# Do you like digital editions of woodworking magazines?



## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

A lot of magazines now offer digital editions which can be read on your tablet, smart phone or computer. I used to prefer the paper editions, but lately I have really gotten into the digital ones. It's nice to have a whole library of woodworking magazines in my phone that I can page through when I'm waiting somewhere. I've even bought the back issue libraries of several magazines.

What about you? Do you like digital editions? Would you subscribe to a magazine that was ONLY digital?


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

It is nice to have the digital format already loaded on the phone for reading while waiting for an appointment and not be at the mercy of an iffy internet connection. However, I like a bigger and more accessible format to work from and make notes on if I'm in the shop. I can remember "it was in the middle" of a physical magazine to locate something. I don't have that kind of reference for a digital version.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I often wonder what will happen to the digital information as I look through and search for vintage books and tool catalogs. Will we someday be searching through digital flea markets for that 2014 version of fine woodworking.

I make a living building digital systems and still prefer a book or magazine in my hand.


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## lightcs1776 (Nov 14, 2013)

While I love having actual paper in my hands, digital simply is more easier. I don't have to wonder where I put the magazine, can always look at back issues, and have access from my phone of tablet regardless of my location.


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## kdc68 (Mar 2, 2012)

I've been contemplating the idea of renewing my paper editions to digital.

I have tons of paper editions dating back several years and are categorized at best by "who" and "year" in boxes. This leaves no easy way to go back and reference old editions. I don't want to get rid of them, but yet have no manageable way to keep them organized.

The one obvious advantage to digital is storage. But what are all the advantages?

A couple of questions I can think of off the top of my head about buying digital libraries are:

Are the libraries indexed or have a table of contents for quick reference?

Are the contents in the libraries formatted to be printable?


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

I like digital issues….
However, I like the "kid at Christmas" feeling when the latest edition of "wood porn" arrives.

Yes, I would subscribe to an all digital magazine.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

I prefer digital … easier to read out on the patio (wind doesn't blow the pages), easier to search digital collections (I buy the DVD's of back issues of magazines that offer them every year), and the pile of magazines heaped on the table next to my easy chair doesn't grow so fast.

As my subscriptions expires, I am either canceling them altogether or converting to digital.


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## TheBoxWhisperer (Sep 24, 2012)

I am simply too frugal to pay for most things when there is so much available for free. Disappointingly, most magazines are half advertisements, which while I understand, still burns me even more to spend my hard earned money on. I have spent 10 bucks on a magazine countless times, to only find a few useful things. On the other hand I once ordered a set of 15 dollar plans from a guy in UK for a mobile cart, and it is one of the best set of plans I've ever seen. If I am going to pay for content, it has to be above and beyond the rest, well thought out and a complete set of plans and directions. Basically something like what you sell. Someday soon Ill be able to get some of yours.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

I guess that I'm stuck in the dark ages.
Books, mags, newspapers, etc. are just meant to be handled while reading in my old mind.
Have friends who read on pads like Kindle (sp?). Just doesn't seem right to me.
I like the tactile satisfaction.
Bill


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## TheWoodenOyster (Feb 6, 2013)

I'm a hard copy guy. I am 26, so I am likely one of the younger LJ's but technology didn't get me like it got all of my friends. There is something to be said for holding a stack of paper vs holding a piece of plastic. Much prefer magazines and books in hard copy. We've been doing it for millenia, why stop now?

I would not subscribe to a digital magazine. I suppose sooner or later, I will have to give up my gasoline truck and my books and my oreos and all the things that are "bad". Until then I will be reading hard copies. And burning gas. And eating processed food.  As you can tell, I don't really like change…


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## toeachhisown (Eddie) (Mar 30, 2011)

> I prefer digital … easier to read out on the patio (wind doesn t blow the pages), easier to search digital collections (I buy the DVD s of back issues of magazines that offer them every year), and the pile of magazines heaped on the table next to my easy chair doesn t grow so fast.
> 
> As my subscriptions expires, I am either canceling them altogether or converting to digital.
> 
> - TheDane


The Dane about sized my post up ,


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

That's a great Dane…


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

I suspect that not all digital magazines are created equal - but I have only used the Fine Woodwrking set.

