#Demise of AmigoTimes?
40 messages in this thread
Anybody know anything about AmigoTimes?? I haven't recieved any copies for
a few months, the the phone numbers listed in the magazine have all been
disconnected. Sounds like another good amiga mag has bit the dust.
Such a shame, it had such _excellent_ graphics….
AmigoTimes and Info have merged. They will be coming out as a new magazine
named Amiga Professional.
Steve,
Does that mean INFO will be Amiga-specific only? From the new title it
sounds like it. Or will it split into two magazines?
Lee
Lee,
It means that the new magazine, Amiga Professional, will be Amiga only.
Hmmm..I guess that's why my copy of Info is late.
Glenn,
They "skipped" a month.
Steve
NO longer true…the merge is off.
So what IS happening with them? Please?
……Betty
INFO says the Atimes merge is off…..Eyo & Co. are unreachable and word is
they have grave financial problems……its anyones guess what will happen
to AmigoTimes….INFO is courting investors to go monthly………LOuis
I do hope the problems with our magazines are solved – and quickly. We
need them, and we don't have very many left. I do hate to lose any more.
……Betty
Well, the 'Great Magazine Shakeout' was foreseen almost as soon as they
started popping up all over…. much like the Great Video Game Shakeout of
'84, I guess. Hopefully the 'zine quake will subside, and the good, solid
mags will remain standing. And maybe we can build some new, solid magazines
to fill in the gaps where the old shakey magazines once hunched.
I certainly hope that won't affect INFO's publication. It's been my
favorite CBM magazine since the first issue of INFO-64.
I'm certainly not speaking officially, but last I heard, INFO will go
monthly and be more (if not totally) Amiga oriented
INFO monthly?? That'd be GREAT!! I would, however, hate to see them abandon
the Commodore 8-bit machines, as I still have a 64 (several actually..grin)
as well as the Amiga, and it's about the only reliable source left for 64
news and reviews. But if not…ahh well..guess I'll just pick up a copy of
Run now and again…sigh.
I wait with baited breath for the next Info mag.!!
-Rad
Louis, I called Info to see if they would confirm the deal was off. They
replied that they couldn't comment on the merge, and negotiations were
still in progress. They also said that AmigoTimes' phone would be
reconnected next week.
They told me different……………………….Louis
I hope the person I talked to was right, but I have a gut feel that you
probably have more of an inside scoop….
Ahh, that's good to hear. It's such a shame when some good magazines
vanish, as so many have…
I for one would be particularly sad to see AmigoTimes go. Did you see the
issue where they compared ProPage and PageStream head to head? In the same
issue they had sample printouts from different color printers. That issue
impressed me as being the first AMIGA specific magazine that was determined
od{to stick to a solid editorial snce, with very little fluff or
cheerleading. And the price was so low for a good solid issue complete
with disk! A little over half the price of AmigaPLUS with disk, and
AmigoTimes was so much better! It was hard to find, tho. If they go back
into production I hope they make a deal with a different distributor.
AmigoTimes was distributed (in the U.S. anyway) by International
Periodical Distributors. IPD is a pretty good outfit–they're fast and
reliable and their discount is the best of the major magazine distributors.
All the big chain bookstores, as well as independents like the one I work
for (I buy magazines, among other things, for Borders Book Shop in Novi,
Michigan), do business with them. So do all the Detroit-area Amiga dealers
I've been in. IPD distributes a _lot_ of computer magazines, including
every Amiga rag I'm aware of (even the British stuff). So I'd say if
AmigoTimes was hard to find, it was the fault of individual stores and
dealers for not carrying it (and I wish I'd carried it earlier myself), cuz
it was certainly available.
I'm also sad to see AmigoTimes go. It looked great and always contained
enough solid info to hold my attention. Could've used a more thorough
proof-reading, tho. 8^)
I,ve just logged of my local Amiga bbs and it appears that the sysop is a
friend of the owner(?) of Amigo times.It appears that they may rise from
the dead.They have just rented new offices and are arranging new financial
backers.Nothing is in the bag yet so keep your fingers crossed.
I bought each (1-9) AmigoTimes with disk as they came out. I used to think
that it was so great (content, paper, graphics, and disk) that they
probably weren't making any money.
I know they were really sick after issue 3- it took several months to get
the next issue out- but it recovered. I always wondered, though, why
Soft-Ware's, the Montreal Ami-Dealer who rented most of their equipment,
wouldn't advertise after issue 1- maybe it means nothing…
It's really sad that such a professional magazine didn't make it. I really
hope that E. Sama et al. return to haunt the Amiga Community.
There was some conversation over in Amiga Vend that INFO and Amigo Times
were discussing a merger, and would rename the new publication Amiga
Professional. That was about a month ago. Haven't heard anything since.
Ray Lewis
Well, I hope _something_ is happening. In January I subscribed to Info
_and_ Amigo Times, and ordered a bunch of back issues of both – easily over
$100 – and I've received nothing! I can understand not receiving new issues
if they are (temporarily, I hope) not publishing right now, but I wish
they'd at least send all those back issues I ordered… —Scott
p.s. – Maybe it's me. I also have not received the Sentry back issues I
ordered, nor AmigaWorld's special video issue (although I _did_ receive the
videotape (excellent) and disks (virtually useless to me)).
