Final thoughts

Final Words

Looking for Participation and Constructive Criticism (by Chr. Aichinger)

That's it for this month. I think that once again there have been several interesting articles to read. In these Final Words I'd like to point out something that I myself and the whole editorial staff have on our minds. Any readers intending to criticize something in this or earlier AMIGA aktuell (International) editions, should please look closely at what follows, including the question of "constructive criticism".

Criticism is important for the AMIGA aktuell International team. It helps all members to see their own work from another point of view and to use their limited means (time, amount of work etc.) as effectively as possible. Carsten points out in every editorial, not without reason, that every editor is pleased with constructive criticism.

Unfortunately it seems that many readers see this appeal as just so many words, and only a few understand what we mean by them.

Therefore I explicitly want to point out what we do mean: we want a short, clearcut e-mail, sent to the editor concerned. Nobody will haul the reader over the coals because of a critique, as long as the critique really is one. Another avenue is the mailinglist opened last month, where any reader can discuss AMIGA aktuell (International) (and several other topics) with other readers and the editorial staff. For most topics, it is only after talks with readers that one sees which way the cat jumps - or better, what sort of things our readers are interested in.

Unfortunately it sometimes happens that people confuse "constructive criticism" with "things I don't like" or "nagging", or even do this deliberately. For instance, a reader cannot baldly request that the editor-in-chief throw out certain sections without any replacement and without giving valid reasons. And we're less than thrilled if the same person criticizes the magazine when he only "collects" AMIGA aktuell in archived format on his harddisk, without reading it at all.

I'd advise him first to think over what he is going to to carp at and how he could do it constructively. If someone is not interested in a column, he can safely skip it and turn to the next. Nobody should deduce from his own interests what the interests of other readers are. Of course it would even be better, if those readers would devote themselves to this - in their opinion - nuisance and now and then come forward with their own articles to the editors.

I think with this I reach the point of these final words. Every disappointed reader should repeat this to himself: AMIGA aktuell (International) is a magazine constructed by the readers for the readers. If there is nobody ready to do anything for AMIGA aktuell (International), there is only one logical conclusion: AMIGA aktuell (International) will become more and more boring and not worth reading any more.

All members of the staff do their job for AMIGA aktuell (International) in their spare time and with great enthusiasm. They are not paid for their work and are more over- than just burdened. Nobody should expect AMIGA aktuell (International) to buy expensive hard- and software, to organize interviews or to inform about backgrounds and novelties, when there is neither time nor money available for those things. We depend on users who have bought those items, who have contact with interesting people or who command special technical competency/knowledge. There is no compensation in form of money for the effort, but there is the hope that some day another reader will write about a theme that possibly sparks interest.

With this I want to ask all "quiet" readers to send me a wish for an article (hardware-review, interview, workshop or whatever comes to your mind) and additionally a text of their own (it can be just anything, starting from the presentation of a teeny-weeny shell program to the workshop of an Amiga-motherboard they have put together). I will place all these readers-requests into a list in the AMIGA aktuell Forum in the hope that other readers will be ready to take care of one of the listed reports. Contributions sent to me will be published in the next edition.

Well, start right away with writing ;)! I'm already looking forward to reading your articles.

Until next month,

Christian Aichinger <christian@aakt.de>