Release Notes: So Long, and Thanks for All the Pie
Release Notes: So Long, and Thanks for All the Pie
Posted 01/15/2010 at 3:00pm
| by Will Smith
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After 119 monthly issues and roughly nine and a half years (3,474 days, according to Wolfram Alpha), this is my last issue as Editor-in-Chief of Maximum PC. I’d like to pretend it’s been grueling work—from the crazy costumes to our intern-torturing escapades to the great smoke alarm incident of 2000—but, I can assure you, it’s been a blast.
Most importantly, I’ve enjoyed working for you guys over the last decade—a decade that’s been chock-full of amazing technological triumphs, as we accelerate ever faster toward the Singularity. To give a little perspective to that decade, here are the four achievements (presented in no particular order) that I think have made the biggest impact on the world, during the time I’ve been at Maximum PC.
The Internet Grows Up
When I started at Maximum PC, fast Internet access was 1.5Mb/s. I get that on my phone now. When I started, most people had heard of the Internet, but no one used it… and wireless service? Nonexistent. Now, my dad’s on Facebook and my mom is an eBay power user. This has, naturally, had some consequences.
Processors Get Incredibly Powerful
We’re all familiar with Moore’s Law, and the last 10 years have shown truly astounding improvements in computational power. When I started, CPUs could barely decode standard-definition MPEG-2 video. Today, we can encode multiple MPEG-4 streams on the fly—a feat that would have been magic in 2000.
Storage Gets Massive and Cheap
In 2000, state-of-the-art storage came in the form of the 75GB hard drive. Today, for about the same money as an IBM 75GXP, I can buy a 2,000GB hard drive. The advances we’ve seen in both storage capacity and speed have powered everything from YouTube to Gmail to Dropbox. SSDs are only going to push that further.
LCD Panels Got Cheap, Massive, and Plentiful
In 2000, a 19-inch CRT was a massive, extravagant monitor, and a flat panel was a tiny luxury. Today, LCD flat panels are ubiquitous and scale from the pocket-size displays found on phones to massive 70-inch monsters that power HDTVs.
Individually, these advances were exciting. Taken together, they’ve pushed multiple revolutions that affect all of us. I’m talking about the smartphone revolution, the rise of the social web, and the advent of Internet audio and video streaming. If you showed me Facebook, an iPhone, and YouTube in 2000, and then told me they all worked together using a speedy wireless Internet connection, I’d probably have had you committed. Yet here we are.
So it’s with eyes wide-open and an optimistic smile on my face that I look forward to the next decade, and I hope to hear from you there. As always, if you want to continue our conversation, you can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/willsmith, or in my weekly column at MaximumPC.com.
Before I sign off, I want to thank the entire Maximum PC team—Jon, Gordon, Katherine, Natalie, Nathan, Norm, Alex, Boni, Mary, and all the other folks who’ve worked here over the years—for making this the best, nuttiest, most awesome place I’ll ever work. Of course, thanks are also due to you, the loyal readers, for bringing Maximum PC into your homes each month. I’ve loved every minute of it.
Jon Phillips, editorial director, Maximum PC: The entire staff of Maximum PC would like to thank Will for all his hard work and dedication during his nine-plus years of service. We’ll miss his exceptional technology smarts, rants, raves, and constant references to pie. Stay tuned for Will’s regular column on MaximumPC.com, as well as many more surprises on the site in 2010.
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tedpas
February 01, 2010 at 11:16am
Best wishes to you Will as you move ahead to your future.
We have always enjoyed your editorial comments, especially as you so adeptly handled the whining in some of the 'letters to the editor'........
You have helped to guide MaxPC to a perennial source of great insight and because of you and the rest of the capable staff I'm sure I will continue to enjoy both my paper and electronic editions of the mag.
Again, the best to you for the future!!
Nation
January 25, 2010 at 10:49am
1) Its a sad day when MaxPC looses one of it's best editors. Please except complements from my friends and I. I hope your moving foreword to something even better then this, and it wont effect the quality of the mag. (Did I get most of them?)
