Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!maytag!aries5!giguere
From: giguere@aries5.uucp (Eric Giguere)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: Larry, you're no Jerry Pournelle...
Message-ID: <241@maytag.waterloo.edu>
Date: 6 Jun 89 14:08:08 GMT
References: <1989Jun4.100538.25055@ziebmef.uucp>
Sender: daemon@maytag.waterloo.edu
Reply-To: giguere@aries5.waterloo.edu (Eric Giguere)
Organization: Computer Systems Group, University of Waterloo
Lines: 87

In article <1989Jun4.100538.25055@ziebmef.uucp> timg@ziebmef.UUCP (Tim Grantham) writes:
>In article <226@maytag.waterloo.edu> giguere@aries5.waterloo.edu (Eric Giguere) writes:
>>             Well, at least it means that the TransAmi is being read,
>>even if its authors aren't being paid... *sigh*....
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>Oh, are you in touch with all of our authors, Eric? Are you keeping records

Not all.  But I have talked to a couple and that seems enough of a sample
size to me.

>to back up this kind of allegation? If not, keep such inflammatory statements
>to yourself.

I can show you my phone log.  I can show you my article log.

>If *you* have not recieved your payments yet, fine, announce it to the world
>if that will make you feel better. I will personally flame our publisher to a
                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>crisp if you haven't received a cheque when payment was due. But next time,
 ^^^^^

Please do so. I doubt it will do anything. 

>try contacting me personally first so I at least have a chance to try to set
>things straight.

Well I've been talking to Nick & Chris for a couple of months now... why don't
you check it out with them?  The problem is that none of you on the editorial
staff have control over the money.  Personally I think you guys are doing a 
great job.  The publisher... well, I can't even get in touch with the person
who handles the money.

>Transactor for the Amiga pays it authors in the calendar month *following* 
>the month of publication. Nick, Chris and I don't like this policy and

I know this.  It's overdue.  Strange way to run a business.  Also, I've had 
an article each month in the last five or six TransAmis... so I should be
getting the cheques regularly, after an initial lead time.  That hasn't
happened, which is what I'm really frustrated about.  Payment is definitely
non-periodic.

>continue to lobby Croftware Publishing Inc. (the publisher, who pays the
>authors) to change it to conform at least to the more usual standard of
>payment on publication. However, Croftward has so stuck to its current
>payment policy.
>
>If there are any of our authors out there who have not received payment
>according to Croftward's schedule, please let me know. We have some of
>the finest programmers writing for us; we obviously wouldn't want to
>jeopardize that with a bad payment record.

It already IS being jeopardized.  That's sad, because the TransAmi is such
a wonderful publication.

>You have written some excellent articles for us, Eric. I hope you continue to
>do so. But the kind of statement you have made doesn't exactly help to keep

Thank you, I hope to continue as well.  It depends on Croftward, doesn't it?

>the magazine that publishes your articles flourishing.

The truth does hurt, but it's the truth.  I brought the situation out in
public because my frustration level keeps increasing.  Not only with the
payments, but the distribution.  The university bookstore here only gets the
magazine irregularly.  I prefer to buy a copy of the magazine at a bookstore
than get a subscription copy because the mailman has to stuff it into my small
mailbox and I can't stand a warped magazine... but right now I'm forced to
wait for my complimentary copy... which comes with the cheque...

>Tim Grantham.
>Editor, Transactor for the Amiga.
>timg@ziebmef.UUCP		{uunet!mnetor!lsuc,utgpu}!ncrcan!ziebmef!timg

I'm glad to see that the editorial staff has net access now.

Sorry to bring this up on the net for all you non-writers, but it has been  
bugging me for some time.  Unfortunately it seems to be a prevalent problem
among computer magazines in general according to other writers on BIX.   There
is apparently another Amiga magazine that is very slow in paying.  So
for those of you on the net who might be thinking of writing for one of them,
this is your warning....

Eric Giguere                                  268 Phillip St #CL-46
For the curious: it's French ("jee-gair")     Waterloo, Ontario  N2L 6G9
Bitnet  : GIGUERE at WATCSG                   (519) 746-6565
Internet: giguere@aries5.UWaterloo.ca         "Nothing but urges from HELL!!"