ELEKTOR FORUMS

pdf downloads of complete copies of Elektor are now restricted to PLUS subscribers only, who can be traced in person. This has not only added to the benefits these customers get, but also effectively ended widespread illegal distribution of our publication.

Regarding Elektor's presence in India, I'm happy to quote from the June 2010 edition, page 8:

" The road to India, Turkey and South Africa
For several years now, we have been receiving requests to initiate activities in India. With the signing of a contract with the firm Esskay in Mumbai, we have now taken the first step towards launching Elektor activities in India. During the coming months we will work on developing a website, publications and products. We are fully confident that these products will appear on the market before the end of the year. If you wish to stay on top of developments and have a front-row seat, please let us know at Elektorindia@esskay.in. Naturally, this also applies to companies inside or outside India. "

while you may sound logical from user point, perhaps across the world, any publication is sold cheap in their own country and to other countries the cost changes. An organization they have their commitments like wages etc, cost of input s etc

May be, the publishers may think of compromising to some extant. according to changing times. A slight reduction of price might increase turnover sales and there would not be loss to the extent, of pre internet days. Of course I need not tech a gaint organization what is turnover.

Re. electronic downloads of Elektor magazine, I just downloaded the January 2011 issue free of extra charge (without using any of my credits) because I am an ElektorPlus subscriber.

I don't usually download the whole magazine because I prefer to read the printed version (often in bed!).

I just sometimes download one or two articles as needed if I am constructing something or following a tutorial (this is more convenient than having the whole mag open on the bench).

The reason I downloaded it so early this month is that my printed copy has not arrived here yet (it's usually here by the 18th).

The Plus (printed and delivered) subscription costs £63.50 to UK which is an extra £12.50 (or 24.5 per cent extra) but you do get a DVD-ROM of all that years 11 issues at the end of the year plus access to stuff on the Plus website.

I am also a Radio Amateur and we are forever having the same US vs UK debate about amateur radio equipment (which appears to be the same scenario for almost all consumer goods like computers, software, DVDs etc).

We in the UK always seem to have to pay relatively more for the same thing than they do in the US.

It's usually (but not always) at the rate of around GB£1 to the US dollar, irrespective of the actual currency exchange rate, when almost all electronic equipment comes from the same manufacturers in East Asia.

Suppliers usually use the justification that the US market is much greater than the UK market and that the US delivery and service infrastructure costs are therefore much lower than those in the very small UK market which has much poorer, inefficient transport infrastructure and distribution systems (not helped by our old, cramped, twisted island geography).

In the UK we have a different tax structure (with VAT and Customs Duties) but I don't see the UK system as being that much different from US Federal, State and local taxes (except maybe for alcohol and vehicle fuel where the taxes and duties are exorbitant rip-offs in the UK).

I don't know how or if we can ever change things but I agree that we should continue to campaign for what we believe to be a fair market for all.

Best Wishes to All from Bill