The only kind of magazine I like is the kind I don’t have to pay for. It just bugs me to no end that I have to spend a few bucks on information that is easily attained online for free. There’s a time and place for magazines, certainly. They work well in bathrooms and on coffee tables in waiting rooms. We have a few magazine subscriptions around here, but that doesn’t stop Ponzi from going out to the grocery store and buying a few more magazines on a whim. You never know when you’ll need to know the “Top 10 Reasons Why Cheese Doesn’t Melt Properly on Paper Plates.” Gimme a break. I used to sell magazines, mind you - but they’ve lost their importance with the dawn of the digital age. Certainly, people still read magazines… but are you really willing to pay for ‘em anymore? Assuming you’d rather get magazines for free, here are a few free magazines for you:

• EDGE
• InfoWorld
• InformationWeek
• Network World
• State Tech
• eWeek
• Computerworld

Of course, if you look around, you’ll find countless others - although the magazines I listed here are the ones I’ve enjoyed reading and subscribing to over the years. They’re perfect for professionals, and I bet your boss will be impressed when s/he looks over your desk and sees a pile of industry-specific magazines piled up next to your mouse pad. Magazines are likely here to stay… as are newspapers… and the television… and the radio… and every other piece of media that we’ve planted on this planet. I wouldn’t mind putting up with twice as much advertising in magazines if they all came to me for free. That’s not likely to ever happen, although I’m sure the “paper” business is a little concerned about their future right now. Content is smarter, faster when attained online - and the continued proliferation of wireless access will further render magazines and their printed brethren somewhat antiquated (to put it lightly). Subscribe to free magazines while you still can!