New issue of "9" arrived yesterday...
 

Some things will never change. In this issue Brian, the publisher (owner?) said three things that got my attention. 1st- "This isssue is our finest example of what we wish to bring to you." 2nd- "We bring on board Marcus Huff as our editor at large to polish up the magazine." 3rd- In response to a letter that mentioned bugs being worked out- "356 Bill, you will notice this issue has the bugs worked out." <p>
Now, for the rest of the story. Within 15mins of glancing through the mag I noticed the following:
"Control comes from all wheel drive, the Porsche Stability Management system <b>WSM)</b> and <b>184 inch wheels </b>with Z rated tires that make the latest Porsche Turbo the best-handling version in the model's history."
"The 911 Turbo arrived in the United States for <b> modle</b> year 1976, and with its 234-horsepower engine (U.S. <b>sped</b> could achieve 0-62 miles per hour <b>(0100km/b)</b> in 5.5 seconds."
Also, in an article about buying a 914 they recommend you "look for bondo spots on the car if its not been repainted. Or use a magnet." .... umm ok.
As I said, I only looked at the mag for 15mins and found all these errors. I'll bet there are a bunch more. Glad they got the "bugs worked out."http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/...oilet_claw.gif

Sean, you have to cut these guys some slack. It's not like it's a professional endeavor or something. What's that? Excuse me for just a second... They are? They do? People are actually expected to pay for this?

Sorry for the interruption. I've been corrected. Carry on.

Guys....please leave poor Brian alone.
But tell me..... where I can get some of those kewl 184 inch wheels!?

Only reason for slamming them is that this is the issue that has been supposedly fixed! Come on. They know we have been nailing them for months. If they are serious about this endevor they need to get it together! If I can find errors within 15mins of reading the mag what kind of editor have they hired??? I think I could overlook the errors if the quality was good but it is not! Article on the new turbo? Been done, and that is the cover story. Rant over- I won't mention it again- I promise.

I see errors in other magazines, websites, and even newspapers all the time. Sure you would like to think they would not let typos like you posted above get to print, but some will always get by especially in a small (up and coming??) budget publication like this.

Up and coming? That's a stretch. Someone here turned me on to Grass Roots Motorsports magazine....I couldn't get my $19.95 in fast enough.

Grassroots is a good mag - we advertise and support them.

There are a bunch of typos in 101 Projects - this despite the fact that I read it through about 8-10 times before I was done. Most of the typos were made after I submitted the text to MBI (frustrating). The new engine book is suffering from the same thing, but I am being a schmuck about it - I'm not letting them release it until it's picture perfect. That is what is delaying the book right now - the layout...

-Wayne

One more question, do you think that 9 Magazine should go for more of a tech focus, or more articles like there are in Excellence. You probably know my opinion, and I've expressed this to Brian (even offered to do his tech Q&A column), but he hasn't taken me up on the offer...

What do you think?

-Wayne

I would vote for recipes and decorating tips.

I think he is nuts. To hire someone with experience is exactly what the mag needs (besides a real editor). Grassroots is a good example of how a mag should be done. Night and day difference in the two. His articles are weak, and his tech stuff even weaker. The typos are just icing on the cake.
I don't know how deep Bryan's pockets are, or how much $$ he is getting from the advertisers, but judging from the lack of quality I would imagine not that deep. I cannot see this pub in business a year from now. I for one will not subscribe again. Not when for the same $$ I can get Grassroots, Excellence, SportsCar, or any of a dozen other <i>real</i> magazines. Ok, this time I'm <i>really</i> done ranting. Sorry Brian.

An MIT grad in automotive engineering makes such an offer, and Brian doesn't jump on it??? You did ask my opinion, didn't you? IMHO, Brian is a fool!

Lemme get my nomex on

ok

I know MIT grads that couldnt find there way out of a paper sack.

that said I have never seen 9 magazine...... how many of you have issue 1 of 1 of Porsche mag ( it became excellence after the cease and desist from Porsche AG ) Excellence sucked right out of the box.... poor graphics spelling, layout, grammar, etc.

A few thoughts about when Porsche(Excellence) magazine was started.... there was no forum to bash its shortcomings in real time...the net was in its infancy and the only way to trade messages would have been with TELNET... or some primitive DOS program. If you dont like some thing thats your choice.

