My son, Andrew, and I had a long discussion about the demise of the
print version of Ferrets Magazine. I was lamenting the event, comparing
it to the loss of great film and good film cameras. Yes, I still insist
on using my Canon T-90s, a couple of which I bought more than 20 years
ago. After a protracted bitch session where I gleefully disrespected
digital cameras and electronic magazines, as well as slinging verbal
poop at cell phone cameras whose quality can't even match that of the
ancient Kodak disk camera, I mentioned to Andrew that ferret people
were not going to like the change.

Then Andrew, who is graduating this year from photojournalism school
at MU, said, "Dad, no one your age will like it. You are the paper
generation. People my age, who grew up with computers, will be saying
that it was about time." Ok, that is more-or-less a paraphrase, but
the intent of Andrew's words are there. He looked at me like I was a
Neanderthal.

I doubt if I will ever own a digital camera. I have my T-90s, My RB-67,
my 4x5s, and my 8x10. I have lots of glass that has not been bested in
optical quality by the new "I'll do everything for you" lenses. I buy
extra film when I can and freeze it so I will have stuff to shoot for
the rest of my life. I have a photographer's formulary, so I can mix my
own chemistry. I won't change because at this point in time, film is
far better than digital. However, I will admit that the day is nearly
here when digital will surpass film in resolution; it is inevitable. I
see electronic magazines in the same light; maybe they are not so good
right now, but it will not take long for them to be as good or better
than the print version.

Print magazines like Ferrets are doomed. There is simply not enough
readership and advertising in today's market to make a profit for low
readership magazines. By the time we Baby Boomers see the end of our
lifespan, whatever print magazines that are left will be specialty
types, and most of the media will have become digital. There is just no
comparison to the cost of digital when you factor in the cost of making
the plates and separations, the cost of printing, the cost of the
printing presses, mailing costs, and the cost of the people who do all
those things, including the cost of their benefits and retirement. It
is simply the equivalent of switching from film to digital, and it is
inevitable.

The Green benefits for the switch are considerable, and not just
because it will save some trees. The carbon footprint of constructing
presses, printing the magazine, heating buildings, and transporting
the magazines, etc., is tremendous. The toxic wastes produced in
building the machines, making the printing plates, ink, etc., will be
eliminated. In these regards, the change is extremely positive, and
frankly, I wish ALL newspapers and magazines would make the switch.
They will eventually, and much sooner than you think! (They just have
to wait for us Baby Boomers to move into the diaper stage)

But this change is not necessarily bad. Before, Ferrets was mostly a
North American magazine, but on the internet, it will become global.
That means more ideas, better information, different opinions, and much
more. I admit it is kind of exciting to think about the possibilities
of being on the razor's edge of a new way of thinking about publishing.
Well, new for me. I still have ink in my veins, developer-stained
fingernails, and wear a cologne called, "Fixer.".

There is an evolution of communication: verbal, pictographs, print,
telegraph, photograph, radio, TV, and now the internet. Without the
internet, Ferrets magazine would have simply gone extinct simply
because it cost too much to print and made no profit. Instead of going
extinct, it evolved. It's success will be largely dependent upon our
support. If we want any type of ferret related media to share our ideas
and benefit our ferrets, we will have to support this as much as we
can, or it, too, will die.

I challenge you to see this as an opportunity, not as a loss. While I
might deeply miss the feel of paper in my hands, perhaps as much as I
miss the deep rich tones of a silver gelatin print, nothing can stop
time. It is the future, like it or not.

I should point out that I currently have more than a quarter million
negatives, transparencies, slides, and paper negatives, spanning more
than 30+ years of photography (perhaps twice as much are owned by
various agencies, newspapers, etc.). They include such everyday images
as the birth and growth of my children, to horrific disasters, to photo
stories, to kings, queens, and presidents. I am currently scanning all
of them, converting them to a digital format to give to my children and
grandchildren. The original materials will be donated to the National
Archives upon my death, who can afford to archive them. I guess the
point is that even I, who refuse to switch to digital cameras,
recognize that it is better to be a tiny mammal than a gigantic
dinosaur.

Bob C
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[Posted in FML 5865]