Is there a need for Chess Life?

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Date: 21 Mar 2006 06:13:27
From: Ray Gordon
Subject: Is there a need for Chess Life?

It's too costly. Chess Life should be eliminated and replaced with
E-Chess Life.

Date: 26 Mar 2006 20:30:41
From: Louis Blair
Subject: Re: Is there a need for Chess Life?

_
"If we make the magazine optional as I propose, and
don't significantly improve the magazine, that would
not be good for our revenue." - Timothy Hanke
(2003-05-07 12:52:56 PST)
_
"Does Timothy Hanke maintain that the USCF should
NOW make the magazine optional or is this contingent
on the USCF accomplishing other things that are not
currently accomplished?" - Louis Blair (31 Oct 2004
08:37:39 -0800)
_
"Timothy Hanke would like to wait and see how the
books & equipment outsourcing deal is working, at
least till the end of the current fiscal year, before
making a radical change in dues." - Timothy Hanke
(1 Nov 2004 11:49:21 -0800)
_
"Tim Hanke has submitted his resignation from the
USCF Executive Board." - Mike Nolan (7 Aug 2005
18:43:12 GMT)

Date: 26 Mar 2006 18:36:16
From: Louis Blair
Subject: Re: Is there a need for Chess Life?

Date: 25 Mar 2006 13:49:01
From: Ambassador
Subject: Re: Is there a need for Chess Life?

Chess Life has some really good articles, and some really bad articles.
GM Larry Evans wrote a really good article. GM Evans has just been
flushed down Don Schultz's toilet!

If you don't sell a magazine, nobody is going to pay any membership
dues but the active rated players. Chess Life is primarily becoming a
bathroom magazine. Most non active player's people read Chess Life
when they use the restroom. Chess Life has some really good articles.
However, when the sales catalog appears, the magazine turns into

TOILET LIFE

The fundamental money problem with the USCF is that the SNOBS
(Delegates at Large) have it stuck in their head that the USCF must
sell chess equipment. Therefore, neither the Delegates nor the
Executive Committee can budget over long periods of time. So, we have
to hear over and over again about all of the SHIT that the USCF wants
to sell us!

You can't escape the fact that chess equipment is governed by supply
and demand. Equipment sales are a FOR PROFIT activity. The USCF is a
501c4 NOT FOR PROFIT CORPORATION. This will never lead to a healthy
national chess organization.

My solution:

1. PHASE OUT THE EQUIPMENT SALES OVER a 5 YEAR PERIOD
2. LET THE DELEGATES TAKE BACK BUDGET AUTHORITY
3. Then, let's talk about the magazine.

In 5 years, the internet could reshape TOILET LIFE to the point where
it is no longer necessary.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO FLUSH THE TOILET!!!!

Marcus Roberts
Former USCF member / officer

Date: 25 Mar 2006 10:27:42
From: David Ames
Subject: Re: Is there a need for Chess Life?

Ray Gordon wrote:
> It's too costly. Chess Life should be eliminated and replaced with
> E-Chess Life.

Yes, certainly there is. What else would I be getting for my Life
Membership? Why should a fully-paid, pre-paid member be requirerd to
have a computer with a printer?

David Ames

Date: 25 Mar 2006 08:58:59
From: Chazzz
Subject: Re: Is there a need for Chess Life?

It's hard to say whether or not it should be dropped entirely. And I
haven't seen what the production cost is compared to the distribution
count (i.e. are they actually making any money on it anyway?). If
you're going to provide the magazine in general, I don't think you
should necessarily relegate all readers to using the electronic
version. Some people like having the hard copy and that's fine. But I
think it would be nice to offer another option.

And I know some people absolutely abhor Zinio (I think mostly due to
DRM), but that might be a good way to go. I enjoy a couple different
magazines in a Zinio subscription. No mangled magazines in the mailbox;
more space on my bookshelves; access to them any time I want because
they're on my notebook. One thing I would like to see (but I'm not
sure the Zinio format has the capability) would be for PGN attachments
the games listings. Sure, reading through the game is entertaining and
sometimes enlightening, but be able to just save a PGN file, load it
into a chess engine and play through it there would be useful, I think
- especially when travelling without a physical chess set.

