Silicon Chip magazine

Something you have no experience with bwian ethics commitment and decency with a clue or two.

Hi Julian.

I'd like to at least say that although I'm not all that much into car modifications, u-beaut Luxeon lighting etc, found your articles very interesting.

I have noticed a recent decline in the content of SC. In principle I should give up buying the magazine because of the lack of any real new ideas, but have to admit that there is nothing else out there, and I also believe in supporting an Aussie product.

Unfortunately I also think that the production of SC is a 'family based' affair and assume that it's not a big 'money generator' that I had imagined - I may be wrong here, and maybe it is indeed a great business but with not much 'renumeration' to the article writers.

It would be great to see the magazine improve, but unless there is a major change in thinking, and financing, don't see much happening at all.

To cut off the people who have supported you in the past is what I'm trying to get my head around here. Fair enough, it may not be a big business, but most of us try to help the people who have helped us.

I must say that I find Leo's "rantings" informative, and cannot disagree with anything he has said in the editorial. To put it this way, I'd imagine that if he'd consulted the 'politically correct' groups and managed to get a somewhat intelligent reply, the editorial would contain pretty much SFA.

Anyway, I think another fine electronics magazine will be headed down the gurgler unless some changes are made. I mean changes, not talking about it, nor putting things off, just paying a reasonable amount for smart people and ideas...

Cheers, (at least we can get pissed and lament), Phil.

Just to make one thing clear: Leo Simpson did not 'cut me off'. In fact, subsequent to my resignation, he made available an opportunity for me to reconsider. But as no changes had occurred to my original reasons for resignation, I saw no reason to change my decision.

Julian Edgar

Hi again Julian,

Well, sorry I got that bit wrong about being 'cut off' and ASSuMEd way too much (ASS == ME).

I'm sure that both Leo and yourself have developed a great relationship and support both ways over the years, and although workmates may have major disagreements at times, can have a bit of a yell at each other and get over it (even though the business 'force fields' are up on both sides).

I for one appreciate your candour, and in no way suggest that anything you've posted here could be considered over-the-top. In fact it gives a rare insight into the problems faced by people who do their best putting in way too many hours of their own personal time and yet still have to endure strange business decisions. Also, (as I've seen in other postings) to add to your headaches, there are likely way too many 'fools armed with solding irons' who think they deserve infinite technical support - for free.

Anyway, I think It's great work you've done mate, and hope to see some more articles again from you (somewhere) soon.

Cheers, Phil.

Julian Edgar wrote:

Now Bob, you know those bad comments from the US were trolls. Those sneaky Canadians, on the other hand? ;-)

You know I bought and built the kit, and that I have advised a lot of others to buy it, as well. The only thing I didn't like was the 9 Volt battery, so I added a jack for an AC adapter. I use it only on one bench, with switched outlets that are turned off when I leave the shop. This way, I never have to worry about a dead battery. I can still install a battery, if needed, but so far, I haven't needed to go that route.

Howdy Michael, I need to clarify what I meant. Nearly all the Americans and Canadians I've dealt with have been very friendly and easy to deal with (including you of course!), even when there have been problems with the kits they built. I've been happy to put their hints and suggestions about the ESR meter on my website. Conversely there have been just a few aggressive ones who've made those kinds of accusations by e-mail, though there was a Canadian who made them on the sci.electronics.repair newsgroup, a long time ago. Like you said, there are trolls everywhere. :-(

Rgds Bob

Its too bad that its so hard to get a hunting permit for trolls. :(

"Alan Rutlidge" mentioned a number of projects in the pipe that you had initial suggestion

It seems that the lack of competition from another publication is affecting the way that people who have a say in the direction of Australia's only remaining locally-produced electroncs magazine perceive the electronics marketplace. The fact that Leo purchased the rights to Electronics Australia (and therefore ETI), means that all the previous publications now belong to one group, perhaps even to one person.

That's probably over 100 years of electronics publications if you take into account EA in it's various forms, ETI, AEM and Silicon Chip and sum it all together.

The only other electronics publications are foreign (to Australia), such as Elektor, etc. Not that those publications are not excellent in quality - they are!

I haven't bumped into Jim Rowe for a number of years, but I wonder how Jim feels about the way the electronics industry's primary general-audience publication in Australia is having free-reign over publishing and distributing projects, etc.

Had Federal Publishing not decided to downgrade EA to a trash-heap glossly techno-rag in order to deliberately make it fail, we might still have EA going as a seperate magazine and that would, to some degree, be keeping SC's 'charter' operating in a somewhat more transparently ethical fashion.

Regards,

Craig.

Yes he certainly is talented. Much like the engineers that used to produce projects for EA and ETI (and a few for AEM) back when there was something other than SC on the newsagent shelf to compare against.

Yes that's a good point. Before any non-casual authorship is taken up investigation of how to ensure the the author retains sole ownership of all intellectual property should be mandatory.

He he well the competition he knocked out is the place where he used to work! 8-)

Craig.

Well, he (happily?) works for SC now...

I greatly doubt that the current market could sustain two electronics publications, it was inevitable that we'd be left with one I think.

I don't know SC's current circlation, but it would be interesing to know if it has increased since the demise of EA, held steady, or declined.

Dave :)