YS To Close Down

Jonathan Nash reveals the approaching end of an era

Jonathan Nash Hello all. Before we start, some very good news: Linda has been discharged from hospital. Yes, YS's beloved ex-Ed and all-round flower child has shucked off the restraints of illness and tripped out merrily into the world once more, or something. Hurrah!     Right, down to business. Magazines are a bit like films, you know. There's a lot of planning beforehand, everything's done in the wrong order, the contents are changed as you go, and then it's all put together at the end. So, although this is one of the first pages of the mag from your point of view, it's one of the last from ours. And as we've just heard something of YS-shattering importance, it's one of the few pages left to pass that news on to you. And it's dead important news, make no mistake. In fact, it's so important, I can't quite decide how to break it. Oh, look, I'm just going to tell you straight. (Deep breath.)     YS is closing down. Yes, after a decade as the world's most crap Spec mag (in a funky skillo sort of way), Your Sinclair is turning the sign on the door and putting the chairs on the table, or a similar metaphor of your choice. No doubt there will be many people saying, 'Ha! Told you so,' but remember! The Speccy was pronounced dead by those 'in the know' back in 1987, and every year after that, regular as clockwork. Even now, there are still millions upon millions of Speccies in the world, and more than enough Spec-chums to keep on going until we finally reach the future. It's just that YS won't be there with you.     Now come on, stop blubbering and dry those eyes. You subscribers - wipe those noses. You'll be refunded in full on your remaining issues when the time comes. And the rest of you, chin up, because as a valiant and unnecessarily loud goodbye sort of gesture, the very last YS - next month's - will be a 68-page bumper spesh, stuffed to the brim with features and surprise guests and other things (he says in an attempt to distance himself from the alarmingly BBC chat show-speak into which the sentence seems have deteriorated). Since YS is just about the longest-running computer mag of all time (apart from probably quite a few others), loads of famous journalist types have been involved with it, so there are plenty of people ready to contribute to the farewell ish.     (In fact, if you've got a warm memory of YS, or a funny story that may possibly involve YS at some point, I'd like to hear from you. Send your blubby reminiscences to 'Bye, YS.)     But let's not get all depressed and mopey. There's still this penultimate ish to get through, and what a fine and only slightly crap mag a is! Turn the page, pilgrim, and together we'll see what unfolds! Well, actually, we already know, having completed three-quarters of the ish, which brings me back to my original point in a rather neat and cleverly circular manner.

Published in the August 1993 issue of Your Sinclair

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