Tabloid electronics!!

You'll have to cut them some slack!, it's their 20th anniversary issue!!, they are a tad excited!!!

Dave.

Thanks for telling me! I haven't taken it out of its wrapper yet and didn't realise!! They should have announced it on the front cover!!! :) !!!!

Bob

"Bob Parker"

...... Phil

I think Silicon Chip is doing a pretty good job on the whole, but it's a pity the inside cover starts us off with Jaycar's gimmicky rubbish like farting ashtrays -- sort of detracts from electronics IMHO

collected the November SC from the post office box. I've never

Not this month, farting ashtrays and choke-a-chicken are out, remote control toys are the in-thing now.

Gotta admit, I've got one of the RC helicopters, and they are kinda fun. Farnell gave them away if you spent a certain amount.

Dave.

BTW, congrats to SC for making it to 20 years and outliving all the other mags, that's no mean feat.

Dave.

"David L. J****ff"

the CO2 level rises to 5% of the atmosphere -

David L. Jones will congratulate the cockroaches.

....... Phil

Is there anybody or anything you don't hate Phil? Your toasters are calling...

Dave.

Quite a way to go before they beat RTV/EA though. I think even ETI made 20 years??

MrT.

messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@i38g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

Sure, but they were more prosperous times. I think SC has done well to survive in recent times with the decline in hobby electronics.

I think changes might need to be made to survive into the future though...

Dave.

messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@i38g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

indeed, but they also had competition, the lack of which is aiding SC's survival.

see above

couldn't agree more. However, the problem is as much in the buyer - how many out there are of the same mould as the EA/ETI/SC readers of 10 to 20 years ago i.e. electronics enthusiasts? Precious few.

messagenews: snipped-for-privacy@i38g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

For sure. No way more than one mag could survive in todays market.

Yeah, but the lack of any competition does not automatically mean there is a market they are guaranteed to survive in.

Yep, would be interesting to know what their readership breakdown actually is. A good lot of it I'm sure comes from the vintage radio crowd which apparently is quite large, a reason why they won't ever drop the vintage radio column. The remaining service techs maybe, and the few remaining hobbyists of old, I wouldn't even want to guess at numbers. Numbers might be growing with the DIY subject specific electronics tinkerers, like car enthusiasts, home lighting and solar eco enthusiasts. For example, SC take out half page ads in Renew magazine.

I don't know any professional who buys SC, which is a bit different to the older days when I knew many professionals who bought EA and ETI.

I don't think they will change though, unless numbers start to drop sharply. They'll play it safe and cross their fingers. Which is not a bad option I guess, change is very risky and can put you out of business quick smart.

Dave.

Hi Bob,

Like he was with EA's last issue.... I've bought it but its still on the pile as I'm about 4 months behind reading.

Cheers Ian Manners

Hmm, Lotsa '!'s. It seems SC may have added the 'viagra' (scuse the pun) extension to their desktop publishing program .

Anyway, I was disappointed - as usual - with the mag and some fairly lame projects, but I'll keep buying it regardless.

I must say the UV lightbox article was good, and it's a bit sad that the Press'N'peel method was discounted. I've tried that method and can indeed verify that ironing is only good for clothes.

Myself, I'd really like to see some more info on interfacing microcontrollers and basic electronic howtos. Also some testing/info on the new-gen design programs (ie. Eagle) but that's a narrow perspective on my part.

Enough blathering. Hoping SC continues, and that they have some new electronic geeks waiting to write good articles.

What about yourself?

Yeah - EAT was about as low as it's possible to go.

Bob

I don't reckon your perspective's narrow. :) I'd like to see more (some?) nuts and bolts level stuff along the lines you suggested, including some practical info and hints on driving Eagle.

Well, I get SC because I'm a hobbyist as well as a professional, and of course I'm a former and occasionally current contributor. As I've said in the past, I hardly read it anymore, there is very little of interest in there for me, but I still like to support the sole remaining Australian electronics magazine. I'm sure I'll keep contributing occasionally too. In fact I have a real super-duper project up my sleeve right now...

If it is true that fewer professionals read it these days then it's kinda obvious why I think. 20+ years ago, the level of technology in professional electronics design wasn't really all that more advanced from the stuff being done in hobbyist mags like SC and EA. But now the technological divide is much greater, so there is potentially less interest there for professionals. And throw the Internet into the equation as well of course.

Dave.

September and October (with the exception of the Agilent scope review) was the exact same, it must be a new trend ;)