{{Short description|British internet and web design magazine}} {{Lowercase title|italic=yes}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox Magazine | italic title = no | title = | logo = Net_logo_-_black.svg | image_file = Net magazine June 2020 cover.webp | image_alt = cover of .net magazine in red colour | image_caption = Cover of the final issue (June 2020) | editor = Steven Jenkins | editor_title = <!-- up to |editor_title5= --> | previous_editor = | staff_writer = | photographer = | category = Internet | frequency = Monthly | format = | circulation = 12,703 Jan-Dec 2016 | publisher = | paid_circulation = | unpaid_circulation = | circulation_year = | total_circulation = | founder = | founded = | firstdate = December 1994 (as ''.net'') | finaldate = June 2020 | finalnumber = 332 | company = Future plc | country = United Kingdom | based = | language = English | website = {{URL|www.creativebloq.com/net-magazine}} | issn = | oclc = }} '''''net''''' was a monthly print magazine that published content on web development and design. Founded in 1994, the magazine was published in the UK by Future plc. It was widely recognized as the premiere print publication for web designers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.awwwards.com/10-print-magazines-web-design.html|title=10 Print Magazines for Web Designers|work=Awwwards|date= April 12, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/03/05/print-magazines-for-web-designers-digital-artists-and-photographers/|title=Print Magazines for Web Designers, Digital Artists, and Photographers|work=Smashing Magazine|date= March 5, 2010|first= Louis|last=Lazaris}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/01/14-essential-magazines-for-graphic-designers/|title=14 Essential Magazines for Graphic Designers|work=Webdesigner Depot|date=January 21, 2009|access-date=3 May 2017|archive-date=12 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230912201430/https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/01/14-essential-magazines-for-graphic-designers/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.1stwebdesigner.com/influential-web-design-blogs/|title=30 High Quality and Most Influential Web Design Blogs of All Time|date=July 31, 2016|work=1stWebDesigner}}</ref>
The magazine was initially aimed at the general Internet user, but was adapted into a title aimed at professional web designers and web developers under the editorship of Dan Oliver. Its sister publication, the design-focused Creative Bloq blog, was launched by Dan Oliver in 2012,<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://www.inpublishing.co.uk/articles/future-launches-creative-bloq-9943 |title= Future launches Creative Bloq |access-date=June 26, 2012|website=InPublishing}}</ref> and is estimated to receive over two million monthly readers according to analytics firm SimilarWeb.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.similarweb.com/website/creativebloq.com|title=creativebloq.com Analytics|access-date=April 23, 2025|website=SimilarWeb}}</ref>
The magazine, and its parent Future plc, were also known for their annual The Net Awards, which was an awards body recognizing outstanding achievements in the web development industry.<ref name="patrickgoss"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/editors-picks/2014/02/08/were-really-proud-to-be-geeks-say-shropshire-friends/|title=We're really proud to be Geeks, say Shropshire friends|website=Shropshire Star|date= February 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140208125650/http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/editors-picks/2014/02/08/were-really-proud-to-be-geeks-say-shropshire-friends/|archive-date=February 8, 2014}}</ref> The magazine ended publication in June 2020.
==History== The magazine was founded in 1994, originally titled as ".net",<ref>{{cite web |title=Writing About the Web... On the Web - The History of the Web |date=18 April 1998 |url=https://thehistoryoftheweb.com/magazines-about-the-web-sitepoint-smashing-magazine-net-magazine-css-tricks/}}</ref> with the first issue appearing in December. Its then editor was Richard Longhurst and assistant editor was Ivan Pope. It was initially aimed at the general Internet user in the early days of the internet and World Wide Web gaining wider momentum. Regular contributors included Bill Thompson and Davey Winder.
In 2001, Haymarket Media Group closed its competing internet magazine ''The Net'' and sold the subscriber list and the rights to the masthead of the magazine to Future in exchange of Future's football title ''Total Football'', subsequently Future absorbed ''The Net'' into ''.net''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Anthony |title=The Net closed |url=http://www.magforum.com/2001.htm#net |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=Magforum |language=en |quote=The Net had led the sector in the last set of ABCs with a circulation over 51,000, but the collapse of the dotcom market and increased competition brought it down. Haymarket sold subscriber list and masthead usage rights to Future, who merged it with .Net. In return for swap deal on Total Football.}}</ref>
In August 2006 (Issue 152), the magazine was redesigned to include a new themed cover design and a new inner layout. Other changes were the addition of a new section at the back of the magazine called ''Trash'' replacing comics by drew and the Hi! Monkey<ref>[http://www.himonkey.net Hi! Monkey] was a regular column written by monkey from [http://www.himonkey.net himonkey.net]. Monkey was originally featured in the magazine’s [http://www.himonkey.net/whattheysay/net/index.html The Brains Behind] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927205527/http://www.himonkey.net/whattheysay/net/index.html |date=September 27, 2006}} interview in October 2005 (issue 141). His subsequent columns highlighted monkey’s unique writing style as he expounded on a number of eclectic topics. It ran from issue 143 (December 2005) to issue 151 (July 2006) when the magazine was redesigned. [http://www.himonkey.net/whattheysay/columns/ Archives of his columns] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310201056/http://www.himonkey.net/whattheysay/columns/|date=March 10, 2007}} are hidden on monkey's site.</ref> Soon after the redesign a column entitled ''Web Drifter'' was introduced; written by Martin Sargent, it usually contained issues and language considered vulgar by the readership, and it was subsequently cancelled.
