When did Popular Woodworking Magazine get so good?

[James Taglienti]

I just picked one up, hadn't read one for about 3 years. At first I thought it was the other black & white one.

I was amazed at the number of articles that actually interested me.

[Joe Cunningham]

Second issue with the merged 'Pop WW'ing' and the black-n-white one (Woodworking). Both new issues have been stellar.

[Ryan Stagg]

Agreed. I was just telling my wife after perusing the last issue that PWW is what Fine Woodworking used to be...

I wish they'd add a reader's gallery, then I'd really have no reason to pick up the other rag.

[Mike Brady]

You need to get out more! Both of the magazines from this publisher have been pounding the competition for several years. Even FWW magazine has had to retool somewhat to defend itself. Part of their success is that they really support the hand tool user and that group has returned the favor. Don't be surprised if you see some of the "also ran" ww magazines dropping off the map in coming months and years. With all of the litigation against power saw makers in the news, the advertising in magazines by the big tailed-tool makers might drop back some too.

[David Weaver]

...The advertising in magazines by the big tailed-tool makers might drop back some too.

Hope so, along with all of the super duper taper jigs and all of the whiz bang $45 plastic gadgets that you "have to have to help do accurate work".

Might just be able to get a few more people to subscribe to the "mark the line, work to the line, test fit, trim, install for a perfect fit" school of work.

[James Scheffler]

I just picked one up, hadn't read one for about 3 years. At first I thought it was the other black & white one.

I was amazed at the number of articles that actually interested me.

Ever since Chris Schwarz has been the editor - a few years now.

Jim S.

[David Hostetler]

I thought I would hate the new mag, but I am 2 issues into it, and have actually read them cover to cover... Very good both issues. Hope this keeps up.

[Mac Houtz]

my only big complaint with the new mag is they are down to 6 or 7 issues a year. My armchair knowledge of that business leads me to believe that this is advertising revenue driven, not content driven. I enjoy their website and blogs, but not nearly as much as I enjoy cracking a cold one and reading the new issue in a comfortable chair, and anymore it seems like it is a long wait....

Combine this with the fact that Wood, American Woodworker, etc. all pretty much suck(10 New tools you have to have, learn to make a coatrack, etc, etc.), and Fine Woodworking is going downhill fast, and a guy is really left with one decent magazine to wait for every month....or every two months as it were.

[Tony Shea]

That is my also my biggest issue with a couple of these mags is that they're down to 6 issues a year. Especially PWW which has been my fav for a year or longer. There's just not enough content to justify the every other month cycle especially when factoring in all the pages wasted on ads. But this is way above my head and still look forward to ever issue of PWW. IMO it has been on top for quite awhile and FWW has been on the down hill slope for ages. Once in a great while there will be a decent FWW issue but for the most part I end up very disapointed.

[Paul Incognito]

Popular Woodworking sounds good, I'll have to pick one up.
I dug out some early 90's back issues of FWW. It's just not the same magazine these days. I also noticed a lot of the articles from those mags is recycled in the newer issues.
My 2cents.
PI

[Jamie Bacon]

I really wish someone would come out with a hand tools only magazine. Articles by Adam Cherubini, Bob Rozaieski, etc. Not sure how big the readership would be, but I sure would subscribe!

Jamie Bacon

[Jeff Burks]

Woodwork Magazine (http://www.woodwork-magazine.com/) was one of the best I had ever read. It really matched the quality of the early FWW issues. The magazine was sold in 2008 and then discontinued. I bought an issue at borders recently but I have read that the newly re-started magazine is on the way out again. It's too confusing to keep up with its status.

[Tom Vanzant]

1+ about the re-cycling articles. I have Woodsmith mags with three different versions of the same "traditional" woodworker's bench with a wagon vise, each more crude than the previous one. The latest even uses round dogs.
FWW & WWJ are long-gone, PWW will be replacing Wood, and Woodsmith/ShopNotes are hanging on until re-subscription time.

Tom

[Ryan Welch]

I get them all....I can't help myself even with as irritating some of the articles from woodworkers journal, wood and woodsmith can be, I still find the need to read. I have made projects and utilized tips from these magazines as much as I have from popular woodworking and fine woodworking.

[Abi Parris]

Second Jeff's comment about Woodwork magazine. I really enjoyed the issue I found on a newstand a month or so ago. In fact, went so far as to pick up some of their back issues. Too bad that mag can't find a foot hold.

