18 replies to this topic

[BillyHW]

Hey Everybody,

I was wondering if anyone knows any way to read old gaming magazines online somehow. I'm especially interested in Next Generation, but also many others.

If anybody has any tips, I'd appreciate it.

[triverse]

You can check out Retromags, not sure if they have permission to release these but they have several issues available.

http://www.retromags...ext-generation/

[rmaerz]

Head to Digital Press' library http://digitpress.com/

[BillyHW]

Thanks a ton guys!

[triverse]

Scratch my recommendation of Retromags. They use MegaUpload for their distribution service and well, MU just got shot down recently. You can always check out Out-of-Print Archive (http://www.outofprintarchive.com) for legal releases that we have permission from the copyright owners to make available (i.e., they won't be taken down like other sites).

[S1500]

I'm wondering if the pinball tables on pinsim.org(well, not ON pinsim, but links to) are toast. it's never a good idea to host any content, legal or not, on those free file servers. It just isn't.

[BillyHW]

Booooooo, this is disappointing. Hopefully retromags can find another solution and get back up and running soon.

[KiwiArcader]

triverse, on Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:20 PM, said:

Scratch my recommendation of Retromags. They use MegaUpload for their distribution service and well, MU just got shot down recently. You can always check out Out-of-Print Archive (http://www.outofprintarchive.com) for legal releases that we have permission from the copyright owners to make available (i.e., they won't be taken down like other sites).

With regard to that comment I think you probably should have said "The copyright owners of the mags OoPA has wouldn't request their removal".

The reality is that if the Feds took down Filesonic or any other hosting company like they did with Megaupload then your files, even though they may be legal, would still be taken offline if they were hosted on their servers. Retromags and OGM, like many others simply had their files disappear as we had chosen megaupload as our preferred file hosting company. I am getting my magazine submissions uploaded to Filesonic at the present time .... the latest mags are already available again over at OGM ... but if they take more hosting companies out of the game then things will get problematic for everyone whether legitimate or not.

[BillyHW]

What's OGM?

Is there no hope that MegaUploads will ever go back online from another location?

[KiwiArcader]

BillyHW, on Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:46 AM, said:

What's OGM?

Is there no hope that MegaUploads will ever go back online from another location?

OGM = my magazine preservation website http://www.oldgamemags.com

All the latest releases of NGC magazine and others now have filesonic links. All are PDF format. Should be something in there you are interested in

[triverse]

KiwiArcader, on Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:39 AM, said:

triverse, on Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:20 PM, said:

Scratch my recommendation of Retromags. They use MegaUpload for their distribution service and well, MU just got shot down recently. You can always check out Out-of-Print Archive (http://www.outofprintarchive.com) for legal releases that we have permission from the copyright owners to make available (i.e., they won't be taken down like other sites).

With regard to that comment I think you probably should have said "The copyright owners of the mags OoPA has wouldn't request their removal".

The reality is that if the Feds took down Filesonic or any other hosting company like they did with Megaupload then your files, even though they may be legal, would still be taken offline if they were hosted on their servers. Retromags and OGM, like many others simply had their files disappear as we had chosen megaupload as our preferred file hosting company. I am getting my magazine submissions uploaded to Filesonic at the present time .... the latest mags are already available again over at OGM ... but if they take more hosting companies out of the game then things will get problematic for everyone whether legitimate or not.

You are right Kiwi. I should have worded that better, it was mainly to bring attention to the fact that Retromags, the biggest site that offers magazine scans, is effectively dead in the water thanks to the situation with MegaUpload.

My comment about OoPA just means that if more file hosting sites are taken down, that we would have a much easier time hosting them elsewhere. This is for such cases as, maybe file sharing companies end up requiring proof that you can release what you are uploading- OoPA can do that. We can also, if worst come to worst, offer self hosting to our fanbase without fear of legal rebuttal. OoPA doesn't do that for the same reasons no one else, including RM, doesn't do it- costs.

[NE146]

Anyone with the collection of stuff from retromags should just upload them to usenet and call it a day. That way they'll be available for at least 3+ years or so before someone would have to upload them again.

[KiwiArcader]

Quote

You are right Kiwi. I should have worded that better, it was mainly to bring attention to the fact that Retromags, the biggest site that offers magazine scans, is effectively dead in the water thanks to the situation with MegaUpload.

My comment about OoPA just means that if more file hosting sites are taken down, that we would have a much easier time hosting them elsewhere. This is for such cases as, maybe file sharing companies end up requiring proof that you can release what you are uploading- OoPA can do that. We can also, if worst come to worst, offer self hosting to our fanbase without fear of legal rebuttal. OoPA doesn't do that for the same reasons no one else, including RM, doesn't do it- costs.

