Continue to Site

Eng-Tips is the largest engineering community on the Internet

Intelligent Work Forums for Engineering Professionals

Register Log in
  • Congratulations IDS on being selected by the Eng-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

SSM - Electronic Copy or Hardcopy - Which do you prefer?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Anyone else like the new Electronic copy of Solid Solution Magazine?

I myself, I'm not happy about it at all.

I emailed their Customer support about the fact you have to click on the images to read them (like a jpg file of a error message or just a message).

Their response was This is because the PDF is compressed when created. We need to have a high compression ratio so the final PDF is a manageable size. If the compression were set so that these images were readable in the PDF, it would be up to 10x the current size and this would be much to large for our subscribers to download.


OK I agree to that, but...

My reply
That answered my question, but just the fact you have to click on the image to get a clean view of it seems a little crappy to me...IMO. That interrupts the reading flow when it says see fig 2 and you look at fig 2 and you can't read it. You click on the image a new window pops up and you read the image. Close the window and continue...If you have to revert back to it you can't just look up you have to scroll back lose your place on the page etc... It's just not fluid anymore...That's been my biggest complaint since you went to electronic PDF files instead of hardcopies.

I liked the readable version much better than the online book. I have never been good about reading on the web. I prefer a hardcopy to sit back in my chair and read instead of bent over reading off a monitor, making my back hurt, etc... Yes I could print it out, but now I'm wasting paper and ink from my cartridges.... what is the point of paying the fee per year if your not going to make the extra effort to give us at least a choice in the option we want. - Hardcopy...or Electronic.

Just my .02 worth

The fee today is $35 per year or $60 for 2 years, which is A LOT cheaper than it has been in many years and it is probably why they are going electronic….but not having a choice between electronic copy and Hardcopy…I don't like. I know there is I can do but complain...but I just wanted to know what all of you thought about this new version of SSM if you’re receiving it.

I still swear by SSM their magazine is great for learning. All the neat little tricks that users send plus the News letter that they have. I'm not knocking the Magazine only the way they publish it now.

Best Regards and TIA,

Scott Baugh, CSWP[wiggle][alien]
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
 
Click to expand...
Scott i complained to them on the very first issue and have found the latest issue is the worst yet when printing images. They have downsized the natural size so much that you truelly need to click and print the image seperate. I am going to spend more than the subscription is worth printing the stupid thing out.
 
How big are the PDF's? I don't subscibe, so I don't know.

I have an electronic subscription to Investor's Business Daily that is delivered in PDF. Average file size is 7.0MB. Nice pictures.

Maybe they could do a high-bandwidth downloadable version. Of course, I'm preachin' to the choir, here.

[bat]Good and evil: wrap them up and disguise it as people.[bat]
 
Scott,

I hate to call you on this but weren't you the one who didn't need a hardcopy version of the solidworks manual??

I know this is a slightly different premise, but it is nice not have to sit in front of the computer to do your reading isn't it. Thats why toilets have flat tanks (magazine rack);-)

I can't complain as I don't subscribe but I can honestly say if a magazine I subscribed to went all electronic, I would drop the subscription that day!

Take Care,
DG
 
No I never said I didn't need a hardcopy of SW version manaual. I said, if you want the manaul take the training. If you can find that "quote" that says you don't need it let me know where it is located at.

I do remember indicating something about SW does not need to print out tutorials for every seat in the world. But I never said that the you or anyone wouldn't benefit from having them either. I was trying to say that if you need the books take the training along with them.

A magazine is different than a training manual, because I don't need training to read a 10 page magazine, vs a 200 page training manual.

I know this is a slightly different premise, but it is nice not have to sit in front of the computer to do your reading isn't it.

If you took the training you won't have to read through the help or online tutorial. You would have the Hardcopy right in front of you.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP[wiggle][alien]
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
 
I hate the electronic version of SSM... plain and simple. Needless to say, we no longer subscibe. Towards the end, the issues were getting a little thin on content too.