I remember hearing somewhere that "if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all"

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(just kidding - I've never even seen it because it is NA in New Zealand. Besides, I'm harsh about these things - I think GT Purely Porsche is crap because it has great pictures but the articles are always the same old same old)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by TimT
[B]Lemme get my nomex on

ok

I know MIT grads that couldnt find there way out of a paper sack.

that said I have never seen 9 magazine...... how many of you have issue 1 of 1 of Porsche mag ( it became excellence after the cease and desist from Porsche AG ) Excellence sucked right out of the box....
I do..have that copy. "9" ain't there yet, but I'll make my decision when it's time to renew (or not), and write the check to renew a subscription. (or not) Fair enough?

and write the check to renew a subscription. (or not) Fair enough?

Absolutley fair enough, My Point is/was/is trying to be. is that a new up and coming publication might be given benefit of the doubt... I know Excellence (Porsche) went through some serious trial of growing pains....... VW&Porsche morphed into an import mag.. I havent seen 9 yet, and I dont hink I will.........and that decision is NOT based on remarks I have seen here....... I get 3 Porsche mags already..... enough is enough

It so easy to trash someones work now, and it can be done anonymously...

TimT, I understand your angle, but the fact of the matter is 9 is competing in 2002, not the 70's, 80's, or 90's. The bar is higher, and the world is small. While technology has enabled most anyone to become a content producer, it also makes it so everyone can become a critic. And these days, most people have short attention spans...stuff either is good right off the bat, or it's buh-bye.

You only get one chance to make a good first impression. And thanks to the net, most everyone knows about that first impression before the author does. Still, enthusiasts are an odd lot, and they'll put up with quite a bit of nonsense if there is a payoff. But at some point, if it doesn't get better, even the hardcore will keep their money in their pocket.

I'll admit up front that I have not seen "9 Magazine" in person yet.

Virtually every PCA region, and thousands of other non-profit enthusiast, athletic, social and religious organizations operating on shoe-string budgets can put together high-quality periodicals, with decent writing and extremely few typos or publishing defects. Some examples, like the POC Velocity magazine, are quite stunning in their quality and professionalism given their relatively small budgets and circulation.

Clearly we would expect no less -- more in fact -- from a for-profit operation, especially one targeting an audience as well-read and finicky as Porsche fanatics.

Hey guys you may give them a little respect, they are taking on a huge project, we, the porsche owners are probably one of the hardest groups to satisfy, If they are not doing their own type set that may be the problem, i cant tell you how many times we have sent in stuff to be printed, got it back to review before it was printed only to read someones bad typing habits that miss spelled tons of words, so we payed to have it corrected only to have the same thing happen several times untill they decided they milked us enough, Take Waynes word what you present to them is not what you get back, it may have been perfect when they submited it, and its not cheap to have them fix the mistakes they made, not your mistakes theirs, If we give these guys a chance we may have more reading material, i know personaly i cant wait to get 911 and porsche only to sit down and read it cover to cover in one night, then its back to that one month wait, everyone of us blow more money on junk every week then the price of this mag, your opinion matters but not to the point of thrashing some one to the point that they may say f it, Kevin

Many, many, many, many, many times I have thought about starting a magazine. How about this one for size:

- Technical based, articles like the ones inside "101 Projects." Some simple, some a bit more complex, some multi-part/multi-month, and some racing based.

- Pelican and our suppliers (like Seine systems, Rennlist, UUC, etc.) would be the only "advertisers."

- Subscription costs would cover most of the cost of the magazine (might be around $30 for six issues, or about $5 an issue).

- Each one would be chock full of technical information and I would make sure that it was worth far more than the $5 that you would have paid for it.

So, what would I have here? Basically printed Pelican Parts propaganda with a ton of technical data that people would be paying me to send them. Not a bad business plan if you ask me. BUT, it would require a lot of attention, a lot of work, and a lot of hours that I don't have.

It's far, far easier for me to do the same thing on-line. Oh wait, that's we've done!

-Wayne

I'm going to be harsh here, but that is exactly what they should do. My tolerance for mediocrity ends when I am asked to pay for something. It's a tough world and only the best will prosper. We should ALL be offended that the publishers of this rag actually believe that they are putting out a magazine that is worthy of our attention.

So you found me out. Paul_Heery is not my real name.

<i>"It's far, far easier for me to do the same thing on-line. Oh wait, that's what we've done!"</i>

Exactly! And that's why I see little - if any - value in a 'how-to magazine' these days. I can go on-line and quickly find just about anything I need tech-wise. Compare this with sending a tech question to Excellence or hoping that the next issue of 9 has something relevant to your latest project. -- Curt

I just got the latest issue of 9 last week. I spent about 3 minutes thumbing through it before I put it on the shelf. I normally spend at least a half hour going through European car magazine, about the same with car and driver, and at least an hour with Excellence.
Heck, I even spend more time reading Panorama that 9.

