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Hi all,
I’m happy to announce that the BrickJournal website has been launched:
www.brickjournal.com
Issue 8 is online and available for viewing. Issue 7 is also uploaded but is
only available to web subscribers. I am uploading other issues and hope to have
all archived by the end of August.
Issues will be uploaded quarterly to coincide with releases. What the website
will offer is an interactive approach to reading the magazine, with links to
related subjects and also web-exclusive materials, such as video. This will
become an archive for the magazine and related materials as time goes on, and
with the event calendar tied in, this will become something of a timeline for
the community.
Subscribers will be able to access all the archived content for use. Public
visitors will only be able to view the current issue and what is designated as
public, such as instructions and news. With a news page, BrickJournal will be
able to report faster on events and also be able to include more content, such
as photos that were submitted, but not used in the magazine, for future issues.
For a limited time a subscription to the webpage will be $20/year.
Future plans for the website include establishing an image bank for
BrickJournal photography (thank you Didier), a page for sellers, and a couple
of other surprises! Plans are also underway for a print version of the magazine!
Many thanks to Joel Bush, Brian Flannery, and Brian Sykora of Near-Time, the
webservice I am working with on this ongoing project.
Comments and feedback are welcome!
Joe Meno
Editor, BrickJournal
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It figures that I misspell my own magazine:-)
It’s BrickJournal.com.
Joe
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In lugnet.announce, Joe Meno wrote:
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Subscribers will be able to access all the archived content for use. Public
visitors will only be able to view the current issue and what is designated
as public, such as instructions and news. With a news page, BrickJournal will
be able to report faster on events and also be able to include more content,
such as photos that were submitted, but not used in the magazine, for future
issues. For a limited time a subscription to the webpage will be $20/year.
Future plans for the website include establishing an image bank for
BrickJournal photography (thank you Didier), a page for sellers, and a
couple of other surprises! Plans are also underway for a print version of the
magazine!
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Congratulations on expanding the scope of the magazine, Joe! I have a question
about the subscription to this site. I have been looking forward to being able
to subscribe to a print version of BrickJournal and have assumed it would
probably be around $40/year. Will the print version only be available to those
who are also subscribed to the web site? In other words, I want to plan my
budget for Brickjournal and while the web site sounds neat...I would rather save
for the print subscription because I think I’d get more value out of that. Can
you provide any details about this?
--
Thomas Main
thomasmain@charter.net
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In lugnet.publish.brickjournal, Thomas Main wrote:
(snip)
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Congratulations on expanding the scope of the magazine, Joe! I have a
question about the subscription to this site. I have been looking forward to
being able to subscribe to a print version of BrickJournal and have assumed
it would probably be around $40/year. Will the print version only be
available to those who are also subscribed to the web site? In other words,
I want to plan my budget for Brickjournal and while the web site sounds
neat...I would rather save for the print subscription because I think I’d get
more value out of that. Can you provide any details about this?
--
Thomas Main
thomasmain@charter.net
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Hi Thomas!
I have been looking at the budget question for some time now, and I am glad you
asked. The print version subscription will be available separately, and your
price estimate is close:-)
I do need to get some information finalized before I say more about the printed
mag. What I can say is that I am working on discounts for having both web and
print subscriptions. I’m also going to work on providing as many options as
possible.
One thing that will not remain free will be the PDF, though. If the print
version is going to be sold, then the PDF will have to be sold also.
Joe
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In lugnet.publish.brickjournal, Joe Meno wrote:
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Hi Thomas!
I have been looking at the budget question for some time now, and I am glad
you asked. The print version subscription will be available separately, and
your price estimate is close:-)
I do need to get some information finalized before I say more about the
printed mag. What I can say is that I am working on discounts for having both
web and print subscriptions. I’m also going to work on providing as many
options as possible.
One thing that will not remain free will be the PDF, though. If the print
version is going to be sold, then the PDF will have to be sold also.
Joe
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Looks great, Joe. Congrats on the launch and for putting together such a clean,
fresh looking site. The table of contents for the current issue is very handy.
