Yep I said it, so who else with me here subscribes to this? Its free to start with so everyone should answer yes.

I like getting it and reading the articles on various things from new DC's to better billing, but I wish it came out more often thats my only draw back.

I am subscribed to both PinzZine and the WHIR magazine. I like both magazines equally, but I have to admit that I don't read all the articles - just those that interest me.

I particularly really enjoyed an interview with HostGator's CEO Brent in the latest issue of WHIR. I communicate with him from time to time, but did not realize how he actually got to building his brand and the effects of that hard work on his physical condition. His story really amazed me.

You made me curious, so I went to read that. I knew he had heath issues, but never really knew they were *that* serious. Good to read the damage was not irreversible, and that he's feeling a lot better now.

I'm a subscriber to Ping Zine, but have been thinking of cancelling actually. To me, it seems a lot like every page (including the articles), are pretty much just ads written in article format.

So,guys ,do you mean that there is no need to regsiter with Ping Zine as there is nothing useful there?

It really depends on what you're into. I've been getting the zine since it's inception, and at first there seemed to be a lot of quality there. However, it seems that the focus has shifted. When you open PingZine now (anyone who receives it in the mail, do this, and you'll see what I mean)...

Just my personal observation (maybe I'm seeing it differently or incorrectly), shows that there are a lot of articles going on about certain products or services and how great they are. You'll find stuff like "A great starter kit list if you want to start a hosting business", then it proceeds to list software products, services, etc...AWESOME. However, a quick flip through the zine shows that more often than not, the products and services that they mention in the list as "the best" is the same list that pays to advertise in the zine.

Then further, you'll find articles written BY some of those advertisers.

Now there are circumstances that I think it would be great to hear from these professionals...if the focus of the article is educating the reader, talking about the industry as a whole, etc. However, most of the articles written by the advertisers aren't focused on that. Instead near the end of the article you find that the focus of the article was discussing a service or feature they offer and why you should sign up with them.

I talk to a lot of folks in the industry, and have had some personal experience as well when it even comes to press releases that are printed in the zine.

I and a quite a few others found that submitting a press release for print is almost a losing battle under certain circumstances.

Since I can only speak for myself, I will only share my experience...

1. I submitted a press release for print (which they state is free, and which you can do from their site via email)

2. I got an email asking for a license of our product so they could test it, etc. After providing that, and waiting a few days, I got an email telling me how nice the product was and that they would be happy to run the release.

3. I got an email a few days later, with an advertising price list attached telling me how great their advertising rates were, etc

4. I saved the ad email for future reference, but didn't reply and since our budget didn't allow it at the time, we didn't purchase ad space either.

5. Got the new edition of the zine in the mail (which was a month later), and couldn't find the release anywhere. I actually scanned and checked over the next few issues as well...nothing.

6. What I did find however, was quite a few press releases scattered throughout the zine, etc (normal), but began to be curious and suspicious. So I grabbed the stack of them (I save them), and started going through them to test my theory. Sure enough I found that the press releases corresponded with a full or halg page ad someone throughout the zine, and then of course confirmed by the list of advertisers that they put in the back of the zine.

Pretty immediately I came to the realization (whether or not it was accurate, coincidence or what have you...hell I could be wrong), that your product, service, or company is not news unless you pay them for ad space.

Now again, I won't sit here and tell you not to subscribe, because you may find value where I'm not. However, I can tell you that the biggest majority of the "informative" articles are usually just "informing" you of a service or product of one the advertisers somewhere in the zine, in a tone intended to initially sound unbiased, but ending in a "go buy it" or "go try it."

Again, this is just my observation, and it could be coincidence.

Thanks for the information, I will think it over whether to subscribe or not

Its not bad for free, and I have seen many more free things that were really horrible but Ping always has something that will interest me. I do think they have too many ads and the such but what do you think pays for it to be printed and mailed out?

Going by what Mark is saying, there might still be some value in a magazine that's basically ad filled. You probably get some really detailed presentations of new solutions out there, that given the advertising behind them might become quite commonplace. A sort of magic crystal ball telling what the future might hold.