FWW digital is pretty good. The search function works well and I can create a list of favorite articles. It is NOT easy to search through a set of magazines on a shelf.

One advantage not mentioned yet (or I missed it) is space. A full set of back issues is a few feet of shelf space but the digital version is REALLY tiny! My computer didn't swell up at all


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## kdc68 (Mar 2, 2012)

Would someone be so kind to answer these couple of questions



> I ve been contemplating the idea of renewing my paper editions to digital.
> 
> I have tons of paper editions dating back several years and are categorized at best by "who" and "year" in boxes. This leaves no easy way to go back and reference old editions. I don t want to get rid of them, but yet have no manageable way to keep them organized.
> 
> ...


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## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

I'm not a huge fan of digital. I like having articles online to search but I still like having a paper copy, never really gotten used to flipping digital pages…


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

Here are the answers for Fine Woodworking digital:

The issues are arranged by issue date. The search function works very well - better than a table of contents.

The issues are in PDF format and can be printed

Each magazine might be different - so this only applies to FWW


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I prefer both!

However . . . I travel a lot, so having them handy on the iPad is perfect. And at least with the ones I get, I can open them on my laptop and print out the pages if I need them.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

All of the digital collections I have (Fine Woodworking, Shop notes, Wood Smith, Wood Magazine, Popular Woodworking, Woodworker's Journal) have indexes and link features to quickly take you to the articles you want. But that's only if you buy the collections on CD. If you just get a regular subscription, you get each single issue in digital format. You can keep them, as I always do, but there is no overall index for them unless you later buy the updated digital collection on disc. Some give you that update for free, like Shopnotes. On the other hand, the PDF versions are all searchable by word or phrase, so you can open an issue and search for "hand cut dovetails" for example and find it quickly.

I like to have digital collections for the reasons I mentioned above: Easy, indexed access to a large library of magazines. I don't mind reading on my tablet, but I have a 10" screen. I don't usually read them on my smaller smart phone screen. I especially like to have them all on the computer so I can access them when I am doing some research without searching through the book shelf.

I was always a paper guy, I liked to sit in my chair with a stack of issues and look through them one at a time. But once you get used to using a tablet, you don't miss the paper ones like you thought. I have floor to ceiling book shelves on all four walls of my office- hundreds of books. But guess where I do my reading now? On my tablet.


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## TravisH (Feb 6, 2013)

I have the Fine Woodworking Digital and am very happy with it. Yes you can search it, you can book mark topics when you search, and you can print. It is very easy to find things with the search feature. I prefer paper however and have a subscription to Fine Woodworking.

I have three other magazines on my computer but they aren't a disc compilation type set up. Not as useful as you have to open and click and scroll to see what they are about and may be offered in a useful set up, like FW, if purchased. It is nice in that if someone says the issue number I can find it quickly but most of the time the other magazines aren't exactly what makes me interested in woodworking (Popular Woodworking being the other exception).

I don't like reading it on a tablet. Magazine easier to carry around in my opinion. You don't have to worry about leaving it anywhere (no $$ lost). No charging and quicker to flip to where I need to be.


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## lightcs1776 (Nov 14, 2013)

> Would someone be so kind to answer these couple of questions
> 
> I ve been contemplating the idea of renewing my paper editions to digital.
> 
> ...


KDC,

As Stumpy mentioned, many digital subscriptions have the ability to use indexing and search features. Most are also able to be printed, but some require manual formatting.

