Sorry, but to be honest I think this design falls somewhere between uninspired and downright ugly. The typeface is too generic; it's boring. The layout is 1950s. If you want to replicate a print magazine, look at the best-designed ones around, the most interesting, not the most basic and funky.
I think the idea of the Pegasos platform is that it's something new, different, experimental, innovative, not afraid to take a chance, etc. The design of any Pegasos magazine should reflect those things. This is basically the opposite of your design example.
BTW, why are prices indicated (placeholders)? I thought it was a free Webzine.
About the whole idea of the magazine, I kind of agree with antibike's comment that there are already Pegasos web sites around that could do the job. If the problem for users/readers is that information isn't assembled in nice articles, that is something that web masters of our current sites probably need to think about. Maybe they need better FAQs or more tutorials, articles, etc. and better navigation to these.
On the other hand, if there is a need for a magazine and the present Web sites don't meet it, and somebody wants to put the time into collecting information and writing it up nicely, that's OK, too. I'm not sure having a new domain for it is necessarily better than just doing it at a site that's already here. Sometimes I think Web sites are *too* easy to start up.
When you're spreading a finite amount of resources around instead of aggregating it, more is not necessarily better.
I don't think it'll have a magic platform-promoting effect, in any case. But the magazine will affect people's perception of the platform, which is why design is important. If this project is going to happen, I hope a good designer lends a hand.
(Sorry if this sounds harsh, but I mean it as constructive criticism. It's better to get the feedback early in the process, right?)
In addition to checking out Obligement, you could also have a look at
Technoids, a BeOS pdf magazine (maybe no longer published?) to get ideas about content and quality standards. (The graphic design of Technoids is rather spare -- consistent with the BeOS look -- but works well. The layout and content are very good.)
--gary_c
[ Edited by gary_c on 2004/10/19 12:38 ]
[ Edited by gary_c on 2004/10/19 12:43 ]
Good idea regarding the humour section - I like it.