[Sean Nagle]

I recently subscribed to Popular Woodworking and am very impressed with the articles and their quality as well.

I suppose I don't see the same attraction in the old FWW publications. I pulled out the oldest I have from the early 90s and I'm not nearly as impressed with those than the newer format. I have really enjoyed recent articles by Garrett Hack and Chris Becksvoort.

As far as advertising is concerned, I like to see the latest wares for sale. Recently, American Woodworker made their earliest publications available online. It was great to browse the magazines. It was fun to see the tool advertisements. A lot has changed. Most everything is more expensive, but there are some handheld power tools that aren't much more expensive after 20 years.

[Jeff Burks]

When people refer to the old issues of FWW they are usually talking about the Black & White editions edited by John Kelsey from 1975-1984.

[Sean Nagle]

Oh, OK. I guess you have to be a real old timer to have been getting those. Were there pictures in the magazine or just sketches like the J. Peterman catalogs :)

[James Taglienti]

I always liked Fine Woodworking. A friend just bought akmost all of their back issues at an auction, I might have to go page through them.
There are a few things that bother me about the publication. Reprinting articles is one of them, especially when it's about how to supertune my spokeshave or flatten the sole of my block plane. I found the handplane vs. sandpaper article interesting, though by far not groundbreaking.

There are a finite number of tasks in the field of woodworking and cabinetmaking. But showing me how to cut a dovetail for the 4th time in 9 months is too much. They must appeal to an individual who is just picking up the trade, and a seasoned veteran at the same time.

My favorite publication was "Woodwork." I wish it was still around. It seemed like they made the assumption that their readers had basic hand tool skills. They also focused on particular artisans and highlighted their work. I think I learned a lot reading about why the piece as a whole works, as opposed to why a sliding dovetail works.

[Jeff Burks]

The black & white issues of FWW had really good photography. They had articles from serious woodworkers like Tage Frid, and an artistic sense of taste that was lacking in a lot of the lame woodworking magazines. There were just so many magazines shilling plastic contraptions and gimmick devices and just pandering to their advertisers. I just can't stand magazines with articles on 2x4 furniture and popsicle stick bird houses.

I still think there is serious value in the FWW back issues. The DVD versions of FWW and FHB are well worth the price charged, and easier to store & search than 300lb of back issues. I should know, I own them all.

I my opinion, FWW was still worth subscribing to until the current generation of children took over management of the company. The new suits seem content to drive a lot of the hardcore users away in favor of more sales to a large and less critical readership.

That being said, they still get great articles in the Master Class column and they have dedicated authors like Philip Lowe, Christian Becksvoort, and Steve Latta to name just a few. These guys are heavy hitters in the field of woodworking and well worth reading. And Taunton still has one of the best art departments for all those technical drawings. Maybe that's why the news stand price is almost double all the others?

[Willard Foster]

I used to be a big fan (and defender) of Fine Woodworking but I haven't subscribed for years. Now I just go to the library and borrow them. Once in a while I am interested in an article, but it's not that often.

Ditto on the recycled articles.

Bill

[Roger Bell]

I have subscribed to most of the WW rags since the late 80's when my interest in WW was rekindled. I don't have to tell anyone that some are good and some are better and some are crappy and all are disappointing at least sometimes. But, hey....it's cheap entertainment compared to tool buying, golf, drinking, fast cars, adultery and so on....right? To say nothing of woodturning. But I still take most of them....disappointment in content notwithstanding.

PWW got better immediately after Chris Swartz started writing...and most definitely after he assumed the editorship of PWW. And, not long afterward, FWW and other pubs started copy-catting his approach in terms of giving ink to hand tool use. Why.....because they saw something special in what Chris was doing and they saw the rise in HT interest in forums like this. And Chris was very quick to engage in the forums. By the time Woodworking was launched, they were on a roll and the other rags were struggling to catch up.

Not to say that Swartz's first efforts weren't disappointing or that he really knew what he was doing.....but who among us didn't start out that way....faking it until we got it. But he had the passion to get better and to become more informed and to make alliances with others in the HT community, both on the net and in the commercial world....while the other rags were still trying to squeeze a little more out of articles like "the ultimate router table". And, if you think back on anything you have Ever Done Well, you will recall that it is your passion that made it so.

And no, Chris and I are not acquainted.

[scott spencer]

I started enjoying a lot of their issues about 2-3 years ago.

