From: jmorriso@rflab.ee.ubc.ca (John Paul Morrison) Subject: Re: Linux Journal -- magazine Date: 29 Apr 1993 00:29:57 GMT
In article <1993Apr23.073631.14589@klaava.Helsinki.FI> wirzeniu@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Lars Wirzenius) writes:
>chip@fin.uucp (Chip Salzenberg) writes:
>>Linus generates multiple patches per _week_. And look at the rate of
>>new program or port announcements. I don't think that a paper journal
>>can possible do justice to Linux.
>
>There is no way any paper journal can compete with
>comp.os.linux.announce for speed, true. There are, however, things
>that a journal can do which do not require high speeds: reviews of
>stuff (instead of just announcements), interviews, commentary, making
>Linux known to people who've never even heard of any net, and so on.
>A monthly magazine that is produced quickly enough (so that it is only
>a couple of months out of date) can still be up to date _enough_ that
>it is useful and valuable.
A journal shouldnt be trying to keep up with the latest news. Its
like comparing TV and newspapers. TV gives the instant story and
pictures, but it doesnt stick with a story and give any depth to it.
Linux Journal could have a small section for soundbites, and brief
info (and a gossipy section where every mentioned person gets their name
bold-faced ;-)
Linux Journal would let the major developers (or at least people who
have interviewed the important people) write down the *history* and
the design process for Linux. People like Linus deserve to have their
acomplishments set down in hardcopy, for historical/archival purposes.
Who knows where Linux will be in 5 or 10 years; do people want to
learn what Linux was all about from alt.folklore.computers? Linux will
develop alot in the next few years old timers and newbies just installing
Linux 10R6 (pl 6A-4.3b.R2) will want to learn a bit about it or relive
past accomplishments.
Also, a respectable Journal would provide a defense against lawsuits,
harrasment etc. (prior art: algorithm, code published in journal)
>
>--
>Lars.Wirzenius@helsinki.fi (finger wirzeniu@klaava.helsinki.fi)
> MS-DOS, you can't live with it, you can live without it.
-- ______________________________________________________________________________ John Paul Morrison | University of British Columbia, Canada | Hey hey!! Ho ho!! Electrical Engineering | Tax & spend liberals jmorriso@ee.ubc.ca VE7JPM | have got to go!! ________________________________________|____________________________________