The future of Arch Linux Magazine

Ghost1227 · 2010-07-02 19:00:35

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!

drcouzelis · 2010-07-02 19:04:46

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?

Ghost1227 · 2010-07-02 19:08:56

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.

litemotiv · 2010-07-02 19:48:19

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

dcc24 · 2010-07-02 19:54:23

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

Liuuutas · 2010-07-02 19:58:47

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".

Ghost1227 · 2010-07-02 20:05:41

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)

Dusty · 2010-07-02 20:58:29

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

Xyne · 2010-07-02 22:06:15

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.

Labello · 2010-07-02 22:10:15

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.

whacath · 2010-07-02 22:52:47

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

whacath · 2010-07-03 20:13:23

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

orphius1970 · 2010-07-04 01:52:44

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.

Ghost1227 · 2010-07-04 04:29:07

whacath wrote:

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

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

Ghost1227 · 2010-07-04 04:29:44

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!

Acecero · 2010-07-04 05:28:41

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!

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

whacath · 2010-07-04 06:34:56

Ghost1227 wrote:

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

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

Ghost1227 · 2010-07-04 07:56:40

whacath wrote:

Ghost1227 wrote:
whacath wrote:
Why not put togheter a permanent magazine crew? People who have to much time always exists!
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?
We need someone who can coordinate! Someone with a military background will suffice.

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

Acecero · 2010-07-04 22:29:23

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.

enihcam · 2010-07-05 01:06:04

world-cup effects.

sand_man · 2010-07-05 01:58:05

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

Ghost1227 · 2010-07-05 02:29:08

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.

Xyne · 2010-07-05 12:54:20

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.

* nudges Ghost1227 further in that direction *

rson451 · 2010-07-05 13:24:41

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.

litemotiv · 2010-07-05 13:25:48

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

Arch Linux

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

The future of Arch Linux Magazine

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

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

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

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

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

Re: The future of Arch Linux Magazine

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

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

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