2) You're more than just a great EIC, and will be sorely missed. Best wishes on the new endeavor.
3) I'm very impressed by Fred Langa, but maybe a little too retiring and retired for MaximumPC?
dmstr23
January 22, 2010 at 6:44pm
Every month the first thing I always look for is your always-kickass ed word and it makes me sad to know that this will be the last one I will read. I wish you luck on your future ventures.
Don't you be a stranger now, you hear?
dmstr23
Sebie Kay
January 22, 2010 at 9:33am
We hate to loose you, Will. I came to Maximum PC in 2005, and have loved how you added a nice touch to your articles.
You will be kept alive in the ones and zero's flying around at maximumpc.com!
-=Do unto others... THEN RUN!!=-
Sebie Kay
January 22, 2010 at 9:28am
We hate to loose you, Will. I came to Maximum PC in 2005, and have loved how you added a nice touch to your articles.
You will be kept alive in the ones and zero's flying around at maximumpc.com!
-=Do unto others... THEN RUN!!=-
cfmwarren
January 21, 2010 at 7:51am
So long Will, i'm gonna miss the podcasts! You were a real guiding force in everything MaxPC did, and I enjoyed the whole experience with the mag. Hope your travels bring you good fortune. :salute:
DRAGONWEEZEL
January 28, 2010 at 1:37pm
And was perhaps the only reason Gordon's Rage (tm) hasn't taken over and killed everyone on the entire planet! Who will perform this job now? Who will keep the vicious Gordon in check?
It ain't going to be me, I can tell you that right now!
THERE ARE ONLY 11 TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD. Those that think binary jokes are funny, those that don't, and those that don't know binary
K0BALT
January 20, 2010 at 9:38am
Hey, don't be a stranger around here. I still wanna see your comments on ALL these pages! Good luck!
____________________________________________
~ i7 920 @ 4.4GHz, (2) GTX295's Quad-SLI, EVGA X58 3X SLI, 6GB DDR3 OCZ Gold ~
xj97
January 20, 2010 at 7:16am
I always enjoyed your work immensely, and I will definitely miss you and Gordon having WinMo/IPhone battles on the podcast!
Havok
January 19, 2010 at 12:02pm
If you search for ' will smith 'on google pictures, page 46, row 2, column 6 has our beloved EIC in all his zombie gory, I mean glory.
CLICK.
nekollx
January 19, 2010 at 12:23pm
i just periodically check notthatwillsmith.com
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
xRadeon
January 18, 2010 at 8:36pm
It was always great reading your posts, listening to you on the Podcasts, and learning more than I could have on my own. It has been a pleasure Will Smith, thank you and good luck!
CentiZen
January 18, 2010 at 2:27pm
Bye bye Will. It was your kind and steady helping hand that gave me the confidance to build my first computer. And it works great. Can't wait to see what your new site is like.
SHEILA: AMD X4 965 3.2GHZ ; 4 GB G.SKILL GAMING RAM ; RADEON HD 5770 1GB
Havok
January 18, 2010 at 4:18pm
Yeah, steady up untill he sliced it open while building a PC for charity! He literally poured his blood and sweat into that one!
But seriously, same here. The day the "How to build a PC in 20 minutes" Video was released on MPC.com, I built my rig as well.
CLICK.
COMMANDER_COOK
January 18, 2010 at 7:47pm
I still haven't built a rig of my own yet. But I did build 3 Kick ass towers for my school. I was thrilled that they actually trusted me with a $3,000 budget, but they did tell me that if I screwed up they'd make me wish I was dead. This was 2008, The machines had 4GB DDR 800 ram, dual 250GB hdd, dual dvd burners, 9600GT videocards, and 2.66 ghz core2 quads. I got scared after several BSODs, but found out it was just bad (and according to nvidia) nonexistant chipset drivers for the mobo that were on the Asus website.
I was so excited I took pictures and told all my friends, who didn't give a crap. I have MPC and newegg to thank for that success.
