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Finally, Hacker Monthly Subscriptions
- zackattack 16y agoif you guys don't already have an ad out in 2600, i'd suggest it. they'd probably be into it (they take ads from "competing" mags all the time) and ads are free for subscribers.
- bitdiddle 16y agosorry but these prices are way out of line. It's a monthly and with all due respect, I've read a couple issues, it doesn't compare to something like Harpers which if I recall is about 17/yr. for high quality print and incredible content.
- mkuhn 16y agoI just got a digital subscription. I think all the effort that goes into this needs to be rewarded and I also get something out of it.
- bearwithclaws 16y agoYou are our first digital subscriber (and followed by a whole lot more). Thank you all.
- eogas 16y agoMight I suggest throwing something up on the subscription page that advertises the fact that the first three issues are available for free in digital form? As a first time visitor, I was obviously reluctant to subscribe without having seen a single issue. With some nominal site scouring, I was able to find the first three issues, but there really should be something on the subscription page I think.
- barmstrong 16y agoThis is a great idea....but was a little surprised by the pricing. Why didn't you go free on the digital and a monthly subscription on the print subscription? Free digital copies will be great (free) lead gen for your paid product, and you can pitch the print subscription inside. Seems like monthly subscriptions might be a lower hurdle (and price point) to get people started too. Awesome work though!
- c1sc0 16y agoDon't agree, just start by charging the early adopters to cover your costs & figure out a more freemium-like pricing model later on. Congrats!
- mkuhn 16y agoI think making a few of the older editions available free of charge could be a good way. There are quite a few articles that won't loose their value over time.
- jacquesm 16y agoThey're available for free online aren't they? On this very site.
- unwantedLetters 16y agoFrom the page: # Starting from issue #4, the digital version of Hacker Monthly will costs $3 each and comes in pdf, epub and mobi format.
- jacquesm 16y agoYes, but the articles are all HN reprints. The added value is in the pdfs and I see no problem with them charging for that, it's a ton of work to make them. I think the whole concept is very nice but the real value for me of HN is mostly in the comments on the articles, that's where I learn the most. So even after reading an article in 'Hacker Monthly' I'd like to re-visit the relevant entry on HN.
- aristus 16y ago"We've already established what you are, madam, now we're haggling over the price." USD$112 per year feels way too steep. That's on par with a subscription to the Economist, which is a) weekly, b) original, and c) one of the best periodicals in the English language. If he can get that price, more power to him. But as a potential subscriber of --and an unpaid author for-- this magazine, I think the price is far too high for the value he adds.
- jan_g 16y agoGood magazine, I'd love to have it in paper, but too expensive. 10$ per issue only shipping cost.
- mkuhn 16y agoYeah, shipping was the killer for me as well. That's why I went with the digital edition. If needed I can even (selectively) print it myself but I assume I will be quite happy with it in digital form only.
- MarkBook 16y agoWhere I live I can see a house where the delivery cost is $8 per issue less than mine
- DavidMcLaughlin 16y agoThe border between Ireland and Nothern Ireland?
- MarkBook 16y agoThat's one name for it! ;)
- jacquesm 16y agoHave it delivered there! Then go pick it up.
- kenpratt 16y agoHaving a suggested $3/month subscription for having the PDF mailed to you but ALSO having the PDF available for free on the website could be the best of both worlds. Those who can afford to pay, do so, but you can still link to the free version (which could have nag pages inserted).
- bearwithclaws 16y agoWe will create a 'Content' section in magazine issue page on the website, where we list and link to all the articles appearing in that particular issue, along with its HN discussion. Hopefully this provide an alternative for other readers.
- jackowayed 16y ago>Your favorite digital format (pdf, epub, mobi) Will we be able to get several? I could see wanting all of the above for different devices.
- bearwithclaws 16y agoYes. You'll get all in a zipped file delivered to your email.
- rdela 16y agoIs zipped really better? I can see people on mobile devices preferring raw links in email, and maybe not wanting such a big file in the first place, unless they were actually going to use all 3 versions. Should be a option in user settings to enable each format. Then in the monthly email, whichever files they subscribe to. Thoughts?
- benofsky 16y agoLooks fantastic but too expensive for anywhere in Europe other than the UK, maybe consider using Royal Mail for elsewhere in Europe too?
- jerguismi 16y agoYeah, I would order it instantly if the shipping would be cheaper... 10$ per issue? Come on, that's 120$ for a year. edit: just ordered the digital subscription. Please try to find cheaper shipping option to europe, and you will have one customer more :) I order several magazines from US/US to Finland, and they never are more expensive than 80 bucks, including shipping...
- coffeejunk 16y ago$10 per issue is insane. i'd love to order the subscription but this is just too much.
- india 16y agoSo in India, the print will cost me about 10 grand per year and the pdf a grand. I wish I were in college. I could just get my library to subscribe to it.
- lfx 16y ago3$ per month for something you can read for free online. It's not so much, but makes me think if I really need it.
- martey 16y agoI think the value-add is the editing and layout. Yes, you could find all of the articles online, but you would have to wade through several hundred articles of lesser quality, and it would not look as nice.
- jpcx01 16y agoIssue #3 finally looks like a real magazine. I know, its way too expensive. But I dont care, I love the thing. First time I found a magazine that I'm really actually interested in reading cover to cover.
- shin_lao 16y agoWhen I checkout and go to paypal the price doesn't include the shipping cost. Isn't this a bug?
