CompuServe Thread

#Amiga World unreliable

63 messages in this thread
#106403From: Marco V. PrincipatoJul 7, 1993 10:34 AM
Hello Amigos. I live in Rome (Italy) and am an ex Amiga user. I had to sell it due to miss of available space, my job forced me to use only PCs. But I wanted to remain updated and informed with Amiga news and features, and CompuServe is a great help with this, but reading Amiga World Magazine could also help a lot. I've purchased it from the newsstand for a year and a half; finally decided to subscribe, to be sure getting all the issues and to $ave over the cover price (it costs about $8 per issue at the newsstand; thiefs? Yes. Italians=Thiefs, often. The official italian distributor charges a lot on the foreign papers.) I called AW guys by fax, sending the specific overseas subscription form that they include in the magazine and asking to send me a short reply by fax, specifying what will be the first issue I'll receive direct from them, to warn my newsstand when to stop setting it aside for me. I've subscribed other magazines (PC-Magazine, Unix World, QST/ARRL, Telephony etc.) and alla them answered quickly and courteously to the same question. But Amiga World guys, after 4 faxes still don't answer, neither by phone nor by fax nor by letter. So be careful. A company that IGNORE its new customers AT ALL, means 1) a bad mannered company and, 2) a company that puts its enrichment before the interest in defense of customers; at least, others are money-full like them but try to hide this to their customers. I found this behavior at least outrageous. Near the year 2000, don't tell me that still exist someone worrying about sending a fax overseas. Even Italy lowered its overseas phone rates!… I can't figure out they are unable to send one short, quick, small fax to tell "Thanks for your subscription – you will receive the October 93 issue from us. Goodbye". A short line like this gets sent in less than 30 seconds so costs LESS than a mailed letter and arrives immediately. Thanks everybody for the attention. Marco V. Principato – ROMA – ITALY
#106405From: Jim OgilvieJul 7, 1993 10:43 AM
Marco… You aren't the only one who has been miffed by Amigaworld. Every time I buy an issue of AW, several subscription cards fall out of it, offering me a "great deal" on AW subscription. The last "deal" tempted me. It was just under 20 dollars for a subscription, and you get a free diskette with the deal. I decided to go for it. I sent in the card for a subscription. Two weeks later, the card came back with a letter that explained that – 1) – I was in Canada, and therefore could not use the "bill me" option. My subscription has to be prepaid. 2) – The just under 20 dollar deal was not available to me, because I am in Canada. They wanted to charge me 36 dollars (US funds) for the subscription. That's almost *double* the price being offered. I think that is completely outrageous. So, now I will only pick up AW at a magazine stand *IF* it has an article which interests me, and that certainly isn't the case with each and every issue. Don't get me wrong, I like AW, that's why I wanted to subscribe. But the price being asked for simply because I am a half hour drive from Buffalo NY is simply not acceptable. I shouldn't have to pay twice the price for that little extra distance. Scratch yet another subscription customer. Jim
#106437From: RICHARD BOOMSMAJul 7, 1993 4:17 PM
Jim, I tried one of Amiga World's famous "free issue" deals about 3 years ago. They sent me a bill and since I didn't want to subscribe, I wrote CANCEL on the invoice and mailed it back. They then sent me a "guilt" letter saying we had a "deal made with a handshake" and billed me again. Unbelievable !!!! I sent them a nasty letter. Doesn't sound like they've changed much in the last three years. —Rich
#106516From: Dominick J. FontanaJul 8, 1993 6:09 AM
Richard, Sorry to hear about the problems you and a few others have had with Amiga World Magazine. I just wanted to give the other viewpoint and say that I have been a satisfied subscriber since 1988 and have found them to be one of the better, more courteous, and professional magazines around. No complaints on my end. Just a promptly delivered, attractively priced, and great magazine delivered to my door for over the past five years. Dom Fontana –> Sent from NY via AP <–
#106987From: Tim WalshJul 12, 1993 3:12 PM
Mr. Fontana: Thank you for your vote of confidence. Occasionally, we do make mistakes, I'm happy to hear from a "happy" customer. Debbie, Fulfillment Manager AmigaWorld