----------------------------------
Donate blood! http://www.redcrossblood.org/
mothrpe
January 18, 2010 at 6:12am
So long Will,
I always enjoyed your editorials and obvious passion for the topics. Best of luck in all your future endeavours and live long & prosper.
COMMANDER_COOK
January 18, 2010 at 12:47am
I havent even been here for a year, so i really don't know about the smoke alarm incident or the pie jokes, so please fill me in.
bkazdan
January 17, 2010 at 8:36pm
Will, thank you for the years of quality articles and helping to make Maximum PC such a great read. All the best in your future endeavors.
americaeh
January 17, 2010 at 8:04pm
HOW MANY P4 PRESCOTTS DO I HAVE TO SACRIFICE TO KEEP YOU??? YOU CAN"T LEAVE!!! THE BRALGOSHPERE 's tubes will clog with sorrow and over clockers everywhere will crash and then we will know that on this day we will remember Will smith hath left us...
sudo apt-get install windows 7
mitpatterson
January 17, 2010 at 7:36pm
So where are you going to, and secondly when are we going to know who we get to compare to you as EIC?
mitpatterson
JonPhillips
January 18, 2010 at 8:35am
I hope to have a new EIC in place for the April issue of the magazine, which means a web announcement would happen at the same time. OR... we might do a web announcement before that.
mitpatterson
January 23, 2010 at 4:43pm
I'll take the job Jon as long as i can work from home and then move to cali in like 2-3 years
mitpatterson
DRAGONWEEZEL
January 28, 2010 at 1:43pm
Even if I had the writing experience to do it, I could never. It would tip the scales of Rage in Gordon's favor causing an epic cataclysmic event turning the seas to red, boiling lakes, and ringing the neck of every single latte sipping mac user out there, 1 by 1...
THERE ARE ONLY 11 TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD. Those that think binary jokes are funny, those that don't, and those that don't know binary
nicchap
January 17, 2010 at 2:07pm
Like the comments imply, "you are the best". Take care and we'll miss you.
Nic.
kiddcreole99
January 17, 2010 at 10:23am
Will, thanks for all of the great issues, reviews, ed notes, etc. MaxPC is the only mag that I have ever actually read the notes from the editor. (: You have a great writing style, sense of humor, and great perspective on all things PC-related. I wish you the best and hope that you are going to do something that makes you not regret leaving MaxPC.
eshows
January 17, 2010 at 10:06am
I was shocked and saddened to read that you'll be leaving MaxPC. You are by far the best Editor in Chief this magazine has ever seen, and while I am sure you will be moving on to wondererful things, and we all hope for the best in your future, this entire community will miss you. The magazine and the podcast certainly won't be the same without you. Thank you for your years of dedication to us, the readers.
Number Six
January 17, 2010 at 8:01am
I already posted my good-bye on the forums, but I wanted to reiterate my heartfelt gratitude for everything you've done for the Maximum PC fans, Will. Your dedication and leadership will never be forgotten. I hope rapid success in your new career will afford you time to contribute to the magazine in the future.
-Mark "[Ch]amsalot" Miller
Talcum X
January 17, 2010 at 6:00am
I have seen several EICs come and go over the years. Don't know why they dont stay, but Will, we shall miss you at the helm. I wish you luck in your future endevors and you succeed in whatever you do.
Been a long time and faithfull MPC reader that, unfortunatley had to stop my subscription to the mag after loosing my job last January. That's right, it's been a loooooong year for me and my wife. But I hope after getting my MCSE will change that (half way there). Then I can re-up and get all the MPC goodness.
***********
Every morning is the dawn of a new error.
"In Ireland, there are more drunks per capita than people." - Peter Griffin
Shalbatana
January 16, 2010 at 8:33pm
Dammit Will!
Seriously, I hope you'll drop in from time to time, and that you are leaving for bigger and better as yet unannounced Spider-man type greatness.
May [whatever] God [you believe in] stand between you and harm, in all the dark places you must walk.