In the end (and not to start another seeming-never-ending flame war of
"<person x > has completely *#&!@ing mismanaged the USCF and they ought
to burn in hell"), I think an electronic format should at least be
investigated, and if financially feasible, then it should be offered.
USCF could do what Pocket PC Magazine has done - offer three different
subscription options: hard copy, electronic copy; or both.

- Chazzz

Date: 26 Mar 2006 11:55:05
From: Chess One
Subject: Re: Is there a need for Chess Life?

A good post! Just a couple of notes of my own added.

"Chazzz" <cjfishbu@gmail.com > wrote in message
news:1143305939.451007.315740@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> It's hard to say whether or not it should be dropped entirely. And I
> haven't seen what the production cost is compared to the distribution
> count (i.e. are they actually making any money on it anyway?). If
> you're going to provide the magazine in general, I don't think you
> should necessarily relegate all readers to using the electronic
> version. Some people like having the hard copy and that's fine. But I
> think it would be nice to offer another option.

Before election to the board Tim Hanke wrote as you did, although he would
have done away with the paper copy entirely. Evidently he was told to drop
this idea by other board members.

There has been no onformed board level of the subject for 3 years.

> And I know some people absolutely abhor Zinio (I think mostly due to
> DRM), but that might be a good way to go. I enjoy a couple different
> magazines in a Zinio subscription. No mangled magazines in the mailbox;
> more space on my bookshelves; access to them any time I want because
> they're on my notebook. One thing I would like to see (but I'm not
> sure the Zinio format has the capability) would be for PGN attachments
> the games listings. Sure, reading through the game is entertaining and
> sometimes enlightening, but be able to just save a PGN file, load it
> into a chess engine and play through it there would be useful, I think
> - especially when travelling without a physical chess set.

What would make sense is an /investigation/ of 2 delivery vehicles, which
need not be exactly the same. The e-version could have a game reply engine
to actually step through games, eg, as well as to provide a .pgn of it.
Whereas it would free up the paper version to not report 2 month old 'news',
and actually concentrate on mor considered articles.

The two version needn't have the same periodicity.

In terms of market, both versions could accord with what people want in
them, and might even attract new revenues by being offered erate to
membership. It is not at all evidient that people who want varieties of
chess information are interested in plaing rated chess, and if those players
who are active want the same information as those who are not.

> In the end (and not to start another seeming-never-ending flame war of
> "<person x> has completely *#&!@ing mismanaged the USCF and they ought
> to burn in hell"), I think an electronic format should at least be
> investigated, and if financially feasible, then it should be offered.
> USCF could do what Pocket PC Magazine has done - offer three different
> subscription options: hard copy, electronic copy; or both.

These ideas are not 6 years old. Instead what happens is some new guy shows
up and tries to recreate something edifying, solving all problems at once,
but without the slightest market intelligence, or strategic involvement by
the board.

A board which seems to know so much, that it has retreated from the public,
and in the new editor case, even from key employees.

Phil Innes

> - Chazzz
>

Date: 22 Mar 2006 09:27:56
From: Andrew Zito
Subject: Re: Is there a need for Chess Life?

Drop chess life. Waste of money.

Date: 22 Mar 2006 05:05:47
From: Wilma
Subject: Re: Is there a need for Chess Life?

It's a valid point of viw and, I assume without knowing, that it's
expensive. However, I'd like not to do without it. It's one nationwide
community contact for our relatively rare common interest. I don't believe
e-chess would adequately replace its function. It needs a team of good
editors, professional analyists, and reporters. I can't see an electronic
version providing these things. It's worth the cost to me.

Wilma

"Ray Gordon" <raygordon@seductive.com > wrote in
news:1142950407.793710.32510@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

> It's too costly. Chess Life should be eliminated and replaced with
> E-Chess Life.
>