While I prefer an actual magazine. The advantages I see are:
Easy storage
Fast searching
Access from multiple locations
Easy portability
Fast delivery
Never gets lost or has coffee spilled on the pages
Some articles will link to a manufacturer or authors website

One downside is that it isn't as nice to sit by the campfire with a laptop, Kindle, Nook, iPad, etc as it is with a paper magazine.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

Paper issues come in handier in the bathroom…


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## kdc68 (Mar 2, 2012)

*Steve, Charles, Stumpy, Travis, and Chris…...*

Thank you for the help in answering my questions…..much appreciated !!!!! Going digital may be the way to go!


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## DocStock (Jul 4, 2009)

I have tons of paper additions dating back 15-20 years. I am going to the digital format as soon as I can afford to switch. The search for something I want to build and saw in what magazine, etc. Just makes it a whole lot easier and doesn't waste building (fun) time


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

When I was still employed we were urged to sign up for digital versus paper versions or have the paper versions sent to our home addresses to reduce the load in the mail room and distribution personnel. I found that I did not read as many of the digital versions compared to the paper ones and concluded that because I spent almost all day in front of a PC screen that the paper versions became a "break" from the screen.

Now retired I still prefere the paper version as I can take them anywhere, even where there are no connections to cell signals or internet. However, the ability to search for interesting items on the digital version is definitely a nice option!


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## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

I prefer the paper edition. however for back issues you can't beat the digital copies.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I really like having a paper magazine that I can flip through (and more easily ignore the ads) to find what I'm looking for. The negatives sometimes outweigh the positives in that a few years of a few different magazines starts to take up a lot of room and searching for something you can't remember in which issue can take considerable time. Digital content can be searched more quickly and is almost always less expensive too.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

Lets look at this from a practical view. Digital editions require no printing and distribution, thus the costs are substantially lower. This means you undercut the competition who does print and distribute by a wide margin and it allows you to enter the magazine market with very little outlay of cash and protects you from substantial loss if your venture is not a success or is a slow success in starting up. What you do need is some decent design sense and illustrative capacity (making attractive and easy to understand drawings - ala ShopNotes). Should your venture be a success, you will have laid the groundwork for financing a print edition. But be aware that the tide is turning toward digital magazines for just the reasons outlined above. The printed magazine is slowly going the way of the Dodo bird. They will probably be some who survive, but who knows.

Planeman - now retired from the design, printing, and advertising industry. I was with some very large printing firms during my lifetime and EVERY one of them is now out of business! Why? The Internet.


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## JohnMcD348 (Jan 10, 2014)

I like them and Don't like them. If magazines would offer a cut rate for an additional digital subscription on top of the paper I would do it in a heartbeat so I could have both.

I like the idea of having access to it on my phone or computer and being able to print out plans, click on hyperlinks to other information, advertisers, supplier sources, etc. But, I also like to turn the page. I don't have a tablet but I do have a large phone and do get some digital magazines, only because they don't offer them in Print anymore(PC Magazine) and I find myself rarely reading it anymore.

When I'm in the "Reading Room", I'd rather have the magazine than my electronic device. Also, for me the most important thing to me is that a Paper Magazine doesn't need batteries. It's always there when I want it no matter what. I'm not afraid or even adverse to new technology, I just don't think it's really any better than the old. Reminds me of a time, many years ago, when GPS devices were just becoming the next greatest thing. A friend had a GPS unit he brought camping and was telling me how much better it was than the old Map/Compass I used. Overnight, I reversed the batteries in it so it wouldn't work and the next morning, he couldn't tell North from West. I took my Compass and Map and we walked on. It wasn't until we go to the end of the trail a couple days later that I told him I just flipped the batteries in his new toy. I learned some new words in Portuguese that day. I don't think any of them were nice…..


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

I'm not a subscriber to magazines. I do use the internet to find information I don't have a tablet, but my wife has all the electronic devices, readers, smart phones, etc. My choice forwoodworking knowledge is books. I have..like Stumpy, waaay to many, on the shelves and on the floor beside the chair, bed and couch.

I often wonder why?

