Publishing a PHP magazine - quick assessment
Having a PHP job with a great company is fun and challenging. In my free time I want to do more (with) PHP. Contributing as a coder to the PHP community is one way, but there must be more ways.
Publishing a printed PHP magazine
I like reading about PHP and web development, staying up-to-date and improving my skills. I have plenty books and access to online articles, but I miss reading a magazine. Yes, I am one of those people who likes printed magazines!
The idea of publishing a magazine myself started a few months ago and has ever since been on my mind practically 24/7. Is it a nice idea but nothing more, or does it have more potential? I feel now is the time to start doing something with it or it’ll stay just an idea forever.
95% of me says to just do it and see what happens. The other 5% is still in doubt. What it comes down to is the following important factors to make this work for me and the magazine:
- 1,000 or more PHP web developers wanting to subscribe
- the PHP developers enjoy reading the magazine
- the PHP developers voice their opinions about the magazine and content in order for me to improve it on different levels
- loyal subscribers benefit from reduced subscription price after ie. 2 year
Assessing the market quickly with a poll
I set up a poll on Twtpoll to quickly assess whether further research in the magazine would be worth it. In this poll I asked you to cast a vote and retweet the poll. Voting is anonymous.
The question was:
What are your thoughts on a printed magazine for all-round PHP web developers? Yes, no, maybe? Please motivate choice.
Having only 140 characters it was difficult to formulate 1 good question that will result in the type of answers I was looking for. The response rate is very low (23) and may mean anything. The answers vary, they are both negative and positive. Nevertheless I am happy with the results. It is an incentive for me to do a more in-depth market research.
What stands out is that about 8 voters mention PHP|Architect’s magazine. Perhaps the combination of ” PHP” and “magazine” associate very strongly with PHP|Architects magazine for PHP devs. It is like an icon! I too enjoyed that magazine very much, it is a shame that they stopped printing it. Few mentioned the German PHP Magazin. Unfortunately I don’t read or speak German.
I thank all who left their feedback!
Conclusion of poll
The poll was a quick assessment to see whether the idea of publishing a magazine for PHP developers as hobby (and perhaps as work in the far future) has any potential.
This quick assessment resulted positive and I will research the possibilities further. An update will be posted as soon as I know more about it.
Now… will publishing a PHP magazine a nice way to contribute to the PHP community?
If you have any comments, please voice them by commenting on this article.
I’d like to take a moment to comment on few of the interesting responses.
The same as PHP|Architect’s magazine?
I can imagine the strong association with PHP|Architect when reading the words PHP and magazine. The magazine I have in mind is similar to PHP|Architect in a sense that there will be articles related to PHP. There is, in general lines, basically where the similarity stops. I won’t disclose too much info just yet.
Save trees, don’t print!
The last thing I want is to waste precious trees for a magazine or anything. I will stop using toiletpaper or napkins and for every roll I save, I will print one magazine!! Just kidding!
I agree on not wasting trees! Fortunately there is no need to waste trees for a magazine. Alternatives to fresh paper I’ll be looking into is the use of recycled paper and (near) wood-free paper. Most ideally 100% wood-free obviously.
Why print? Just read online!
The web offers plenty of good articles to read and improve your development skills. If you are one of the developers who likes reading online, by all means continue to do so. The magazine I have in mind is for you if you like to read a printed magazine as well. After all, the experience of a printed magazine in your hands is different from reading articles online or from a screen.
Devs like their info searchable and online
I totally agree on that. At times when I need to find something I’ll go online and Google it. In those circumstances a magazine usually won’t do unless I specifically know which magazine has the answer I am looking for. A magazine is for reading, usually also to relax and to be informed. Like one developer once said similar to: “use the right tool, in the right time/situation”. I quite like to use this to illustrate: A magazine is for those like reading magazines at their own pace. Ctrl+f and Google for those who need to find something right away.
ePub / eBooks are the future
Yes it is most definitely! It is cool to have an eBook reader or similar to read electronic magazines. Although I don’t totally agree that eBooks are the future. I think a better phrase would be: eBooks are part of the future.
In the end it is all about preferences and I am focussed on the PHP developer who likes reading printed magazines 
Let me know your thoughts by commenting this post.
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