Is Subscribing Worth It?

[Kote-Men]

I'm considering subscribing to the Kendo-World magazine. It is expensive and the issues dont come that often.

Is it worth it?

[nodachi]

I don't subscribe, i am doomed financially, but when I am able I would do it in a heartbeat. I am sure people will second this. Look at the kendo world website, not the forum, but the actual website and you can read some articles from the magazine. They seem quite good to me.

And think about it... how many kendo publications are there in English? I've only seen this one. If there are others, there ain't many, so it's worth it.

[Andoru]

Kote-men: YES!!!!!!!!!

[Goyaman]

A few months ago I would have answered an unequivocal yes on this question, but now I'm wondering about it too...

No problems as far as the magazine content goes; it's good stuff and also the ONLY place you'll find translations in English of articles by various sensei that are usually only available in Japanese language publications.

However, the recent trend seems to be that the publication and arrival times seem to be getting further delayed, and I experienced a problem with having a past issue returned to sender, though this is probably not KW's fault. Nonethess, I have one more issue left under my current subscription and I now seriously wonder if I'll ever get it.

This isn't to knock the KW staffers. I can imagine the challenge to getting an international publication underway like this, and I appreciate what I know has to be a hell of a lot of effort to get it done. However, when you commit to an expensive subscription you also want to receive the product you pay for.

By all means, give a subscription a try if you're so inclined and hopefully some of the glitches will get resolved in time... :rolleyes:

[Andoru]

KW is not National Geographic magazine - it's a small-scale operation and glitches are to be expected.

Compared to the benefits, those glitches mean nothing.:rolleyes:

KW magazines have heaps of re-readability. I find that I could understand certain concepts better as my skill progresses.

[burger boy]

Is subscribing worth it?

Hell yes!

burger boy

[oldkenshi]

When did the most recent issue arrive? I haven't rec'd mine for 3 months ( April 04 )

[mystic_kendoka]

how many issues have there been altogether until now?

if i do subscribe i'd rather buy the WHOLE set.. sort of a magazine-kendo-library..

[Atama]

KW is not National Geographic magazine - it's a small-scale operation and glitches are to be expected.

Weather its small scale or a large corporation if a customer has paid for magazines to be delivered 4 per year then they should recieve them no excuses...what are we now up to issue 6 or 7 in theory we should be up to issue 9. If had ran my buisness that way it would have got of the ground let a alone be successful.

However what I will say is when the magazines do actually makes it to the door they are a great read and provide good kendo related info.

[Andoru]

If I've paid for 4 issues of KWM and I've received 4 issues, in my view that's good enough even if that means it took slightly over 1 year for it. I'm just happy to be able to gain access to those resources in the first place.

My point is: cut the KW team some slack and look beyond the little things. After all, they don't make a living doing this. KW is not a corporation!

[mystic_kendoka]

they dont make money out of it????????????????
now i feel bad being on this forum... like stealing..

how much does it cost for 4 issues?
i think ill suggest to my sensei if we should get these for our dojo..

[Andoru]

they dont make money out of it????????????????

No that's not what I said....

[mystic_kendoka]

o rite, they dont make MUCH out of it...

btw, if any moderators are reading, if i order more than 4 a year, i mean the same mags but more of the same, like 4 set or something, do the postage fees remain 22 for 4 books?

[Andoru]

o rite, they dont make MUCH out of it...

I didn't say that either. :rolleyes:

[hamish]

If we'd known how hard it was going to be before we started, we probably wouldn't have!!!

We're pissed off that we're behind a couple of issues, too. We just got 2.4 off to the printers the other day, which should have been the last one for 2003, and we're already halfway through 3.1, with 3.2 due to be put together in less than a month, too, so we are clawing our way back.

Both Alex and I would prefer to have everything on time, but there's actually an awful lot of time and effort that goes into each issue, not just on the behalf of Alex, Graham and I, who put it all together, but also our contributing writers and photographers. Every one of us has a day job, or even a couple of day jobs, so the only time it gets done is at nights and weekends. The phrase we use the most is 'If I only had a day to sit down and do this...' Unfortunately that day almost never comes!!

Last year was a hell of a year for a number of personal reasons for us and some of our contributors, not to mention the World Champs, which saw Alex competing in the NZ team, then spending 2 months of this year working in Iran (see main article in 2.4) and 4 books done by us (not counting the magazines). As Atama says, our supporters should get their magazines on time, and we agree totally, but sometimes events conspire against us.

In the end it came down to a simple choice, we could rush it and come out with something on time and sub-standard, or we could delay it and maintain our standard. I think that was the right decision, and I hope our subscribers agree.

As for your missing issue, Goyaman, that's an ongoing problem we have with the world's postal system, and it costs us dearly in extra issues. In frustration we've even Fedexed copies out to people after they didn't get 3 in a row to the same address.