[Peter Evans]

Magazines expect to turn over their readership every 3 years or so, hence the recycling of articles. There must also be a limit to how much can be written about woodworking and tools.

The UK 'Woodworker' magazine started in 1901 and is still going (but largely lost the plot 30+ years ago); all editors need to do is stroll through the 'Woodworker' back issues up to around 1970 (by which time Charles Hayward was no longer editor) and they have all the material they will ever need.

[Rick Erickson]

I think some of it has to do with the woodworking credibility behind the people behind the articles. Chris and Glen (and company) practice what they preach and are excellent woodworkers. In many cases they are writing the articles and building the projects to back it up. Can you say the same thing about FWW? The people that produce that magazine aren't really on the front line. They may be very accomplished woodworkers but you would never know it. Chris and Glen are quick (VERY) to answer any emails/questions you may have. They have a few excellent blogs out there and are responsive to those threads. I enjoy those as much as the magazine. I wish they would get into a little more video how-tos, etc. I suspect that will be ramping up though. FWW has that going for them.

[Adam Cherubini]

My uninformed opinion (no kidding) is that there are structural (and business) differences between the magazines which manifest in very different publications.

I was given enormous latitude in what I could write about. The goal of the editorial department was to help me say what I wanted to say. There was zero pressure editorially or from advertisers.

I also felt I had the page space (in a single issue or multiple issues) to cover a topic in sufficient depth to be helpful. One criticism I have of all special interest magazines is that they sometimes oversimplify a subject to make it readable for the amount of time you are in the bathroom. You really don't want to teach to the kid with the shortest attention span. That's not the reader you want. You guys who read cover to cover read every article, every ad. I would think that's the reader an advertiser wants.

I feel PWW has a high expectation that it's authors write well (which I know I don't). For the most part, I think they have that. This isn't to discourage folks from submitting articles, which I believe every publisher loves. But if you build your magazine on readers' inputs, you may find your staff has to ghost write every article. My guess is that this is expensive and the result are these comic book articles where the text is almost entirely captions under pictures. I personally like those articles, but I think they do limit the depth with which one can cover a subject.

Adam

[Bill Whig]

I will look into the new PWW. FWIW, I was recently reading the June 2010 issue of FWW. I have no plans to make a hall table anytime soon, but the 3rd time I picked up that issue of the magazine, I stopped to look at the article "A Graceful Hall Table". I was "floored" by the "beautiful" joinery details, and that the author, Devin Kauffunger, led the reader into the realm of metalwork in making his or her own hardware and also introduced the intricacies of inlaying with and across the grain.. I thought it was a great read! I haven't seen that breadth of content published elsewhere (though I would be quite pleased to), but that's the sort of article I subscribe to FWW to get! I have only been involved and reading FWW for a few years, so I don't know what I missed in the "early days". Anyway, that sort of breadth, and its artistic appeal, explains why I have been subscribing to FWW and have let go of some of the others.

Bill

[Larry Marshall]

my only big complaint with the new mag is they are down to 6 or 7 issues a year. My armchair knowledge of that business leads me to believe that this is advertising revenue driven, not content driven.

I have background in the magazine world as well and while I love the new PWW, I fear it won't last unless they change their revenue model. Advertising revenues in print media are dropping like a stone. The alternative is to generate revenue from the other revenue stream, subscriber fees.

PWW has always kept their subscription rates very low, sucking in big bucks from advertising. But the last issue has a mere 12 pages of advertising. My subscription (7 issues) cost me only $20 ($3/issue delivered to my door). Something's gotta give and I hope FWMedia and its subscribers will make a move to adjust the revenue stream before it's too late for them to do so.

Cheers --- Larry

[Larry Marshall]

I also felt I had the page space (in a single issue or multiple issues) to cover a topic in sufficient depth to be helpful. One criticism I have of all special interest magazines is that they sometimes oversimplify a subject to make it readable for the amount of time you are in the bathroom. You really don't want to teach to the kid with the shortest attention span.

Great post, Adam, and one that rings true to someone who has guided a hobby magazine ship. The one thing I'll say about your sentiment above is that magazine are caught, often, at cross purposes between "oversimplification" and "overcomplication."

If one wants to discuss 18th Century finishes, for instance, you get Adam to talk about what was used and how it was used. The result is that the chemists jump up and down and say "geez...he uses the word 'lacquer' as though there is only one kind" and "doesn't he know that alcohol polarity is due to the hydroxyl group? Why doesn't he explain this stuff?" This is the sort of email responses you get from readers.