#107059From: Dominick J. FontanaJul 13, 1993 5:04 AM
Debbie, I'm glad to have helped. I think you have a great magazine. Keep up the good work. Dom Fontana –> Sent from NY via AP <–
#107081From: Tim WalshJul 13, 1993 11:22 AM
Mr. Fontana– On behalf of Debbie and myself, thanks! Tim
#106646From: Marco V. PrincipatoJul 9, 1993 8:59 AM
Richard: just to learn a bit more American… can you kindly <g> report what did you write in your nasty letter to AW? Or you think it's better to avoid here?… MVP
#106663From: RICHARD BOOMSMAJul 9, 1993 1:11 PM
Marco, I'm not going to teach you some of the more "colorful metaphors" (in other words, abusive language) found in American culture. I'm sure you have plenty of your own. 🙂 It's been about 3 years so I can't remember exactly what I said but it basicaly came down to the fact that THEY had offered me a free copy of the magazine and TOLD me in the letter that if I didn't want to subscribe to simply write "cancel" on the invoice they sent me. That's exactly what I did and I told them I thought it was reprehensible that would then send me a "guilt" letter in an attempt to FORCE me to subscribe. I told them that because of their "guilt" letter I would NEVER buy their magazine again. I then didn't buy another Amiga World until just a couple weeks ago. If they hadn't sent me that letter, who knows how many issues I would have purchased in the last 3 years. It's really too bad because the issue I just bought WAS very good. Hope this answers your question and yes, we should definately talk about it here. Maybe someone from Amiga World will read it and understand what AS*H*LE'S (colorful metephor 🙂 they were back then and make sure it never happens again. —Rich
#106849From: Marco V. PrincipatoJul 11, 1993 7:46 AM
So good! Richard, it's wonderful to know I'm not alone. However, I've gotten into some troubles in getting messages thru WINCIM, maybe I've lost some of the messages of other forum participants. I seem to be in need to change the dial in number. The worst: no mention is done in AW about CompuServe mail addresses or even Internet. What kind of "bad boys" are them? Almost all magazines DO have at least one person able to walk around here. Hmmm, I figure out what mistake I've done, that day I purchased AW for the 1st time … Rgds, MVP
#106988From: RICHARD BOOMSMAJul 12, 1993 3:13 PM
Marco, Message received. I don't want you to have the wrong impression. For the most part, AW is an excellent magazine. It allows Amiga users to keep up with the "latest" ideas and products available to us. It is also a very good value, to Americans at least. It only costs perhaps 20-30 minutes of an average Americans hourly income (don't quote me on that) at COVER price and much, much less by subscribtion. My problem came in the way they tried to get me to subscribe against my will by making me feel guilty. Amiga World is not the only Amiga magazine out there, but if it's the only one YOU can get, then I would suggest that you continue to buy it. I'm sorry that I do not understand the problems you are having with CompuServe, for us it is so easy (TOO easy, the way my last month's charge looks) 🙂 Aren't you the one learning to speak/write American? (Notice I didn't say English, VERY different!) If so, your messages are coming across very well. How long have you been learning? How can we help? What areas are you having the most trouble with? Except for your grammer (which will take a long, long, time), you sound quite knowledgeable (I need to watch my spelling) of the language. Looking forward to hearing from you. —Rich
#107369From: Tom SawyerJul 16, 1993 10:44 PM
Richard, Guess what? I just got a mailing from AW that said "Time flies when your having fun." It was a renewal for my subscription to AW. I thought I had quite some time to go before renewal, so i checked to see when my sub expires, and i found out that my sub expires Feb of 94! What in the Amiga World is going on here. I've subscribed to many magazines over the years, and never have i seen an attempt by a magazine to get a renewal 7 months before expiration. It would seem to me that the readership is dropping fast, and they are desparately trying to hang onto what is left. What do you think? Thomas
#107390From: Betty Clay/SYSOPJul 17, 1993 1:12 AM
Tom, I frequently get renewal notices a year or more before my subscription expires. I'm sure this is just routine. Most of us ignore one or two of those notices before we finally send in the renewal. —Betty
#107399From: Brian BartlettJul 17, 1993 3:30 AM
