I wonder if they’re still going to print a digital version of their magazine? Zinio is giving away free subscriptions to the digital version of PC Mag right now through their Read Green Initiative: http://goreadgreen.com/category/subscriptions/technology/

I knew something was up when I started seeing Hormone Drug, Cigarette and other unrelated Ads in the past few “thin” editions

As a dedicated subscriber for the last 18 years or so, I am disappointed but not really surprised that things have reached this point. I watched Compute! and Byte! and PC Computing and Creative Computing go away years ago. When Computer Gaming World/Games for WIndows went away, it was a pretty good sign that the end was near. But I will definitely hold on to the last issue as a memento. Oh, and worry about Maximum PC.

I for one would like to know what will happen to our paid subscription, if we have more issues still due.

My subscription is prepaid thru 1/2010. Will I get a refund?

I have always enjoyed your magazine.  Sorry it is going to be discontinued.  I hope that you will be able to do something with the the internet to take its place.  Success to you

Realtechnews is re-printing an old 1999 C|net column about how PC mag would die. Interesting

It is nice to get away from the computer and sit to read a paper or magazine.  We are in front of the computers most of the day and I would refuse to read magazines on-line.  Sorry you lost me as a customer

‘Sorry, you lost me as a customer’

The guy says as he posts on a website.

For those who like to hold something (as in clinging to the past?) consider purchasing a kindle or similar e-book reader. Not great for glossy 4C magazine content but absolutely fine for tech reads like this.

Here’s a blog I wrote awhile back reflecting on this inexorable trend in the magazine industry toward ‘green’. http://tinyurl.com/5kojjk

You have some nerve to keep on insisting on your customers to keep renewing
their subscriptions the very next month of the renewel, also there was never
anything worthwhile in the magazine for the past two years., nothing interesting
to me or my family.

What would have happened if I renewed this last subscription?

Very bad judgement on your part or you are like every other business, you are selfish and not trustworthy at all

Gloria-Jean Molinaro

rory

I just subscribed through a high school fund drive.  Who could I contact that might know my status?

My current subscription expires in September 2009. Will i be refunded part of my annual subscription? Since the last printed issue will be January 2009.

Like many others, I also have a paid subscription recently renewed and was not advised of the pending shut down at the time of that renewal.  No offers of refund have come.  No offers for other publications have been received.  It appeaers they have taken the money and run, so much for loyal subscribers.
Once again it’s the customers who lose.  So it goes…

I don’t want to sit in front of my computer to read my magazine!  I like to kick-back in my easy chair and read it. I just sent in a renewal and I want either my mag or a refund.  Of course, I know that I’m out both.  It’s a hell of a world out there!  You get fu??ed at every turn!  Fats

What about those of us who have paid subs????  I’m paid up till 2012!!!!!  Will we get refunds for the paper edition, will the online version be subscription only & our paper subs carry over?

Real nice of the publishers to let us know…...

Absolutely NOTHING in the paper version I just got.  How abso*******lutely nice!

It’s green? Who are you, George Bush? Have you never seen a server farm? Do you realize the amount of energy it takes to bring a digital copy to someone’s inbox?

Printers are in the business of growing trees, not killing them. Better get it straight, or the next thing you’ll be selling will be pizzas.

I am once a subscriber on this mag. I got it from an expo in Javits for 40 in 4 years. The last issue on my subscription was two years ago.

SO perhaps I could keep the issues and bring it to an antique roadshow later on in life (if it will gain value)... so long print media, this is the road map technology is bearing.

Hi, sorry for the delay in responding.  Regarding questions about your PC Magazine subscription:

We will continue to publish PC Magazine’s digital edition, and print subscribers will have the option of continuing with digital. To see a sample of our latest issue please go to http://go.pcmag.com/dec08digital
You can make the change from print to digital here: http://go.pcmag.com/subscriberservices.

School fundraisers, door to door sales, etc., are managed by third party resellers of magazine subscriptions. If you ordered a subscription that way, please contact them directly for more information.