- an old Egyptian Blessing.
Thank you.
_______________________________
"There's no time like the future."
campa_killa
January 16, 2010 at 7:45pm
What a shock!
You have done a great job on the mag. I eagerly waited for each installment. Your podcast was my fav! You will be missed. I'm not sure if anyone can curb Gordons tempure the way you could (but Gordon is in a class all his own!) Best of Luck in all you endevors!
I hope you will continue to have a role on the podcast!!!! Please!!!!
jtm55
January 16, 2010 at 6:43pm
Wow! This really takes the wind out of my sails, but if you're happy, I'm happy for you. Please drop in from time to time. It looks like I'll have to get a Twitter account. Best Wishes.
hmcdow
January 16, 2010 at 6:41pm
Will,
You have done an outstanding job at MPC. It is rather shocking that you chose this time to leave, at a time when MPC is stable, innovative, progressive, agressive, funny, honest and chock full great reading and of course the Podcast is at it's peak of perfection. But progress must be made, and however hard you find it, change is mostly good, but only when one can benefit from it. And, MPC will continue, thankfully, albeit a bit poorer for you not being there, but I'm looking forward to seeing how a new EIC will influence the ship, and how she sails.
So, I wish you the best. It has been a blast, some of the best reading, and one of the only mags I subscribe to (Texas Monthly, of course, but that is another story), and MPC is one of the highest quality magazines I have ever subscribed to and devour each month.
Success, Will, I hope you find something that keeps you frosty and your trigger finger itchy.
Harry
Gigabyte
January 16, 2010 at 4:22pm
Thanks for all of the hard work and all of the kickass monthly issues!
Good luck on your future endeavours. We look forward to your regular column on MPC.com, as well as many more surprises in 2010!
BTW... Who's going to contain Gordon's rage now?
QuadraQ
January 16, 2010 at 2:28pm
I found your column today both sad an interesting. I too have been at my job for the last 9 1/2 years so all the changes you mentioned I remember well. I hope you find success in your new endevor!
JonPhillips
January 16, 2010 at 12:42pm
What a great outpouring of support for Will. I am 99% sure that I know where he's going, and if I'm right, I'm pretty comfortable in saying he won't be working for a direct competitor, but rather more of a tangential competitor... an organization that complements Maximum PC in the tech space. I guess we'll all have to wait for Will's announcement.
But I do want to jump in and say that Will is leaving at the best of times and worst of times, depending on how I look at it. These are the best of times because Maximum PC print and especially MaximumPC.com have received a lot more support from Future in the last 18 months, and this immediately translates into more resources for producing more content and better content. In fact, now with Will's position open, I have three editorial jobs that need to be filled. We are actively searching/recruiting for the right talent, but as you can imagine, finding just the right mix of skills and talent isn't easy. We need folks with all the technical smarts and hands-on experience, but they ALSO have to be great communicators, and understand the Maximum PC voice... how we choose are stories, and how we write our stories to give them that unmistakable mark of MPC. At any rate, these are good times insomuch that once we get fully staffed up, we can really begin making some improvements that were greenlighted a while ago.
On the flipside, these are the worst of times because now we don't have Will to help with the growth and content development. There's a lot of work ahead, and we who remain have roll up our sleaves and get down to business more than ever before.
But this thread DOES make me wonder who you guys think are MaximumPC-quality editors? Are there any editors at other mags and websites whom you really respect, and could see working at MPC? I'm asking to get a feel for whether our ideal of the perfect MPC editor matches the hardcore reader's idea of the perfect editor. Plus, it would also be interesting to see if any names line up with the people I've identified on my own. Just thinking out loud.
maxuh
March 07, 2010 at 5:46pm
On other tech magazines, they would sometimes go with an EIC that is just a sales / corporate talk guy personality (basically Jay Leno as EIC of a computer magazine) and displays the knowledge of someone who only knows about their cool TV and Internet, but don't really understand anything more than that. And only the other editors are competent enough to write reviews.
