99 replies to this topic

[ZZMS]

I have two questions for two categories of ppl
Please give your opinion:

for those who are a seasoned Atlas F1 subscribers - is it worth money? how would you describe the overall quality of the magazine.
for those who didn't subscribe - do you suffer/how much are you tempted to subscribe?

personally I can find all the information on free internet sites. But I may be missing quailty articles I enjoyed reading when Atlas was free. So really I'm curious about their quality at the present time.


to the administration: please allow this thread a couple of days.
Thnx

[holiday]

Originally posted by ZZMS
for those who didn't subscribe - do you suffer/how much are you tempted to subscribe?

if you are content with www.autosport.com, then everything is alright for you as they are the pros among the amateurs - normally they spare you with nonsense speculations which in 95% lead to nothing but a waste of web space. they simply have the biggest experience in motorsport coverage and it shows.

[Frisco]

Without a doubt this is my favorite F1 news site on the net. The editorials, in particular, are extremely well done.

Francesco

[Jackman]

Reports and updates are one thing (and I happen to believe Atlas does them better than most), but the true strength of Atlas is it's articles and editorials - there is simply no website that can touch them, and I personally feel that most of the magazines can't either. Since subscribing to Atlas I've stopped buying any of the magazines, as I no longer need them.

And AtlasF1 is the only site with FIA press acreditation, which speaks volumes to me.

[Zmeej]

Just so ya know, this thread will probably get moved to the "Atlas" forum soon.

Although I'm late with my renewal and so have had my access cut off, as I'm jobless and penniless at the moment, it has become quite worth it over the year, and when I scrape up the money I'll send it along.

The news section has improved vastly since subscriptions came into effect last year.

The race info is good, comprehensive and well illustrated, with just enough tang to make it interesting without tipping it over into a particular bias.

The "magazine," in which bias is the whole point, it is rarely the entire point, which I mean as a compliment. The names on the bylines are well known around the paddock with books to their credit, so it amounts to having a magazine subscription that has stuff arrive at your door more often and does less harm to the environment.

Mitch McCann, resident satirist, used to be worth the price of admission, but he has been on sabbatical since November.

As of now, Richard Barnes and Roger Horton alone make it worthwhile, and Karl Ludvigsen gets hot too.

Jo Ramirez (formerly of McLaren) blows hot and cold. Sometimes he's interesting, sometimes less so, but he's great when he reminisces, and as far as I know you can't get his stuff anywhere else.

Although you can find Fisichella's columns elsewhere, I've liked his contributions here.

If you'd rather live in racing's past (an increasing number of us do) Don Capps does it peerlessly.

There is an extensive and very valuable archive of Atlas stuff dating back to 1995, also very worthwhile.

Of course, this BB is not a bad substitute for doing without, and you can access it for nothing. However, quite a number of discussions are based on Atlas material, and members have been fairly scrupulous (i.e. wary of editorial thunderbolts) about NOT posting it here.

On the downside, Jane whatserface's (a Williams PR type) contributions strike me as gasbaggish and gossipy, but it's easy enough to avoid clicking on one thing.

Otherwise, the site is well organized and IMO is the cleanest and fastest around (although if you're working with a 56K modem, the doubleclick ads could give you some hemorrhoids), and leaves little or no garbage in your computer.

By this point, I hope you're sold, and an editor is tempted to give me access for nothing...;)

[garth_b]

When the subscription model was first put forward as a possibility in early 2001 I was dubious as to whether or not I would subscribe.

I am now firmly in the camp of being a subscriber. I subscribed about 2 weeks after the subscription model was introduced after not making it through cold turkey. I have to say that I rarely go to other sites now for my F1 news, views and opinions. The quality and quantity of the material has improved markedly since April last year. I was already of the opinion last year that Atlas F1 was amongst the top sites on the net. I think they have raised the stakes to now be the best. I have stopped buying print magazines as I find the articles show bias or are tripe written to pander to a particular audience.

