[Edit this paragraph] 1. What is an electronic magazine?

Electronic magazines are also called online magazines and interactive magazines. It has now entered the third generation, using flash as the main carrier to exist independently of the website. Electronic magazine is a very good form of media expression. It combines the characteristics of both print and Internet, and integrates images, text, sound, video, games, etc. to dynamically combine with each other to present it to readers. In addition, there are hyperlinks , timely interaction and other network elements. It's a very enjoyable way to read. Electronic magazines are highly scalable and can be transplanted to various personal terminals such as PDA, OBILE, MP4, PSP and TV (digital TV, set-top box) for reading in the future.

[Edit this paragraph] 2. History of the development of electronic magazines

Electronic magazines originated from the BBS boom in the 1980s. Cult of the Dead Cow claims to have launched its first e-magazine in 1984 and has continued to do so for more than 20 years. However, whether this is true is hotly debated. Phrack launched its own e-magazine in 1985. Different from the single article magazine of "The Memorial of the Dead Cow", each issue of Phrack's e-magazine contains articles of various categories, which is more similar to ours. paper magazine pattern. The online collaborative fiction magazine "Dargonzine" produced its own electronic version on BITNET's academic webpage in 1984, and it is still published today.

"Electronic magazines" usually refer to magazines that are edited, published and distributed entirely based on computer technology, electronic communication technology and network technology. Its content was naturally related to computers, communications and networks in the early days. Its publishing and distribution methods not only benefited from technology, but were also limited by the development and application level of technology at that time. Take the electronic magazine "Public-Access Computer Systems Review" (abbreviated as PACS Review), which was founded in 1989 by the University of Houston Library in the United States as an example. Its purpose is to review all library information It can provide detailed and timely introduction to electronic resources available to the public, including online bibliographies, CD-ROM databases, etc. The first issue, published in January 1990, used the ASCII format and was issued through the "Public Access Computer System LIST" (PACS-L). Since the email system at that time could not handle large text files, articles of slightly longer length had to be divided into multiple small files and sent to subscribers.

"The electronic version of a magazine" usually refers to a magazine that has issued a printed version. Because it is optimistic about the advantages of electronic layout and electronic distribution means, it also supplements the electronic version. Its electronic version and printed version The main contents are basically the same, but the layout and distribution methods are different. The printed version of the magazine that publishes the "electronic version of the magazine" often has a large and stable readership. Publishing the electronic version is an attempt to adapt to the technological development of the times. "Electronic version of magazine" is often defined as an add-on to the printed version. However, due to the existing foundation and strength of the magazine, as well as the relatively rich publishing and distribution experience of the publisher, there are now many such "electronic versions of magazines". The trend of catching up from behind. The electronic version of the American "Science" magazine introduced into the country is a good example of this model. In terms of concept, the difference between "electronic magazine" and "electronic version of the magazine" has gradually become popular. Ignored. When people refer to "e-journal", they often refer to the so-called "electronic version of the magazine" (Magazine Online)

[Edit this paragraph] 3. Electronic. Current status of magazine development

3.1 Distribution methods

Electronic magazines are usually distributed in the following two ways. One is by the publisher of the print magazine. This publisher is usually a larger one. or fast-growing publishers. They publish electronic versions of their magazines directly through the Internet, without any intermediary. The publisher has complete control over the content and layout of the electronic magazine.

Another. The first distribution method is through an intermediary service agency, or agent. More publishers choose this hassle-free distribution method. Agents that provide this service integrate many publications from different publishers into a unified interface. and retrieval systems. They often have great initiative and advantages in electronic layout design, technology updates and applications. Users usually apply directly to agents for subscription and obtain the right to use electronic magazines.

< p> 3.2 Price

How to price electronic magazines has always been a thorny issue faced by publishers and users at the same time. Due to the huge changes in distribution methods, not only are electronic magazines not as mature as print editions, but they are relatively similar. Standardized pricing system, and because of its close connection with computer technology, network and communication technology, the pricing of electronic magazines is not immune to the constraints of many changing external factors. While publishers are exploring the market and developing electronic magazine users, they are also Concern about the impact of electronic magazines on print circulation.

