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### how did it(the webzine) all start?

MNZ [mnzaki at gmail.com]
Wed, 21 Feb 2007 23:49:52 +0400

Dear TAG, I am a regular reader and wanted to first thank you for the great zine. I'll probably be starting my own site/zine (long story short: 'tis all to keep in touch with my friends, who I have known for all my life but will have to leave them soon). The zine part won't be linux related(except maybe for one column every now and then).

I know I talk too much but, my question(s): When LG first started out, how did you get the readers? How was it publicized? How did you get your very first reader? Also any tips (Kat? Ben? team?) ?

One more thing: Write more POLOTMs or else I'll have to resort to violent methods!

    --
    //MNZ\\

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Kat Tanaka Okopnik [kat at linuxgazette.net]
Wed, 21 Feb 2007 14:36:18 -0800

On Wed, Feb 21, 2007 at 11:49:52PM +0400, MNZ wrote:

    > Dear TAG,
    > I am a regular reader and wanted to first thank you for the great zine. I'll
    > probably be starting my own site/zine (long story short: 'tis all to keep in
    > touch with my friends, who I have known for all my life but will have to
    > leave them soon). The zine part won't be linux related(except maybe for one
    > column every now and then).

Hi there! I remember you. I was wondering how you were doing just recently, in fact.

Dunno that I'd call what you're doing a 'zine' as much as a journal or blog, but I wish you much joy with it (and the changes in your life).

    > I know I talk too much but, my question(s): When LG first started out, how did
    > you get the readers? How was it publicized? How did you get your very first
    > reader? Also any tips (Kat? Ben? team?) ?

I think at this point it would be helpful for you to know more about the history of LG. Rick Moen wrote a wrapup for it awhile back here: http://linuxgazette.net/issue96/moen.html

I seem to recall there was another version detailing the early days, but I don't have that one handy.

The other half of your answer is that LG doesn't really have the classic profile of "start a 'zine'/website/blog and try to get it popular" situation. And the person you'd really want to ask those questions isn't actively involved anymore.

For real answers to your questions, you want to go looking at the advice you can shake loose by doing a Google search on "popular blog", or "creating a popular blog".

Additional factors include the tightknit nature of the FOSS community, and the active involvement of many key members of LG staff in other venues. LG, so far as I'm aware, doesn't (and hasn't) done much to publicize or expand actively aside from putting out the best content we can, month after month.

Some of our regular readers are very big advocates of LG, and I know they do their bit to spread the word. Pramode CE often gets his students involved.

The publicity rounds Ben and I did at SCaLE may be some of the very first ever done for LG. I whipped up some business cards, and we passed them out with glee, and did some active solicitation of articles and participation. We also got interviewed by a podcaster, and collected contact information for some upcoming features.

    > One more thing: Write more POLOTMs or else I'll have to resort to violent
    > methods!

Oh, dear. You don't want to know about what happened to the last guy who threatened Ben...

    --
    Kat Tanaka Okopnik
    Linux Gazette Mailbag Editor
    kat at linuxgazette.net

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MNZ [mnzaki at gmail.com]
Thu, 22 Feb 2007 22:43:44 +0400

On Wed, Feb 21, 2007 at 02:36:18PM -0800, Kat Tanaka Okopnik wrote:

    > Hi there! I remember you. I was wondering how you were doing just
    > recently, in fact.

It feels great to be remembered!

    > Dunno that I'd call what you're doing a 'zine' as much as a journal or
    > blog, but I wish you much joy with it (and the changes in your life).
    >

Well actually the plan is supposed to be my very own little place ONLY for that circle of friends I'm leaving, and the radius is considerable. All members will have their own blogs on it plus a little chat thing(ie) that I haven't still made my mind about. The webzine idea came to me when I was thinking of a way to keep eveyone involved. It'll be a collection of poems, stories, linux columns(If I do write some, there will surely be links to LG), and what not, in fact anything that can possibly go into any kind of magazine. This little 'zine' will be just for fun, but I was thinking about how one would make such a collection known to the world, as it will probably get interesting in due time.

The thing is I'll have five months(!) of doing nothing at home due to the diffrence of starting times between the academic years of diffrent systems (Egypt, where I'm headed and Oman, where I'm now)

    > > I know I talk too much but, my question(s): When LG first started out, how did
    > > you get the readers? How was it publicized? How did you get your very first
    > > reader? Also any tips (Kat? Ben? team?) ?
    >
    > I think at this point it would be helpful for you to know more about the
    > history of LG. Rick Moen wrote a wrapup for it awhile back here:
    > http://linuxgazette.net/issue96/moen.html

I read the article. Interesting....