My advice would be to stop buying the magazines and put that money into an Atlas F1 sub. The news is fresher, the articles well researched and presented and the site is interactive with the publishers. Where else can you correct mistakes, suggest new features or correspond directly and almost imeadiately with the editors and journalists?

Long live Atlas F1. May it continue to grow and prosper.

[bira]

ZZMS, I'll not only let this thread live, I'll even reply to it myself

Sample of things that cannot be found anywhere else other than Atlas F1:

• The only website to offer dynamic (user selected) laptimes data - ALL laptimes from the entire race:
  See http://www.atlasf1.c...r/laptimes.html and http://www.atlasf1.c.../tour/laps.html to get the actual understanding of what I am talking about
  
• The only website to offer lapchart with ALL gaps (formerly, Gale Force was the only other website to offer this.) See http://www.atlasf1.c...r/gapchart.html to see what I am talking about (there is also a simple, positions only, lapchart. See http://www.atlasf1.c...r/lapchart.html )
  
• The only website to offer the sector times and speeds for every session (total of 7 sessions) during a GP weekend, added to the news immediately after a session ends. Also added as a comparison (dynamic) compilation after the race. See http://www.atlasf1.c...ur/sectors.html
  
• The only website to offer all its photographs in high-res quality - see http://www.atlasf1.c...-4&w=1200&h=820 as a sample.
  
• The only website to offer a weekly magazine who, quantity wise (quality I will defer to personal taste), has more F1 content than ANY other publication, offline or online
  
• The only website to offer the personal columns of Giancarlo Fisichella, Jo Ramirez and Ann Bradshaw. See http://www.atlasf1.c...fisichella.html for an example
  
• The only website to separate rumours and speculations from factual news. Our reliability is unmatched by any other F1 website or publication. When something appears in our newsroom, we make sure you can rely on it to be true and verified (and if you want an example off the top of my head of wrong reports reputed places such as Autosport put in their news, take their lovely "Stop Press: FIA Decide Not to Reinstate Traction Control" headline, 30 minutes before we broke the news that the FIA decided to reinstate electronic driver aids as of San Marino ).

To this I'll add the fact that we have - hands down - the best GP weekend coverage any other website or publication can offer, with at least 3 writers in every GP; the fact that we have the BIGGEST cadre of staff writers to be found anywhere on the Internet (something like 20, in fact, whose work cannot be found anywhere else on the Net); the fact that we are among the very few (can be counted on 1 hand!) websites to produce everything originally and by ourselves (rather than copy or recycle the news from other websites!); the fact that we do NOT carry advertising (with the exception of public pages, and even there we do NOT work with popups and the likes); and the fact that have the cleanest, most formidable and balanced presentation - design and content wise...

For more details and more examples, go to http://www.atlasf1.com/subs - and click on "Click Here to Tour Atlas F1". I doubt you will find a SINGLE website or publication, or even a COMBINATION of websites or publications - that offer you that much quantity AND quality of information on Formula One.

[hedges]

I finally decided to subscribe to Atlas after tiring of poor inaccurate F1 news services and having to visit three or four different sites to get everything I wanted or to check the validity of an item. My thinking was along the lines of "I can get everything in one place (well maybe the odd visit to forix) and my time saved is more than worth the subscription". Added to that AtlasF1 has grown in content while retaining its quality since I became a member, making it even better value.

[RRT1963]

I found this site from reading the Montreal Gazette. The weekly F-1 columnist highly recommended it.
I started my subscription in May. All I have to say is this is light years ahead of what is reported on other websites and being a fairly new fan to F-1 I enjoy reading the various opinions of people who are much more knowledgeable than I.
It's well worth the money.
Oh yeah and it's up to date!!!!
If it's not on Atlas it's not worth reading

[janusa]

I am of the usubscried group. I thought I would give you my thoughts. Yes, I do suffer Well I don't know if suffer is the right word. I do miss the articles. They used to be great and I am sure they have increased in content and I am sure their still great

But the news can be gotten of other sites. http://www.autosport.com, http://www.itvf1.com, and http://www.grandprix.com are the most reliable. But the funny thing is I always go to Atlasf1 when I get up to read the headline and then find the news elsewhere. I guess I am still drawn to Atlas Odds are I will be a paying member before to long.