I do like the feel, smell, and touch of a book. They are easier on the eyes. I think it's a function of age? But my brother is reading on-line books and his eyes are worse than mine. LOL!

Maybe it's me, maybe I need to actually use my "smart phone for other than the pay pal app?

Thanks for the topic Stumpy!


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

Good idea, John- if new technology is better than the old, just sabotage it!

I never bought one of the Garmin stand-alone GPS thingies. But now that every smart phone has one built in, I have discovered how useful those things are. You know what's better than a map on a long trip? A map that TALKS to you!


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## mudflap4869 (May 28, 2014)

I have a Kindle and use it for most of my reading enjoyment. I have several floor to ceiling bookshelves which were stacked 3 books deep for a long time. There were at least a dozen large storage containers in the shop filled with books. I found that I could put a gazilion books on a kindle theat didn't take up half the space of one hard copy. DUH moment for me. All the books in the shop were donated to nursing homes, place in the waiting rooms of the hospital and the VA clinic or tossed in the dumpsters. I still pick up magazines at Wally World, the stacks are becoming unmanagable and are difficult to hold with my arthritis, so I might go the digital route in the near future. I can also increase the print size with digital.


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## fuigb (Apr 21, 2010)

No question that when all is going right that all digital text, illustrations and pics are superior. Storage is free, search and recall are flawless, and damn but it's great to be able to instantly blow up a too-small pic. However, there's something about the online content that keeps me from wanting to read it when it comes to mags. Could be a generational thing, but either way I've never been able to bring myself to hunt down the online versions of the wood or any other varieties of mags. I'm not that old, but still the Nook that was gifted to me goes unused while I still get jazzed when the latest mag arrives with the mail.

Some years ago I was involved with a research project where, among other things, we asked consumers about the attractiveness of e-delivered content vs hardcopy catalogs and brochures. Some liked and some didn't, but the remark that has stayed wuth me and summarizes my own pov was this: "you cant really take digital with you to bed with you." Yeah, with a tablet you can, but for me it's not the same, and so rational choice gives way to emotion. Thing is that in this case emotion holds the pursestrings.


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## JohnMcD348 (Jan 10, 2014)

> Good idea, John- if new technology is better than the old, just sabotage it!
> 
> I never bought one of the Garmin stand-alone GPS thingies. But now that every smart phone has one built in, I have discovered how useful those things are. You know what s better than a map on a long trip? A map that TALKS to you!
> 
> - StumpyNubs


I agree. That story was back in the day. There were no Smartphones. Cell phones still required a bag and a 12volt battery to operate. It was back in the day of the 1st gen Garmin/Magellan units. It was intended to give the point that you don't need power to read a magazine.


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## becikeja (Sep 12, 2010)

I personally push the industry I work in very hard to move to digital media for reference material and product information. I spend a few hours every week reviewing industry trade journals digitally. I find digital media key to staying up to date and informed.

However, when it comes to my hobby, give me hard copy. I want to hold the magazine and flip through it. Heck I get emails with woodworking adds every week as I'm sue you do. I hit delete and never look at them. The ones I receive in the mail, I typically read over. I keep digital media for woodworking to collaborate with fellow woodworkers which is outstanding.

That's my thoughts.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I read my tablet in bed every night.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

I think the industry may eventually make the choice for us. Magazines of all sorts are dying. A recent study of the major news magazines said they were experiencing drops in subscribers, individual magazines sold, and ad sales- basically in every area that matters to their success. More and more will be going to digital only in the coming years, I suspect.

The good news is that so much more can be done with a digital publication, including integrating 3-D modeling, video and audio, making a true multimedia publication. I think the publishers have really failed to take advantage of the possibilities in their digital magazines up to now.