- bearwithclaws 16y agoE-Junkie should've that handle. If it miss it the first time (while you're at the shopping cart), it will include it when you are about to pay in the PayPal page.
- pvg 16y agoI realize printing in small runs is more expensive so such a magazine might cost more than, say, Harper's or the Atlantic Monthly or maybe even the New Yorker. More than all three combined, though?
- bearwithclaws 16y agoWe are trying hard to reduce the cost of the magazine (especially deliver international) and by having the subscription plan is our first step. Let me explain. Firstly, the readers get some savings by subscribing other than purchase individually (not to mention the hassle). Secondly, when we reaches a certain number of print subscribers (let say 500), we could confidently do a print run with our local supplier for a cheaper price. Then, we could significantly lower the cost (and thus lower the subscription price). And to be fair to the existing subscribers, they get to extend their subscribing period for free.
- pvg 16y agoIt sounds a bit like you want to have your first customers bear your entire initial costs (500 * 88 is over $40k). This is great if you can swing it seems very unlikely if you price yourself entirely beyond what people are used to paying for a monthly print magazine. I think it also cuts out any potential customers who might be willing to pay some non-excessive premium. There are less blunt instruments than sticker-shocking your entire market - for instance you can offer cheaper print subs and a fancier, Super Platinum Premium Founder's Club version for those who feel like being generous - let's say, 3 years, maybe throw in some advertising space and a mention on a thank you page, etc.
- sstrudeau 16y agoI think this is a reasonable strategy. It's easier to lower prices than to raise them. This is a relatively novel experiment in publishing and as far as I can tell it's totally boot strapped. I'm happy to pay for this essentially "at cost" to participate in the experiment, but I wouldn't be likely to be taken in by a gold star to subsidize other. I think it's ok to try to grow something like this slowly, to buy time to learn without overexposure.
- edw519 16y agoNow let me see if I got this right: Hacker News: - interactive - real time - available 24/7 - the participants are the stars - the beauty is in the substance - an example of new technology we embrace - free Hacker News Monthly: - read only - time delayed - available once/month - the stars are chosen by editors - the beauty is in the appearance - an example of old technology we replace - you pay for it
- ytNumbers 16y agoI'd never pay for it, either. Since you're one of the biggest stars on HN, it might annoy you that some editors are choosing the stars for this monthly publication. But, that's the "killer feature" of the "old media" approach. Curated content has some big benefits. It saves people from the hassle of wading through a lot of marginal posts. It also helps me when I wind up occasionally missing some gems. It just about kills me to disagree with you publicly, since I so often find myself up-voting your comments on this site.
- edw519 16y agoWow, what interesting feedback. Also a good (and common) example of when what I say and what I mean don't match. Here at hn, we are all stars. If it wasn't for us, hn would just be another read-only website. Probably better content than most, but still just a web site. Make no mistake about it: Hacker News Monthly is gorgeous. I've read every issue and appreciate all the hard work that has gone into each. I understand the value for those who don't visit hn regularly, but there really are enough links and gadgets here to catch almost everything important. This kinda reminds me of being on a cruise and getting a chance to pay for pictures of your good time at the end. They do a nice job of capturing memories, but can't possibly replace the experience. That's all.
- thedjpetersen 16y agoThe point is to print the best articles, its easy to miss a good article with the sheer volume that goes through this site. Charging for the digital version is strange...
- albertsun 16y agoSo the next step is going to be working out payments for people who's articles are included right?
- philcrissman 16y agoThis is actually a really good question. I would think the copyright of each article is owned by the blogger or media outlet which produced it. While bloggers in general probably universally love more exposure, I can't imagine that as a group they would love the idea of someone reprinting their articles for profit... ?
- tszming 16y agoWould like to have a print friendly version.
- prat 16y agoThis reminds me of google's April fool's joke "gmail paper" about converting emails to traditional post.
- random42 16y agoIf I were you, I would go for, 1. Ad supported free digital copy (which will help advertisers achieve attention of lot more targeted crowd, that is hackernews readers). Free version would ascertain the momentum for the product (and probably interest for advertisers). 2. A premium print version _with_ extra premium only content (eg. additional essays, interviews etc.), with probably lesser/no ads (Which I dont find annoying in print, to be honest). A typical Freemium model, where everyone wins.
- wwortiz 16y agoI am curious as weren't you (bearswithclaws) advertising to advertisers of the huge reader base, which included free pdf readers, in order to get people to advertise with you. I for one would be pretty upset if I found out I paid good money for an advertisement and the reader base dropped off insanely because of the new paid model.
- jpcx01 16y agoIt's a good point. That and the job board seemed pretty lucrative. But I doubt it compares to just having everyone subscribe.
- covercash 16y agoYou guys really do some beautiful design work on these. I'd really like to see you partner with PG and release a 'book' of his essays done in this fashion. I'd buy that in a heartbeat!!!
- kloncks 16y agoYou should read Hackers and Painters. It's exactly what you're talking about and includes most of his essays.
- covercash 16y agoI'm looking for something in magazine format... to put on my coffee table, in the bathroom, etc. Edit: Thanks for the suggestion, I've actually read a lot of the essays online. Like I said, just looking for something to throw on the table for casual reading material.
- francoisdevlin 16y agoThis is a great idea for those that have a really big #noprocrast
- SteveC 16y agoI'd pay for a Kindle version.
- lowglow 16y agoas a Hacker, I hope to be pirating this very soon.