Thomas, I'm quite used to renewal notices seven months, or more, in advance. Given the number of mags I suscribe to, I'm suprised that more don't practice this. Brian
#107421From: RICHARD BOOMSMAJul 17, 1993 9:22 AM
Tom, This must be the new thing these days. My Newsweek subscription doesn't run out until December and yet they have been trying for MONTHS to get me to renew. It's called CASHFLOW. —Rich
#107515From: Tom SawyerJul 18, 1993 11:36 AM
Richard, This must be the new policy at AW. Over the last 5 years I've never seen a renewal mailing this early. No need in speculating about whether or not readership is falling off and AW trying to keep what is left. Thomas
#107572From: Lou WallaceJul 18, 1993 7:40 PM
Really Thomas, there is noting new here. This is how it has always been done – and believe me I've taken my share of comments on it to the circulation department over the years. It is simply standard operating procedure for magazine subscription services – and AW is not doing anything unusual. As for AW – it is doing just fine. It remains the authority in the Amiga publishing field. Lou
#107455From: Richard EricksonJul 17, 1993 5:02 PM
That is a common practice, if they get your prepaid subscripition in the current calender year, they can add that to this years books. Anywhere from 4 to 7 months is not at all unusual for most magazines aimed at a narrow audience. They can get a cash infusion, keep subscriber loyality, and show higher subscriber base. It sometimes is a indication of a company trying to get cash for a new publication or project. Richard -> via the Amiga 1000 AutoPilot
#107611From: RICHARD BOOMSMAJul 19, 1993 7:31 AM
Richard, Or to justify higher advertising rates. 🙂 —Rich
#107487From: Dominick J. FontanaJul 18, 1993 2:51 AM
Tom, I have about a dozen magazine subscriptions (computer, audio, video, MIDI, recording, etc.) and most of them send me renewal notices 6-8 months in advance. I have some 3-year subscriptions where they solicit renewals 18 months in advance. So I don't think Amiga World is doing anything out of the ordinary, just as they're not doing anything out of the ordinary by charging more for Canadian subscriptions. They're just doing what most other magazines do. Dom Fontana –> Sent from NY via AP <–
#106990From: Tim WalshJul 12, 1993 3:17 PM
Mr. Principato: We cover all of the major networks in On-Line Scan. Tim Walsh, Sr. Editor
#106885From: Denny Atkin [COMPUTE/AmiJul 11, 1993 4:31 PM
One thing to keep in mind is that the editorial folks have NOTHING to do with circulation. In fact, circulation and sales is usually done by a third-party company (and these companies, like CDS, usually handle hundreds of different magazines). Denny Atkin Author, Denny Atkin's Best Amiga Tips and Secrets (cheesy plug!)
#106989From: RICHARD BOOMSMAJul 12, 1993 3:13 PM
Denny (cheesy plug!) Atkin, I certainly understand that the editorial staff at AW doesn't have anything to do with circulation (as long as they write well) 🙂 But the owners DO. The owners made a serious blunder in the "third-party" company that they used. If my experience was any indication, they lost many more potential customers than they gained by the strategy they used. However, as I pointed out to Marco, AW is all in all an excellent magazine, and I will continue to purchase it……occasionally. —Rich
#106993From: Tim WalshJul 12, 1993 3:30 PM
AmigWorld has recently changed Fulfillment Houses. Hopefully, you will see an improvement in service. Debbie, Fulfillment Manager AmigaWorld
#106534From: Ron LegroJul 8, 1993 12:11 PM
On the other hand, a year or so back I was looking for an article in an old Amigaworld and couldn't find it. I called the magazine asking to buy a back issue, got put through to an assistant editor, and told him (vaguely) the article that I recalled. Within a few days he'd mailed me a photocopy of it without charge. Hurrah! — Ron Legro, Milwaukee via AUTOPILOT (the only way to fly)
#106535From: Jim OgilvieJul 8, 1993 12:25 PM
Ron… As I said, I have no complaint about the magazine itself. However, the subscription issue is what I have a beef with. Why would someone who lives in Canada have to pay *double* for a subscription? Postage? I don't think so. Jim
#106554From: Denny Atkin [COMPUTE/AmiJul 8, 1993 2:49 PM
Actually, as I understand it, Postage has a LOT to do with it, as magazines don't get the special Magazine rate when crossing borders. There's also GST to contend with. Heck, compare it to trying to order a British mag over here — direct subscriptions from the UK are usually well over $100 a year!
