Author: Strider (AGrenoble-257-1-32-186.w86-194.abo.wanadoo.fr)
Date: 02-03-2008 19:05
Hello, here is a message from RayXambeR, STMag's editor:
ST Magazine carries on in its own sweet way. The path was carved since AtTOS #1, published in 2000 (if my memory serves me well). Since eight years, our little team creates a 100% Atari computers magazine, being (nearly?) the only one left.
That doesn't mean we think we are inevitable. We simply want, somewhat, to do something for the still active Atari community. And we do that exclusively on our free time.
Lately, however, we acknowledged the following fact: STMag would need a new life. Not a renewal, since the current team has more than respected persons. But more a backing for article writing.
Because of the shallow number of writers, it becomes difficult to bring new blood with new kind of articles, in a different style.
Yet, there's plenty to cover! There is enough news (software news, demos, hardware projects, etc.) to justify a quarterly publication of STMag. However, news must be supplemented by other, more in-depth, articles. There are some in STMag, as there were and there will be, but we have to admit it is not always enough. And our aim is not to do padding. We'd rather publish STMag less often than having it become insipid.
Our idea is also to increase the retrogaming and historic side of Atari computers. By going back to a game which left its mark on its era, and which remains very good, putting it again in its context, with the necessary hindsight, made of anecdotes on its production, its origin, etc. In short, an in-depth article on something already known (it can also be something other than a game, a utility, for instance). That, because there are not necessarily a lot of new software showing up, and most of all because, since quite some time now, we are witnessing the ST and its games being back in favour, through hardware projects such as the SatanDisk or emulators, with a game contest held regularly on the Internet, etc.
Both aspects, news and retro, of Atari computers cannot be denied and concealed.
It would be good to have articles in this sense. In fact, any participation, notably on this theme, is desirable.
It is not the first time we try to encourage Atarist to participate, if only a little, and not necessarily regularly, to STMag. Yes, indeed, it is obscure work, totally unpaid. Is the Atarist community not made any more of enthusiast users? Sometimes, one "would like to", and saying "I can do it" is enough to make it happen.
Indeed, it requires time, but also will and motivation. That's the way it is when one wants to make things, and makes them right.
You will have easily noticed that STMag could (nearly) be called STrider Mag (nice pun, isn't it?). Strider is one of the Atarist who follows news closely, and I am really fortunate and happy to have him at my side for STMag. But it's a pity he's not helped more. I was very clear when I launched AtTOS. If, after 3 issues, there was no one taking part in the adventure, AtTOS would stop as fast as it came. It wasn't the case, thanks to all who, even if only once, participated in STMag. That said, my "child" is ReVival. STMag is a service I wanted to do, because of the complete stop of all Atarist publications. I thought it was a pity and penalizing. And I thought (perhaps wrongly) that I was not in too bad a position, with the experience of setting up ReVival, to be able to take on the "logistics" of another magazine. Currently, in STMag, I content myself with editing, the editorial, planning content, ..., in short, the standard role of a chief-editor! I neglected a little (much) the Atari computers, but I'm still enthusiastic about this machine range, and I do hope I'll be able to get back to it more thoroughly one day.
It is not at all a slow lament from our side, to be able to say, in case there would be no new external involvement: "You saw, nobody moved, we warned you, so we are stopping STMag". No, it's not our style, otherwise we would have stopped ages ago. STMag will continue, but, certainly, will switch to a rhythm more in line with what we can currently do, which is an average of 3 issues per year.
That's it, thanks to all in advance. We always welcome comments and critics on STMag. This is the only way to evolve.
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