I’m sure you’ve thought through the pricing options, but don’t discount the fact
that some folks will still be willing to pay for a printed version even though
they could get it free on the internet. It’s hard to substitute the convenience
of carrying a magazine with you to lunch and flipping through all the pretty
pictures, unless you’re willing to use your employer’s printer to print-out a
big pdf. Not...that I...would DO that. :D
--Tom
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In lugnet.publish.brickjournal, Tom Wilson wrote:
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Looks great, Joe. Congrats on the launch and for putting together such a
clean, fresh looking site. The table of contents for the current issue is
very handy.
I’m sure you’ve thought through the pricing options, but don’t discount the
fact that some folks will still be willing to pay for a printed version even
though they could get it free on the internet. It’s hard to substitute the
convenience of carrying a magazine with you to lunch and flipping through all
the pretty pictures, unless you’re willing to use your employer’s printer to
print-out a big pdf. Not...that I...would DO that. :D
--Tom
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Tom,
I’m know:-). And I am on it - while I wanted a printed version for next issue
(due out in September) things did not work out. I see your argument pretty
clearly and am working toward it.
The website was done first because it was faster to do and gets a presence ready
for print...I now have a constant advertising platform for the mag.
And I needed the table of contents to know what I was doing:-)! The scary thing
is that by the end of archiving, there will be over 1000 printed pages of
material. That’s a lot!
Joe
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In lugnet.publish.brickjournal, Tom Wilson wrote:
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In lugnet.publish.brickjournal, Joe Meno wrote:
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Hi Thomas!
I have been looking at the budget question for some time now, and I am glad
you asked. The print version subscription will be available separately, and
your price estimate is close:-)
I do need to get some information finalized before I say more about the
printed mag. What I can say is that I am working on discounts for having
both web and print subscriptions. I’m also going to work on providing as
many options as possible.
One thing that will not remain free will be the PDF, though. If the print
version is going to be sold, then the PDF will have to be sold also.
Joe
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Looks great, Joe. Congrats on the launch and for putting together such a
clean, fresh looking site. The table of contents for the current issue is
very handy.
I’m sure you’ve thought through the pricing options, but don’t discount the
fact that some folks will still be willing to pay for a printed version even
though they could get it free on the internet. It’s hard to substitute the
convenience of carrying a magazine with you to lunch and flipping through all
the pretty pictures, unless you’re willing to use your employer’s printer to
print-out a big pdf. Not...that I...would DO that. :D
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I agree, and even if you do that, it will probably not be color and almost
certainly not on glossy 11x17 pages folded properly into a magazine format with
binding along the edges....
Joe:
What you might do is charge for the PDF when it’s new, but have it become free
after the following month’s issue comes out, or something like that. (I assume
you’re eventually planning to move to a regular monthly schedule? You can also
make good money selling printed back issues of the ones that hitherto are only
available in PDF format. Maybe a collector’s edition of the first X issues
bound together in a book?
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In lugnet.publish.brickjournal, William R. Ward wrote:
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I agree, and even if you do that, it will probably not be color and almost
certainly not on glossy 11x17 pages folded properly into a magazine format
with binding along the edges....
Joe:
What you might do is charge for the PDF when it’s new, but have it become
free after the following month’s issue comes out, or something like that. (I
assume you’re eventually planning to move to a regular monthly schedule? You
can also make good money selling printed back issues of the ones that
hitherto are only available in PDF format. Maybe a collector’s edition of
the first X issues bound together in a book?
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Charging for a PDF will be something that is a constant. I won’t be able to make
it free. Sorry. Again, if an printed issue is charged, a PDF will have to be
charged too.
Back issues are something I am interested in, but I need to have the resources
to do those, so I will have to wait.
BrickJournal’s schedule will be quarterly for the next year. Depending on
numbers and income, I will make a decision on ramping up and staffing up.
It all depends on the financial footing I end up having.
Joe
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Back issues are something I am interested in, but I need to have the
resources to do those, so I will have to wait.