But $40 is a bit high for me, for the articles. But as I say I will be a member before to long. Atlas is a great site and the staff should be commended.

JanUsa

[mtl'78]

well I shrewdly let my subscription run out at a time when I was re-arranging all my banking and as a result I've been without a credit card for the past 8 weeks. I figured I'd take the opportunity to see how I got on without it, and I can safely say that I can't wait to get my card back!;)

I realized that I hadn't bought a print mag since subscribing. No need to. IMO it's well worth it.

[Nikolas Garth]

In trying to explain what makes the Magazine so great, I hope I don't appear to be unappreciative of the efforts of those I don't mention, because "It's all good", but I do want to mention some contributors that make the Magazine a must have for me and indeed it is in the articles.

Richard Barnes
Karl Ludvigsen
Roger Horton

Between them they write articles of currency and quality that I can not find anywhere else, irrespective of cost.

Thus the Subscription cost is a complete non-issue for me, and should be for you too.







P.S. I am amazed that the money men at F1 Racing or F1 Magazine don't attempt to buy Atlas and shut it down, coz I just can't bring myself to buy their magazines any more, where as I used to be a faithful purchaser of them.

[MarkWRX]

I subscribe to F1 Magazine and I buy Formula 1 often. However, living in Texas, I get them several weeks after their publication. For my money, AtlasF1 is a great site. This Christmas, I will be buying a gift subscription for a friend, in addition to renewing mine.

Mark

[holiday]

Originally posted by bira
I doubt you will find a SINGLE website or publication, or even a COMBINATION of websites or publications - that offer you that much quantity AND quality of information on Formula One.

This would mean that all f1sites on the net and/or all print publications together weren't as good as atlasf1 alone which I find very hard to believe, to say the least.;)

IMO the imminent problem with a subscription (I take it it's a one year-long contract) is that one is always buying a opinion with it and with your information sources it's like with your diet - you have to change it frequently in order to stay healthy. No way around it.


@ all

As for the statistical material also interesting: www.tagheuer.com being the consequent attempt at quantifying a race weekend into a world of numbers. It's worth a look for forum members with latent ambition on the 'real-expert-status'.;)

[Bono]

atlasf1

I am a subscriber since they introduced the Subscription method, cause before when it wasstill free, the information was great. Not, it became greater.

It is better to subscribe here than buy an F1 Magazine.

I love the columns, they are quite objective just like this week's issue.

So what are you waiting for?

[BuonoBruttoCattivo]

I LOVE AtlasF1, it was recommended to me (from a friend of G. Minardi nonetheless) back in 1997 and have visited it and subscribe to it ever since.
However, I do not agree that magazines are lost with the advent of great quality sites like AtlasF1.
I consider the web as a quick source of info for real-time use, and occassional editorial reading.
But mags you can keep archived, hi-rez photography (good) is essential for sports material, and mags can offer interesting in-depth analysis of events and topics which can be read at more convienient times. Mags are great companions 'after-event' to websites.
I cannot stand reading a monitor for more than a few minutes, we are not used to it yet I guess. The average time spent visiting websites by surfers has been calculated at 30 secs.
But AtlasF1 is a champion in its category. i would never dream of subsribing to anything else except for AtlasF1. The editorial board is state of the art. I wish them well and maybe one day publish their first magazine (need an art director AtlasF1? )
Ciao

[bira]

Originally posted by holiday
This would mean that all f1sites on the net and/or all print publications together weren't as good as atlasf1 alone which I find very hard to believe, to say the least.;)

I am of the belief that there are a few drivers who have more raw talent than Michael Schumacher but at the same time have grave flaws in other areas; that there are a few drivers who perhaps have better technical understanding than him but at the same time have less talent than him; etc. But that there is NO other driver who is as complete as Michael Schumacher - and is as good in each and every category as him combined.

Capish?