I don't care about the typo's. I'm not that anal. If I can figure out what the writer is trying to say it doesn't bother me. What does bother me is a magazine full of stuff I don't care about, or stuff that has been re-hashed by every other for of media for the past six months to two years (this month's Porsche turbo article for example. Absolutely nothing there I haven't read before 10 times). I don't like the fact that the advertisements are in color and the pictures in the tech articles are in black and white and too small and blurry for my old eyes. Worthy of nothing more than a quick glance to me.

I've met Brian at the euro. autofest and he seemed like a nice guy. I'm not slamming him at all or wishing him any misfortune, but that money I spent on this subscription was the worst money I've spent since getting serious about Porsches. No, I could not do it any better, but I realize that and am not trying to make money at it.

I can't remember exactly, but I think it was around $19 for a year and they don't put out a magazine every month.

This subscription is twice as expensive as some others I have and to tell you the truth does not interest me in the least.

For my sake as well as Brian's I hope the quality of content goes way up soon. As it is I do not plan to renew my subscription.

9
 

From what I've seen this magazine is at or below the level of a good local newsletter of one of the national clubs.

First of all I do think details like spelling and punctuation matter, if only to convince me that the editors take the same care with their technical information.

Second, the content is weak.

Third, the design is weak.

Can't think of a 4th. I guess there are examples of publications like this growing and getting stronger, but this one doesn't offer anything that hasn't already been done (and redone) by the other Porsche magazines. So what is the business plan? The reason for existence? I haven't figured it out.

Ah, but Wayne, you don't charge people to access the site at all. A magazine would have a revenue stream that doesn't stop. And backing from a major supplier would be a boon for a technically oriented magazine.

If you ever decide to give it a shot, let me know.

I agree with sammyg2. I flipped through the new 9 Magazine and was finished with it in about 10 minutes.

Personally, I would like to see more photo spreads of older P-cars...LOTS MORE :D

I don't care about the newer models and if I did, the other established magazines cover them to death.

This goes for tech articles also. I don't think there is a single tech issue dealing with my '75 911S that hasn't been written somewhere (which is a good thing) that I can't find (like here ;))

What I would like to see in a new magazine is:

Lots of color pictures of older 911s (start to finish restoration photos are cool).

Reviews of new car products and tools.

Great P-car stories (such as a reader's trip down Route 66 in his '60 356 last summer...like they do in the motorcycle magazines).

How about reprints of p-car reviews from the '50s, '60s, & '70s?

Classifieds (I know every other magazine has them, but I still like looking through them).

An INDEX to the BEST P-car websites (maybe like a "Reader's Choice" list).

Ahh, then how can you explain the run-away success of 101 Projects?

-Wayne

what I want to see in my magazine
 

more bling bling, of course...J/K

Fortunately, it's already being done. Grassroots motorsports is doing it just fine. I have no idea how long my subscription is for because they occasionally send me a renewal special, so I renew for the next couple years....

sjd

explaing the success of 101 projects.
 

easy wayne, it's confidence inspiring.

It gives the mere mortal the confidence that "YES!! I can do this project"

sjd
who used to blame it on free t-shirts...

Maybe we as an audience are just more sophisticated than we used to be. Before the internet I would kill for an article explaining performance modifications, now all I have to do is click on the mouse a few times and find almost anything I want.
that goes for just about any kind of information I'm looking for. That would definately put the pressure on someone trying to publish a new magazine, how do you inform the informed?

The knd of stuff I can't readily find on the internet is unbiased, honest evaluations of high performance products, driving impressions of older cars, track events (from the inside), historic race cars, etc. Only problem with that is, most magazines are good to those who advertise. It is rare to see a magazine slam a product made by a sponsor :-)

Most of the time I don't believe what I read in product evaluations. If someone wanted to sell me a magazie that did nothing but test products with real, honest tests, I would buy it. I'm talking dyno time, lap time, you get the picture.

I'd kick in a few bucks to see real world controlled tests of the cool collar, fuel and oil filter magnets, different tires, exhausts, K&N filters, electric superchargers, cams, pistons, etc. kind of like a consumer's digest for Porsches.

I got a "free" sample copy of the latest 9. My "free" copy cost me $3 for shipping and handling, but that's another story. I'd never seen the magazine before, but had read the posts here on the board about its problems. I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised. I wasn't. I thought the magazine was a complete waste of paper and ink. I spent about 10 minutes thumbing through it. Frankly, the advertisements were more interesting than the articles. Needless to say, I *won't* be subscribing.