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The Mac community lost an old friend several weeks ago when MacWEEK disappeared into
MacCentral. I have fond memories of my computer-youth waiting for the publication - during
its heyday as a print journal - to arrive in my mailbox. I would drop everything at the
earliest possible moment and devour each article, savoring everything from the grittiest
technical details to the juiciest gossip. The quality of the publication was awesome, it
earned the respect of readers with its outstanding journalism, and it set a standard for
others to aspire toward today.
Several people have written me to express concern over the loss of what was once the
premier Mac masthead, and inquiring what it might mean for the future. I think there are
two main factors affecting the general interest Mac print magazine market, and neither is
indicative of the relative health of the Mac marketplace.
The first factor is the ongoing years-in-the-making transformation of the entire computer
industry from catering to a relatively narrow group of early adopters to the broader
public at large. As the industry has matured, the demand for in-depth technical coverage
that amounts to "getting the damned thing to work" isn't as necessary as it was in years
past. Moreover, as software engineering has matured, it is less likely that products
require a review by the same standards that once existed. Again, it has become less "will
it work?" and more "is it okay, good, or excellent?” As a result, there is less demand for
certain types of computer journalism.
The second and probably more powerful factor is the rise of the Web. Most general use
publications are advertiser-driven. Consider the target market of computer related
publications for a moment. Almost all of the potential users already have computers, and
access to the Internet. Marketers in more traditional industries are not yet well
positioned to move to a Web-centric world, but when it comes to the computer sector, your
potential customers already are spending more time reading the Web than they do
traditional publications, for a good reason.
Put yourself in the shoes of a print magazine editor for a moment. What you want is fresh
copy on new topics. How the heck can you do that with a lead time measured in weeks (not
long ago, months) when your Web-based competition has already covered a product's release,
published reader reports on its performance, and run summaries and in-depth analysis
before you ever even get to press?
Well, where are we going? I'm not sure. I think the print market will continue to
contract, but I doubt it will disappear altogether. But we could see the first few
instances where a Web publication subsidizes its print cousin instead of the other way
around.
For users who are looking for some good news among the bad news of disappearing,
contracting, and other fates befalling Apple these days, consider this: the Mac market
share is down from what it was in the early 90's. However, the absolute size of the market
has grown tremendously, and subsequently far more potential customers overall.
Unfortunately declining market share is the number that everyone tends to focus on. But it
is a big mistake to assume that because market share is down, there is no way to make
money in the Mac marketplace.
Another chapter in Mac history has ended. However, there are still many good things on the
road ahead.
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"All Good Things"