Originally posted by holiday
IMO the imminent problem with a subscription (I take it it's a one year-long contract) is that one is always buying a opinion with it and with your information sources it's like with your diet - you have to change it frequently in order to stay healthy. No way around it.

Welll that's fair enough, but it's plain ignornace on your part then - because we also offer a 1-week, 13-weeks (3 months) and 26-weeks (6 months) options.

[Rene]

I have been reading AtlasF1 for a very long time, it must be since 1996 or late 1995, something like that. I subscribed when this site went into subscription, I did so to help ensure that this website which I loved for many years stayed afloat....I must say that since then Atlas has shown itself to be worth it many times over, you get fresh timely articles, with great daily news, and excellent digital pics....it is the best F1 magazine out there (in print or on the web)...if you were to print each magazine out, you would find you get more than 100 pages of pure information every week without any advertising....which blows the doors off of many F1 magazines which fill their pages with Ads, and pictures, with very little meat...

The staff are excellent and responsive, I have had issues with more than 1 article which has appeared in the magazine. Many of the authors of these articles have cheerfully responded to my emails, to either clarify an issue, or to offer another insight.

Bira et al do an excellent job and are extremely responsive to their readers, I challenge you to find any print magazine which matches Atlas in this area.

I highly recommend this site to everyone who will listen!!

[The First MH]

I'm not going to ramble on like those above, as they have already said what needs to be said. After finally subscribing to Atlas recently, I have found that I now rarely go anywhere else to find F1 infomation - the only time it now happens is when I see a story from the bulletin board with a link posted. The stats sheets after the races are simply amazing, and the editorials very well balanced. The news is also posted only when it's news, and not when it's gossip. I would certainly recommend it

[StickShift]

My first year at Atlas f1 is almost up and I'm happy for every cent I put in. I can give nothing but praise.


Oh, a warning if you do join, the chat room is full of idiots.

[LMG]

I'm very happy with my subscription, I think it's worth the money.

[RJL]

Atlas isn't just my favourite F1 site. It is my favourite site on the web, period. I check the news headlines every morning, log on during the work day to engage in some friendly discourse here on RC, and then do it all again most evenings after my little one has gone to sleep. As far as I'm concerned, the quality of Atlas has been absolutely unrivalled anywhere on the web. Like Rene I've been coming here since 95 or 96, and I don't even bother visiting other F1 sites, everything I need is right here in a wonderfully accessible format. When Atlas went Subscription, I tried to do without but the withdrawal was just not worth it. As soon as I subscribed I knew I had made the right decision. The news is current and the feature articles offer a depth you just don't find anywhere else.

Top marks, and highly recommended.

[mimin]

I have become a regular visitor at Atlasf1 since early 2001. I was a bit disapointed when it went subscription because I couldn't read some articles in the magazine. I thought a while wether I should subscribe or not, and finally I subscribed in December 2001. I do miss Mitch McCann's articles.

[FredrikB]

I've just bought the brand new Swedish edition of F1 Racing.
Quite exciting to get a Swedish F1 magazine. I thought.
But after reading it for a while, i discovered that having a subscription on Atlas was more than enough for me. Not that there were anything wrong with the magazine.

Atlas has always been good and accurate. This spring it evolved into something even better.
Everything else is completely redundant. Except F1live when you want to follow practice sessions live on the net perhaps.

I have subscribed since the first days of Atlas as a subcribed service.

Keep it up


Fredrik

p.s I miss Mitch too

[Schuting Star]

I was horrified when I found out that atlas was introducing a subscription service. I basically decided that I could get the news articles etc elsewhere on the web or in print, albeit time delayed. This was confirmed when having initially missed Bruce's seasons strokes, I found his own website (I hope he doesn't read this) so I thought that I could survive without atlas. So I got my info elsewhere. I stayed reading readers comments and got driven mad by the quotes from articles and discussions of things that I couldn't read, reminding me what I was missing, do in the end I joined up again; which I'm sure is one of the reasons Bira is so happy to let this thread stay!

