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Thread: Who reads this stuff anyway?

  1. #1
    Ophthalmic Optician
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    Who reads this stuff anyway?

    I just tossed 20/20 and Eyecare Business into the trash, still in their wrappers.

    Nothing personal.

    I've got nothing against them; I'm sure they've got interesting articles.

    The thing is, I can't remember the last time I read one of these trades. I don't have time, and the last time I looked (8 months ago?) the ads looked the same as they did 5 years ago.

    This would be a great poll, but how many of you folks actually read the trades that the vendors are pumping so much cash into ?

    I know I don't...
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder optical24/7's Avatar
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    I only open them up to look at the centerfolds...oh la la!

    :drop:

  3. #3
    ATO Member HarryChiling's Avatar
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    Hey Johns,

    You read Opticourier of course. I find myself reading them less and less especially since most the rags contain very little useful information in them just alot of garbage. I do however look for names in the table of contents and when I see:

    • Barry Santini
    • Donn McCarthy (guy don't know jack but he spins one heck of a yarn ;) )
    • Debra White
    • and a few other names
    I read these article becuase they often times have interesting views and drop some potent information.
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  4. #4
    ATO Member OPTIDONN's Avatar
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    Hey I know Jack !! and he's gonna kick your a**! Here's a good challenge Johns. About every few months I tend flip flop some numbers or do some hair brained typing or editing error. It could be like a contest! For each one you find you get a prize, and the prize is......a HUG!!!!:p

  5. #5
    Ophthalmic Optician
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    Quote Originally Posted by HarryChiling View Post
    Hey Johns,

    You read Opticourier of course.
    I read OPticourier because it's readable in teh sense that it's not a bunch of "press releases" trying to sell you something. The articles are interesting, and they are more on my level.

    Plus, it doesn't take 2 hours to read!:cheers:
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

  6. #6
    Master OptiBoarder Darryl Meister's Avatar
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    I used to read Eyecare Business religiously, particularly the "Ask the Labs" column (before Joe's passing), the new product adverts, and some of the better CE articles. I didn't start reading 20/20 until recently though; it always seemed like the ad to content ratio was too high. But Mark Shupnick has really improved the quality of the magazine's CE articles over the past two or three years, and "Lenses and Technology" was also recently incorporated into it (of which, oddly enough, I once served as the Technical Editor!), so I read it quite a bit more now. Of course, magazines like the UK's Optician are still hard to beat when it comes to quality content, but it's really more of a journal than a trade mag.
    Darryl J. Meister, ABOM

  7. #7
    Master OptiBoarder TLG's Avatar
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    I peruse them both for new lens release information for which I, of course, have a personal interest in. I'm bothered by the fact that there seems to be little (no?) information presented by anyone who does NOT advertise in them.

    I agree with Darryl that some of the CE stuff is very informative, but seems to be bent toward the fledgling ecp, which is probably natural since they would tend to have more need/desire/passion for information than some of us old-timers and I'm ok with that. The CE's also seem to be regularly offered by manufacturers and I'm not sure I like that, but I'm cynical by nature.

    But I REALLY don't like the increasing number of ads for eyewear in them that feature 'beautiful people' NOT wearing eyewear. Top (or bottom, I guess) of my list - Jessica Simpson Eyewear, who's ads say to me, "I'm hot, and even I don't look good in my frames!"

  8. #8
    Master OptiBoarder Darryl Meister's Avatar
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    You might have to bite the bullet then, and buy a subscription to a more academically-oriented journal like Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics (UK), Clinical and Experimental Optometry (Pacific Asia) or, at the very least, Optician (UK). Optometry and Vision Science (US) is another option, though this focuses more on clinical stuff.
    Darryl J. Meister, ABOM

  9. #9
    One of the worst people here
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    Still love to read it.

    I love the ads more. Like to see what people are showing, and like to see so many frame companies with the worst possible ones.

  10. #10
    Master OptiBoarder
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    I do the CEs of course and glance through. If I see an informative article that I want my fledglings to read than I cut it out and pass it around. When I was a young optician I found it all pretty interesting but now perhaps reality has finally set in.