#106555From: Jonathan BlackwellJul 8, 1993 2:57 PM
I think it might be postage plus the fact that the Canadian dollar is worth much less. -Jonathan
#106624From: Dominick J. FontanaJul 9, 1993 2:36 AM
Jim, I have subscriptions to twelve magazines; computer, audio, video, recording/music, and practically all of them charge a higher rate for Canadian subscribers, so why should Amiga World be different? What they are charging is not out of the ordinary. And the fact that you're only 50 miles from the U.S. border really doesn't make a difference. If the policy is to charge more for Canadian residents, then it makes absolute sense to include you, no matter how close you are to the U.S. So maybe you disagree with magazine subscription policies in general, but that isn't a knock against just Amiga World. Most magazines have the same policy. Dom Fontana –> Sent from NY via AP <–
#106640From: Dale LarsonJul 9, 1993 6:51 AM
If you want to solve the 50-mile issue, get a P.O. Box in Buffalo and drive down once a month. Dale Larson – An Amiga Software Engineer with some time on his hands.
#106750From: Dominick J. FontanaJul 10, 1993 2:04 AM
> If you want to solve the 50-mile issue, get a P.O. Box in Buffalo and drive down once a month. I think you meant to leave the above message for someone else. I don't live in Canada. Dom Fontana –> Sent from NY via AP <–
#106639From: Dale LarsonJul 9, 1993 6:51 AM
There might be tariffs or other legal/money non-sense involved? Dale Larson – An Amiga Software Engineer with some time on his hands.
#106649From: Soft-Logik Tech SupportJul 9, 1993 9:43 AM
Jim: the reason you have to pay double for a subscription in Canada is entirely due to postage and the laws. Magazines usually get special rates for postage if they're big enough. The same is true in both countires. But US magazines can't just send a bunch of copies to Canada and mail them from there with the special rate. Canadian lawas require Canadian content/ownership/edition or whatever. That's why Time magazine stopped making a real Cnd edition—because the govt wouldn't let them have cheap postage. There is a current controversy over Sports Illustrated's Cnd edition, which somehow qualifies for the special rate. And yes, GST is included in the Cnd price as well. Canada requires that foreign publishers collect GST for them. (Which doesn't make US mag publishers very happy, since no other country does something like that.) Mike Loader (a Canadian now living in the US who is enjoying resubscribing to magazines at half the price. 😉
#106731From: Robert ComerJul 9, 1993 9:49 PM
Speaking as someone who has worked for companies that ship to Canada, shipping has a LOT to do with it, not to mention taxes. (Shipping taxes, and handling was about double what some items were worth.) Bob Comer — Cruising the nets on AutoPilot from Cheyenne, Wyoming
#106793From: jeff HolinskiJul 10, 1993 2:37 PM
It's not just Amiga World that charges a lot more for their product in Canada. A while back when the new software for DCTV was released (v1.1) I called Digital Creations to find out about the upgrade. DC: "Yes we're shipping the upgrade" I was told, "It's $15." ME: "Great" says I, "Do you charge extra for shipping to Canada?" DC: "Canada,…Oh,.. We charge $35 in US funds for the upgrade." ME: ????? At this point I'm still using version 1.0 of DCTV's software and will never buy anything else from Digital Creations.
#106991From: Tim WalshJul 12, 1993 3:19 PM
Mr. Ogilvie: I sympathize with you over the cost, unfortunately, this additional cost is due to yes, postage and the tax, GST. Debbie, Fulfillment Manger AmigaWorld
#106543From: Andrew PorterJul 8, 1993 1:20 PM
Jim, I can relate to what you are saying but it isn't just AW that doubles the subscription price for Canada. If you look at almost any other American publication the price is between 50-120% more in American funds. Even compute!, which only costs $9.95 is over twenty in Canada. I believe, with most Mags that have advertising, your subscription is paying for the post charges, not the magazine. The ads pay for the mag. The higher cost to Canada I think it is because the US postal service gives magazines a bulk discount which Canada Post doesn't. The end result is that it costs more to mail to Canada. But, if you assume you will buy all the magazines in a given year the cost of a subscription is still a little bit less than buying at the local vendor. Andrew
#106645From: Marco V. PrincipatoJul 9, 1993 8:59 AM
That's ok, Jim. I see. I see that I'm not alone. All the best, MVP
#106676From: Peter JonesJul 9, 1993 3:23 PM
Jim, AW airmailed to Europe is 81.97 Dollars a year. I can buy it at my local gas station here in Brussels for the equivalent of six dollars (let's see .. 12 times 6 …. um 72). I save nearly ten dollars and have the advantage of browsing thru each number to see whether I want to purchase. The other thing that drives me mad is 'Foreign orders must be prepaid in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank.'. This phrase is only too common in American advertising. WAKE UP, America, there's a whole world out here. Pete Jones, flying on AutoPilot from Brussels, Belgium p.s. I notice that they give Mexican subscribers a better deal than they offer you, only 30.97 dollars!
