magazine or online?

[Doug Carpenter]

Do many of you just join a magazine online or do you still prefer the actual magazine?

I have never signed up for a magazine online. I love FWW as an actual magazine. Is the online experience similar?

[scott spencer]

It's too hard to take the online subscriptions with me in the privvy. Paper copies travel much better. :D

[David Thompson 27577]

I prefer the hardcopy as well. For the same reason as Scott, and because the online version will only be online for a while.

And I like to keep the issues that have an article and plans for anything I dream of building. For example, FWW had a cherry hutch, with glass doors above wood doors, a couple of years ago. Although I have not yet built that hutch, I will probably begin next summer.

What I'm lamenting is the overall quality of woodworking magazines in general. It used to be that FWW had something every month for every skill level -- from the beginner to seasoned pro's. Over the past few years, that has deteriorated (IMO) to where it's much more "DIY" oriented.

Because of that, and because of how they trashed their online community, my subscription lapsed a year ago, and I don't miss it.

[Mark Patoka]

Paper copies. Even though they take up space, it's much easier to page through or browse when the power goes out.

[Matt Meiser]

I don't think the technology is quite there for me to be happy with electronic. The iPad or Android tablets would be good for reading a magazine but I don't like the weight or bright screen for general eReader use. I like the look and feel of the Kindle as an eReader (and hope Santa brings me one) but I don't like the idea of black and white for magazines, and besides you can't get any woodworking magazines on the Kindle from what I can see. And battery life on the tablets could be somewhat of a problem in travel based on stated life--OK if you remember to charge but if not you might not make it.

When color e-ink technology gets good AND cheap, then I think print media will go the way of film (remember film?) I kind of see it the same way. Lots of nay-sayers said digital would never take over, and its happened amazingly quick. In 2000 I never thought it would but now we are on our third digital camera and even the first took pictures as good as our film camera before. One could argue digital cameras are more expensive--but we'd have also used 1000 36-exposure rolls of film in the past 10 years to take as many pictures as we've got stored. Imagine what that would have cost!

[Don Jarvie]

I have the online version of FWW. The benefit is you have access to all of the past articles. This is helpful if you want to look up "finishing", you get all of the past articles.

Another benefit is that you can print off any of the back articles.

Downside is you don't get the ad's etc of the magazine.

[Rod Sheridan]

I also am a long term FWW subscriber.

I prefer the printed format for the magazine.

Electronic copies are great for many things however I have a couple of issues with them.

1) For some stuff I like a printed book, I have an extensive library and purchase 2 to 4 hardcover books per month. For example, I have a set of 17 books by Victor Hugo, printed in the late 1800's. Obviously the experience of owning and reading such books is far different than a digital copy on a computer.

Many of my books are signed by author, many first editions, many however are simple paperbacks that I've read many times over the decades.

Sitting in the Morris chair I made, with a mug of Earl Grey tea, and an old friend in the form of a printed book is a far more satisfying experience than reading it on my lap top.

2) I may be wrong on this issue, however I've been told that there are time and transfer limits on e-books. Is this true? Does this mean that I can't leave my e-books for my children or transfer them from device to device or own and use them for decades?

There are no restrictions on owning my paper books for as long as I wish, reading them as many times as I wish, or loaning them to friends.

Many printed items are just fine in electronic form, I use a computer many hours a day, however in my opinion they won't replace books entirely.

Regards, Rod.

[Brian Tymchak]

I stare at monitors enough with my work that when I go home I can't stand to look at one there. So, I prefer the print version. I can read an article, put it down for a week, pick it back up, read another, all without having to wait for a laptop/desktop to boot, 200 processes to start, virus scan, etc.

However, I realize that there are some "extras" that are available online that I missing out on. So, maybe one of these days...

[Matt Day]

Both!

Seriously, both have their advantages but if I had to choose I'd take the electronic.

I get excited when I new FWW is in my mailbox and read it front to back in a couple days and love that experience. And I can't bring the electronic version (without printing it out or using a laptop etc) with me on a plane.

But... after I read the mag it goes on the shelf, likely to not be touched again. I use the electronic all the time for searching information on how to do certain things. For instance this week I was researching breadboard ends, and all it took was a simple search for "breadboard ends" and I got everything FWW published to date. I can't do that with the hard copies since I've only got a few years worth and it would take me a lot longer.

It's also easier to sneak a few peaks at the online version at work without it looking like you're lounging back in a chair reading a hard copy!

[Don Bullock]

Currently I have both a regular subscription to FWW and the online version. For me it works out very well. Yes, I realize that some don't like either but that's not the question being asked. Getting the current copy in print is very handy. I read it cover to cover and then go back and look at things that interested me. Most of the time I refer back to it several times during the month. For me the online edition is a very good resource. I can find articles on any subject that they have covered. While some techniques and ideas may be "outdated" I find that much of what is available online is useful. If I really want an article or diagram to "assist" me in the shop it's very easy to print it out and I don't have to pay extra for it like on other magazine websites.

[Jim Eller]

I too am a FWW online subscriber.

I like having access to everything for research. I just print out the mag articles that I want.

Jim

[Rich Engelhardt]

Both would be ideal - but - I prefer the magazine.

Unlike probably 95% of the rest of the world, I admit, I enjoy looking at the ads in the magazines.

Ads in the online media realm are mostly an irritation. I do admit though, I do have ads turned on here.