thelinuxlink.net

I just received an email today that Tux Magazine will now be charging for subscriptions. While $0.95/12 issues is not much, I gotta ask, what is the point. I mean, come on, a stinking dollar? I like Tux magazine, but I think charging under a dollar for a sub is more of an annoyance than anything else.

I believe current subscribers will get another year for free, but after that, pony up.

New subscribers to TUX will be offerred the low subscription rate of $9.95 for 12 issues.

Their website lists the subscription at $9.95.

TUX is pretty good. But I probably won't extend after my free year is over.

granduke

The first e-mail notice you got was an error. I just received a second e-mail correcting the subscription price from .95/12 issues to 9.95/12 issues.

I've been told that I get the next 12 months free.

Me too , I get the next 12 for free.

$9.95 a year is not a bad price really and I will probably pay up when the time comes.

no1important wrote:Me too , I get the next 12 for free.

$9.95 a year is not a bad price really and I will probably pay up when the time comes.

Ditto.

I am not sure after a year I will pony up.

If it came down to it I would rather give 10 bucks to my favorite distribution and the one I get the most use out of than an electronic copy newsletter.

I subscribe to linux journal and that is enough for me - I am thinking of trying another linux magazine though when that runs out. I like having the hard copies - nice to walk around the house, yard and read it without having ink in my printer (I don't do much printing these days).

jsusanka wrote:If it came down to it I would rather give 10 bucks to my favorite distribution and the one I get the most use out of than an electronic copy newsletter.

My sentiment exactly!

Seriously though, what would we get the most out of? Supporting the developers who make the software we all enjoy everyday, or paying for a magazine that writes about the software we enjoy everyday?

I'd rather send the KDE guys a few bucks for stuff like Konqueror and Kontact, and the Amarok folks for a great music player!

I do wonder about the service Tux performs for the community, though. It's nice to have Tux writing articles geared towards beginners, but I imagine most of the people here would want something a little more advanced. I know that I usually prefer to read about server software and security issues, and I don't feel like I really need to read beginner's articles on KDE and Gnome programs, since I find most linux gui software to be plenty intuitive for me.

I usually find some nice tips in Tux, but most of it covers information that I already know. So, if I support Tux, it seems like it will be more for the sake of future linux users than for myself. Tux seems to target a very small demographic by writing for the beginning linux user. I imagine a lot of us like the command line, and most of us are happy to dig in and learn pretty quickly through forums and man pages, and are probably looking for more advanced reading within a year or less, thus shedding our beginner status pretty quickly. I hope Tux is able to do well, but to target beginning linux users, while admirable, seems like quite a challenge to me.

A lot of work goes into it. I will pay for at least a year. I enjoy the mag.

Screw that. Tux magazine should be free to everyone. I'm not paying for a stinking PDF file.

Tux has always been a well put together magazine and probably always will be. I guess they weren't getting enough money back from the advertisements and I respect their decision to charge for it. I personally don't know if they can reach their audience of new users if they start charging for it but if they can pull it off more power to them. I don't think I will be buying it but I will encourage anyone who might be interested to. For me there is enough (sometimes too much) Linux content out there to quench my thirst.

Vogateer wrote:I do wonder about the service Tux performs for the community, though. It's nice to have Tux writing articles geared towards beginners, but I imagine most of the people here would want something a little more advanced.

There is always the Free Software Magazine which cover much advanced topics.
http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/

May I remind you that TUX is a nitch product for people that want the content but also are very graphically oriented. If you want a hard-copy I suggest other end-user Linux magazines like Linux-Magazine. Which is available on the newstand.

In mexico we currently have continously new Linux mags from different distributors. I have count up to 12 different distributors which monthly release their magazine so there is really no lack of literature. Some focus on the advanced topics like developing, other on the desktop and other on the power user or getting started.

Tux magazine is a great magazine and i think they are moving up the scale where they register enough readers to make it loyal enough to actually get a profit from it.

Also Linux Journal has a digital version they might have come to some conclusion that told them readers will pay for TUX.