Now what?
Is this a geek-forum a la slashdot?

Uh, so I'm looking at the comments, and I'm not seeing much.

I feel so used.

Damn, and here I got all fired up thinking it would be a place to talk ABOUT networking, not TO network...

Damn I'm a geek.

Having run a small-time rag for a couple of years, I know that the secret is to cold call operators of the companies that you are interested in talking to.

I know that sounds ridiculous, but it's true. It's how I ended up with a Beastie Boys interview, and loads of stuff (hardware) to review.

Call the operators, and ask for the Public Relations firm's name and number. If that doesn't work, ask for marketing. If that doesn't work, ask for Communications.

The point of getting in contact with Communications or Marketing is to get in touch with a media buyer. They'll gladly point you in the direction of a PR specialist. And you'll have a valuable contact in another department as well.

Another source of these contacts is through other magazines. Call the reporter listed in the byline of whichever piece of hardware you're listed in. Tell him who you are (and what Fark is). Explain that you are not competition, and that you'd like to be able to be in contact with his/her contacts.

Although journalists are usually a bit (not by much) more tight lipped about PR contacts, they'll usually be cool about it.

You'll have to repeat the process about once every 3-5 months due to turn over.

I was able to nab a Beastie Boys interview within 5 cold calls. By the way, they are cool as hell.

By the way, did you guys get the hardware you were wanting (when you asked for TF subscriptions?)

Good luck, in my (fortunate) experience all you have to do is ask.

Gogi: Those Xservs give you a hard on too, eh?

Networking:
My company offers web design and graphic design services. If FARK needs help with anything just send me an email.
Good Luck!

In terms of getting fark publicity, I could create some banner ads for you. I do most of the banner advertising for eBay.com and I have a wacky sense of humor too.
Look at this banner I did for a photoshop contest:

Thanks,
Rob

DefyAntz: Yeah, I remember that contest. God, that was a great one. You won that, if I remember right. This was my entry:

Oh no, that wasn't off topic at all!

Is it just me or is this completely rediculous?

Man, I hope when i get a job i never have to call anyone or ask for contacts or work or anything hard like that

I know how you feel, GXL, just reading this thread scares me.

Jonas, I rarely do the photoshop contests but that was an idea that I just couldn't get out of my head until I was finished. Now it just gives me headaches from looking at it.

I for one think this is a good idea:) But then again, I'm a nobody. And, I HATE cold calls, but I guess they work.

Yeah, I don't have to do anything like that at all anymore. I did my publication as a hobby a while back ('92-'95). But it was cool that I was getting like free Super Nintendo, Turbo Grafx, games, and stuff like that when I was running the thing.

My job is pretty sweet now (web master for a hospital system).

You don't cold call people at a hospital. Might give them a heart attack.

"SOoooo, this is Chris, and I heard you might need some of our services soon....

Hello?"

Apple's media help line-(408) 974-2042.

Natalie Sequeira (Manager)
(408) 974-6877 email: na­t­e­lppa­com
products and technology media relations.

Why Apple? They don't sell anything, which means they're poor, which means they'd make bad sponsors.

IBM, perhaps... ;)

All PR contacts at Apple:

http://www.apple.com/pr/prcontacts.html

Curious. Why the sharp focus on Fox (a media company) and Apple (a box maker)?

I mean...why not media companies in general, and/or box makers in general? Are you trying to grab some free Star Wars swag?

Yes the iserve is devine, but be careful that the deal doesn't end up with us becoming iFark... actually I kinda like the name.

DefyAntz, Jonas: awesome banners. I missed that contest.

09-11-02 12:05:29 PM Danderzai
I'd pay to kill apple, not help em.

I'd pay just to slap the cockiness out of Steve Jobs. Apple makes good stuff, but he's a farking snob.

Danderzai, I thought I saw somewhere that some company was going to bring back the Amiga???

AChimp - Apple has over $4,000,000,000 in the bank.

not 4billion in assets - that's 4billion in cash money - yo!!

Well, they have to feed Jobs 40 million a year in bonuses just to keep his rage in check. Actually I think Apple would benifit from being headed by a follower of Ballmer Super-Rage (TM).

I wish I worked at IBM; I could sit around and come up with ideas for those True Blue commercials. I tried sneaking into their offices here in Winnipeg once, but they "escorted" me out.

But Mr. Mockery works for Avon and Tupperware quite frequently, I'm told. You should talk to him, Gogi. :)

Bah! That's $4 billion that Jobs will blow on a giant luau party or his own private island in the South Pacific where he can house his giant ceramic dong collection. :P

Jobs has done a number of funny things. In one macworld expo, he was demoing some sort of digital camera interface, and the camera didn't work (I think it was broken or something), so he walks to the side of the stage and throws it out of sight, hard. As if he were throwing a baseball.

He's done a number of things like this. It's pretty funny.

I remember the good old days of DOS... and I relished the new multitasking environment that was "windows"... And both had their drawbacks.

That's why I love linux.

Just call the companies and ask for their marketing department or PR agency. Chances are they will know what Fark is and be excited about any kind of involvement.

Getting free stuff is a lot harder than it used to be though. I own a geek tech magazine and it's an uphill battle every month. But Fark is a lot larger than me so I would guess you'll have an easier time of it.

Lots of cold calls is the best advice I can give you.

I have plenty of contacts at Universal Music and other labels/zines/pubs, etc. After putting in a few years in PR at Uni, I got out alive, but hey.
Prolly not much help to techies, but just trying to help.

Lloyd,

can i send you my demo?



ahhhh, i'll bet that brings back the memories!

Stiginz--
Heh. Yeah, it does.
Luckily, I was at UME in the catalog division (no, not the catalogs, but Uni's catalog), and most of our artists were dead. That didn't stop people from dogging me with demos though, let me tell you.
If you were to send me one now, you'd be sending it to a lobbyist, not a PR hack. Much better industry, this one.

09-14-02 12:42:02 PM Danderzai
9/10: Yups, thats the Amiga one. Also the Commodore 64 makes a comeback right now as the Commodore One. Still, its a lot of PC hardware though, and the old stuff wont run on them, it runs on Linux and to be frank I hate linux. Please no flames, its just the way I feel about linux.

Its not my cup of tea.

Hey, you won't get any flames from me. I don't know fark about Linux. Didn't know the C-64 was going to make a comeback. So it's Commodore in name only??