Csaba Csere resigns from C&D

[saxonyron]

I agree that the new format with the dizzying and blinding yellow shotgun blast format sucks.  This came after they threw in the "Gotta Have It" factor in their comparos.  Who the hell decides the Gotta Have it factor?  I've seen many comparos get decided by a few points attributable to the absurd GHI factor. Those were 2 big steps downhill for them, but I still love the magazine - just not as much.  I liked Chabba Chzedda and usually agreed with him, so he'll be missed.  I doubt he had much to do with the format change - but if he did, then good riddance!  Now if Phillips ever leaves, I don't know what they can do to make up for the lost entertainment factor.  He's a gem and I don't see anyone else on the staff coming close to his writing and wit.  I've been a subscriber since 1987 or so, and I'll keep getting it, but for now, it's definitely not one of their better eras. 

[L. ed foote]

I agree that the new format with the dizzying and blinding yellow shotgun blast format sucks. 

Gotta keep up with the times.  It's similar to what Grassroots Motorsports did.  It's nice to be able to cater to your core audiences, but in reality, they'd go broke if that's all they did.

[MrH]

Pardon my French: 

THANK THE FUCKIN' LORD!

It's people like him why real enthusiasts can't find jobs at that magazine.  He emphasized being an engineer over being in love with the car, and I think he lost sight of what it means to be an enthusiast.

Magazines need more engineers writing more technical pieces.  I'm tired of the usual drivel about how beautiful the mountain is that they're driving past.  They think it's so poetic, but it strikes me as a writer struggling to make their piece interesting.  I want to know the technical differences in the new car.  What makes it great.  Not the experience of the sun bouncing off their gleaming smile.  That's not what makes a Ferrari bad ass. 

I don't find out anything new from most magazines anymore.  It's like they're telling a story about a new car, and the intended audience is 8 year olds that only know that an engine makes a car go.

[TBR]

I agree that the new format with the dizzying and blinding yellow shotgun blast format sucks.  This came after they threw in the "Gotta Have It" factor in their comparos.  Who the hell decides the Gotta Have it factor?  I've seen many comparos get decided by a few points attributable to the absurd GHI factor. Those were 2 big steps downhill for them, but I still love the magazine - just not as much.  I liked Chabba Chzedda and usually agreed with him, so he'll be missed.  I doubt he had much to do with the format change - but if he did, then good riddance!  Now if Phillips ever leaves, I don't know what they can do to make up for the lost entertainment factor.  He's a gem and I don't see anyone else on the staff coming close to his writing and wit.  I've been a subscriber since 1987 or so, and I'll keep getting it, but for now, it's definitely not one of their better eras. 

As I understand it, the GHI factor is simply an overall subjective rating.

[ifcar]

Their old comparos were completely decided by a subjective numeric score and no one complained.

[the Teuton]

Magazines need more engineers writing more technical pieces.  I'm tired of the usual drivel about how beautiful the mountain is that they're driving past.  They think it's so poetic, but it strikes me as a writer struggling to make their piece interesting.  I want to know the technical differences in the new car.  What makes it great.  Not the experience of the sun bouncing off their gleaming smile.  That's not what makes a Ferrari bad ass. 

I don't find out anything new from most magazines anymore.  It's like they're telling a story about a new car, and the intended audience is 8 year olds that only know that an engine makes a car go.

And I want to know why a car is fun instead of the trigonometric angle of the A-arm's suspension.

These are enthusiast mags.  Go read your Popular Science.

[Laconian]

"Trigonometric angle"? lol

Most of the computer magazines out there have ridiculous articles on topics like "MORE WAYS TO CONNECT YOUR IPOD TO YOUR REFRIGERATOR! 25 HOT PRINTER MAGIC TIPS! STATIC DISCHARGE: THE TERRORIST WITHIN" There are still some great industry publications for engineers like Communications of the ACM and IEEE Spectrum. I bet SAE offers something similarly meaty.

[the Teuton]

These magazines offer little engineering insight with washed up, trite humor in place of legitimately good writing.  In that respect, Automobile and the Brit mags are vastly superior to C&D.

[Rich]

I would LOVE a tech article from a mag on what makes for good steering feedback.  What is it in the geometry of the suspension, tires, steering rack and so on that does it.

God I love good steering feedback, but I guess it isn't high on the list of others when they shop for a car. 

I'm sure the sidewall stiffness and stiff bushings on the suspension help, and some caster, but beyond that I dunno.

[280Z Turbo]

I would LOVE a tech article from a mag on what makes for good steering feedback.  What is it in the geometry of the suspension, tires, steering rack and so on that does it.

God I love good steering feedback, but I guess it isn't high on the list of others when they shop for a car. 

I'm sure the sidewall stiffness and stiff bushings on the suspension help, and some caster, but beyond that I dunno.

Tight tolerances in the steering rack helps as well.

[the Teuton]

The thing is no one does that.  Heck, for a bunch of engineers, the recent article on brakes in C&D wasn't even that good.

[280Z Turbo]

The thing is no one does that.  Heck, for a bunch of engineers, the recent article on brakes in C&D wasn't even that good.

Sadly, all of that calculus does little to help one understand how a brake system works.