[Linux-aus] Linux Magazine (http://linmagau.org/)

[Jonathan Oxer]

On Wed, 2003-04-16 at 16:15, David Lloyd wrote:

> I wonder if people think that we could somehow provide some assistance
> in setting up a paper edition of the Linux Magazine (URL in subject), or
> indeed if this is a good idea at all?

I for one would very much like to see that happen, but I'm not sure what
assistance you mean specifically. Or was the question very open-ended
specifically to see if anyone had some ideas?

If so, I'll throw in my 2c+GST.

Perhaps this is something worthy of consideration for financial
assistance according to previous discussions, although that could raise
all sorts of issues if the magazine were set up in a commercial way.
Personally I think it would be cool to see it set up as a non-profit
organisation, run as a proper business but with revenue going back into
furthering the interests of the magazine and Linux in general rather
than just generating a profit. With an enterprise like that there are
significant commercial arrangements that need to be entered into, such
as paying a printer and a distributor, so there would need to be *some*
kind of entity with a cheque book that could do that. At the moment it
seems like it's just Kim doing it all with limited resources, but
ideally it should be some kind of a legal entity with all that entails.

What I'd really like to see is linmagau in print, distributed widely to
newsagents and the like, and with revenue to cover other expenses such
as a wage for Kim etc.

I see the way to achieve that is:

1. Everyone that knows about it to support it by submitting content and
telling all their friends about it.
2. A structure such as a non-profit org being put in place to handle the
commercial aspects of it.
3. Discussion with printers and distributors to determine what is
required to get a print version happening.
4. Signing up paying advertisers to got some revenue in.
5. Possibly some financial input from LA to help kick start things.
6. Go to print.

If necessary there could be some arrangement with LA that said in effect
that LA would kick in $X to start with, which would be repaid once $Y
sales had been made.

Jonathan