Camera Labs

Hello everyone, as some of you may know, I was the former Editor of an IT magazine in the UK called Personal Computer World. This was the UK's first computer magazine and also it's longest-running.

I'm sad to say the magazine was closed down by its publishers this week after 31 years in business. I felt it deserved a tribute / obituary, so for those who are interested, I have written one here:

PCW Obituary.

Rest in peace PCW, you shall be missed.

Gordon

A little sad but not too surprising.

I started reading around the more PC biased computing magazines when I got access to my first one around 1993. PCW was my fave "thick" computing magazine. Those are the ones which resemble a telephone directory, typically with a relatively low cover price as they're more heavily advert supported than thinner mags. The style and content suited me and in the longer term I found it to be a regular monthly purchase.

That was fine until later in the 90's when this internet thing happened. Tech sites had all the news and reviews faster and for free. The publishing lead times meant by the time they appeared on the shelves, it was old news. I found myself only occasionally buying it for the adverts, as internet shopping hadn't quite taken off yet.

Having said that, even with the internet, I'm impressed they managed to go on for about another decade!

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Really sad & sorry to hear that.RIP PCW..

_________________
Soon.....

.
Sad indeed. My own history with PCW goes all the way back to the very first issue and, with last issue arriving this morning, it's fair to say I read every one. There's no inkling from this last magazine that anything was amiss and it even promises that the next magazine was to feature "Space-saver PCs" and "System utility suites". That will never happen, it seems. A shame that there was no viable option to continue as an Internet based "e-zine".

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

I must have missed this. I've been a subscriber for years so am surprised at this. There's no mention of them shutting down on the PCW or VNU websites. As a regular columnist you must have been surprised Gordon. Any chance of your columns living on elsewhere?

_________________
Nikon D80, Nikkor lenses: 35mm f1.8 G AF-S DX, 50mm f/1.8 AF D, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR, SB800 flash
My photos on SmugMug

Hi Phil, yes I think the publisher handled it very badly with direspect for the readers, the staff, the contributors, and the magazine itself. I know I'm being a little precious, but as the oldest PC magazine in the UK, and the second oldest in the world, I think it deserved a better end - it's like knocking down a heritage building without warning anyone first.

It's unbelieveable to me that they haven't said anything on their website either. It's almost hush hush, despite being widely reported in the press. I believe a message will go out to subs, but newsstand buyers will be none the wiser - it'll just disappear next month.

As for my hardware columns, I would certainly miss writing about PC components, and the thought crossed my mind to see if I could pitch them to someone else. Then it occurred to me I have a perfectly good platform here!

So my current plan is to continue my PC Hardware column right here at Cameralabs as a kind of occassional blog, with updates at least every month, and dialogue here in the forum. Hopefully we can attract some of the former PCW readers over here!

I remember getting a copy of this in my stocking at Christmas with my first computer, the legendary rubber keys spectrum 48k...It also help pass my time on many a long train journey..

just shows how times are changing..

_________________
Mark Osborne
My life through an iPhone

I remember one of my best friends getting an Acorn Atom game printed in the Listings section at the back. It was a City Bomber game in 1k of memory.

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

That sounds like a great plan.

_________________
Nikon D80, Nikkor lenses: 35mm f1.8 G AF-S DX, 50mm f/1.8 AF D, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR, SB800 flash
My photos on SmugMug

I received a letter yesterday explaining the PCW had been closed down and that as "a loyal subscriber" my subscription had been automatically moved to Computeractive magazine. I'm livid about that. If I wanted to subscribe to that magazine I would have done already. To cap it all, I have to write to them to cancel my subscription.

_________________
Nikon D80, Nikkor lenses: 35mm f1.8 G AF-S DX, 50mm f/1.8 AF D, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR, SB800 flash
My photos on SmugMug

Hi Phil, I hope to launch my PC hardware section very soon now...

Gordon, it's always sad when publications shut down.

But I quoted that for a reason: is that the "green" of cameralabs? The red is CL the Blue DSLR tips, is the green going to be a computer hardware thing?

_________________
Jake O'Connell, 40D Crew
Canon EOS 40D | 28-135mm IS | 50mm f/1.8 |Vivitar DF 383 | Vivitar 285hv
My Flickr
my Blog
"Photography isn't so much about the results as it is the collective experience, your interactions with people and with the world"

Ah that's a shame. I used to love that magazine, was one my favourite PC magazines when I was a PC user. It's where I first heard of Gordon too! Very sad.

_________________
Nikon D700 | 20mm f2.8 | 28mm f2.8 | 50mm f1.8 | 70-300 f4-5.6 | SB800 | flickr | serial photography