BrickJournal’s schedule will be quarterly for the next year. Depending on
numbers and income, I will make a decision on ramping up and staffing up.
It all depends on the financial footing I end up having.
Joe
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Well I signed up. If that is the next step toward getting Brick Journal to print
(and the back issues) it is $20 a year well spent. It can never be said too many
times, thanks for all your hard work Joe.
-Mike Petrucelli
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In lugnet.publish.brickjournal, Joe Meno wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I'm happy to announce that the {BrickJournal} website has been launched:
>
> <http://www.brickjournal.com www.brickjournal.com >
>
> Issue 8 is online and available for viewing. Issue 7 is also uploaded but is
> only available to web subscribers. I am uploading other issues and hope to
> have all archived by the end of August.
>
> Issues will be uploaded quarterly to coincide with releases. What the website
> will offer is an interactive approach to reading the magazine, with links to
> related subjects and also web-exclusive materials, such as video. This will
> become an archive for the magazine and related materials as time goes on, and
> with the event calendar tied in, this will become something of a timeline for
> the community.
>
> Subscribers will be able to access all the archived content for use. Public
> visitors will only be able to view the current issue and what is designated
> as public, such as instructions and news. With a news page, BrickJournal will
> be able to report faster on events and also be able to include more content,
> such as photos that were submitted, but not used in the magazine, for future
> issues. For a limited time a subscription to the webpage will be $20/year.
>
> Future plans for the website include establishing an image bank for
> {BrickJournal} photography (thank you Didier), a page for sellers, and a
> couple of other surprises! Plans are also underway for a print version of the
> magazine!
>
> Many thanks to Joel Bush, Brian Flannery, and Brian Sykora of Near-Time, the
> webservice I am working with on this ongoing project.
>
> Comments and feedback are welcome!
>
> Joe Meno¬
> Editor, {BrickJournal}
Although I’d like to sign up and I did attempt too. I am going to wait until
Brickjournal has it's own site. Initially when I signed up I was of the
understanding that I was signing up for Brickjournal and Brickjournal only. This
unfortunately however was not the case.
In addition to Brickjournal I was also signed up for near-time.net, which is a web site building /hosting service similar to Myspace only with a first month free then you pay attitude. To top this off when I finally realized the wackiness of the supposed Brickworld web site and tried to delete my account I could not find anywhere to do so. I must have searched the site for an hour. Finally after giving up I decided to email info@near-time.net and got a reply that basically said request denied. I replied with a more sternly worded DELETE ME! And about 15mins later I got a phone call. Yep I said a phone call. One of the near time head honchos called me to persuade me to keep my account insisting that I only signed up for Brickjournal even though I was directed to the near-time web site time and time again which kept asking for money “$70+ a month I might add.” I was also told that in about 30days I would be receiving emails to upgrade my account, something of which I don't want either. “I get enough spam as is.” I reiterated my desire to be deleted no less than 15 times over the phone and he just didn't get it.
In short, JOE, talk to your site provider and make sure I’m deleted from his
site in its entirety. I want no part of a site that doesn't tell you what it's
signing you up for and requests money for services I did not signup for or
request.
Ondrew
p.s. any one else have issues like this? it didn't seem like i was the only one
by the sound of the voice over the phone.
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In lugnet.publish.brickjournal, Ondrew Hartigan wrote:
> Although I’d like to sign up and I did attempt too. I am going to wait until
> Brickjournal has it's own site. Initially when I signed up I was of the
> understanding that I was signing up for Brickjournal and Brickjournal only. This
> unfortunately however was not the case.
>
> In addition to Brickjournal I was also signed up for near-time.net, which is a web site building /hosting service similar to Myspace only with a first month free then you pay attitude. To top this off when I finally realized the wackiness of the supposed Brickworld web site and tried to delete my account I could not find anywhere to do so. I must have searched the site for an hour.
'supposed Brickworld site?' I'm not Brickworld.
