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Dennis, what you are not understanding is that the folks at S&T aren't bad. But - they were very recently sold to F+W media, and in reality, it's a money making exercise for them. They don't care about S&T, they don't care about Astronomers, and they don't care about Astronomy. They are much like these big shell corporations that buy and sell companies - they buy when the price is low, fix them up and sell for a big profit. They have no interest in the actual product, or people behind the company, or the customers. It's all about $$$$$. When something is not salvageable, they kill it, and make sure that no one else can make any use of the remains . This is how these types of companies operate.
Is the issue life threatening? No.
However, when i "agreed" to a subscription, downloadable PDFs were available. I entered into a sales contract with S&T on that premise. They have removed the option (a direct violation of the sales contract) without my legal consent. That, the last time I looked, is NOT a contract. A contract is an agreeance between 2 or more parties and is not changeable without the consent of all parties.
Too many companies today seem to not understand the concept of a sales contract, and sadly, the law makers and courts (both corrupt, both ONLY serve the wealthy and corporate business) fail to enforce these basics of contract law.
Am i being pedantic? You betcha. These big businesses are pedantic too when it suits them.
I wish S&T all the best, but from what I could see on CN, most people cancelled their subscriptions. For me, and MANY others, a non-available downloadable PDF is a deal breaker.
Tell me, what happens in 20 years when Zinio is bust, and there's no app to read the "files" that you paid for? will the courts reimburse you? I think not, and if you think that they will, you're smoking something Green and dreaming. You'll end up not being able to read content that you legally purchased, with no reimbursement.
Proprietary technology ONLY serves the manufacturer as a lock-out, anti-competitive and monopolistic tool. Nothing more, and nothing less. I may not be super old, but I have lived long enough to know this by just opening my eyes and looking. Sadly, too many people in modern society are sheeple.
Anyway, I have now exited said sales contract of my own volition, I have my money back (pro-rate obviously) and I am free to criticise S&T and F+W media as I see fit. They are fair game. This is called an open market, where consumers have the right to speak out against manufacturers/vendors who simply offer poor products et cetera. This is the core basis for any modern capitalistic nature of business and consumer interaction.
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