  11. #11
    OptiBoard Professional Excel-Lentes's Avatar
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    I try to read them all. 20/20, Eyecare Business, Vision Monday, Opti-courier and Contact Lens Spectrum.

    I agree that the CE articles have improved in the past couple of years. Sometimes they do seem like a long-winded sales pitch for a new AR process or a new Photochromic technology. I guess the older I get the more cynical I get:hammer:. Contact lens spectrum for a while could've been called Sylicone Hydrogel Spectrum:D

    After sifting through any of the "journals" I usually get at least a few grains of knowledge that is worthwhile. I guess I read them out of habit now. Please don't throw them in the trash; flip through them and then toss them in the recycle!

    PS: Don't you love the ads for frames that don't even come close to fitting the models (especially the nosepads) ?

  12. #12
    Master OptiBoarder TLG's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Excel-Lentes View Post
    PS: Don't you love the ads for frames that don't even come close to fitting the models (especially the nosepads) ?
    Truthfully, I've hardly ever seen one fit as well as that frame does on your dog... :D

  13. #13
    ATO Member HarryChiling's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TLG View Post
    Truthfully, I've hardly ever seen one fit as well as that frame does on your dog... :D
    I will second that. I still hold onto them. I have a book shelf thats full of just old trade rags:

    1. 20/20
    2. Visioncare Product News
    3. Eyecare Business (I read this more often than the others)
    4. Opticourier (Ok maybe I read this one more often than the others)
    5. CL Spectrum (they keep trying to get me to pay some kind of annual fee, but they keep sending the magazine so I keep throwing the invoice looking thing away, truthfully I would not subscribe to this magazine as it seems more geared towards Optometry)
    6. Eyewitness (this is the CLSA's mag and I read every one and the thing is full of information barely any fluff or adverts, guess that's why you only get it when you are a member, btw another thing I have forgotten to do reup my CLSA membership)
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  14. #14
    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
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    Blue Jumper paid by advertisers..............

    Quote Originally Posted by Darryl Meister View Post
    You might have to bite the bullet then, and buy a subscription to a more academically-oriented
    Darryl is totally right...........................your freebie journals are paid by advertisers and articles are mostly in favor of same advertisers.

  15. #15
    Optician Extraordinaire
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    I read them. I love having the free CE credits and I usually find an article or two helpful or interesting. I like looking at some of the ads, too.

  16. #16
    Optiwizard making films Audiyoda's Avatar
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    I find VM to be nothing but press releases. I take most everything past the first few pages with a grain of salt.

    EyecareBiz does have a nice handle on the overall trends in retailing - they were calling for less frame boards and more creative merchandising a few years ago. Now it's only becoming a trend in our industry while retailing is reverting to more simplistic displays and merchandising.

    The rest I don't read - just don't have the time.

  17. #17
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    Opticourier is the best by far. It is very informative. The authors sorta blow( ;) ), but once you get past that, its a good read and actually gives you information that is useful. How many more articles do we need on Kids eyewear or how Safety Eyewear Programs are going to be the next huge profit center?

    I enjoy the others mainly for comic relief. I now am amused more and more that the pictures of buff Babes and Dudes have frames that do not fit. Even worse are the pictures with the airbrushed, printshop(or whatever digital program) on frames. Hart Specialties seem to be the biggest culprits.

    :cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:
    Last edited by Fezz; 09-09-2007 at 09:19 PM.

  18. #18
    OptiWizard
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    Haven't even taken the plastic off a 20/20 or Eyecare business in over 6 months. Straight to trash.

    Occaisonally look at opticourier, has more of a "mom and pop" feel with some non-flashy seemingly unbiased articles by regular joes in the field.

    Harry

  19. #19
    Cape Codger OptiBoard Gold Supporter hcjilson's Avatar
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    The problem is "overkill" and it has spoiled us!

    When I first came into the industry (1959) there was only ONE trade mag. It was called The Optical Index. It was 2 colors (black and white), and largely a product of the manufacturers who funded it with their advertising. To a nineteen year old apprentice, it was my only glimse to the optical world outside Springfield Mass. I used to eagerly await each issue to catch up with the news.I recall it came monthly except in the summer when there was only a "summer" issue. It was published right up to the introduction of either Vision Monday and/or 20-20, memory fails tonight.

