Sadly, I’m Not Renewing My MacAddict Subscription

December 7th, 2006

AppleSorry MacAddict, but I’m not renewing my subscription, after several years of loyal readership. Here are my reasons:

Reason 1: Lately Mac news (and rumors) spread so fast that after a few days, it’s old. By the time it shows up in MacAddict, it’s ancient.

Reason 2: The Disc. A few years ago, the disc made sense. But now with broadband, websites focusing just on Mac software (lifehacker, Versiontracker, DashboardWidgets, and web based applications, I sheepishly admit I sometimes throw The Disc in The Trash as soon as I receive it. And I’m not talking about The Trash in The Dock, either.

Reason 3: It’s hard to deny that some of my favorite MacAddict staff personalities are now gone. I miss: Prison Guy (Rob Capps), Kathy Tafel, Jenifer Morgan, Nikki Echler, Dave Reynolds. There was crazy stuff in the old days, like the iBorg, the warranty-voiding projects, and the confusing articles where you didn’t know if it was a parody or not. Remember the February ‘99 “pirate” issue? That’s the stuff I liked (and Jenifer Morgan in the Alice costume). And now that Rik seems to be moving to run the website and writing a lone column, “Deep Tech,” I’m worried.

Reason 4: I’m concerned about this transition to the new magazine, Mac|Life. The most recent issue of MacAddict had a few sample pages of this new magazine. I do commend them overall on the design: it does look easier to read and makes it easier to find information, but there’s also a feeling of… genericness. It reminds me of MacHome.

Some of my reasons above have nothing to do with the magazine itself but general trends of digital publishing that is affecting all “old media” publications. But then again, I can’t shake the feeling that some of the former rebellious attitude is being tamed to make the magazine more palatable to a mainstream audience. It doesn’t have to be this way. Meanwhile, other magazines like ReadyMade and Make and even JPG (with its Web 2.0 website / magazine blend) are going in the opposite direction, embracing warranty-voiding projects and finding a loyal, niche audience. Personally, I’m finding these magazines more interesting.

So again, apologies to MacAddict… it was fun while it lasted. I’ll probably pick up a copy of Mac|Life on the newsstand next year, but the onus will be upon you to convince me to subscribe.

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Viewing 5 Comments

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    It's really unfortunate. I miss the old crew, too...though it's great that many of them got picked up by Apple (Kathy Tafel, Dave Reynolds, I think Nikki Echler). You can tell that they took the MacAddict spirit to Apple and really helped change things.

    I've still got my old Max t-shirt, with the logo after the first redesign. I really miss those days.

    Didn't renew my subscription last year, after many, many years of being loyal. Truth is, I realized I hadn't read it for the past year, because MacAddict kept printing tutorials for things I already knew, or including articles for things I read online weeks beforehand. And The Disc was no longer necessary. There was a lot less original content on it, and they didn't even include a sleeve anymore! It really looked like they made it cheaper, yet the subscription free was still pretty high.

    I've got issues 13-100 something in my basement, you think someone would buy them off eBay? I can't afford to keep them, and there's too much history to throw out. Meh.

    Anyway, nice to meet someone else who feels like I do. It's surprising to know that I could have written your entry, and it wouldn't have turned out so different. ;)
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    Time will tell... I might pick up one issue of this new magazine but the sample pages were a real let down. I'm glad someone else feels the same way.

    But overall, I think the larger issue is that the Mac community has pretty much moved online - it's not centered on magazines any more.

    Also, When MacAddict started it was actually a rallying point - a post in the sand saying the Mac was still relevant. Maybe MacAddict isn't as important any more because the Mac's survival is no longer in doubt?
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    I think you're right, there. A publication like MacAddict just isn't necessary anymore...just like the evangelists (something that Guy Kawasaki pioneered).

    I think Mac|Life may be headed in the right direction, it seems they've got a handle on where Apple's going. It sounds a lot like MacHome, though, whose web site hasn't been updated since last April (which is telling).

    They'll need to do things like lose The Disc and cater to the newbies, but I'm sure it's possible if done right.
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    Hey I was a mac addict fan for a long time well before year 2000 because I only had a mac and dial up so some of the stuff off the disk was cool for me and i still use them because i upgraded from a pizza box performa 616CD to a power mac 8500/132 even tho i use OS 9.1 on it I still find use for the older apps and games at times I agree with your logic about non use of the magazine. but after ther year 2000 the magazine lost its goodness because the publisher gotten bought by big Corp. anyways I am now a fan of Twit/DLTV/DIGGnation and more thanks for answering my google search your article was a great help =)
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    I dropped my MacAddict subscription around the time they dropped max. I still flip though my stack of old copies every once in a while: the old team had a great sense of humor, and a rebellious streak that made them different enough to MacWorld to get my attention.

    Then again, I quit buying MAD magazine around the same time, so maybe it's something to do with age.
 

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