#106690From: Black Belt SystemsJul 9, 1993 4:54 PM
Peter, Your newspaper dealer has the advantage of dealing with a distributor, which receives magaznies in bulk. This costs MUCH less to ship for 12 copies (out of what, a hundred? a thousand? More?) than does a single magazine, 12 times. That's where the extra ten bucks comes from. Also, mailing isn't the only issue. Handling for single issues is more costly than for bulk issues. Somewhere in there is (no doubt) some profit for the magazine, too. Hopefully. That *is* the point, after all. As for "Orders must be prepaid in US finds drawn on a US bank", Well, of course. If we (a US company) deposit a check from another country, we get charged somewhere betwen 5$ and $25, depending on just where the check came from. Ditto wire transfers, and so on. It costs money to do international transactions – if you pay by check, by the time AW cashes it, they are missing a significat percentage of the dollars they require in order to get you your subscription and make a profit – neccessary to get the job done. It's not AW's fault, if anything, it's a problem with nationalistic and protectionistic attitudes that the US (and much of the rest of the world) has been guilty of collectively for years. Those attitudes cost bucks – I never did think that "national pride" (ours, yous, theirs) was worth diddly, but hey – I've never been mainstream, anyway. :^) The external funds issue only has three possible resolutions: (1) – you get charged a fee, plus the sub cost, in your funds. This would be administratively a nightmare, because since transactions to different regions cost different amounts, the bookkeeping would be expensive (and guess who would get to pey? Right – you). (2) – The way it works now: That is, YOU get to find out about the extra costs by converting the funds to US dollars. This removes the bookkeeping issue from the magazine's hands and puts it in yours. It also gives you a decent change to "bargain shop" for the best money conversion. It costs you time, it saves the magazine time. (3) – They "just do it" and swallow the costs. They lose money, and they (naturally) eventually stop offering out of country subs. —————— It's simple (relatively) economics. America, or more to the point, Amiga World, is awake – you're not allowing for reality, and that's the problem here. –Ben …via AutoPilot
#106762From: Peter JonesJul 10, 1993 6:02 AM
Ben, Points taken. I guess that part of the problem is I cannot help comparing bankers with vultures. The belgian banks have a cute little system that says deposits are credited only from the following working day while withdrawals are debited from the previous working day. There are no figures to show just how much this nets them per annum! On the U.S. funds issue, I think it must lose American companies some international orders. If someone here in Europe can just write out a cheque and send it off to the States, then he/she is more likely to do it. If the Eurocheque system could be extended to cover the globe it would simplify things. The banks would still get their pound of flesh (they do with the present Eurocheque system) but would be much more transparent to the customer. Thanks for the docs on packet radio by the way, I shall be coming back to you on that. Pete Jones, flying on AutoPilot from Brussels, Belgium
#106779From: Steve AhlstromJul 10, 1993 10:58 AM
Ben, I'd suggest you check out other banks in your area for their foreign funds policy. I used to get a lot of European checks — personal checks, and was never charged for deposit. The only time I was charged is if it was a EuroCheck (brand name of a money order, I guess). Personal checks never had a charge. Now, if a European personal check bounced (that happened several times) I'd be charged $60 in fees whereas if a US check bounced it was only $5 in fees (plus the face amount of the check, of course). -sja
#106753From: Don Curtis/SYSOPJul 10, 1993 2:23 AM
Pete, That's because exchange rates fluctuate daily. You may send in the equivalent of $80 in foreign currency and iby the time it was received, deposited, exchanged, etc. it could easily be worth some other figure. By sending in US funds all those delays and fluctuations are avoided. Don
#106765From: Peter JonesJul 10, 1993 6:02 AM
Don, See my further mumblings to Ben. 🙂 Pete Jones, flying on AutoPilot from Brussels, Belgium
#106780From: Steve AhlstromJul 10, 1993 10:58 AM
Don, Currency fluctuations can go either way, so it's a wash. The way my bank works is that you are credited the exchange rate for the hour the deposit was made (they call for the current rate at the time of deposit). -sja