Those that give their time in running and writing for the site are genuine formula one fans that want the best for the sport and that comes across in the finished product. I don't always agree with what is written but on atlas you have the opportunity to put your own opinion across, often to the writer him or herself. What other site offers you that?

Most info can be found elsewhere, Bira has already described what can't, but I found it impossible to find the accurate stories among the rumours and guesses on other sites. No other site gives the combination of quality and reliability as atlas.

[raceday]

The subscription is definitely worth the money!
For me the main reasons for that are:

1. The articles are generally very good. The great ones easily outweighs the bad ones and the bad ones are easy to skip and the content is extensive anyway. The quality is comparable with the other top magazines, but usually from a different angle, and if you compare the article with other sites then Atlas is clearly superior.

2. You get them faster than any other mag can manage and there’s a connection between the articles and the forums where you can discuss with other knowledgeable people in a way that you normally can’t do easily with a mag.

3. The news section is much more serious than other sites. If there’s a hesitation of whether a piece of news is true, then they put it in grapewine. Meaning, if Atlas has the news in the news section then you can count it as a reliable piece of news, which certainly isn’t the case with most, if not all, other sites.

4. The prize is cheaper than any mag I know of. And the content is at least as as extensive and of comparable quality.

Finally, I’m of the opinion that the Forums at Atlas has the most knowledgeable and interesting people on the net. If you enjoy the BB as a reader or contributor you will contribute a little bit to keep this excellent site alive for all to enjoy by being a subscriber.

[mikedeering]

I dived into the subscription as soon as AtlasF1 introduced it (May 2001 IIRC). Part of my reckless nature I guess...

I renewed this year without even considering for a moment not to do so.

Atlas represents real value for money IMHO. I got an extra 2 weeks of access for free because there were apparently problems accessing the site one weekend. As I don't tend to access the net at weekends it didn't actually affect me...but I felt the 2 week extension on my subscription was a class move by Atlas!

The coverage just gets better and better - since going to the subscription model Atlas has increased in quantity and quality...which considering it was so impressive as a free site is a fine achievement.

Mike and AtlasF1

(So Bira, about that free extension...)

[siggers]

Don't want to repeat all the good things said about the quality content and the reliability of the news reporting (including the division between news and grapevine).

But I'd like to stress something else: in my mind atlasf1 is one of the most *usable* sites I know. The layout is pleasant, it allows fast orientation for the user and keeps download times as low as possible. The huge depth of the site is easily accessible via well constructed theme-centered navigation pages, an aspect of the site architecture that has continously improved over the last months. Print versions of articles allow sensible off-screen reading. I like using atlasf1. I find the stuff that I look for, I don't get frustrated with waiting, waiting, waiting and finally ending up with an unsatisfactory result, and -bliss for my sore, screentired eyes- I don't have to deal with garish pop-ups.

The new dynamic laptime data and the season statistics are not only awesome in themselves - I can choose my own ways of looking at them. This is a great demonstration of the advantage of digital publishing over paper. It just cannot be done in a magazine.

For me atlasf1 has all the good sides of a quality print publication, plus the greater speed of reporting and the much improved access and retrieval of a digital archive. No question in subscribing ...

[Gemini]

I am subsrciber, and I've never regretted money spent on it... It's clear that they spent that subsrciption money on site development. I like the new writters and love the "2002 at glance" section.

Only think I can say I am missing is the GP tickets booking. Hope it will be developed one day...

[Breadmaster]

I don't subscribe but wish I did. simple as that.

[Raemius]

Originally posted by holiday


if you are content with www.autosport.com, then everything is alright for you as they are the pros among the amateurs - normally they spare you with nonsense speculations which in 95% lead to nothing but a waste of web space. they simply have the biggest experience in motorsport coverage and it shows.

I used to go to Autosport and still get the mag delivered at home, but their web site now is so full of garbage popups, adverts and crap that I do not go there - same for ITV-F1.com, despite some good articles - the price of free info I guess.