Therefore, most publishers usually bundle the electronic version of the magazine with the print version to protect their own interests. Users, especially library users, must first order the printed version and then obtain the right to use the electronic version at a discounted price. For libraries and individual subscribers, this charging method is often unacceptable.

3.3 Protection of user rights to use

A significant difference between electronic magazines and printed editions is that they must be committed to protecting subscribers’ rights to use the magazine or accessibility. How to provide legitimate subscribers with guaranteed magazine usage rights/access rights on the Internet, while keeping out illegal online visitors, is a problem closely related to the development and application of network technology. When choosing an appropriate implementation method, you must weigh the pros and cons and take both into consideration. Most publishers often choose such a method: allowing online visitors to browse part of the electronic version of their magazines, such as sample articles, catalog reports or introductions to the magazine. For complete content, such as the full text of an article, subscribers are required to provide valid identity authentication. Two common methods of identity authentication are: distributing passwords to subscribers (called Sever-based passwording) or using Internet URLs and domain names to restrict visitors (called IP filtering). The former method is to give the initiative to subscribers. Subscribers can browse the magazine by submitting a password no matter when and where they are, as long as they have access to the Internet. This method is more convenient for individual subscribers and easier to manage. The latter method is to limit the subscriber's usage rights to a certain range according to the allocation of network E or domain name, such as a certain URL of a personal computer, all URLs of a certain library or all URLs of a certain department, or even All URLs for the entire school. This method is more suitable for multi-user situations.

3.4 Editing style and layout characteristics

The editing method of the electronic layout is the most important feature that distinguishes the electronic magazine from the printed version. It is also the most closely related to the computer network technology and is influenced by it. Where the impact is most profound. Its significance has gone far beyond the layout itself, and involves multiple expressions of content, the selection and establishment of links, and various services provided to readers, etc., becoming the soul of the magazine. In the late 1980s, electronic magazines (such as PACS Review) were usually formatted in ASCII format and distributed via email. A few years later, electronic magazines were formatted in many different electronic formats and distributed through the WWW. For readers, the quality and distribution methods of electronic magazines have been greatly improved. For editors and publishers, the ever-changing tools bring not only creativity and flexibility in typesetting, but also plasticity and huge potential that many printed versions cannot imagine. The eye-catching features of electronic magazines in layout editing are determined by the following factors.

(1) Electronic document database. The core of an electronic magazine is an electronic document database. Electronic documents in the database carry various identifiers, so that the documents can be easily checked and extracted from the database, and then "regenerated" and displayed in various ways according to different requirements. In contrast, printing The core of the edition is "the same copy". Once printed and bound into a volume, it is difficult to change its established appearance. From a storage perspective, traditional printed magazines are stored around the world in personal bookcases or library shelves, suffering damage caused by the passage of time and repeated use. The database of electronic magazines is distributed in one or several limited places and is available to subscribers through the Internet. Different readers can choose different display methods, and magazine editors can continuously modify and update documents as needed. The daily update and maintenance of the database and the processing of electronic documents are a very important link in the distribution of electronic magazines.

(2) Multiple choices of electronic typesetting formats. As mentioned above, one difference between electronic magazines and printed magazines is that they can be displayed in more than one way. The layout of electronic magazines often hopes to accommodate people's habit of reading printed magazines. PDF formats, PostScript formats, the early ASCII formats, TeX and DVI formats used to display, download and print mathematical symbols, and scanned images such as GIF or JEPG formats, etc. all attempt to be completely consistent with or similar to the printed version. Display and print articles. Magazines whose articles contain complex mathematical formulas and symbols, special characters and images are more likely to take advantage of these formats. Among them, Adobe Acrobat's PDF format was once all the rage. One of its advantages is that readers can not only "browse" the electronic magazine page by page just like browsing the printed magazine, but they can also print out articles with exactly the same layout as the printed version so that they can be bound into a volume that is exactly the same as the printed version. Magazine comes. In 1997, PDF was the preferred format for publishers and related electronic publishing projects to convert traditional print editions to electronic editions. However, the shortcomings of PDF are also obvious. First of all, PDF format files are usually larger and take longer to download.

