I used to subscribe to officating.com and the reason I do not anymore has nothing to do with the quality of articles, etc. but the fact that it is strictly PC based.

During the summer months, I along with most of you are doing a plethora of games, and except for some spare moments at work, I do not have time or am simply too tired to turn on the Computer at home. I basically review my E-mails approx once maybe twice a week during the busy season of umpiring unless I am expecting an E-mail from someone.

I personally like the magazine format of referee. You can always keep the magazines in a folder, etc. and catch up on back issues when you get the chance to read them. I know you can print the articles from the paid site, but IMO it's not like having the magazine to refer to.

I do not know if a marketing survey was done to see if in fact, a magazine format was available, sales would increase.

IMO, it's like the progression of Papa C's BRD. The first copy I had looks nothing like his latest version which is well indexed and in a nice neat spiral format for easy research.

Pete Booth

Double charge
 

There are several examples out there similar to Referee Magazine that offers both a hard-copy and an e-copy. The thing that pisses me off about these services is that you must purchase them seperately.

I feel that if I am a subscriber to the Referee magazine I should be granted access to their website also. Same is true for my local newspaper... $10 per month for hardcopy and delivery but if I want internet access that's another $8... for the same information. Why do they fail to recognise that I am ONE subscriber and would like two different methods of accessing their information?

I believe that Referee and officiating.com actually have different overall info but one subscription price ought to cover access to both.

I've got enough going on without having two entities continuously pounding me for renewal to the same, if not very similar, information. Therefore, I only have one or the other.

Catch-up to reality and quit gouging me double for a single set of information.

not quite
 

Sorry, your example doesn't hold up tony.

I agree that if officiating.com had a hard copy, one price should get you both. I don't agree that one price should get you both officiating.com and referee.

If I am not mistaken, the two are seperate entities, even competitors. Requesting that you get both subs for one price is ludicrus.

That would be the same as going to your local Chevy dealer, and asking to get both a new ford, and a new chevy for the same price. They both have some of the same features. A/C. Power Windows. Doors. Engine. Why shouldn't you get 2 for the price of 1? They are very similar, you know.

And yes, print magazines would be nice, but the cost on those would be much greater than on the internet.

[Edited by wobster on Aug 19th, 2004 at 10:28 AM]

I think Tony's point is more along the lines of:

If I subscribe to the print version of a document I should get free access to the internet version of that document. Or at the very least be able to play some kind of combined reduced price to enjoy it both ways.

Re: Double charge
 

I would agree with that point, jxt, if the articles were the same. If referee had an online magazine, yes you should get access to both. You should not get referee and officiating.com for one price.

Re: Re: Double charge
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by wobster

Quote:

If referee had an online magazine, yes you should get access to both. You should not get referee and officiating.com for on e price.

Nobody suggested anyone should receive Referee magazine and officiating.com for one price. You misread Downtown Tony Brown's post.

Referee does have a website, where print subscribers can get in to the "subscriber" area for no additional charge; they only have to know the "password" that is printed in each issue of the print magazine.

Strikes me as eminently reasonable.

There should be an option to view an article in "printer friendly" format.

Then one could print it out, put it in a binder, and then they would have a very nice collection of articles for easy reference.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

that is a good idea.

Good idea about the printable format.

For those posting on this thread... Would it help if you were emailed a printable copy of the articles -- in PDF format, for example?

One of the great things about everything being online is that you have access to our entire archive of articles. Finding an article on any officiating subject is literally seconds away! Even if you saved every copy of a magazine, finding a specific article is extremely time consuming.

Hehehe,
 

I subscribe to Cooks Illustrated Magazine. If I want access to their website I must pay an extra stipend to join.

Tee

Brad, that would be nice. If there were an option for that, it would be great.