Similarly, if you get a chemist to start talking about 18th Century finishes most people's eyes will glaze over as they're lost in a sea of jargon that is pretty much meaningless to them. You don't get email about that and I suspect the reason is that the reader just flipped the page :-)

In the end, it's finding the right balance and I think you guys at PWW get it 'just right.'

Cheers --- Larry

[Adam Cherubini]

I guess I just resent the "Build a Chippendale Highboy" in three pages articles. What can be said of use in such an article? "First I selected the best mahogany, then I milled all the pieces using my table saw, then put it together using 289 of my clamps."

Thanks, got it.

Adam

[Wilbur Pan]

my only big complaint with the new mag is they are down to 6 or 7 issues a year.

FWIW, Fine Woodworking has been published 6 times a year for the most part, and currently they have 7 issues a year if you include the "Tools and Shops" issue.

[Wilbur Pan]

My uninformed opinion (no kidding) is that there are structural (and business) differences between the magazines which manifest in very different publications.

I was given enormous latitude in what I could write about. The goal of the editorial department was to help me say what I wanted to say....

But if you build your magazine on readers' inputs, you may find your staff has to ghost write every article. My guess is that this is expensive and the result are these comic book articles where the text is almost entirely captions under pictures. I personally like those articles, but I think they do limit the depth with which one can cover a subject.

There's a bigger limitation with that approach, and that is that all the articles in the magazine begin to sound the same. I find that in Fine Woodworking, if it wasn't for the byline or pictures of the author, I would have no idea who wrote the article.

In Popular Woodworking, on the other hand, each author's personality and style come through. Articles from Adam Cherubini read like Adam wrote them, which is different from how Chris Schwarz writes, how Glen Huey writes, how Bob Lang writes, and so on. The same goes for contributing writers. Their individual styles are apparent in their articles.

[Ron Hock]

The writers and artisans at Popular Woodworking Magazine have become friends of mine over the years. The are a lively, funny, intelligent bunch that deserves the accolades in this thread. With that disclosure out of the way, let me say that I think Popular Woodworking Magazine does an outstanding job on every level and that every woodworker should subscribe. Period.

But wait, there's more! Two lesser-known magazines should not be left unmentioned. Woodworker West (http://www.woodwest.com) is a great read that specializes in woodworking out here on the left coast and Australian Wood Review (http://www.woodreview.com.au/) is another that impresses me with each new issue. Ron says, check 'em out.

http://www.woodwest.com/
http://www.woodreview.com.au/

[David Weaver]

FWIW - I got into FWW way too late, when I started this hobby about four years ago. I have a WW buddy who is major into precision machines, so we don't really do things the same any longer (though I do appreciate his machines for very quickly getting lumber in shape) - he has subscribed to FWW for a very long time (since the 80s?), has all of his magazines catalogued.

I subscribed to FWW for a couple of years, but quickly got annoyed that it was costing $7 an issue to get a magazine I was ready to put down in less than an hour. I don't care how many linear feet a router bit cuts MDF, and I don't want to see a palm sander shootout. The cards I got after subscription lapse about my "skills diminishing" because I let it run out, dictating to me that I "need it" to keep progressing as a woodworker, followed by card after card of "we have a special deal for you, you can renew your subscription for *full price*, but we'll also let you add a friend for about 2/3rds of new for their subscription". No thanks.

I have a subscription to PWW, but it ran out with the last issue. I don't think I can renew for 7 magazines a year if they're not really cheap (and I really go bottom of the barrel with what I see as cheap), I just don't get any continuity from the magazines, and if there is only an article or so that I wanted to read, then I am bitter about having spent the the money.

In terms of getting reference material, amazon resellers and half price books have been my source to get the huge taunton hard back books (among many other things) for an average of about $10 each so far (the ones that are $40 new, and are a complilation of prior articles, etc, arranged, along with other information from the writer. That's 1 1/2 issues of FWW. The difference is that instead of having the magazines and never reading them again after the first browse through, I can tab the book and one book becomes my book on finishing, etc.

So, though I really appreciate the perspective of the PWW magazine, I've gone back to FWW, but this time only for the online site - to get access to the good "old" articles that were written before I started woodworking. If it stinks, I guess I'll just read blogs that cover only the subject matter I want to see - information is conveyed at a more regular place, and it's easier to jump off to more information if a blog topic is interesting. Some of the blog work that's out there is really really good, and if you like meat instead of bread, you get only meat, if you know what I mean.