Yep ... costs for hosting are generally based upon traffic volume and are not cheap. That's why dedicated filehosting services like Megaupload have become dime a dozen over the last few years as they have offered better pricing based upon user numbers/subscriptions rather than via storage volume. Unfortunately it seems that ligitimate uses for these services are not taken into consideration any more. They should be targeting the uploaders rather than the hosting sites themselves imho.

Usenet sucks big time and I wouldn't even consider it as far as file hosting is concerned.

[S1500]

Replace usenet w torrents. Worth a try.

[KiwiArcader]

Problem with torrents for anyone residing in New Zealand is they recently implemented new legislation allowing fines up to $15000 for filesharing violations as well as removal of your internet access for a year. Pretty draconian but the only way they can identify you at present is via torrent peering. Only takes one publisher to decide to act on magazine downloads and it could be messy for someone like me. I think opting for an alternate filehosting company with servers outside the USA is my best option at the present time.

[NE146]

KiwiArcader, on Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:23 PM, said:

Usenet sucks big time and I wouldn't even consider it as far as file hosting is concerned.

You really believe web-based file hosting was better? It may have been simpler for more people to comprehend but, just to demonstrate: someone posted Retromags scans of Nintendo Power #4-26 about 1000 days ago.in 2009. I just found it before typing this and, ignoring the 1st listing from a.b.ath which is an obvious virus, it took two or three clicks and about 6 minutes (totalling 930+ megs) to have all of them. Seems pretty good to me. But whatever. If a suitable web-based file hosting replacement for Megaupload is out there, heck it works for most folk.

It's been ages since I've been on Retromags.. didn't they used to go down the Torrent route? I've actually scanned a few magazines over there (the 1st issue of EGM aka "Electronics Game Player" was from me. As well as the EGM with Fabio on the cover.) I'm supposed to have scanned the EGM 1988 Buyers Guide as well, but oh man is it a chore to scan an entire magazine.

Edited by NE146, Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:38 PM.

[KiwiArcader]

NE146, on Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:37 PM, said:

KiwiArcader, on Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:23 PM, said:

Usenet sucks big time and I wouldn't even consider it as far as file hosting is concerned.

You really believe web-based file hosting was better? It may have been simpler for more people to comprehend but, just to demonstrate: someone posted Retromags scans of Nintendo Power #4-26 about 1000 days ago.in 2009. I just found it before typing this and, ignoring the 1st listing from a.b.ath which is an obvious virus, it took two or three clicks and about 6 minutes (totalling 930+ megs) to have all of them. Seems pretty good to me. But whatever. If a suitable web-based file hosting replacement for Megaupload is out there, heck it works for most folk.

It's been ages since I've been on Retromags.. didn't they used to go down the Torrent route? I've actually scanned a few magazines over there (the 1st issue of EGM aka "Electronics Game Player" was from me. As well as the EGM with Fabio on the cover.) I'm supposed to have scanned the EGM 1988 Buyers Guide as well, but oh man is it a chore to scan an entire magazine.

Usenet sucks big time is based upon my ISP's hosting of usenet files with pathetic retention rates before they dumped it for good. I hated how every file seemed to have one piece missing and I don't think any ISP in New Zealand provides Usenet any more. All the USA Usenet hosting I looked into is priced higher per month than filehosting services hence my comments. That and the fact most people nowadays probably don't remember usenet or even know what it is.

[NE146]

KiwiArcader, on Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:10 PM, said:

Usenet sucks big time is based upon my ISP's hosting of usenet files with pathetic retention rates before they dumped it for good. I hated how every file seemed to have one piece missing and I don't think any ISP in New Zealand provides Usenet any more. All the USA Usenet hosting I looked into is priced higher per month than filehosting services hence my comments. That and the fact most people nowadays probably don't remember usenet or even know what it is.

Yeah ISP-based usenet has pretty much gone down the tubes. If you want to get binaries than yes you have to get a premium service which at it's cheapest runs $8-$11/month (I pay $11), or you can do a non monthly pay-per-use e.g. 25 gigs for $10 at Astraweb, etc which you can stretch out as long as you want. I pay it because I've always considered to be essential and part of my overall cost of "internet".

But you're are absolutely right that people nowadays don't know how to use it. But as they say.. "The first rule of Usenet "We do not talk about Usenet" so maybe it's better that way.

That being said I really hope Retromags figures out an alternative whatever it may be. They've definitely gotten a bunch more magazines than the last time I looked!

Edited by NE146, Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:30 PM.

[akator]

Yahoo small business web hosting offers unlimited bandwidth and unlimited storage for $10/month if paid a year at a time. I'm sure there are similar plans from other web hosting providers. That could be a solution without relying upon separate file hosting services...