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It used to be that you could find a wide selection
of computer-centric magazines on the rack at
your local bookstore. While there are still quite a dows Secrets newsletter. Those who are cur-
few, their numbers are shrinking as publishers
give up on print subscriptions. These publishers
may have offered an online version of their mag-
azine in the past, as a supplement to the print
version. Now – presumably because of cost
pressures – they are offering only an online ver-
sion.
Two magazines that I used to receive through
print subscriptions (“PC World” and “PC Maga-
zine”) are among those which have made this
transition. Now, I have online subscriptions to
both through Zinio, an online mAagazine sub-
scription provider. They are among literally hun-
dreds of online subscriptions offered by Zinio in
a variety of genres. The good news is that I can
now read these magazines on virtually any desk-
top, laptop, tablet or phone by logging onto Zinio
with my account user name and password.
If you have fond memories of either and wish to
subscribe I encourage you to go to
www.zinio.com and do so. The normal one-year
subscription rate for each is approximately $20;
however, they do run specials from time to time
so it is worth getting on the Zinio email list.
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(As of this writing (February 4 ) Zinio is offering
a two-year subscription to PC Magazine for the
price of one.)
But there is a cheaper option for LCACE mem-
bers who happen to live in the Cook or
Grayslake Library Districts. Both libraries offer a
range of Zinio magazines for free download to
library members through their eLibrary offerings.
In the case of Cook, they offer both PC World
and PC Magazine, as well as iPhone Life,
Macworld and Apple Magazine. Grayslake of-
fers Apple Magazine, Macworld and PC Maga-
zine. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell,
Waukegan Library District does not offer Zinio
magazines to its members.
Speaking of computer-centric publications,
there are a lot of changes coming to the Win-
rent subscribers will have already received
th
th
the news through the January 12 & 14 is-
sues; here is some information for those who
may be considering a subscription or who are
not familiar with this publication.
This newsletter began in 2004 with the mer-
ger of two existing Windows-oriented newslet-
ters, the oldest of which, “Woody’s Windows
Watch” had been founded in 1998 by Woody
Leonhard. (Woody is currently listed as Editor
Emeritus of Windows Secrets.) The new Win-
dows Secrets newsletter started out with
about 140,000 subscribers.
In 2006, Fred Langa merged his “LangaList”
newsletter into Windows Secrets, upping the
circulation to about 290,000. Fred remains as
the Senior Editor of Windows Secrets today.
In 2008, the “Support Alert Newsletter” joined
the fold, bringing the total subscription list to
over 400,000.
Today, Windows Secrets is part of the Penton
Technology Group, which includes a sister
publication, “SuperSite for Windows”. The
current Editor-in-Chief is Trace Capen, who
has an extensive background with PC World,
InfoWorld and Corporate Computing maga-
zines.
In the past Windows Secrets newsletter of-
fered an abridged free version and a full paid
version by email every two weeks. The sug-
gested cost for the annual paid subscription
was $12. Now, apparently because of cost
pressures, they have moved to a paid sub-
scription only. This revised newsletter will
now appear in subscribers’ email twice a
week – on Tuesday and Thursdays. Readers
will have to click over to their website to get
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