Are you interested in any back issues of Amazing Computing? I think I've
got a full set that I'd sell for not much over the cost of shipping…
Hmmm, maybe… I didn't order any of those because, unlike Info et al,
Amazing provides no list of what's covered in which issue, so I wouldn't
know which issues might have something of interest to me. As a rule,
Amazing is one of the mags that holds lesser appeal for me, since I have no
interest in programming, hardware "projects" and the like. I'm interested
in product reviews, game stuff, news (irrelevant to back issues,of course)
and interesting "opinion" articles.
The earliest issue of Amazing that I have is Vol. 4 #10. If you think you
have some earlier ones that would interest me, let me know a price. I doubt
I'd want anything before 1989, though. I don't have an historical interest,
and anything in issues that old would likely be superceded by newer
products/versions, incomplete, or just plain wrong today. —Scott
No Kidding, I rely on that mag. for a lot, at least it's not dead!! phew,
that was close! Whatout for AmigaWorld now! The company that owns it is
thinking of dumping it (insider info)!!
-Rad
Sorry friend, but in no way shape or form is IDG 'thinking of dumping
AmigaWorld'. AW is published by the NH division of IDG, and we also
publish InCider, PC Resource, Portable COmputing, Game Pro, PC Games and
several others (such as RUN). Of all these magazines, AmigaWorld is the
most profitable (and it is quite profitable). In addition, AW has the
distintion of being the most profitable per page publication in IDG,
worldwide. Not to mention to being one of the best looking, best designed
book (it has won many design awards). And, add to that the fact AW is the
number one Amiga magazine in the World, with circulation double of all US
competition combined.
I guess we're doing something right.
Lou,
Glad you were around to give us that information about AW. Gee, wonder if
they need some writers? We've lost too many Amiga magazines!
……Betty
Betty,
I'm sure we can find an outlet for your talents… (I found your
Transactor article on fonts invaluable last year when I was writing some
code that utilized proportional bitmap fonts.)
Give me a call at the office and we'll chat. 603-924-9471 x 107
Lou Wallace
I'll be in touch!
……Betty
Lou,
I was very glad to see this reply to the previous message. AmigaWorld is
DEFINITELY doing something right in my book. The last 4-5 issues have been
packed with valuable information.
I have given up on the other mags, including those with "valuable disks"
because the content is drivel. Info was a good source of gaming
information. But, if you were looking for good technical information or
tutorials you are better off looking to AW. AmigoTimes comes close, but
had a ways to go.
I hope, if the title is any indication, that the new magazine will
complement the information found in AW. A little competition never hurt
anyone!
Lee 😉
Glad to hear that,Lew! Out of all the Amiga magazines that have come and
gone, the only ones I subscribe to are AW, and Info, and the only other one
I read with any regularity is Amazing Computing. Didn't (doesn't) IDG
publish 80-Micro magazine, having bought it ages ago from Wayne Green?? I
seem to remember that from back in the "dark ages", when I had a 16k TRS-80
Mod 1, and subscribed to 80-Micro.
By no means do I want to spread bad rumours, but they do tend to give way
to good news! Obviously my source, I'll call him Mr. Gamepro is an Amiga
hater, but then, he just spent $3400 bucks on his system and I showed him
what the Amiga could do (a few "select demos") and he lost his fudge! By
the way, that "system" he bought was an IBM AT.
WHERE ARE THOSE STEREO SOUND DEMOS, I GOT'EM HERE SOMEWHERE! 🙂
-Rad
P.S. I think I'll stop listening to these rumour braggers and get on with
my work!
*s
Lou: On another subject… I haven't yet subscribed to the Amiga World Tool
Chest. With some of the other magazines offering little on their disks,
I've been hesitant to subscribe to something that may not be worth it. Can
you fill me in about why I should subscribe?
Thanks===
===Ken
P.S. I'm a long-time subscriber to AmigaWorld and am very glad to hear of
your success. It's a great magazine and I keep my issues as references
(altho my wife is getting concerned about clutter! Oh well…)
Ken, the Tool Chest was created because so many people asked us to 'do
something' about program listings, art, etc. So we came up with the idea of
a disk set (bimonthly) that contains a good mixture of software and
software accessories. There is usually an application and/or utility, one
or two games (my feeling is most people play a game for a short while, then
quickly get bored. So getting a couple of new games every other month keeps
them going.), clip art, 3D objects in sculpt and/or silver format (although
they are usually in sculpt format since more people ask for it), and of
course an animation.
I try and keep PD or shareware off the disk, concentrating on new,
unreleased stuff, altho occasionally a good shareware will be offer (the
author gets paid from us even if it is shareware).
While I doubt that everyone loves everything on every issue, from the
letters we get it would appear the formula is working…
Lou
Thanks for the reply, Lou. Perhaps I'll give the ToolChest a try.
===Ken
Ken,
Dump her.
…Dave