ScuzzBlog: Diaries April 2022
Entry 22nd April 2022: Post 1: Amiga Format Backstage and Subscribers Disk.
Amiga Format Backstage and Subscribers Disk.
For those that subscribed to Amiga Format you will be aware that
this entitled you to an extra cover disk and the leaflet style
newsletter 'Backstage'. I have been going through my magazines
and disks trying to establish just when these goodies were added
to the publication. From what I can tell, the subscribers disk
appears to emerge around Edition 50, though I sense there just
may have been a disk issued with number 49. Sadly the subscribers
disk carries no date. In respect of the Backstage newsletter I
certainly have ones dating back to the early fifties.
For those unaware of these additional items provided by Amiga
Format, there was provided an additional subscribers disk issued
when someone subscribed to the magazine, and inside that edition
there would be the newsletter 'Backstage'. This leaflet style
newsletter started life in A4 format and then later was reduced
to the A5 four pager that it became until the demise of the mag
in May 2000. The newsletter was more informal than the serious
editorials in the magazine. It also carried special offers on
various products exclusive to subscribers. The little jewel for
subscribing had to be the subscribers disk, and I have struggled
in my efforts to obtain every one of them.
In addition to the subscribers disks Amiga Format also published
a whole raft of guides and supplements which are so incredibly
useful. Often they were included in Amiga box sets sold by the
various suppliers. The one inside the Desktop Dynamite pack is
an essential guide on how to use the A1200 and software supplied.
They also ran two copies of the magazine at the end, one for the
cover disks and one for the CD. Copies of the cover disks were
always on the CD so for me it was a no brainer not just buying
the CD version.
One other additional treat was the inclusion at times of parts of
their sister magazines. This included the main cover and rear flyer
plus some of the essential parts of the magazine. There really was
always a good reason to buy Amiga Format for me and even today it's
my first stop when looking for any info on games and or software.
The magazine was the last to fall of the big names, and I recall
the publication so well. Truly a sad day which marked a turning
point for the Amiga. Fortunately we had AFB the Amiga Format group
on Yahoo which stayed busy for a good time after the closure of
the magazine. It survived right up to the closure by Yahoo in 2020.
Anyhoo.. that's that for the Backstage newsletter. If you flick
through some of your Amiga Format magazines you may just find a
copy lurking inside. It certainly is worth tracking down the
subscribers disk if you don't have it.
Amiga Format Backstage and Subscribers Disk.
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Last updated 22nd April 2022
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