Cary L. Brown said:
I was proposing something positive. I've been greeted with almost universal attacks.
If I'm negative about anything, it's this sort of thing. People are disagreeing with you, providing observations based on their professional experience and perspective, and the world in which they're required to operate. Are a few ires being raised? Yes, but look back at some of your past postings and tell me with a straight face that at least some of it isn't unwarranted.
You may well be proposing something positive, but your sales pitch, to be blunt, sucks ass. If you honestly believe you're going to make any sort of headway with this or any other proposal you hope to offer by telling people -- the very people, in fact, who would be responsible for shepherding your dream project from concept to finished product -- that they don't know what they're talking about, then you might want to take a step back and reevaluate your approach.
I'm just sayin'.
I still think it would be a great idea. I think that the fan base would be receptive to it. I think that it could be done in a cost-effective manner and still have it be an INTERESTING read, with quality CONTENT (notice I didn't say "quality paper" which is an entirely different thing). I think that if it were done right, it would be able to make a nice profit too.
And while you (and I, for that matter) are free to make those statements and predictions without actually having to answer to people who foot the bill for such things, people who do this for a living continue to tell you that based on the information at their disposal, the climate currently isn't conducive to such an endeavor. That doesn't mean it'll never happen; it only means that it probably won't happen in the near term.
I know from past experience that at least a couple of the editors have performed investigation into how alternative methods of providing this type of material might work, in a format that will appeal to fans as well as being made available at a reasonable price. I've taken part in some of those discussions, which have run the gamut from heartening to exciting to frustrating to disappointing and everything in between. Therefore, I know the topic isn't dead, it just continues to face a long, uphill battle.
Regardless, I believe the Master Ride Pimper(tm) has a point, and we've probably drug the thread rather far off the rails. I'd suggest a separate thread if the discussion is to continue.