If you have further questions, please call us toll-free 800-289-0429, or direct 303-604-7445.

There is (was) great satisfaction in picking up a magazine, relaxing and reading and re-reading articles of interest. Trying to read PC Mag. and other journals on a computer is more of a chore than a pleasure. You have “taken my Sunshine away!”  Bah!

How do we get a refund for overpaid subscriptions?  Reading that meny pg online is boring.

“...and print subscribers will have the option of continuing with digital. To see a sample of our latest issue please go to http://go.pcmag.com/dec08digital
You can make the change from print to digital here: http://go.pcmag.com/subscriberservices.”

Ok, digital is optional and there is a link to request it.
But no link to request a refund instead of the digital version; just a phone number for ‘questions’. Typical…

Well, my wife will be happy.
She says I spend too much on magazines.
I don’t read magazines online so they lost my money.

I love to read a paper mag! Not one on the monitor! I want my money back!!!

I want a refund.

This is not an acceptable situation. Please refund my subscription money.

If an e-magazine is the only option, how about arranging for discounted Kindle readers for subscribers?  Could be a win-win in several ways.

I would like a refund.

Sounds like a really bad idea.  I want a refund

Go here to either transfer your subscription to Digital or Cancel for a REFUND.

http://go.pcmag.com/pcmagdigital

I just cancelled. What am I going to read on the porcelain throne now?

Sounds great….you want me to pay you to read your articles on the Internet !!!!
Why don’t you pay me to read my e-mails.

You have been pounding me with mailings wanting me to renew without mentioning that your magazine is going away.

Please send my by return mail. 233910

Don Miller

I have just renewed my subsceiption for another year in November. You did not advise of this termination of the print version of P C Magazine. Please refund my money.

i have just renewed my subscription for another in november. you did not advise of the termination of the print version of p c magazine. please refund my money. james pinney 65 w. jackson blvd. chicago il. 60604 thanks.

i have just renewed my subscription for another in november. you did not advise of the termination of the print version of p c magazine. please refund my money. james pinney 65 w. jackson blvd. chicago il. 60604 thanks.

i want a refund now did not sign up for digital .
tell me how to get my refund

sorry for the delay, but i would like to cancel my subscription and get a refund. if more is required please inform me. thank you

I’m currently an over the road trucker sans laptop or mobile communications. I get back to the house for two days every two weeks. I’ve enjoyed being able to read the magazine in my hands. I hardly have time to catch up on “to do” lists as it is without being required to sit in front of a monitor and read an online periodical. I’m another customer who’ll ask for a refund on my remaining subscription. I’ll find another magazine to subscribe to. Too bad, I’ve been reading the magazine since 1984. I am a realist. Companies must do what they need to do to survive. Thanks for the many great years.

My paid subscription -for 25 issues began fall of 2007. .  Irecieved your notice to respond to recieve via email about 5 days LATE!  Take note of my EMAIL address and extend my subscription with same!  “cjp@rochester.rr.com”

I overlooked the request received on 12-23-08 for going to this website to provide my email address so that my subscription might continue digitally.  I trust that it is not too late to now provide that information so that my subscription might continue.  Thank you.

E. E. Brobst

Not the same! Digital magazines suck. I don’t have time to go through the silliness of trying to get a download. We’re done.

Three phone calls to Pc Mag Customer Service, and still waiting for my refund two months later. Me thinks I’ve been taken. I’m sorry I ever subscribed to these crooks.

I was willing to work with PC Mag and go to their digital edition until I discovered that to read or download the magazine they require that you go through a company called Zinio and install that company’s proprietary software.  Of course this Zinio software only works on Mac or Windows.  I happen to be a Linux user so I’m outta luck.  Well, if I’m outta luck so is PC Mag.  I terminated my subscription this week with an explanation as to why.  You would think that a magazine supposedly dedicated to technology would get it right and not be so short-sighted as to alienate some of their readers. Why could they not just e-mail each month’s issue directly to my e-mail address as a PDF file or with a link to a PDF?  Are you listening Jason Young, Lance Ulanoff, et al?