Also, it's not a supposed site. I suppose if I publish a magazine with a
publisher as opposed to by myself, it's a supposed magazine. And all the AFOL
sites that are hosted by Northstar are 'supposed websites.'
Finally after giving up I decided to email info@near-time.net and got a reply that basically said request denied. I replied with a more sternly worded DELETE ME! And about 15mins later I got a phone call. Yep I said a phone call. One of the near time head honchos called me to persuade me to keep my account insisting that I only signed up for Brickjournal even though I was directed to the near-time web site time and time again which kept asking for money “$70+ a month I might add.” I was also told that in about 30days I would be receiving emails to upgrade my account, something of which I don't want either. “I get enough spam as is.” I reiterated my desire to be deleted no less than 15 times over the phone and he just didn't get it.
As mentioned in another note, this has been resolved. There was definitely a bug
in the system.
Joe
>
> In short, JOE, talk to your site provider and make sure I’m deleted from his
> site in its entirety. I want no part of a site that doesn't tell you what it's
> signing you up for and requests money for services I did not signup for or
> request.
>
> Ondrew
>
> p.s. any one else have issues like this? it didn't seem like i was the only one
> by the sound of the voice over the phone.
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In lugnet.publish.brickjournal, Joe Meno wrote:
> In lugnet.publish.brickjournal, Ondrew Hartigan wrote:
>
> > Although I’d like to sign up and I did attempt too. I am going to wait until
> > Brickjournal has it's own site. Initially when I signed up I was of the
> > understanding that I was signing up for Brickjournal and Brickjournal only. This
> > unfortunately however was not the case.
> >
> > In addition to Brickjournal I was also signed up for near-time.net, which
> > is a web site building /hosting service similar to Myspace only with a first
> > month free then you pay attitude. To top this off when I finally realized
> > the wackiness of the supposed Brickworld web site and tried to delete my
> > account I could not find anywhere to do so. I must have searched the site
> > for an hour.
>
> 'supposed Brickworld site?' I'm not Brickworld.
It was a typo sorry.
>
> Also, it's not a supposed site. I suppose if I publish a magazine with a
> publisher as opposed to by myself, it's a supposed magazine. And all the AFOL
> sites that are hosted by Northstar are 'supposed websites.'
Although this doesn't sound like the Joe meno I know I’ll bite.
The thing is, I signed up for Brickjournal thinking it was Brickjournal and I
got something completely different. hence the supposed site comment. Then when I
tried to correct the problem I had to fight to get myself deleted when it should
have been an easy task.
>
> Finally after giving up I decided to email info@near-time.net and got a reply that basically said request denied. I replied with a more sternly worded DELETE ME! And about 15mins later I got a phone call. Yep I said a phone call. One of the near time head honchos called me to persuade me to keep my account insisting that I only signed up for Brickjournal even though I was directed to the near-time web site time and time again which kept asking for money “$70+ a month I might add.” I was also told that in about 30days I would be receiving emails to upgrade my account, something of which I don't want either. “I get enough spam as is.” I reiterated my desire to be deleted no less than 15 times over the phone and he just didn't get it.
>
> As mentioned in another note, this has been resolved. There was definitely a bug
> in the system.
This is fine these things happen from time to time. I just don't handle bugs
well I guess. My apologies for making this issue public but it needed to be
resolved. After all someone called me on a phone number no one but Joe
meno/brickjournal should have known as that's whom I thought I was giving it to.
Please know that the only reason I posted this to lugnet is because in my
personal opinion it was something that others needed to know. My intentions were
not / are not meant to hurt your bottom line.
Ondrew
P.s. This will be my last Lugnet posting on this. If future replies are required
I will do so privately.
>
> Joe
>
>
>
> >
> > In short, JOE, talk to your site provider and make sure I’m deleted from his
> > site in its entirety. I want no part of a site that doesn't tell you what it's
> > signing you up for and requests money for services I did not signup for or
> > request.
>
>
> >
> > Ondrew
> >
> > p.s. any one else have issues like this? it didn't seem like i was the only one
> > by the sound of the voice over the phone.
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