The world is changing very quickly, even for woodworkers. If you had told me when I started that within a decade we'd have table saws that won't cut flesh, router fences that are controlled by computers, lasers on our miter saws, and I could keep thousands of woodworking books and magazines in my pocket… I'd have told you to stop snorting the sawdust.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

Stumpy is right … hardcopy magazines will eventually disappear. F-W Media recently shut down 'American Woodworker' and pushed subscribers with remaining issues to their 'Popular Woodworking' platform. At the same time, 'Popular Woodworking' has really goosed their digital presence with internet-only products like 'Woodworking with Tim Yoder'. I don't know about anyone else, but I think PW signing Tim Yoder was a stroke of genius.

The smart publishers are ahead of the curve on this … the ones that don't have a digital version will eventually wind up in the dust bin.


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## becikeja (Sep 12, 2010)

I am 100% certain you are right. The print versions will disappear, and make way for digital pages and video journals. But I hope the printed versions don't totally disappear. As long as there is a hold out, I will subscribe. But I refuse (as of this typing anyway) to pay for a digital magazine. My workshop money goes to wood and tools, and yes a couple of printed subscriptions.


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## tefinn (Sep 23, 2011)

I'm mixed on this. I really like the convenience of digital, but I'm still a bit old school. If I'm paying good hard earned money for something, I prefer to have something physical for that money. I used to be in printing, so I might be a bit biased as well.


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## JohnMcD348 (Jan 10, 2014)

No, I don't think you're biased. I feel much the same way. I don't look at a Digital Subscription as a tangible item. Even with the cloud storage, CD/DVD/Flash Drive/etc storage options, they can still be easily lost. Yes, a magazine can get damaged, destroyed or lost but it's something that you could help to prevent.

Digital media is more sensitive. Disc can delaminate, I've had a few over the years that have caused me to loose baby photos that could never be recovered. I think, for me, that's my biggest fear with digital media. You loose a hard drive and then find out your backup is toast. There's just no way to get back what's lost.

I'll revert back to my original that I'm not adverse to Digital version of the media, I just don't trust it for long term access compared to printed media. Even with yellowing pages, at least it's still there.

I think about that a lot because I'm in health care. We've gone, nearly completely electronic with all patient care documentation. We get limited at times with what we can do simply because we know are more data collection agents than Nurses and Doctors. When the network goes down, chaos ensues for the newer breed who have never documented on paper. I wonder what will happen if a major server crash happens and those files that are needed for your care, just aren't available right then. How long before they are available again, will they be available again? There are supposed to be backup of backups of backups and backups of all of those but, it still doesn't guarantee against loss.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

I'm torn as well. I like thumbing thru and thru again. Not sure I would do that with a digital version, but I'd give it a try.


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## intelligen (Dec 28, 2009)

I would not subscribe to a magazine that was only digital. I don't really like reading magazines on my tablet or PC. I have a few digital magazines and it's just too easy to forget about them and not read them. If I have a hard copy, I usually flip through it in 30 minutes or an hour, skipping over a few longer articles and things that don't interest me right at that moment. Then I'll go back later and read the longer articles.

Ideally I would have both digital and hard copy, but that gets expensive. The next best thing is probably to get digital collections or online memberships for a couple magazines for the search convenience, but go to the library once a month or every couple months to read the hard copies.


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## talex001 (Sep 9, 2013)

I work for a large printing company, in the programming / interactive division - we might just print several of the publications most here would subscribe to. I know for a fact there are some cool things coming to the digital world however many niche publications in area's such as woodworking and things like hunting, gardening etc are actually still doing pretty well (some of that could be that the readership is older) but it's those types of publications that lend themselves well to print editions not to mention places that order millions of copies for waiting rooms etc so print won't disappear anytime soon but some publications won't survive the publics move to digital if they don't offer a digital version. In some of the study's I have seen most consumers would like to get both print and digital at 1 cost and that is something the industry is struggling with as many of the circulation software systems out there are just now starting to catch up on digital.