Secondly, the same page elements as the printed version cannot be displayed completely on one screen of the computer. Readers must turn the screen up and down, or choose a smaller proportion to display, neither of which options is satisfactory. In addition, the most obvious flaw of the PDF format is that it does not provide hypertext links for readers to freely "navigate" between articles. Therefore, compared with the HIML format that supports hypertext links to be mentioned below, However, the PDF format is far from reflecting the true style of an electronic magazine. At present, the actual use of the PDF format is usually as a tool for readers to print articles that they want to save on paper.

< p> (3) Application of hypertext links. The editorial style of electronic magazines is very different from the style of the printed version that we are familiar with. The traditional printed magazine uses a linear presentation from beginning to end. Sorting by page number is clear at a glance. The best way to express electronic magazines is non-linear. This non-linear way of expression is usually composed of short and compact small "modules". The content can generally be displayed on one or two screens, which conforms to people's browsing and reading habits. More importantly, hypertext links are used as links between modules, allowing forward, backward or jump conversions based on file type. It is said that this kind of hypertext link is not limited to links between texts, but can also link other types of related materials, such as images, audio and video, three-dimensional animation and other multimedia objects. In terms of content, hypertext links can be applied to. Links to other relevant resources referenced by the article, such as links to traditional indexing/abstracting databases, links from article footnotes to relevant publications, and links to other articles that have cited the article since its publication. (Foreword Referencing) and so on. The various applications of hypertext links make the amount of information that electronic magazines can provide far beyond the limitations of one article and one magazine. Different magazines have rich and colorful hypertext links. Creative applications also allow each electronic magazine to have its own unique style, which is unmatched by traditional print magazines. For these reasons, more electronic magazines can directly support text, images and other links. HTML files. There are also some publishers and e-edition projects that seek to have the best of both worlds by providing both linked HTML files and print-friendly image files such as PDF files.

3.5 Maintenance and preservation of back issues

Technically speaking, the long-term maintenance of electronic magazines is an important aspect that distinguishes them from the printed version. Once the printed version of the magazine is released, no modifications can be made, and the publisher cannot. It loses control over the magazine. However, the online distribution method, database design features and file format selection of the electronic magazine allow it to continuously update and improve its content after it is published. Clever application allows electronic magazines to have many new features that cannot be achieved in printed versions. For example, the aforementioned "Foreword

Referencing" is a kind of citation after the magazine is released and the article is published. The article's articles are indexed. While these new applications add color to electronic magazines, they also bring about a series of unsolved problems.

Who should maintain back issues for a long time and assume and fulfill the responsibility of providing services to readers? Is it the library or the publisher? From the perspective of technical support and convenience, publishers or agents should naturally also Ability to assume responsibility for long-term maintenance and provision of back issues. However, what must be considered is that once a publisher or agent goes out of business or merges for various reasons, can the electronic magazines it once published still be available online for readers to read? From a library's perspective, its An important traditional function is to provide readers (including online readers) with back issues of magazines. However, the long-term preservation of electronic magazines is more complicated than the preservation of printed versions. It not only involves the natural consumption and loss of the medium, but also involves the regular updating and elimination of technology. Due to the rapid development of computer and network technology, we can predict that the technology currently used by electronic magazines will be eliminated in a short time. If the library chooses to save the back issues of electronic magazines on its own, it must continue to pay attention and invest in human, material and financial resources to ensure the long-term availability of back issues of electronic magazines. Otherwise, annoying problems such as server failure to connect, outdated or invalid links in HTML documents, etc. will inevitably affect the retrieval and readability of electronic magazines, and will also affect the reputation of electronic magazines. Therefore, the issue of preserving and maintaining back issues of electronic magazines and providing long-term services to readers is a factor that libraries must consider when subscribing to electronic magazines. From another perspective, the long-term maintenance and provision of electronic magazines requires the full cooperation of publishers and libraries in order to be properly solved.

