TomHiggins has suggested that PersonalTelco start a zine. Adam thinks that once a quarter would be about the right interval for it to come out in.
Here's a proposed table of contents written by TomHiggins for the first zine due out sometime in Q1 2003.
- Letter from the Chief (thats you adam, think of something like the holiday party address to the masses and a general intro)
AdamShand will do this.
- Wifi 101 - a basic history, terms, where things came from , where tehy are now.
TomHiggins will do this. Much of the content will come from the wiki.
How To Connect to PTP Nodes - (bascialy whats in the GetConnected ads but fleshed out, maybe some testimonials on how easy it is, examples for linux/win/mac)
- My First Node -Steps to Building a Better Tomorrow Today- the basics of what it means to set up a node (platfrom unspecific), the options (now get os specific) and the hardware. Not too tech, but enough to get started
- Antenna Mojo -Tech article on antenna basics, with each issue getting into the tech aspects of particular setups
- The Centerfold (sexy pics of Piourette cans (with plans), Weatherproofed gear, the gutsof the ptp truck, etc etc)
Ask ProfessorKnowItAll - questions from email, irc, etc answered by our resident staff of bigbrainians
- Resources - basic list of other wireless projects , maybe a spotlight article or two, lists of urls
- PTP Happenings - meeting schedules, long term plans, contact info
- Back cover with some more cool pics of geekly wirless stuff
Additional or future articles
Wireless and security -- ShaneGibson
There, that should be a good primier issue. As the issue go onthe articles can get more or less tehincal as the feedback from the readers comes in.
If we keep it to 28-32 pages (that would be 7-8 sheets of 8x11 with 4 pages of zine on each (2 front 2 back)) and do it every other month that would be way way doable...so long as the content was made available. I think with the rate the tech is moving, the expansion of a sceen that wants to learn, and the prolific writtings of some of our memebers we can easily do up a great zine this way.
Also, anyone who wants to do art, photos, images, etc.. start gathering them up and getting them ready. A good zine is about words but pics help greatly to make the words go down.
As to printing, I can handle doing about 40 copies or so of the zine IF we keep everything but the cover and back to black and white. The color cover and back I can get done in limited runs from a bud, but the while thing would be too much to do in color. I tried doing one issue of Countermoves in full color and nearly called it quits. Also, if you keep it to BandW I betmore than a few folks can squeeze off 10 or so copies from work related resources.
I also have one of them bigassed swingline staplers for stapling the beasts. Its not my orginal zine stappler, but it has the right mojo. If anyone else has one of them maybe we can ge togther a zine stapling party at my place. Ill even make dip:)- I have found in the past that a print run of about 150 to 200 can be done up this way in a night.
Im game folks, ge me the content and I'll put us out a good one. -- Tom.