MadMango
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
 
MadMango
030203usf_prv.gif


Part of the problem with their content is that they are spreading themselves a little thin. When I submitted my first couple of articles to Solid Solutions Advanced – I thought they would be picked up and included in the next Magazine. That was silly of me I guess, but I learned later that they try to keep the content separate.

I think that is a mistake on their part. Every article I’ve written has been too large for the newsletter, but that was where I submitted them, so that is where they stayed. The problem with that is that the newsletter is done very quickly and mistakes happen. Every one of those articles has had problems. Images too small to be read, missing links, formatting errors - to name just a few.

Lee
040103star_tip_hat_md_clr_prv.gif



Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.
 
The new electronic format is terrible. I can't sit in the recliner and thumb through an electronic copy. I can't lie in bed and read an article. I stare at a computer screen for about 10 hours a day. I'd like to not have to do that at home. My biggest complaint is I signed up for the specail $60 offer and then they switched to the electronic format. I WON'T subscribe again!
 
Scott,

I hate to call you on this but weren't you the one who didn't need a hardcopy version of the solidworks manual??

I know this is a slightly different premise, but it is nice not have to sit in front of the computer to do your reading isn't it. Thats why toilets have flat tanks (magazine rack);-)

I can't complain as I don't subscribe but I can honestly say if a magazine I subscribed to went all electronic, I would drop the subscription that day!

Take Care,
DG
 
Sorry do know how my above post got resent?!?!
 
I agree with the general sentiment here. I don't want to have to be sitting in from of a computer to read magazines. That's stuff to do over lunch or some other time (like that flat tank...er, magazine rack location.) I don't want to have to mess with printing (monochrome) hardcopy (I'm not using MY color cartridges at home!!). And it is very inconvenient to pass round the office in electronic form. So I will not be renewing, to heck with them. Frankly I always thought it was spotty to so-so quality anyway.

3/4 of all the Spam produced goes to Hawaii - shame that's not true of SPAM also.......
 
If any of you that are receiving this SSM and are not happy with it...have you sent in a complaint? They say that they have are "getting a good response" What a good response? [shocked] I haven't seen one yet on this.

I'm just curious if it's from the amount of people downloading the file or that people are emailing them and saying "We Love the new electronic format, and we can't live without! Please keep producing these fabulous electronic formats" [love] - sarcasm implied [laughtears]

Anyhow if you haven't already I would try sending them and email and letting them know that I'm not the only one that thinks this away about there publication.

publisher@solidmag.com

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP[wiggle][alien]
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
 
SBaugh
030203usf_prv.gif


Another Idea – E-mail this thread to them – but let it grow a little first.

Lee
040103star_tip_hat_md_clr_prv.gif



Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.
 
Print form is better, definitely--for all the reasons already listed. Unfortunately, I signed up just before they switched, so only received one in print form.




Jeff Mowry
DesignHaus Industrial Design
 
All this nastiness about the format and content is causing me to have second thoughts about writing for them.

[bat]Good and evil: wrap them up and disguise it as people.[bat]
 
TheTick,

I still read the content of the magazine. I just don't like the form they are making us read it in. I still think the contant is good and I would love to read your article, if you write one.

You can read mine if you haven't already..its at my site.

[cheers],

Scott Baugh, CSWP[wiggle][alien]
3DVision Technologies
faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

GhassanK
  • Locked
  • Question
SolidWorks Copy And Pasting Multiple Entities While Maintaining Relationships
Replies
2
Views
259
ctopher
ctopher
oharag11
  • Locked
  • Question
How do I add a generic mass to a Solidworks part?
Replies
5
Views
580
oharag11
oharag11
PRESSEDSTEEL
  • Locked
  • Question
Copy Body
Replies
6
Views
99
Jboggs
Jboggs
jassco
  • Locked
  • Question
Is there a way to copy driven dimension values?
Replies
6
Views
245
jassco
jassco
borsht
  • Locked
  • Question
Offset edge onto sketch doesn't show which direction its going
Replies
1
Views
86
SBaugh
SBaugh

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top Bottom