Magazines vs the Interwebs
I’ve bought the first issue of the above magazine because I’m interested in webdesign. A pretty obvious reason. It didn’t dawn on me until I started reading that I was reading a magazine on webdesign. With something as dynamic as the web a magazine couldn’t possibly be up to date.
And it isn’t in some areas, but this post isn’t about Webdesigner Magazine. Why are magazines still being and sold? I’m not going to talk about the marketing aspect of it, since I’ve no data and knowledge about all that.
Let’s talk about readability for a start. Despite all the advances we’ve made in screen technology, I still have find it easier to read from a piece of paper. In fact, I even prefer dead-tree books to audiobooks (but that’s another discussion).
But that’s a matter of preference. So what about the content? That’s a bit harder, for superficial content (pictures of pretty ladies, gossip and even webdesign!) you can find free stuff on the web.
So, what’s the added value of magazines? For me, it’s mostly about the readability. The printed format probably allows for more in-depth discussions of complex subjects as opposed to the somewhat limited attention span of people on the web, but then again in-depth discussions of complex subjects appeals only to a small target audience. Which probably aren’t enough to justify the cost of a magazine.
I guess through the writing of this post I’ve found that magazines are dead.