[Rob Fisher]

Personally I just let my 2 year subscription to FWW lapse and I have been subscribed to PWM since the switch/combination (2 issues so far) of PWW and WW. I had read the occasional WW mag before, but decided to switch after reading several C. Schwarz books, his blogs and PWW blog (now PWM blog). I could not justify renewing FWW at almost twice the cost of PWM. Plus PWM seems to be more my speed lately (more hand tool stuff). And while I do like the occasional article in FWW, I am happy with PWM so far, time will tell I suppose. In the end, I guess it was C. Schwarz and the rest of the cast at PWM that really swayed me to go with them.

I also let my FHB subscription lapse (in favor of JLC) for the same reasons as above, cheaper cost and better info, IMHO. I am also incredibly annoyed by the relentless amount of subscription renewal notices that I get from FWW/FHB. Something on the order of one for each mag every month, for the past 6 months or so. One or two reminders is fine, sending me constant reminders has only strengthened my resolve that I will not be subscribing to FWW/FHB anytime soon.

Rob

[Greg Portland]

they still get great articles in the Master Class columnAgreed, I like the FWW master class section as well as the readers gallery. I'm not a fan of 90% of the "ideas" that win the monthly drawing... most are copied from WWing forums.

[Larry Marshall]

I guess I just resent the "Build a Chippendale Highboy" in three pages articles.

You too? I think this is one of the big things that PWW does right. You guys do construction articles but they're blanket chests, Shaker tables, etc. You talk about more complex furniture but more from a historical perspective and/or to illustrate some particular technique.


Cheers --- Larry

[Adam Cherubini]

I think it's odd to hear woodworkers who drop serious cash on their hobby object to the price of a trade magazine. (I'm not referring to specific posters here, I've heard this one before). I think if I read a couple of interesting articles a year, I'm happy. I spend more money taking my family to Taco Bell then I do on a magazine subscription. Good mahogany is $10/bdft.

I think ww magazines are a cheap source of enlightenment and education. When I'm after something specific, I go to the internet. But magazines, I read every article. I recall an article written by Gary Rogowski on how to tune up bandsaws that made me really want to do it. That's the power of a good magazine article. Gary really made it look like fun. He remains one of my favorite ww authors.

I'm not ready to throw the entire FWW staff under the bus.

Adam

[Jeff Burks]

I also hold the view that magazine subscription cost in inconsequential. I would actually prefer that magazines cost a lot more and had more content/less advertisements.

I actually used to love the ads in Taunton's magazines. I am a carpenter and millworker by trade so I have been a long time reader of both Fine Homebuilding and Fine Woodworking. I own every issue of both magazines, all of their VHS videos, many DVDS, and over 150 of their books (maybe 200 by now). I'd hate to think of what the retail value of that pile was in total. And to be honest I have no regrets. Many of the Taunton authors remain my favorites. I imagine this is why it bugs me so much that the magazines have started to slide in the past 10 years or so. It's mostly the way they have shortened the articles, dumbed down the content to a more basic level, and recycled the same info for so long. I was just flipping through some FWW issues from 1991 that had fantastic articles from Frank Klausz, Nora Hall, Graham Blackburn, Gary Rogowski, etc etc. And yet there are hundreds and hundreds of ads. I just saw 15 pages of continuous ads in one issue that I was flipping though and it never bothered me once. The ads were actually informative and didn't seem like they were talking down to me. I considered them a valuable resource rather than an annoying distraction. Almost everything in there was relevant to the magazine content, unlike some magazines who run ads for pickup trucks and cigarettes. I used to hate reading Journal of Light Construction because they ran so many low brow ads. I don't see how some scantily clad bimbo standing in front of a fiberglas door informs me about the product. Talk about pandering to stereotypes!

I'd gladly pay $100 a year for Popular Woodworking Magazine if they would get rid of the 2 page Grizzly ads. I think the current issues has an ad for car parts?? But honestly it doesn't bother me because I know they have to make a living in an endangered market. They still find a way to put out great articles without watered down content. If Schwarz keeps going the direction he's going then he'll get my dollars on every book, video, or magazine issue he's involved with. I feel it's very important to support the people who make quality resources available to us. This is a very exciting time to be a woodworker.