3.6 Mirroring

A problem related to the distribution and long-term preservation of electronic magazines is how to effectively save network communication resources when the magazine is distributed in a wide range. Mirroring is a common choice these days.

Mirroring is to set up mirror servers in several different geographical locations to provide several copies of a magazine for readers in different geographical locations. In this way, readers can use local copies and pay less or no network communication fees. At the same time, readers will download and browse magazines faster. However, this seemingly simple method encounters many problems that need to be considered and solved during implementation. First of all, a prerequisite for using mirrors is that the electronic magazine will not be updated due to time or technical needs, which is exactly contradictory to the updateability of the electronic magazine. Secondly, the application of links in electronic magazines is also a difficulty in maintaining mirror servers. Electronic magazines often contain not only internal links to the magazine such as table of contents and full text articles, but also many external links to the magazine, such as links to other electronic magazines, databases of indexing/bibliographic service agencies, etc. Therefore, the maintenance of electronic magazines actually involves many aspects besides the magazine itself. In addition, the compatibility of platforms and other application software used in different mirroring locations, and the time differences in different geographical locations will also cause problems for mirroring. One of the design ideas at the beginning of the implementation of the TULIP electronic magazine project in the United States was to provide copies to nine libraries in the United States when it was issued, so that each library could provide services to readers locally. This method is no problem when using ASCII file format in the early stages of project implementation without considering magazine updates. But later, when I began to consider using SGML as the standard HTML file format, the problem was exposed. In short, it is a very complex task to provide, maintain and update multiple copies of images scattered in various geographical locations through the network in real time.

[Edit this paragraph] 4. The development trend of electronic magazines

Electronic magazines are in the stage of experimentation, development and change. Various attempts and ideas emerge in endlessly. Although we cannot predict what electronic magazines will look like ten years from now, we can make some predictions about the development trends of electronic magazines in the near future.

4.1 The development and application of network technology The connection between electronic magazines and network technology, especially WWW technology, will become increasingly inseparable. The application of constantly updated WWW technology is an inevitable choice for publishers and agents .

The electronic magazine will use mature, open and common standards to make the magazine compatible with more browsing and printing tools to the greatest extent.

With the development of network technology, problems such as the standardization of address allocation will be solved, and more alternative electronic magazine distribution methods will emerge, such as the technical constraints of the mirror distribution method. It will also become smaller and smaller.

The greatly improved network speed has greatly improved the availability of electronic magazines and the reliability of data. The continuous decline in network communication costs will also bring new opportunities for the expanded distribution of electronic magazines.

4.2 Internal features and external links

The internal features of electronic magazines will become increasingly rich. More and more convenient output formats will meet the various needs of readers. More and more creative layout designs will emerge in endlessly.

The creative applications of various links will be brilliant. On the one hand, it allows readers to "navigate" within the magazine with ease; on the other hand, it also makes the connotation of the electronic magazine greatly exceed the magazine itself and become an almost infinitely extendable collection of related knowledge and information. Readers can "direct" through links contained in a magazine or article to related articles, magazines, books, bibliographic/indexed databases, WWW sites, and the author's e-mail address.

Electronic magazines will be recognized It also adopts a standard universal query interface (such as Z39.50) to make readers' queries more convenient and transparent.

4.3 The role of the library

Issues of maintenance and preservation of back issues of electronic magazines. The maintenance and preservation of back issues will not be the sole responsibility of publishers or agents. Libraries will play more roles in the distribution and maintenance of electronic magazines. Not only that, the library's active participation in the distribution of electronic magazines will also enable it to gain a say in the standardization of the electronic magazine price system and break the publisher's role in setting prices. It enables the relationship between publishers and readers to develop soundly.