• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

William

Curiosity

Dear 2600:

As a Canadian, I am used to paying higher prices for almost everything in comparison to our southern neighbors. Books and magazines are no exception, and are generally priced 10 to 30 percent higher. The standard answer we used to get is that the price difference is due to the exchange rate. However, the recent U.S. economic downturn combined with soaring commodity prices has helped lift the value of the Canadian dollar above that of the U.S. dollar. As of this writing, one U.S. dollar is equal to 98 Canadian cents, yet we still continue to pay the higher premiums on books and magazines, including 2600. The U.S. cover price for 2600 is $6.25 while the Canadian cover price is $7.15, which is almost a 15 percent difference (subscription price, however, remains the same). Clearly, the exchange rate currently has nothing to do with the price differences. I am curious if you can answer the question many Canadians have: what exactly is the reasoning behind the higher cover prices? I figured 2600 being considerably more transparent than big publishers would be able to provide all of us Canadians with an answer.

Sasa

We can’t speak for other publishers, but we can tell you how it works for us. You are correct with your exchange rate data. The two currencies are close to equal most of the time. But what kills us, and forces us to charge more, are the delivery costs to ship issues from the States to stores in Canada. Even though the distance isn’t greater than shipping to another part of our country, the rates sure are. (It gets worse overseas. By the time all of the charges are taken out, we pretty much don’t get anything back.) While subscriptions and other orders to Canada cost the same as in the States, they really shouldn’t due to the much higher postage costs. We may well have to adjust that in the future if it gets any worse.

Dear 2600:

On your store, certain back issues are listed as “only available in full sets.” So does this mean that you have to buy the other three collections for that volume to get it? For example, 1984-1987, I would have to buy 1984, 1985, 1986 to get the 1987?

Richard

No, we’re sorry if this appears confusing. Those four years are grouped together because they were always sold as full years, unlike the period from 1988 and beyond when we became quarterly and offered individual issues. What we’re facing now is a depleting inventory which means we can no longer offer everything in the same manner. There are some issues we’re out of completely and others that are very low so we’re only offering the remaining stock to those people who buy entire sets. Eventually, those will be gone, too. As we expand our digitization efforts, we expect to preserve the entire collection in a way that’s worthy of the material.

Observations

Dear 2600:

I found this snippet in the “About the Author” section from Kevin Mitnick's new book Ghost in the Wires: "Kevin Mitnick, the world's most famous (former) computer hacker, has been the subject of countless news and magazine articles, the idol of thousands of would-be hackers, and a one-time "most wanted" criminal of cyberspace, on the run from the bewildered Feds."

I don't want to point fingers here. I am not sure who wrote this piece. I am, however, a little concerned about the line that says “(former) computer hacker.” I would view this as Kevin distancing himself from the word hacker, and somewhat strengthening the misconceptions many share about the “hacker” culture/community. I can't say that I would do differently if I were in his shoes. I would like to think I would take on the label with pride, but after being demonized by the press, along with the perceived criminal connotation of the title... well, you understand.

I found the “would-be hackers” remark interesting, as well. I was just wondering what your thoughts were.

Thanks for all of your hard work on the magazine and the radio show!

drlecter