Not something I do often, but...
Tobold's MMORPG Blog: Dear Mr. Aaron R. Conklin
I've always had a great deal of respect for Tobold, and indeed would probably have to cite his blog as the initial, and ongoing, inspiration for my own. His engaging style, wide ranging and varied focus, and incisive insight make for a regular and required addition to the old RSS reader, and indeed read like articles one would expect from someone whose job is to write about MMOs for a living. This Aaron Conklin chap on the other hand...
Leaving aside for the moment the inherent doom attendant on any print-based periodical whose focus is 'Things That Happen On The Internet', buying a magazine to find bits of your own, stolen, article in it, must be something of a kicker. I've not seen the magazine in question, but take the above account at it's word - Tobold not being given to breathless exclamation.
I've seen various other sites grab my posts, or quote my ramblings. In some cases it's flattering, some less so, but none of these destinations are charging money from readers based on my work, either being little free blogs, like my own, or run by advertising, which is regrettable, but necessary for many of the more popular portals. I don't do this for money, or glory - I do this because if I don't get this stuff out of my head regularly, my mind starts to sting, and the idea that someone else might be charging admission to MY WEBSITE makes me quite cross. I agree with Tobold's view - I don't mind people quoting or reposting my work, as long as it's credited in some fashion - linked, whatever, and crucially, free to read.
Given this, "...you guessed it..." round of drama, and just on the off chance that any of you actually were considering paying good money for a paper-bound hard-copy of what amounts to little more than any half decent MMO News and Editorial portal website, (only one which doesn't update ever again once you've bought it), I'd have to ask you to reconsider, I'm afraid...
Jumping to conclusions? Breathless Tobold Fanboi? Possibly, but my point still stands - if you're going to be writing Real People Articles, for a Real People's Magazine, and being paid in Real People Money, then going at it via Google, like it was a wry, throwaway, blog post, probably doesn't qualify as Real People Journalism. Leave that kind of half-arsed approach to the Amateurs! We're Experts!