I wouldn't want to post via Planet, but the possibility of making it a 'rolling release' kinda deal is interesting.

That's really just a blog, though, when you think about it.

Which brings an interesting thought: Rather than requesting people write content specific to the magazine, maybe it would be easier to mine some of the numerous blogs for magazine content. Then you have access to content that people are already voluntarily writing. All you need to do is request permission from various blog authors to reprint their stuff. You could then have a blog of your own (crouse'll set you up on archlinux.me, I'm sure) to release the "normal" content: devland, interviews, at your convenience, with no hard deadlines.

Dusty

Much as I love what crouse is doing... I have three servers... i can self host! tongue

This just in, the latest headline for ALM: "Mess with Ghost and you'll be toast!" cool

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#17 2010-07-04 06:34:56

whacath
Member
Registered: 2009-05-26
Posts: 283

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Ghost1227 wrote:
whacath wrote:

Why not put togheter a permanent magazine crew? People who have to much time always exists! smile

We've tried this several times. Usually we end up with 10-15 volunteers, but on average only 1 or 2 that follow through.

One more time then? smile

We need someone who can coordinate! Someone with a military background will suffice.

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#18 2010-07-04 07:56:40

Ghost1227
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From: Omaha, NE, USA
Registered: 2008-04-21
Posts: 1,422
Website

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

whacath wrote:
Ghost1227 wrote:
whacath wrote:

Why not put togheter a permanent magazine crew? People who have to much time always exists! smile

We've tried this several times. Usually we end up with 10-15 volunteers, but on average only 1 or 2 that follow through.

One more time then? smile

We need someone who can coordinate! Someone with a military background will suffice.

Entertainingly I do have a military background... and then some.


.:[My Blog] || [My GitHub]:.

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#19 2010-07-04 22:29:23

Acecero
Member
Registered: 2008-06-21
Posts: 1,373

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

To contribute for an interesting topic, you might want add to the magazine, that the latest July Screenshot thread is technically at its 5th anniversary when the first thread was made that started it all as a tradition in the "Artwork and Screenshots" subforum.

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#20 2010-07-05 01:06:04

enihcam
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From: Internet
Registered: 2009-12-20
Posts: 220

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

world-cup effects.

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#21 2010-07-05 01:58:05

sand_man
Member
From: Australia
Registered: 2008-06-10
Posts: 2,164

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Why not do a quarterly magazine instead? Waiting for a release makes it all the more exciting to read smile


neutral

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#22 2010-07-05 02:29:08

Ghost1227
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From: Omaha, NE, USA
Registered: 2008-04-21
Posts: 1,422
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

I have to admit, at the moment I'm leaning towards the ars technica type idea. (For those that don't know, http://arstechnica.com) It takes the standard release cycle out of the loop, making it follow more of a rolling release cycle, and allows more community-structured contribution.


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#23 2010-07-05 12:54:20

Xyne
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Registered: 2008-08-03
Posts: 6,963
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Ghost1227 wrote:

I have to admit, at the moment I'm leaning towards the ars technica type idea. (For those that don't know, http://arstechnica.com) It takes the standard release cycle out of the loop, making it follow more of a rolling release cycle, and allows more community-structured contribution.

smile

* nudges Ghost1227 further in that direction *


My Arch Linux StuffForum EtiquetteCommunity Ethos - Arch is not for everyone

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#24 2010-07-05 13:24:41

rson451
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From: Annapolis, MD USA
Registered: 2007-04-15
Posts: 1,233
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Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

This would be good for the contributors too as they would presumably get free advertising in the form of a link back from their entry.


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#25 2010-07-05 13:25:48

litemotiv
Forum Fellow
Registered: 2008-08-01
Posts: 5,026

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Ghost1227 wrote:

I have to admit, at the moment I'm leaning towards the ars technica type idea. (For those that don't know, http://arstechnica.com) It takes the standard release cycle out of the loop, making it follow more of a rolling release cycle, and allows more community-structured contribution.

that's what i meant with 'online magazine', go for it


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