We've almost got the hang of this publishing business, and we have our patient subscribers to thank for our success so far. We have no intention of stopping now, so please be assured that we are working as hard as we can to get back on schedule.

Regards

Hamish

[mystic_kendoka]

btw, if any moderators are reading, if i order more than 4 a year, i mean the same mags but more of the same, like 4 set or something, do the postage fees remain 22 for 4 books?

gr8... he answered everyone's question but mine... maybe he thought i was retarded becuz of the "they dont make money out of it????????????????" and "o rite, they dont make MUCH out of it..."

... i think i get it now... they earn money but it isnt their only source of income, therefore they have to divert most of their attention to their REAL source of income.. therefore the magazine is inevitably sometimes neglected? (phew)...

[Kote-Men]

thank you all.

I think I'll subscribe to it for a while, and see how it is..

[Andoru]

mystic_kendoka: put up and shut up, or take your money elsewhere. It's YOUR choice, but I'm sure you already know that. Whining is not going to get you anywhere.

You can contact the KW team via email: http://www.kendo-world.com/about/team/index.php

[Kote-Men]

I know that this is a little random, but I heard somewhere that the moderators died

[mystic_kendoka]

mystic_kendoka: put up and shut up, or take your money elsewhere. It's YOUR choice, but I'm sure you already know that. Whining is not going to get you anywhere.

are you serious about this? man its only a joke jezus

I know that this is a little random, but I heard somewhere that the moderators died
um.. one of the moderators, hamish, just posted a comment above my last one..

[kenshin13]

hmmm....i might subscribe. In a different thread (i forget which one it is) which issue does it have with the article on breathing?

[Lloromannic]

I would suscribe any time but not only I don't have the money but the post system in Mexico is poor even when compared to other underdeveloped countries. My father was suscribed to various mags and he used to get only 8-9 issues (all the mags were monthlies) and that's only becaused he paid extra to get them by "safe mail", when I suscribed to a videogames magazine years ago I would sometimes go without a mag for long time even though it was made and printed in the same city I live (Mexico City).

[Alex]

gr8... he answered everyone's question but mine... maybe he thought i was retarded becuz of the "they dont make money out of it????????????????" and "o rite, they dont make MUCH out of it..."

... i think i get it now... they earn money but it isnt their only source of income, therefore they have to divert most of their attention to their REAL source of income.. therefore the magazine is inevitably sometimes neglected? (phew)...

Sigh...

Just got back from a Budo for Peace seminar in Greece, and see this thread.

If you must know, at the moment Hamish and I are down over $30,000 between us. The magazine is NEVER neglected, there are just very few people who are prepared to sacrifice their time to help us. The magazine is just getting to the stage where it is paying for itself. I doubt whether Hamish and I will see our money back in a hurry, but we aren't doing it for the money. We are doing it because nobody else has, will, can...Not even the IKF.

Thank you to all our loyal supporters. It is because of you guys that mag will continue.

You subscribe for 4 issues, and YOU WILL GET 4 ISSUES! Any doubters and tight-fisted morons, please move on and leave us in peace. If you are not satisfied with your subscription we would be only TOO happy to refund the remainder. May I suggest you get off your cynical butts, buy a good Japanese-English dictionary and read through the literature yourself. :wink:

It's quite simple. Take it or leave it.

[Andoru]

Sigh...

Just got back from a Budo for Peace seminar in Greece, and see this thread.

If you must know, at the moment Hamish and I are down over $30,000 between us. The magazine is NEVER neglected, there are just very few people who are prepared to sacrifice their time to help us. The magazine is just getting to the stage where it is paying for itself. I doubt whether Hamish and I will see our money back in a hurry, but we aren't doing it for the money. We are doing it because nobody else has, will, can...Not even the IKF.

Thank you to all our loyal supporters. It is because of you guys that mag will continue.

You subscribe for 4 issues, and YOU WILL GET 4 ISSUES! Any doubters and tight-fisted morons, please move on and leave us in peace. If you are not satisfied with your subscription we would be only TOO happy to refund the remainder. May I suggest you get off your cynical butts, buy a good Japanese-English dictionary and read through the literature yourself. :wink:

It's quite simple. Take it or leave it.
The gospel according to Alex....amen!

[Nanbanjin]

May I suggest you get off your cynical butts, buy a good Japanese-English dictionary and read through the literature yourself. :wink:

Done!

And as of a minute or two ago I'm a subscriber too. Thanks!

[D'Artagnan]

Perhaps people should think of it like this:

what does KW provide?

- The ONLY full english language magazine related to Kendo and it's affiliated arts. Containing up to date news on the frontline of modern kendo. Including articles by Hachidans, Scientific aspects of kendo, and even a Kendo zodiac! It is probably the only magazine in the world where EVERY page is of interest and worth reading (including the advertisements).

- An excellent website, providing online information about the magazine, about the team who produce it, and a plethora of downloadable files and video clips.