#106832From: Don Curtis/SYSOPJul 10, 1993 11:43 PM
Steve, Overall..it may be a wash, but from several viewpoints, unless the figure is exactly on…it's "not right". Joefrom German orders something, writes out a check that is equivalent to $80 on the day he drops the order in the mail. By the time it's cleared, Joe'scheck is only worth $75. The company just lost $5 profit. Same thing…but now by the time it's cleared, Joe's check is now worth $85. Joe just paid $5 more than the advertised price and is entitled to refund and/or hasa complaint about being overcharged. That, plus the fact that most banks do charge a fee for foreign transactions. Mine was a set $2.50 processing fee. The only way for it to be "fair" is for the purchaser to send funds in $US drawn on a bank that's a member of the FRB. Don't forget, that no matter how long it takes for a check to clear….under current regulations banks must make deposited funds available to you within 7 days. If it takes 15 days for a check to "bounce" the bank has to eat some of the charges. Don
#106833From: Steve AhlstromJul 10, 1993 11:51 PM
Don, No …. Joe's check is worth what he wrote it out for in his country. If the exchange rate changes between the time it was written and it was deposited, the only affect is on the person the check was written to. Say that Joe's check was for 500DM … when the check comes in and is debited from his account, 500DM is removed — no more, no less. My bank does not charge for foreign transactions (other than EuroChecks), maybe you should switch? (I'm with Colorado National Bank).
#106939From: Don Curtis/SYSOPJul 12, 1993 1:00 AM
Steve, The last foreign check I got was from TransAmi UK…so it's a moot point now <grin>. Don
#106977From: Peter JonesJul 12, 1993 2:00 PM
Steve, Sounds like a reasonable bank. What is curious, though, is the fact that it charges for EuroCheques but not for other European cheques. The issuer of a EuroCheque pays 1.25% on top so that the recipient shoud pay no charges at all! Part of that 1.25% obviously goes to the destination bank. It would seem that, in your case, your bank makes a charge because it's not getting anything from the European bank, which thus makes a larger profit on the deal! As I said in other message on this thread, maybe The Eurocheque system, or something similar, will spread across the whole world. (Thought: They'll have to think up a new name for it, to avoid the confusion between an American check and an English cheque 🙂 ) Pete Jones, flying on AutoPilot from Brussels, Belgium
#106994From: Tim WalshJul 12, 1993 3:34 PM
Mr. Jones: Yes, you can get the Magazine cheaper, if you wait to purchase it on the newstand, but there is a time difference of 3-4 weeks, sometimes longer for overseas. Debbie, Fulfillment Manager AmigaWorld
#107461From: Steve Bennett/SYSOPJul 17, 1993 7:15 PM
Um… It works both ways, you know… I regularly pick up several UK based Amiga magazines (Amiga Format, Amiga Power, and sometimes others) from local bookstores and magazine stands, and invariably, the cost to me for buying it off the stand is typically significantly less than the subscription rate for overseas customers. Mind you, the business about "…U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank." seems to be reciprocated less often, but I *do* often see in these magazines that overseas orders MUST be paid with a Credit Card. (Nearly all US companies who make the "U.S. funds" statement also take Credit Cards, so I figure we're even there…) –>Steve Bennett
#107533From: Peter JonesJul 18, 1993 2:08 PM
Steve, Yes. The credit card route is the way to go for international purposes, I think. They also have their problems, though. For example, I have had problems with deliveries to my Belgian address when ordering with a credit card which has my English address. I can understand this, however, given the high level of credit card fraud. Pete Jones, flying on AutoPilot from Brussels, Belgium
#106447From: Tom SawyerJul 7, 1993 7:37 PM
Marco, You should have gone with the Compute Amiga Edition. Compute magazine offers much better all around Amiga coverage. Thomas
#106644From: Marco V. PrincipatoJul 9, 1993 8:59 AM
Hey, Thomas: That's a good idea. Why don't you tell me how to contact them? I've never seen it at the newsstand here and can't figure out how to read a sample issue without asking to them. Thanks for your suggestion and thanks to the others, who read my message. MVP
