As a publisher we want to learn from the Indian
Linux community and
potential readers:
- Whether the Linux users in India like to read
an international
magazine dedicated to Linux? 2. Would they be interested in subscribing to such
a magazine.
- What would be the most the most attractive
cover-price in Indian
Rupees? (The internatonal edition of Linuxformat
is available in
select bookstores of Mumbai. A single issue costs
an exorbitant 600+
Rupees).
1. Considering the amount of penetration of Microsoft's Windows Operating System, in Mumbai, only a handful of Linux users would be interested a magazine dedicated to Linux (GNU/Linux).
2. Desktop Users who use Linux (GNU/Linux), but do not have access to the internet at home, would be interested in subscribing to the magazine. But as mentioned in the first point, the share of Linux (GNU/Linux) as operating system is fairly less.
3. On the stands, between Rs. 80 - 130 and/or attractive subscription schemes for 1 year / 3 years / 5 years with savings for the subscriber along with contests / great prizes should be considered for pricing issues.
- Yes I would very much like to read such a
magazine not because its an international magazine but because hopefully the quality of this is better than most magazines that we see currently in India.
Yes.
I guess Rs.100-150/- should be reasonable. You
should print several editions for different pricing and different goodies.
Your feedback is extremely valuable for us. Only
you can help us
bring an awesome monthly read purely about Linux
and at affordable
Indian prices.
Possibly, there should be some pre-marketing for using GNU/Linux (in the magazine), (collaborating a few issues of the magazine with Digit / PCQuest etc. ) so that people become aware of what they can do at less cost.
People should understand, that there are operating systems that can be purchased for low prices / downloaded free from the internet and used. (A computer can run operating systems other than windows!)
Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com <br><br> Stay connected with your friends even when away from PC. Link: http://in.mobile.yahoo.com/new/messenger/
On 6/11/06, Roshan d_rosh2001@yahoo.co.in wrote:
- On the stands, between Rs. 80 - 130 and/or
attractive subscription schemes for 1 year / 3 years / 5 years with savings for the subscriber along with contests / great prizes should be considered for pricing issues.
Hemant,
Is it possible to issue the magazine without CDs (or only one CD) or something like that for less, say, around Rs. 35-40? I know of many people who wouldn't buy magazines because they're too expensive at Rs. 80-100. As a college student with pocket money of barely Rs. 250 per month its rarely possible to buy a Rs. 100 magazine. At Rs. 40 one may still think about it.
You could target schools/colleges with discounted prices for students. This would help promote not only your magazine but also GNU/Linux in a big way.
Regards, Siddhesh
Is it possible to issue the magazine without CDs (or only one CD) or something like that for less, say, around Rs. 35-40? I know of many people who wouldn't buy magazines because they're too expensive at Rs. 80-100. As a college student with pocket money of barely Rs. 250 per month its rarely possible to buy a Rs. 100 magazine. At Rs. 40 one may still think about it.
You could target schools/colleges with discounted prices for students. This would help promote not only your magazine but also GNU/Linux in a big way.
good point. cheaper the better ... coz spending 100 - 150 for articles / gyan that i could easy google up doesnt make great sense to me ... i typically look at index of a mag and just google up for what interests me
Harsh
Regards, Siddhesh
On 11/06/06 12:59 +0530, Siddhesh Poyarekar wrote:
On 6/11/06, Roshan d_rosh2001@yahoo.co.in wrote:
- On the stands, between Rs. 80 - 130 and/or
attractive subscription schemes for 1 year / 3 years / 5 years with savings for the subscriber along with contests / great prizes should be considered for pricing issues.
Hemant,
Is it possible to issue the magazine without CDs (or only one CD) or something like that for less, say, around Rs. 35-40? I know of many
CDs are dirt cheap (<= 10 INR per CD pressed once you create the master). Content isn't. 100 INR is _not_ much for a good magazine, particularly if you notice that the average student outside the Mumbai metropolitan region spends more than that on fuel alone.