Wow, I wish him all the best.

Thanks for the great article, as I to have had some not so great experiences with them.

Great article. We wish him all the best and its great that he is switching to the more progressive marketing and distribution option.

It’s kind of ironic that a paper magazine talked about the digital world for years and promoted the poison that killed it.

Someday someone will provide a fresh new media that can be taken anywhere and read anytime. It will not required electrons or “0’s and “1”‘s. It will be flexible and pass through airport security with a breeze. It won’t require a keyboard and mouse nor electricity to operate. It will be easily shared and carried anywhere at anytime.

Ziff Davis Publishing cust svc # is 386 597 4371.

Its all about numbers.  Unless you are walking around with a paper bag on your head, print editions of anything have been shrinking.

Profit margin forecasts by mother companies have to be met to please stockholders.  Whenever a company goes public its the beginning of the end eventually.

I predict most magazines will eventually cease to have a print edition.
Except maybe People or other non-thinking publications that consist mainly of celeb photographs.
Saving trees argument by loco greens does not cut it anymore.

Magazines like PC are difficult to digest at times just by scrolling screen after screen.
Sitting down with a print edition and being able to reread certain articles wherever you are is just as important, even to advertisers.
Depending on one source of info is stupid. Never heard of power outages, network glitches and on and on?

I suspect we are going through a period that was inevitable.  Unfortunately a lot of readers will be left out of the loop.
Future customers are just getting acquainted with their PC.
Will libraries turn into internet cafes when periodicals and books (kinkle?) start to disappear from shelves.
Then what?

We have become slaves to our cell fones, computers, video games,  200+ tv channels and other gadgets.
I witness this whenever I am trapped in a public place by the chatter of keyboards, blipping cell fones and their rude owners.

How do digital magazines save the Earth. To read then you much print them out. If not you have to scroll for days.

Must be a way to get a refund

As a loyal subscriber for many years, I am disgusted by the change to digital. We paid in good faith for a printed magazine and have been stiffed! A refund should be offered to those who dont want a digital version. Shame on you Ziff Davis. I hope you get what you deserve for this.

I was disappointed,  I will go for refund too.

I think that is definitely the best thing do to for the magazine to keep it going.

I agree I think that is a great move on their part and I think in a few years it will pay huge dividends to the bottom line.

It will be flexible and pass through airport security with a breeze.

I agree, it seems that it will be flexible gadget.

At this point it is Over 5 months now did not transfer my subscription as promised! Sad really enjoyed PC magazine. I had 13 issues remaining. Now the entire experience has left a bad taste in my mouth. Ziff Davis prepare for Chapter 11 bankruptcy again as your customer service is the worst!  :(

I opted to unsubscribe in Dec 2008 due to my vision problems I felt I could not read and entire magazine on my computer screen. I was advised that I had 63issues remaining. Ziff said since my order was placed thru the Subco Agency I was to call them at 800 258 3350 to get refund. Subco says my subscription(s) were handled by Publications Unlimited,call them at 800 267 2611. Publications Unlimited says we have notified Magazine Emporium that you have unsubscribed and that they should send you a check since they collected your money.  Magazine Emporium ( 800 332 0278 ) no longer has a person answering the phone., the recorded message says leave a message andwe will call back 24-48 hours or email our website.  It doesn’t happen.

I have been thru this loop-the-loop three times and have yet to see even
one thin dime from Ziff Davis or any of their henchmen.

I took them up on their offer to change my subscription to another magazime back in January. They keep telling me that it takes 12 weeks. It is now six months. I am thinking that they have taken my money and ran. No wonder they had to go Chapter 11.

I want a paper magazine, not one that I have to sit in front of a computer screen.

I think that is definitely a great decision that could pay off greatly for PC mag.