#106855From: Tom SawyerJul 11, 1993 10:15 AM
Marco, RE:Cumpute: Compute is distributed worldwide by Curtis Circulation Company, P.O. Box 9102, Pennsauken, NJ 08109. Distributed in Australia by the Horwitz Group, P.O. Box 306, Cammeray NSW 2062 Australia and in the UK by Northern and Shell Pic, P.O. Box 381, Millharbour, London E149TW Cost: Canada and elsewhere -25.94 one year(Taken from Feb 93 issue) Thomas
#107219From: LOUISJul 14, 1993 9:54 PM
Tom, Where is Compute Amiga Edition available? -Louis On AUTOPILOT
#107370From: Tom SawyerJul 16, 1993 10:44 PM
Louis, Pretty much by mail. It might be available at some rare magazine racks, but if you really want it subscribe. Thomas
#106551From: steve pondJul 8, 1993 1:56 PM
Marco, Try Subscribing to 'Amiga Shopper' an English magazine that caters for the serious Amiga User (No games coverage) Their International Subscriptions Number is +44 458 74011 Its a good Mag and i'm sure they'd be more than pleased to supply you. Steve
#106561From: Black Belt SystemsJul 8, 1993 4:07 PM
Marco, You're being unrealistic. The cost of an overseas fax is very high compared to the margins it generates. One fax to you, and bingo, that may eat the entire profit from your subsription. I wouldn't be surprised if a letter arrives with your requested information, though. –Ben …via AutoPilot
#106778From: Marco V. PrincipatoJul 10, 1993 9:59 AM
Ben: I respect your (as well as other's) opinion, but, don't tell me that a subscription means for a magazine earning one dollar. If so, why don't all these guys who advertise subscriptions go walking along the sand, rather than work hard? I own 4 USA Phone Calling Cards (AT&T, MCI, US Sprint and VIATEL). I use them because I $ave over our national overseas rates. So, a US-resident guy MUST (and when I tell "must" I mean MUST) spend less than me to send a fax overseas. I spend one dollar each one-page fax through VIATEL, one & half through the local phone company. Why should anyone in the US spend more? Anyway, it's not a profit matter; it is a manner matter. PC-Connection (a mail vendor I can recommend to everyone) has sent to me lots of faxes; has swapped a defective faxmodem I purchased with a new one, without charging me one cent, including shipping back and forth. So, some of the faxes produced a profit, because I purchased. Some other didn't, but produced the image of a serious, kind, polite, courteous and reliable company. Do you figure out what means using this tecnique to fill such opinion in customers' mind? Simply, costs less than advertising and works much better, because produces human advertising. Sorry for the river of words. MVP
#106947From: Brian BartlettJul 12, 1993 4:14 AM
Marco, the situation with the various phone systems has more to do with the fact that most of the telecommuncations companies are monopolies, and state run at that. All too frequently, what is charged to call from, say Spain, to another country, say Argentina, is a quite different amount from what is charged to call from Argentina to Spain. It would be reasonable to think that each call would cost the same each way. Not in this world. If a third country is involved it becomes a nightmare. The main reason this situation continues, and it is a _worldwide_ problem, is that the contracts between the telecommunications companies were set some time ago when we did not have the current free-for-all that resulted from the breakup of AT&T. There are some new companies operating in Europe that specialize in offering cheaper long distance services to companies by routing calls through intermediary countries, such as the Bahamas. It's irrational that a call that actually travels a longer distance should be cheaper, all because of national boundries and national telecommunications monopolies, but it's true. Sad but true. Sorry for my river of words. Brian
#106995From: Tim WalshJul 12, 1993 3:43 PM
Mr. Principato: When AmigaWorld Readers, contact the Main Office, via Fax, we try to respond within 48 hours, a major problem being, in- complete information. It would be most helpful, to include the complete address and the telephone number. To fax out we need theinternational number as well as the country code. Sometimes this is not provided and it causes great difficulties in our response. Debbie, Fulfillment Manager AmigaWorld
#106986From: Tim WalshJul 12, 1993 3:08 PM
Mr. Principato: As in a previous fax, I have responded to your request of information on the sub rate of Amiga World. I also forwarded a copy of my previous fax. Debbie, Fulfillment Manager AmigaWorld