Keep in mind that I don't include fluff magzines like PCQ and Digit in that list.
You can always get your college/school to subscribe to it, and borrow from a library.
Devdas Bhagat
On 6/11/06, Devdas Bhagat devdas@dvb.homelinux.org wrote:
CDs are dirt cheap (<= 10 INR per CD pressed once you create the master). Content isn't. 100 INR is _not_ much for a good magazine, particularly
Agreed, CDs are dirt cheap. But 100 INR is still not affordable for many. I for example cannot afford to shell out 100 INR every month. I'd much rather spend the extra few minutes googling.
I don't know what the pricing procedure is and I also don't know if the magazine can be printed in, say, lower quality paper or something to lower cost. Just a suggestion to probably stand out from the rest of the magazines ;-)
if you notice that the average student outside the Mumbai metropolitan region spends more than that on fuel alone.
Fuel?? You're certainly talking about a different class of people here. I (and most of educated India, AFAIK) don't spend on fuel. Mostly its on bus and train fare ;-).
You can always get your college/school to subscribe to it, and borrow from a library.
Hmm yeah, thats a nice idea. But I doubt if schools/colleges issue magazines. Mine didn't. They issue only "study books". You can read magazines in the library thats all. You *can* borrow CDs though, so thats a plus.
Siddhesh
On 12/06/06 00:41 +0530, Siddhesh Poyarekar wrote:
On 6/11/06, Devdas Bhagat devdas@dvb.homelinux.org wrote:
CDs are dirt cheap (<= 10 INR per CD pressed once you create the master). Content isn't. 100 INR is _not_ much for a good magazine, particularly
Agreed, CDs are dirt cheap. But 100 INR is still not affordable for many. I for example cannot afford to shell out 100 INR every month. I'd much rather spend the extra few minutes googling.
I don't know what the pricing procedure is and I also don't know if the magazine can be printed in, say, lower quality paper or something to lower cost. Just a suggestion to probably stand out from the rest of the magazines ;-)
That might work too. Though that kind of cost cutting tends to put off advertisers and other readers. Indian editions of most books are cheap (about 20% of their US counterparts). Particularly if you are in electronics or computer science.
if you notice that the average student outside the Mumbai metropolitan region spends more than that on fuel alone.
Fuel?? You're certainly talking about a different class of people here. I (and most of educated India, AFAIK) don't spend on fuel. Mostly its on bus and train fare ;-).
Notice the "outside the Mumbai metropolitan region" there. Mumbai and Kolkata are exceptions in India, not the rule.
You can always get your college/school to subscribe to it, and borrow from a library.
Hmm yeah, thats a nice idea. But I doubt if schools/colleges issue magazines. Mine didn't. They issue only "study books". You can read magazines in the library thats all. You *can* borrow CDs though, so thats a plus.
That's a question of amending college policies, whch would be a lot simpler. Reading magazines in the library shouldn't be an issue either.
Devdas Bhagat
On Monday 12 June 2006 12:41 am, Siddhesh Poyarekar wrote:
On 6/11/06, Devdas Bhagat devdas@dvb.homelinux.org wrote:
CDs are dirt cheap (<= 10 INR per CD pressed once you create the master). Content isn't. 100 INR is _not_ much for a good magazine, particularly
Agreed, CDs are dirt cheap. But 100 INR is still not affordable for many. I for example cannot afford to shell out 100 INR every month. I'd much rather spend the extra few minutes googling.
BW is not cheap either. And as Devdas said if the mag has content as opposed to fluff, I would definetly be a buyer. I have not subscribed to an Indian mag for several yrs because of the abysymal content. Most of it is stupid press releases or superficial coverage of technology and markets. Google is far better. And yes i sorely miss the smell and convienence of paper. Curling up in bed with the laptop is a complicated process.
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Devdas Bhagat -
Harsh Busa -
jtd -
Roshan -
Siddhesh Poyarekar