OK I am going to stick my neck way out for the chop again! As much as I have LOVED S&S over the years (when it all worked that is) and i feel very sorry for and grateful to all the innocent and wonderful contributers over the years. I will say what i have said privately for years. - And that is not including the many (it seems) complaints of subscribers being abused financially and the complaints I have heard over the years from certain advertisers (which i think should be treated like royalty and gods as the probably pay a lot of the bills). Even tho I am an astro mag junkie (I even buy the Canadian magazine occassionly!) and will buy just about every magazine going- and my house fills up with astro mags - much to my partners puzzlement.
And that is I think that even tho staff at S&S have probably worked very hard and unrewarded? and filled a huge void in maybe a tough enviroment just so the ungrateful readers can have something to read in bed?
I think the constant isitgonnacomeout/orisntit? over the last 10 years may have been been harmful to the morale (if such a thing exists) of Australian Amateur Astronomers and may have been off putting to newbies? who bought magazines with star charts and viewing guides two months out of date. Which is quite obvious to all i guess, not least to staff and contributors who probably worked their butts off for little or no reward.
In conclusion I would like to make it clear I am personally VERY, VERY grateful that knight in white shining armour has come to the rescue (AS&T) and I look forward to AS&T having a very long and prosperous future in Oz/NZ
- i also hope that S&S also continues and find a way to resolve the issues that stop them from being relevant. if i know amateur skywatchers a little, they will buy as many local mags that get put in front of them anyway. Plenty of room?. In the meantime i am really loving getting an excellent good old fashioned hard copy regularly (and a month in advance as should be the way!) to read before i go to sleep - beats staring at a monitor 24 hours a day. Way to go AS&T!