    > I seem to recall there was another version detailing the early days, but
    > I don't have that one handy.
    >
    > The other half of your answer is that LG doesn't really have the classic
    > profile of "start a 'zine'/website/blog and try to get it popular"
    > situation. And the person you'd really want to ask those questions isn't
    > actively involved anymore.

I believe you are referring to John M. Fisk.

    > For real answers to your questions, you want to go looking at the advice
    > you can shake loose by doing a Google search on "popular blog", or
    > "creating a popular blog".

I don't want to get the blog 'popular' really, it is just to be read by my freinds. Everyone reads everyone else's blogs. The idea is to keep in touch.

    > Additional factors include the tightknit nature of the FOSS community,
    > and the active involvement of many key members of LG staff in other
    > venues. LG, so far as I'm aware, doesn't (and hasn't) done much to
    > publicize or expand actively aside from putting out the best content we
    > can, month after month.
    >
    > Some of our regular readers are very big advocates of LG, and I know
    > they do their bit to spread the word. Pramode CE often gets his students
    > involved.
    >
    > The publicity rounds Ben and I did at SCaLE may be some of the very
    > first ever done for LG. I whipped up some business cards, and we passed
    > them out with glee, and did some active solicitation of articles and
    > participation. We also got interviewed by a podcaster, and collected
    > contact information for some upcoming features.

All in all, thanks for the reply. I was also hoping for some nifty editing tips from the EditorGal and friends After all it's my first time as a magazine-to-be Editor.

    > > One more thing: Write more POLOTMs or else I'll have to resort to violent
    > > methods!
    >
    > Oh, dear. You don't want to know about what happened to the last guy
    > who threatened Ben...

About the violent methods... I meant it in a nice way Ben, really, I'm a man of peace.

         ."".    ."",
         |  |   /  /
         |  |  /  /
         |  | /  /
         |  |/  ;-._
         }  ` _/  / ;
         |  /` ) /  /
         | /  /_/\_/\
         |/  /      |
         (  ' \ '-  |
          \    `.  /
           |      |
           |      |

    --
    //MNZ\\

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Ben Okopnik [ben at linuxgazette.net]
Sun, 25 Feb 2007 11:12:56 -0500

On Thu, Feb 22, 2007 at 10:43:44PM +0400, MNZ wrote:

    >
    > > > I know I talk too much but, my question(s): When LG first started out, how did
    > > > you get the readers? How was it publicized? How did you get your very first
    > > > reader? Also any tips (Kat? Ben? team?) ?
    > >
    > > I think at this point it would be helpful for you to know more about the
    > > history of LG. Rick Moen wrote a wrapup for it awhile back here:
    > > http://linuxgazette.net/issue96/moen.html
    >
    > I read the article. Interesting....

You also have to consider the fact that it was a different world then. Linux was relatively new, there were few information sources - it was all small and more "personal". A focal point like LG was a major change in the landscape, something truly exciting for Joe Linuxer; I certainly found it so in those days, and looked forward to each issue eagerly.

Today, the landscape is quite different - and the process of gaining readers by providing valuable content is poisoned by scammers and spammers trying to suck people in via specialized SEO techniques, link exchange, etc.; a case of "bad money driving out the good." Frankly, I don't know that any advice I can give you would be of any use; I have no magic readership-building techniques. All I've ever tried to do here at LG is provide the best content possible and rely on our readers' good sense and judgement.

    > All in all, thanks for the reply. I was also hoping for some nifty editing tips
    > from the EditorGal and friends  After all it's my first time as a
    > magazine-to-be Editor.

My suggestion would be to join the LG volunteer staff and learn it from the inside. It's probably the best chance you'll ever have to get a good look and some excellent practice in what it takes to run an on-line publication of this sort. If you're interested, please take a look at http://linuxgazette.net/jobs.html - there's plenty to do.

    > > > One more thing: Write more POLOTMs or else I'll have to resort to violent
    > > > methods!
    > >
    > > Oh, dear. You don't want to know about what happened to the last guy
    > > who threatened Ben...
    >
    > About the violent methods... I meant it in a nice way Ben, really, I'm a man of
    > peace.
    >      ."".    ."",
    >      |  |   /  /
    >      |  |  /  /
    >      |  | /  /
    >      |  |/  ;-._
    >      }  ` _/  / ;
    >      |  /` ) /  /
    >      | /  /_/\_/\
    >      |/  /      |
    >      (  ' \ '-  |
    >       \    `.  /
    >        |      |
    >        |      |
    >

Well, OK then. I was just about to create a low, nasty character in POLOTM named MNZ... but I guess I'll refrain.

    --
    * Ben Okopnik * Editor-in-Chief, Linux Gazette * http://LinuxGazette.NET *

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