AtlasF1 is worth the subscription to me because:

Editorial and articles are 1st class.
Guest writers are entertaining and add another view with credibility.
News is up to date enough for my needs most of the time.
The Readers Comments BB is often entertaining, sometimes gives advance rumours, etc

[RaggedEdge]

Just renewed my subscription for a second year running at AtlasF1. Coincidentally, I also just renewed my Autosport magazine subscription for about 10th year running.

Both are good value for money in their own separate ways.

[Baviaan]

After I subscribed to AtlasF1 I never had a second thought on the matter. So I renewed my subscription this year. If AtlasF1 continues their high quality in the articles, reviews etc. I will be a member for a mighty long time I guess!

[D. Heimgartner]

In my second year now, and I will continue to subscribe for many more. It is like being part of an elite club. IMHO, Playboy just offers things to the average male that no other mag can! Excellent articles, editorials, pictorials, samples of perfume, etc. It is on time, everytime! And the yearly subscription rate for Playboy is a pittance!




(Oh yeah, I'm also in my second year of Atlas!)

[FredF1]

I'd recommend the subscription to anyone.

This is the first site I visit every morning - even come into work early so I can have a little 'quiet time' reading through the thread topics.

I find the magazine a great read every week. And the BB well worth the effort - Unlike some of the 'Zoos' out there.

[mahelgel]

I subscribed pretty much right away when it went to it's subscription from. There wasn't really a question wether to renew the subscription when it ran out, i renewed a few weeks early, not to miss out on the news articles and magazine...

I've read Atlasf1 for quite some time, started to visit regulary about 1.5 years before it got to the subscription. Before that i visited Atlasf1 from time to time, but not that regulary. I think my first visit to the site was when i was still at school, back in late 96, and i've allways had high regards for the content here.

The subscription is worht the money, and then some. If you are going to buy different magazines to get all the news you get here, it will get more expensive (quite much so here in Norway). Also, since i feel a bit part of the Atlasf1 community (with the chat and BB) i felt subscribing was "the right thing to do", so that i helped, if only in a small economical way by subscribing.

[Viss1]

I'll reiterate what most of the subscribers said. The quality of the articles/editorials and respectability of the "staff" makes it totally worthwhile for me.

[wiligates]

Originally posted by Jackman
Since subscribing to Atlas I've stopped buying any of the magazines, as I no longer need them.

Same here . I never thought i'd stop buying the mag i used to buy to get F1 info but now whenever i see a copy and have a look all i see is last months news .

[McBain]

I am of the non subscription type person. I have been visiting atlas since it openned way back when! I still visit every day and read the forums, but don't regularly contribute. At the point that Atlas went subscription, I was devistated. I loved reading the articles and I looked forward to every wednesday when the new ones came out, especially Mitch McCann! What ever happenned to him, he was so funny! I thought that I could get by at the time as I had won a dailyf1 news subscription in one of their contests, so I decided to save my money. I was still a student at the time, and the $40 US seemed alot in Canadian money, so I put it off and put it off and put it off. I continually asked for the membership as a birthday or christmas present, but noone ever bought it for me. Now $40 US is a steal when you consider what you get, weekly magazine with no month long delays (like print in Canada), and fantastic articles from memory. I used to spend that much money on the print magazines, which I no longer buy, because I have found that the quality has suffered. This thread has openned my eyes again, and I am not putting it off any more. I am now working and if I can buy a new car, then I can afford to finally purchase my membership. I am signing up right now, I probably won't even notice the charge on my credit card with all my other expenses!

BTW, can you print the entire magazine in PDF format or some other format for easy travel?

McBain.

[McBain]

Say hello to the newest member. I feel so good now. Why have I waited so long? I knew it was right as soon as I pressed to subscribe button.

McBain

WOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!

[bira]

Originally posted by McBain
BTW, can you print the entire magazine in PDF format or some other format for easy travel?

Yes.

You can print one or all articles; and you can download one or all articles in PDF. The Magazine (as well as News and the Daily Grapevine) also come in Palm-friendly version.

[Pets22]

Don't waste your time - subscribe now, its more than worth it - now goddamit!!!

