Maximum PC

I have had a subscription to your magazine for a few years and have spent many hours following you online. Your wealth of knowlege and combined computer wisdom makes you, in my mind, the top computer magazine. You do however have this air of immiturity. I had only to listen to one of your podcasts to know that your great inteligence is only shadowed by your need to use foul language. There are a lot of great magazines out there that get the same ideas across without the use of obsenity. To swear at home is average but your magazine could really use a facelift in this area of professionalism. You claim to be"COMPUTER GEEKS" but after talking to my 17 year old nephew I realized that your really "GAME GEEKS". I think the problem might be that you talk like you do because you are tryinig to reach teens and others who probably spend most on high-end conputer paripheral. I guess your trying to act like kids to sell or relate to them. But people who go to editorial school are tought to use a words to articulate their point. Ones attidude toward life tends to come out in their work.
I was able to tollerate most of this until I saw a picture of Amber (at her desk) Beside her in large letters was

Quote:

FUCK

It's time to grow up people. I will be cancelling my magazine subscription immediatly and I will not only be stayinig off your site but I will also be undoing all the bragging I was doing about this great magazine with all the ansers. I am not saying you are bad people, but your "style" is not for me and I can't let my kids read it either. Maybe you need an 18 and over rating.There are a lot of youg people reading this and I think you are being very poor roll models!
Maybe it's the management which has to take the first step. I am sorry but I just can't stand this mockery of professionalism.
Yours truly Jim Hesse (Canada)

Umm... What exactly is wrong with cursing? Words are words. If a certain word gets your point across better, use it, damn it. I hate how society has made certain words unnacceptable.

Seriously, if you're offended by words, you have bigger problems than "immature" editors.

Maximum PC's main focus (from what I've noticed) is to be a different magazine, otherwise they are no different than Computer Shopper, PC Magazine, or any other magazine whether it be web-based or print.

The cursing doesn't bother me that much, but then again, I don't listen to the podcast much anymore.

And just for the record, people under the age of 18 curse...a lot.

If you look at the podcast on iTunes it DOES say EXPLICIT right next to the podcast.
So they do let you know

It's very true. I recently turned 18, and I have always cursed a lot. In my opinion, the fact that they aren't overly professional and curse when they feel like it gives them more credibility, because they're more genuine that way.

Anybody care to take a shot at explaining the difference between a prostitute and a whore?

Wait what????
what does that have to with anything?

Nailed it in one.

Pun FULLY intended.

One you fuck, the other fucks you.

Whoops. Sorry for the vulgarity.

You should be, you sonofabitch

But really, who gives a carp about a few curse words getting thrown around? Has anyone here ever spent time in a mechanic's shop? lol, when I first started in the biz, my new boss asked if I had religion, and if I did, I would probably lose it here. rofl.

Now, when I think "excessive" I think Bob Saget's stand up routine. That dude is one filthy bastard, and I don't find him funny.

Sensitive Sally in the first post does bro.

I agree with Jim about how things should be. Professionalism is a key element, it shows maturity. Sure, dropping f-bombs around town doesn't offend a lot of people, but it does offend a lot more than those that it doesn't are aware of. Talking that way is very immature and childish, especially when representatives of a major publication that's supposed to appeal to such a broad audience are the ones using it within the confines of said publication, whether in print, online or in an audible file such as a podcast. It's un-professional and immature, so please guys, just clean it up a little bit. Thanks.

I prefer an f-bomb to a run-on sentence and dangling participles, but that's just my opinion.

The magazine has a certain style and it works for them. There is a lot of competition in this market and using salty language is one of the ways that MPC differentiates themselves from their competition.

Obviously, enjoying it or being offended by it are choices we make and choices that we actualise by purchasing the magazine or leaving it on the rack. Jim chose to share his opinion with the editors so that they are aware of the reason that Future isn't getting his money. That's fair.

That is my last attempt to stay on fucking topic.

I love you Jipstyle! I can haz yur babiez?

Both are grammatically correct but one is vulgar and one is not. I would expect a professional journalist and college graduate to have sufficient vocabulary to be able to speak publicly without using gutter mouth. I'm not above using bad language but not when I am behind a podium in front of a class. Or speaking to an audience, which is what a podcast is in essence. If bad language was appropriate any time and place you would see phrases like fucking a damn good job on your annual appraisal/fitness report.

Ahh, Okay. I Understand why you said that. It makes more sense now, that you have explained its relevance.

We're not arguing that profanity is appropriate at any time and place. It is appropriate in some times and places. Swearing during a speech given during a bachelor party: acceptable. You're probably hammered and in a strip club. Swearing during the best man's speech during the wedding reception: unacceptable

Cursing when you hammer your thumb on a construction site: acceptable. Cursing when you stub your toe walking into a boardroom with the CEO of your company: unacceptable.

Whether cursing is acceptable during a podcast or in a magazine is a negotiation between the editors and their audience. Too much and they risk losing their audience; too little and they risk being just another PC magazine in a sea of shitty PC magazines.

Curse words are a tool like any other in a writer's bag of tricks. If Hemingway can use them, they are fair game for writers.

So we can expect to see comments like "This mother fucker really screams" in the next video card review? I have yet to be offended by the absence of foul language in a written review. Truthfully I have yet to be offended by the language in the podcasts but I can see where others might have a legitimate gripe. You have stipulated that there are times when bad language is not appropriate and I submit that people who feel a public broadcast is one of them may have a valid point. And that was the gist of the OP. A podcast is verbal, not written.

Don't be ridiculous.



I've yet to see any foul language in a written review.

Again .. and I do hate to repeat myself .. I'm arguing that there are times that foul language is acceptable and times that it is not. I'm not saying, implying or condoning dropping the f-bomb everywhere.



I agree with you. Some people feel it is inappropriate in a public broadcast. A podcast is verbal. So is Saturday Night Live and so were George Carlin's stand-up shows. I submit that some people would be offended by both of those .. and remind you that both had many, many fans.

I've already stated that the OP has a right to his opinion and that I am glad that he shared it. MPC needs to know that they've stepped over his line.

Do I think they'll change? Of course not. They have more fans who are not offended than fans that are. If that changes, I guarantee that their language use will as well.