- An online fourm of discussion, where one may engage in topical conversation with other kendoka around the world, including contributors/producers of the magazine and also high graded sensei.

Now you get all of this for the price you'd pay for a decent shinai.

So yes it is worth it.

[Charlie]

D'Artagnan beat me to it.

It is worth it. It is consistently a great source of information on kendo in the English language - *the* source, in fact. And these guys work like hell to bring it to us.

Every article is great. Every one. From the "insider Japan"-type writers to the translations of stuff written in Japanese - hell, they even started publishing kendo-related fiction. That fiction writer they've had so far is a bit of a goof, but it's pretty good. (wink wink!)

Get three of your kendo friends to go in on the sub with you and pass the mag around when it comes. It's totally worth it.

[Bodaishin]

Dear Alex,

Being a newbie to the forum and kendo alike, and living in an Eastern-European country, longing for an english mag on kendo; _but_ having the only way to send money by regular bank transfer; is it possible to subscribe to KW? i.e. can I wire the annaul subs. to your account?

tnx for the help in advance
-b-

[Bodaishin]

Oh, and one more thing: can I get a quzotation for all back-issues to be sent in one package to me?

[Alex]

It is possible to do all of these things. Let us know what you want and hw you want to pay. We'll be sure to work something out.

Also, somebody asked which issue "breathing" is in. There is an article about breathing in kendo in all of the issue to date.

Alex :smiley:

[DCPan]

Hey guys,

Believe me, the magazine is worth the wait. I read Kendo stuff published in Japanese, Chinese, and English...you do get your money's worth and more! :wink:

Alex & Hamish have been awesome about making sure my issues get to me. I'm one of those people they had to resend an issue 3 or 4 times.

Like the Heinz Ketchup commercial...best things comes to those who wait.

The ONLY ways that I won't be subscribing is if:

1. I'm broke.
2. Alex won't let me subcribe because I'm a punk and keep harassing him about where my next issue is :confused2
3. My wife won't let me subcribe....

Now...about item #3.... :rolleyes:

[Karaken]

I second that it's worth every dime of mine. The only regret I have is that by the time I heard about KWM and order all the previous issues, the very first one was already gone. So I've read every issues except very first one.

Can anyone on this forum lend me the first issue? You have my guarantee that I'll be very careful and return it in original condition. I'm in NY, USA - I'll pay for postage both ways of course.

[Andoru]

I would love to scan it for ya but that would be breaking a number of laws now wouldnt it? :D

[Bodaishin]

Subscription - back issues - wire transfer
Alex, I sent this PM to you on 30/07/2004 and haven't received a reply. Did you get it, or I made a mistake and waited in vain?

Tnx
-b-
ps: I found the info on the price of the back isses; I just do not know how many you have already so far...

"Dear Alex,


I hope this is the right way to send my request with regards to the subscripition and the payment for the past issues of KW.

The basic idea is: I can wire transfer (regular bank transfer) to you the annual subscription from my local bank account here in Budapest, Hungary. The same sould be for the back issues (give me a price) and we shall repeat it every year until I get a credit card again.

What I would need is your bank a/c details (name, address, beneficiary's details, amount, swift code, the usual stuff) and the information I should put on my transfer so as you can trace the funds I send to you.

Thank you for your helping and time in advance
Regards
__________________
__________________________

Bodaishin"

[Alex]

Hi Bodaishin,

I sent you a reply to the private mail, but it obviously didn't go through. I thought there was something strange when I sent it...sorry about that. Anyway, I hope your questions have been answered.

We have back numbers available for Volume 1 Issue 2, 3, 4, Volume 3 Issue 1, 2, 3, 4. We will have Volume 2 Issue 1, and 2 out soon.

Cheers,

Alex :smiley:

[Karaken]

I would love to scan it for ya but that would be breaking a number of laws now wouldnt it? :D
I'm sure Alex and Hamish wouldn't mind especially because they don't have that copy to sell :-)

[kanyil]

[QUOTE=Karaken]I second that it's worth every dime of mine. The only regret I have is that by the time I heard about KWM and order all the previous issues, the very first one was already gone. So I've read every issues except very first one. QUOTE]

I echo Karaken's above post. I have just subscribed and bought all the back issues except Issue 1.1 and they are absolutely great. Alex and Hamish, please let me know when you guys decide to reprint Issue 1.1

I think they've also changed printers for issue 2.4, as the magazine cover is now done in matte. very nice indeed.

[PhoenixProfile]

I hope there would be a chronological book thats made from a years issue cramed into one, then i would gladly buy one :) After all a poor student like me strives on food to survive the next day! :silly:

[A-yu]

I've just subscribed to the KWM. Although I Havent recieved any issues but Hamish have been very helpful over the e-mail on my questions. The online articles are awesome, cant wait till I get my hands on it!

Well done, the KW team:)