[McBain]

Wow I just downloaded the magazine in PDF, and it was 63 pages!! Now that is alot of information!

McBain

WOOOHHOOOOO!

[bira]

Originally posted by McBain
Wow I just downloaded the magazine in PDF, and it was 63 pages!! Now that is alot of information!

McBain

WOOOHHOOOOO!

Umm... that's a small issue, heh (no GP). I think our record was the post-Austrian GP issue - 111 PDF pages. In terms of print magazines (the likes of F1 Racing et. al.), with ads and all, that's the equivalent of about 220 pages or so

[Scudetto]

Not to blow smoke at Bira and the crew, but Atlas F1 has become an indespensible part of my F1 experience. The quality of the articles, and the experience of those who author them, are not found anywhere else on the net.

The "My Atlas" page is my preset home page whenever Netscape is fired up. My Sony handheld syncs to the site via Avantgo, so I can read news and the longer articles on the fly. I subscribed within a week of the site going to the subscription format and firmly believe it's worth the investment.

If I can get this sort of news and insight while it's still timely, then I don't need F1 Mag or F1 Racing so long as I have my Atlas.

[Zmeej]

Actually, the reason for keeping this thread alive has become crystal clear:

Free advertising!
Testimonials from happy people!

[Mat]

The only thing I can say is that AtlasF1 is set as my browser home page.

It is the first web site I check when I at home. Then the same thing at uni or work.

As Bira said, it really is a 'one-stop-shop'! I find no need to go to any other web sites. If there is something of note worth checking out on another website, i am told in Readers Comments!

It saves so much time, and is a bargain compared to anything else ont he market.

Mat

[mikedeering]

Originally posted by Scudetto
My Sony handheld syncs to the site via Avantgo, so I can read news and the longer articles on the fly.

You can't read the really long articles on your handheld! They exceed the AvantGo file size limit. That's my only complaint with AtlasF1. I raised it a while OK but nothing was ever done about it - it now usually only affects "Elsewhere in Racing" though...so I can live with it. And with this weeks issue it isn't a problem at all - all the articles fit.

[bira]

True enough, Zmeej. It's also invaluable feedback for us, you know.

Self promotion has always been a very weak point for us. You don't see Atlas F1 beat its own drum - in fact we probably should - and as funny as it may sound, it comes down to feeling rather awkward yelling at everyone's face how good we think we are.

When I saw this thread, sure enough my initial 'admin' instincts told me to move it to the Atlas F1 forum. But then I thought, hang on a minute, if I can't promote what I think is a great product ON Atlas F1 of all places, then where can I?

I didn't start this thread, but I take the opportunity to perhaps remind some people that there's a great website right here that offers a great service. And quite frankly, awkward as it may feel, I really shouldn't be ashamed - in fact I'm very proud


A couple of comments while we're at it:

Subscription allowed us to survive. That is first and foremost. Every person who wonders 'what if' should know - Atlas F1, Bulletin Board included, wouldn't be here today without subscription.

But rather charge for what already existed, we set about expanding and offering bigger and better service. You need only look at pre-subscription magazine issues or news to see the vast difference.

And it does not stop here. To me, the subscribers are 'share holders' and their money is an investment, so I need to justify it every year with more added value and the raising of the bar even further. I most certainly plan to offer more features, more unique content and services.

I think we make mistakes, but we don't make that many and the general direction is good. And the satisfaction seems to be vast: the test was how many subscribers will renew their subscription once their initial one ran out. 95% did. I think that speaks for itself...

[bira]

Originally posted by mikedeering


You can't read the really long articles on your handheld! They exceed the AvantGo file size limit. That's my only complaint with AtlasF1. I raised it a while OK but nothing was ever done about it - it now usually only affects "Elsewhere in Racing" though...so I can live with it. And with this weeks issue it isn't a problem at all - all the articles fit.

Mike during the winter I'm redoing the entire Palm section (it will be entirely user-customisable). Among other things, long articles will be split to 2 pages.