Slate's Bizbox
readme: Policy made plain.

Free SLATE.

By Michael Kinsley
Posted Saturday, Oct. 19, 1996, at 3:30 AM ET
(386 words; posted Friday, Oct. 18)

Free SLATE
As some observant readers may have noticed, our "Boilerslate" page declares that, while SLATE is currently offered on the Web at no charge, "Annual subscription fees of approximately $19.95 U.S. will be charged beginning Nov. 1, 1996." We have decided, however, to extend the free period until February. (Exactly when in February is currently being determined by Microsoft's Astrological Affairs Division.) The main reason for the delay is technology: We haven't yet perfected a billing and registration system that is as painless as possible for our readers while at the same time, er, well, you know ... getting us the $19.95. Even after February, a small daily sampling of SLATE will remain free. But we remain convinced that charging readers is the only way journalism like SLATE can be viable on the Internet in the long term. $20 is a bargain, compared with the cost of traditional weekly magazines. This reflects the inherent economies of publishing on the Web: no paper, no printing, no postage. But, obviously, $0 is an even bigger bargain. So enjoy SLATE, with our compliments, for three more months.
Reader Feedback
When SLATE's publisher, Rogers Weed, approached Bill Gates with some trepidation, bearing the news that we would have to put off instituting a subscription fee for three months, the reaction was explosive. Gates turned to a nearby Nubian, cocked his head at poor Rogers, and said, "Have him killed." Then: "No, wait, I kinda like getting it free myself. Let's see, three months into $19.95 is ... [... orders Nubian to wheel in his computer; loads Windows 95, Excel spreadsheet, personal macros, Internet Explorer; adjusts monitor controls, changes desktop color and pattern, plays four games of solitaire; e-mails several leading mathematicians; 45 minutes later ...] ... five bucks I'm saving. Rogers, you're a genius!"
Added Value
Beginning next week, many of our cultural reviews (books, movies, television, and so on) will include summaries, as accurate as we can make them, of how the item under review was assessed by other publications. This is part of our continuing effort (reflected in features like "The Week/The Spin" and "The Horse Race") to tell you how others are playing the story, besides giving you the story itself and our own take on it. No, no, don't thank us. It's just the kind of Web site we are. Remember, new reviews are posted Mondays and Tuesdays.
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Michael Kinsley is a columnist for Time and the founding editor of Slate.
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