And yet the downside is that we sometimes have to give up on once valued resources. Great companies like Taunton become mediocre, and fantastic magazines like Woodwork go belly up. On the flip side, horrible corny magazines like Popular Woodworking (20 years ago) become the new gold standard when they get people who actually love woodworking. Maybe that's what happened at Taunton when the parents who lovingly nurtured a great magazine into existence, turn the company over to kids who can only see it as a cash cow to be milked. Nobody can force you to love woodworking...

[Bob Lang]

On behalf of everyone at Popular Woodworking Magazine, I would like to say thanks for all of the kind words in this thread. It's said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I can assure you that we prefer hearing we've done our jobs well from others who share our enthusiasm for the craft.

Thanks again,

Bob Lang
Executive Editor, Popular Woodworking Magazine

[Rob Fisher]

I think it's odd to hear woodworkers who drop serious cash on their hobby object to the price of a trade magazine. (I'm not referring to specific posters here, I've heard this one before). I think if I read a couple of interesting articles a year, I'm happy. I spend more money taking my family to Taco Bell then I do on a magazine subscription. Good mahogany is $10/bdft.

I think ww magazines are a cheap source of enlightenment and education. When I'm after something specific, I go to the internet. But magazines, I read every article. I recall an article written by Gary Rogowski on how to tune up bandsaws that made me really want to do it. That's the power of a good magazine article. Gary really made it look like fun. He remains one of my favorite ww authors.

I'm not ready to throw the entire FWW staff under the bus.

Adam

This is a fair opinion, and I suppose I hadn't really thought about it in terms of cost compared to tools. Somehow it just seems different, not sure, maybe its all in my frugal cheapskate head. :rolleyes:

And after thinking about it, the cost was definitely a factor in my decision, but more to the point that I felt like I was paying more and getting less of what I wanted, out of FWW and I was getting more and paying less for PWM, and I don't like paying more for getting less. So perhaps its more out of a principle thing for me. When I feel like I am not getting a good value I won't buy. That said there was always an article (or usually more) that I enjoyed in FWW, I just think that I enjoy the articles and the writing style more in PWM. Only time will tell if I miss my FWW.

Rob

[Bob Easton]

I too like the new PWM, but not as much as I would like to. It comes form being a subscriber to WW which got merged into the new magazine.

The thing I really liked about WW was its project orientation. Each issue focused on a specific project. Three, 4, sometimes 5 articles in an issue expanded on the theme showing different aspects of the project. Yes, there were articles on many other subjects, but a focus on the cover piece. For example, Spring 2009, featured an 18th Century Dry Sink. Related articles in that issue were (1) about following grain lines for better looking furniture, and (2) finding good water resistant finishes. This sort of clustering of articles showed an editorial coherence that I find missing in the new publication.

Those related articles are now absent. I fully understand that the editor has to appeal to many subscriber interests, but we lost the coherence I found valuable. ... and I find the feature articles headed in the direction of the 3 page Chippendale Highboy.

Now, if we could just get Adam back from wherever he's been...

[Dave Lehnert]

I'm lucky that I live in Cincinnati, the home of Popular Woodworking Magazine. I have been to the shop a few times. They are definitely woodworkers who write a magazine. Not magazine writers who pick a subject (woodworking) and try to write about it. :)
That is a HUGE difference.

On the subject of Pop wood. You guys know about this?
http://woodworkinginamerica.com/GeneralMenu/

[David Weaver]

I think it's odd to hear woodworkers who drop serious cash on their hobby object to the price of a trade magazine. (I'm not referring to specific posters here, I've heard this one before). I think if I read a couple of interesting articles a year, I'm happy. I spend more money taking my family to Taco Bell then I do on a magazine subscription. Good mahogany is $10/bdft.


I'm in this category. It's not so much a matter of objecting to the cost of a magazine as being too high even if you enjoy it, it's just a preference of getting information elsewhere and in a different format that is more useful to me. Were it not available elsewhere, then I would subscribe to the magazine.

Everyone is going to have different opinions about it. There are plenty of people who could read the magazine and never be able to point to an article they used and still say they enjoy reading the magazine enough that they don't care what they get from it. And there are others (probably fewer, though), like me, who like to have reference material organized by topic, and we would rather direct our money there.

I certainly don't have any notion about which is the right answer for someone else, but I know which is right for me when I no longer get magazines from anyone and have that urge to read them as soon as I see them, or the completely foreign to me sentiment that you're just waiting and waiting for something to come in the mail.