    My point is that today, we are inundated with reading material, and compared to what was available before it, of extremely high quality. The editorial content is stimulating, thought provoking, interesting, and educational. Its just that we lack the time to read it all. I think every publication we receive is excellent, but who can devote the time to digest it all. I have just decided to not renew my Review of Optometry subscription for that reason, but I could never to that with 20-20, EyeCare Business etc etc. because I would be afraid to miss something.
    We'll just continue on and muddle through it best we can.
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  20. #20
    On the Sunset Tour! Framebender's Avatar
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    I read . . . .

    Opticourier, which reminds me that I have to get my subscription changed from Colorado to Texas! Other than that I prefer to read books. I can't always devote as much time to that as I would like. There is something satisfying about reading something by Frank Kozol, Russell Stimson or someone like that I just don't get from an article.

    It may take me 3 or 4 months to muddle my way through, but I feel a sense of accomplishment at the end. I just don't get that from any trade magazine, although I believe that there are some good ones out there.

    I hope you're all having fun and making money!!

    :cheers::cheers:
    Days where my gratitude exceed my expectations are very good days!

  21. #21
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    Be really nice if there were (and there probably is) a way to scan the worthwhile articles in the computer (or on a disc) where one could find that article on repainting plastic frames (or whatever) many years later.
    Very few of us are gonna store all the old mags (as prolific as they are) and sift through them for hours later.
    Kind of like going to "educational" meetings, five minites of pearls for a whole week end spent.


    Chip

  22. #22
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    Help...I'm drowning...in paper!

    Quote Originally Posted by chip anderson View Post
    Be really nice if there were (and there probably is) a way to scan the worthwhile articles in the computer (or on a disc) where one could find that article on repainting plastic frames (or whatever) many years later.
    Very few of us are gonna store all the old mags (as prolific as they are) and sift through them for hours later.
    Kind of like going to "educational" meetings, five minites of pearls for a whole week end spent.


    Chip

    I agree! That is more chore tonight. I have 3 boxes of magazines, ripped out articles, ads, and articles that I am trying to sift thorough. I have a stack of magazines that I know that I kept for a reason, but now I have to go thru and figure out why! My dear Bride just kissed me goodnight and rolled her eyes and said "Why don't you scan all of that...or file it away?"

    Sadly......I don't know how to scan properly, and don't know if its worth the time.

  23. #23
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Kind of like going to "educational" meetings, five minites of pearls for a whole week end spent.
    couldn't agree more. Just came back from 8 hrs of ce and got just about what you said, if I stretch it a tad. The mags were good 25 yrs ago, showed all the new styles, materials, with a lot less spin, and they were FREE. They do seem to pile up and I glance thu them when I have time, but most go right to recycle.

  24. #24
    ATO Member HarryChiling's Avatar
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    If you are going to scan, you want to scan it in as a PDF image with OCR'ed text. Thereson for this is that the article will look exactly like the page you scanned in so pictures and other information on the page that is not exactly text or recognized will still remain. The OCR (Optical Character Recognition) takes and applies a layer of text tothe document so that you an perform searches withing hte document to find words and information that you need.

    Hope that helps, Fezz belive me I have scanned entire books into the computer, it's not only tedious but it's time consuming. I once scanned in 360 pages and on 361 the computer frooze and I had to start from page one :angry:. I now scann 10 - 20 pages in at a time and then later combine the files into one larger document so that I don't have that happen again. If yo were to scan magazines it is not really difficult as when you go through them to actually find and scan the articles you will find that a majority of these magazines are fluff with 15 -25 pages beng actual articles. That isn't too bad. If you happen to decide to do it as a project let me know and you can scan every other month and I can scann every other month and the job gets done in half the time. :D
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  25. #25
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    Don't bother...

    ...with throw away literature. Stick to published material with substance. A good start would be the items on Optiboards Amazon store.

    :)
    "A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist."
    Franklin Jones.

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