Online Design Mags: Some Thoughts

1. Holy shit I miss Domino Mag SO VERY HARD.

2. Here are some things that I enjoy more than the experience of reading an online mag:

• Getting a pap smear.
• Reaching my hand into my dog Oliver's mouth after he's picked up a random, nasty-assed chicken bone on the street and I gotta retrieve it.
• Preparing my tax returns.
• watching the Nate Berkus show.

You get the picture. I'm sorry, but it's just true: the format of that shit does NOT translate online. Reading a magazine is FUN! Reading an online magazine is ANNOYING (though, I will say, I do not feel this way on the iPad. That shit is dope). That pdf flippy thing just sucks a dizzle. And if I'm on my little laptop at home its impossible to see anything. And that page-turny mechanism makes me suicidal. And that weird thing that goes down when you zoom in and the page shifts in the opposite direction makes me want to stomp on a baby's face. I just H-A-T-E the format.

3. I still read them anyway. Why? Because there is some great content/photography. And also I can't stand when everyone is talking about something and I have no idea what they're talking about. Cause then I feel left out.

4. Rue was a nice first effort, but that shit was WAAAAAAAAY the fuck too long. I sort of felt like I did during that annoying American Idol results show they do that's an hour and should actually be 5 mins. But its 60 mins and they have to fill that time up with SOMETHING, so you just sit the whole time waiting for the good shit to go down. And there was some good shit: Emily Henderson's piece was great and I loved that little art section where they had all those ideas for cheap artwork. I liked the feature on SF Girl By Bay, though it could have been like 12 pages shorter. And sorry, but I thought the cover looked like a Delta in-flight mag...so I kinda agreed with most of the commenters on AT. And I wish the writing and photography wasn't so wildly uneven...some was great and some was glaringly bad. Having said all that, I still want to see the next issue. And I hope its better. And I think it probably will be.

5. What's with all the Rue dramz? People leaving? And leaving? Gauntlets being thrown? (ok, that's not actually true...or at least I don't know if it is. But in my mind the scoop associated with all these departures is JUICY. And there are most def gauntlets).

6. This month's Lonny was the best yet. I actually kind of loved it. They seem to be getting better and better at editing and coming up with some great content, and their photography is always stunning. Also, their issues just *feel* more like a magazine to me. They are usually cohesive and there aren't any parts that don't feel like they belong. Though in fairness, they've had some misses too Their new site is certainly better than no site at all, but its still not really doin it for me...and their "solution" of offering their mag for print for the low low price of 11 million dollars $34, still kind of boggles my mind.

7. Checked out that new Australian online mag Adore today and it pretty much seems like a carbon copy of Domino. But that doesn't bug me soooo much cause I loved Domino. Was there anything groundbreaking there? No. Were there a shitload of "trends" featured that are like eons old. Yes. Does anyone give a shit? Good question. However, THANK YOU Adore, for clocking in at a mere 68 pages. I was actually able to get through your mag before menopause kicked in.

8. Why is everyone so obsessed with the idea of online mags?? Can't someone do Domino 2.0, the site!? Or Domino 2.0 the blog?? Why do we have to keep trying to do Domino 2.0 the mag?! Domino the mag is DEAD. Do you know how much Domino 2.0 the site/blog would rock your fucking face off?? VERRRRRRRY MUCHHHHHH. And no one is doing this shit! IT'S CRAY CRAY (and no, I don't *actually* mean Domino...I mean something LIKE it). I want a kickass site that posts original content every day, with beautiful photography and lots of Domino-y stuff. Like a magazine but set up AS A SITE. Is that too much to ask for??? [sidenote, the one site that has really blown me away recently is The Inside Source (from ebay). Their site is gorgeously designed, easy to navigate and they really have some fab, killer content. I lurv it).

9. If you *do* want to do Domino 2.0 the site and you have a million billion dollars, obvies you should hire me to do it.

10. Do online mags actually make any money? Like did anyone pay for those ads on Rue or were they all freebies? Lonny seems to be making money as they have several ad sales people. Though if I had to guess, I would bet there are some higher profile design bloggers out there who are making comparable cash money from ad sales and other crap they do. Or not. Who knows.