II Alive!

[stc7@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Steven T Chiang)]

I cancelled this message the first time, because I noticed the
formatting was all wrong....  So, if it appears twice on your site,
that's why.


Here's a post from AOL about II Alive, the new magazine from Quality
Computers...  I've seen a lot of stuff posted like, Do you trust a
magazine put out my a mail order house...  But given QC's track record
I would say yes, but that's just me...

Anyway, here's a message from Joe Gleason, president of QC.

---
Path: Quality Computers/II alive

Subj:  Open Letter from Joe (part 1)         92-12-10 11:16:14 EST
From:  QualityCom

I usually don't post directly to the online services mainly because my
wife won't let me have a computer at home. (She lets me work 6 AM to 8
PM as long as I promised never to bring work home with me.) However,
several people at Quality Computers have been showing me copies of the
mesages recently posted on this and other online services about
Quality Computers and II Alive.

First, I want thank everyone for the overwhelming support we have been
receiving for our efforts to launch II Alive. Subscriptions have so
far exceeded our expectations. We continue to sign up new subscribers
every minute.

Several valid and important questions have been raised about II Alive.
I want to address these questions before the rumors begin flying.
We're very serious about our mission and I will be up-front with the
facts.   

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q: Why is Quality Computers publishing a magazine?

A: 1992 was a year of Apple II bashing. "No one supports the Apple II
anymore, I'm told it's outdated and I should get a new computer" is a
refrain that our sales staff has heard over and over.

As you know, we have been a strong financial supporter of InCider/A+
(through our advertising) since 1987. Ads in InCider/A+ have done
pretty well for us. But this year we've noticed a gradual decline in
the number of our customers who mention they are responding to our ads
in InCider/A+. We believe this is not specifically a result of a
declining Apple II market, but rather a result of InCider/A+'s
increasingly pro-Macintosh (and implicitly anti-Apple II) bias. Many
of the comments have been quite blunt. 

I have been very aggressive in insisting they stop the Apple II
bashing that has gone in past issues. I even told them that we would
withdraw our advertising and start a competing publication if their
Apple II bashing continued.

I cannot in good conscience allow InCider/A+ to belittle the Apple II
user. After all, we all paid InCider/A+ for a magazine about the Apple
II, not a magazine that diminishes the Apple II. I worry that our
strong presence in InCider/A+ could be construed as support of their
editorial direction.

After I received the latest issue, I wrote a letter to inCider/A+
protesting their continued anti-Apple II stance. I outlined the
reasons that I object and asked them to publish it unedited. They have
declined.   InCider/A+ has stated that their anti-Apple II stance was
just a mistake and promised that very strong Apple II coverage will
return in future issues. But who knows when they'll change their mind
again? While we originally intended II Alive to fill the vacuum left
by InCider/A+'s departure, its mission remains no less valid today.

As the name implies, II Alive celebrates the Apple II--which remains
"more computer than most people will ever need."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q: Can we trust a mail order business to publish a magazine in the
interest of its readers, not just itself?

When I first heard questions like this, I was taken aback. After all,
we're doing more than any other mail-order business to support the
Apple II. How could anyone doubt our intentions? But flipping hats,
it's a really good point and has lead to some very serious
weekend-long discussions. It's one thing to say "we promise not to be
biased," but that sounds a little hollow. 

We have a plan that should insure our objectivity. This plan will
continue to be improved with your input, but as it stands, it will at
least insure we get a first-class publication into the hands of our
readers. The plan is: 

I: Quality Computers will rely on well-known and unbiased Apple II
authors to write the majority of its articles instead of relying on
staff writers. 

II: No Quality Computers, Q Labs, or Beagle Bros products will be
reviewed in II Alive. (They will, however, be listed in New Products
along with products from other manufacturers.) Any review of our own
products would be clearly marked as an advertisement and would not be
written by any II Alive staffer. 

III: Quality Computers advertisements will be clearly advertisements.

IV: We will select a group of at least 6 people from online services
and user groups to take part in 1-800 conferences. These people will
be chosen based on their reputation for objectivity and knowledge of
the Apple II market, and we will rotate them frequently. Each person
will receive a pre-publication copy of II Alive and review it for
errors and biases. 

Your input on this plan would be greatly appreciated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q: How many paid subscribers do they expect to reach the first year?

A: Fifty thousand--or more! There are still over a million Apple II
users out there. We will find them! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q: Will they allow advertising?

A: Of course. We have already spoken with many key advertisers, and
they applaud our decision to go forward with II Alive. 


II Alive is an important commitment for Quality Computers. It's going
to cost us enormous amounts of money. We're doubling our art
department to be able to handle the load. Doing it right requires a
solid plan and real funding. But it's an investment in the future of
the Apple II market, and one I feel certain is worthwhile. I wish I
could let you feel the excitement in our office! 

We want your support! There are lot of relatively new Apple II users
out there; they need to hear the word since many of them are not on
any of our mailing lists. Also, we're looking for good articles. Send
us some! (We pay.) The more input we receive, the better II Alive will
be. 

If you want to send a message directly to me, simply reply to this
account or FAX me at 313-774-2698.  

Joe Gleason
President
Quality Computers

-----

	The subject line says part 1, this isn't true anymore, because
I appended all of the parts together..... so this is the full message.
:)

Hey Joe Kohn... this looks like a great opportunity for you... :)

Steven Chiang                  Order - DreamGrafix:  The ONLY 16/256/3200
stc7@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu       color paint program for the Apple IIGS.
America On_Line:  DWS Steve
Genie:  S.Chiang4              Apple IIGS Forever!