The EIC I would like to see as a reader is similar to Will and Gordon
where they know detailed intricacies of various technology yet is fun at the same time (I think Gordon would be a great EIC). Draws in the reader to open the cover each month to read the magazine.Need kind of a mix between ability to capture the reader glued to the page and tech-savvy/intelligent.
Try to never be boring like CPU magazine ... I go to sleep reading the editor's letter.
macumber
January 17, 2010 at 4:52am
John, I liked you as EIC. I liked the car references and analogies. I thought the magazine was a little more 'indie' and less PC back in those days. It was a little more hardcore. On the other hand, I assume Will had a big hand in the creation of this awesome website that I read nearly every day. I think the addition of Norman Chan was a great hire as I am under the impression he co-created the new website. Norman is also great on the podcast and I had never listened to a regular podcast until the MPC podcast - which is another great addition that came under Will's watch.
So for successors two guys come to mind. Gordon number one. He is great. He has a great voice and is good to the readers. He has responded to a couple of my emails in the past for general build advice and I was surprised at how quickly and openly he responded and gave me a few minutes of his time. After reading him and listening to him on the podcast he is like an old buddy.
Another guy I like to read is Kyle Bennet over at HardOCP. He probably isn't for hire since he lives in Dallas and since he has his own gig going. But he is the type of guy that would be interesting as the next EIC.
Gordon as EIC would be kewl.
hmcdow
January 16, 2010 at 7:14pm
Will is a MPC quality EIC, of course.
But who would be his ideal replacement? I am one person who firmly believes in the "promote from within" concept. Why? New blood is good, don't get me wrong. But creating a EIC from outside in a mag such as MCP could spell trouble. Not only is that person the "boss" but un-washed, bringing fresh ideas to a fast-moving and terribly strict publishing routine. New blood? Yes. But EIC from outside? It would need to be someone who can move fast and adapt quickly. Or someone from within? Yes. Already knows the ropes, the bosses, the upper echelon. Knows how the Mag is put together, the schedules, the way everything goes together and how to influence editors/interns that they already know. New blood is for interns, young un's who want to learn the ropes and the MPC way of doing things. If they hack it, they stay. Nathan is a perfect example.
Do I think I know who would be a perfect EIC from within? Well Gordon for one. But if it means he has to give up his rant, then no. Gordon's rant is a clean, stiff, fresh air breeze that peels back the "crap" from life and exposes things as they should be. But I'd bet good money that Gordon would be a damn good EIC. In fact, I thought Future was grooming Gordon for this position for a long time.
Only one other person pops into my head, although the whole editorial staff has talent beyond belief. Katherine would be a good choice. I believe she has the level headed determination that could continue to develop the magazine and make it progressive. Not sure that would be a popular choice, but I think if stability and progressive thought is something Future is lookig for, Katherine would be a consideration.
My two cents, Jon. For what it is worth.
Harry
willsmith
January 16, 2010 at 3:51pm
Thanks Jon :) While we'll definitely be covering some of the same stuff, the places that we overlap will be a subset of the overall topics my new site will be covering. That's a little vague, I know, but I'll have a lot more that I can say in February.
It's also worth mentioning that one of those open positions is brand new. That shows Future's faith in Maximum PC and the team.
Also, wow. This outpouring of support is really amazing. Thanks for all the love guys :)
Whudunit
January 16, 2010 at 11:47am
It's funny, MPC has been like old friends who I don't see to often but when we hang out it's spectacular.
Will you have a serioius wit and great sense of humour which has only made MPC. I LOVE the podcast even though I'm usually an episode or two behind. Gordon's rant and your repsonses and attempts to contain the rage are epic to me.
Change is inevitable I know, but the Murph and now YOU. Tell me Gordon isn't leaving soon?
Anywho, best of luck to you in the future(What are you doing?) I look forward to your articles and other events you do with MPC.
Thanks a ton, and I wish you and yours the best in 2010 and beyond! This is one Canadian who will miss you.
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