All that said eventually most print will be gone as younger people will prefer the digital delivery, for me I like both if possible as reading on a tablet after working on a PC all day is more than my eyes can take, but doing a search finding what I want and pulling out a print copy is really nice to be able to do.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Digital is ok, but, I think I like having real pages to turn


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

I've been getting rid of the paper copy stuff.

Digital is easier. I can pull it up on my phone, tablet, or PC. I can print off pages I would need. It's easier to search for a project. There's no major advantages to paper copy for me.

Add in the fact that 99% of the time I do not follow plans and only look at them for guides, and there's no real reason for me to keep paper copies around.


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## Laban (Oct 8, 2013)

I have to say I am torn on this as well. On one hand I like being able to read and access things easily on my computer. It is nice if there is a pattern or something that you just want to print out to use. I would not actually use the page out of a hard copy so that requires taking it to a copier or scanner to use the actual pattern. It is also nice to be able to save a tree that does not have to be turned into paper. Not that I am against cutting down trees, but I just think they are better used and prettier as a coffee table instead of a magazine.

A down side is that I don't necessarily follow plans to a tee, but I do like to refer to them as I am building something. Computers+dust is a bad thing so I don't like to take my computer into my garage. Also my wife doesn't buy the "I just thought covering your keyboard with amber shellac would make the letters pop a little more and it helps protect them from wear" excuse..you know, when I spill my finish.

Another thing that sits in the back of my warped mind is what happens when Skynet goes live? The computers are going to start off slow by playing with our minds and messing with our computer files. They may find it funny to change a measurement here and there..HAHA!! that $800 you just spent in hard maple to make that Roubo workbench? RUINED because I made all your measurements 5" too short!! And then what happens when it turns into full blown war and they lock us out of our own computers? There may be a war going on and the human race is being wiped out by robots..but I will still be able to take my hand tools and my print copies out to the garage to make something like a rubber band gun to stop the invasion.

The biggest thing to me comes down to price. If there was a substantial difference in price I would go digital, but seems how most publications are only a few dollars cheaper to do the digital version I prefer to make them work for my hard earned money and usually stick with print version.


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## BlueNo2 (Mar 20, 2014)

For pure convenience, especially when search back issues, they are good, especially viewed on the iPad. But still find myself printing out the article if it is something I want to read in detail.

When it comes to looking at plans and even more so, building from them, must say I still prefer the paper version, as it is easier to read and make notes on. And I guess even if professionally I am a digital publisher, I like the thud/surprise factor of something showing up that I can day dream with over a cup of coffee. (Like many users, I find reading on the computer = work, paper = downtime)

I've got to say I think it somewhat cheeky of FWW, Shop Notes, among others, to charge so high a premium for access to the digital backfile, especially as a subscriber to their print editions over multiple years. And CD based version as for the birds.

Typically for most publishers, paper and printing costs come to well under 20% of their P&L. Going digital is often more expensive because you end up with higher fixed costs (programmers, rapidly obsolescent servers, software licenses, etc.) vs just sending a file to the printer. Not to mention when you start getting into digital native formats such as animations, professional video, expandable and 3D plans, etc.)

Finally, I think between places like Lumberjocks and even Google Image search, there are lots of good to potentially better sources of woodworking info than the buff books.

What's really cool is when there's an overlap: for example look at all the commentary - and follow on projects/advice that Schwarz projects such as Roubo or Dutch Tool Chest - have generated here.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

NO, and NO!


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

I don't find any need for a paper edition of a magazine. Everything I need to know I can find on the web.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

Mr. Ron- I agree that the internet has a ton of free stuff. THe problem is you have to go search it out. I like to read a magazine because it offers me things I wouldn't have thought of searching out. It's far more convenient.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Once I find what I want on the internet, I print it out and I have a paper edition. I may be a lot different than others on this forum. I am an engineer and design all my projects myself. I only use the web to find catalog data. There is nothing in a magazine that I would ever need.


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## becikeja (Sep 12, 2010)

I agree with Stumpy, I always see something in the magazine that I would never have noticed just looking at my tablet.


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