Also in August 2006, the ''Penny Forum''<ref>''Penny Forum'' is a short piece with any surreal or joke threads from the magazines forum</ref> section was removed but reinstated for issue 153 onwards due to large reader response to its removal. Another addition was ''Web Pro'' in the latter half of the magazine. This is sectioned into several topics (web security, careers, search engine news and web hosting) and written by industry professionals. There is also a web FAQ section.
In December 2013 (issue 248), it was re-badged as ''net'' to end confusion with Microsoft's .NET Framework, which launched in 2002. Along with the name change, the magazine was given the tagline "The voice of web design".
Future announced in April 2020 that it would cease publication due to commercial reasons caused by COVID-19 pandemic with issue 332 (June 2020) being the last.<ref>{{cite news|author=Tobias van Vanschneider|title=The end of net magazine and the future of print |url=https://vanschneider.com/the-end-of-net-magazine-and-the-future-of-print|access-date=July 20, 2020 |work=Vanschneider|date=April 29, 2020}}</ref>
==Net Awards== The ".net" brand was known throughout the web development industry for its long-running annual The Net Awards, which awards outstanding achievements in the field.<ref name="patrickgoss">{{cite web|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/internet/old-spice-and-bbc-win-at-the-net-awards-2010-909286|title=Old Spice and BBC win at the .net Awards 2010|first=Patrick|last=Goss|work=TechRadar|date=November 18, 2010}}</ref> The awards recognized the new talent, trends, and technologies that had pushed the web forward over the previous twelve months, as well as recognizing outstanding contributions by established individuals and companies. The annual judging panel was made up of notable industry veterans and thought leaders.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenetawards.com/judges/|title=The net awards 2015 jury|work=thenetawards.com}}</ref>
Categories included Agency of the Year, Individual Outstanding Contribution, Developer of the Year, and Best Collaborative Project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.creativebloq.com/netmag/net-awards-2015-nominations-end-two-days-41514368|date= April 17, 2015|title=net awards 2015: nominations end in two days|website= Creative Bloq }}</ref> Notable past winners include BBC News (redesign of the year), Dropbox (mobile app of the year), Old Spice (viral campaign of the year), Flickr (mobile site of the year), and Jeffrey Zeldman (web standards advocate).<ref name="patrickgoss"/>
The annual voting process began with a public nominations phase. In 2015 alone, over 1,000 nominee considerations were submitted.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.creativebloq.com/web-design/voting-opens-net-awards-2015-51514939|title= Voting opens for the net awards 2015|date= May 15, 2015|website= Creative Bloq}}</ref> These were whittled down to ten nominees per category by the award's judging body. Next, a public voting phase occurred to allow for community impact to play a role in each project's consideration. Finally, the judges weighed in to determine the winners of each category. Awards were given out live at the year-end ceremony in London.
==Conference== ''net'' launched its Generate Conference in 2014. The event consisted of a single-track, two-day series of speeches and workshops presented by prominent individuals in the web design industry.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2014/01/top-10-design-conferences-to-attend-this-year.html|title=Top 10 Design Conferences to Attend This Year|work=Paste|author=Sarah Lawrence|date=January 22, 2014}}</ref>
The inaugural conference took place in London, with Shopify and Badoo acting as featured sponsors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.techradar.com/us/news/internet/generate-london-conference-is-nearly-here-1266401|title=Generate London conference is nearly here|work=TechRadar|date= September 22, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.generateconf.com/london-2014|title=London 2014 – Generate Conference|work=generateconf.com}}</ref> The 2015 conference took place in New York City, with Media Temple acting as the featured sponsor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.generateconf.com/new-york-2015|title=New York 2015 – Generate Conference|work=generateconf.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229033846/http://www.generateconf.com/new-york-2015|archive-date=December 29, 2015}}</ref>
Past speakers included Dan Cederholm (of Dribbble), Jake Archibald (of Google Chrome), Remy Sharp (of Polyfill), Ethan Marcotte (of responsive web design), and Elliot Jay Stocks (of Adobe Typekit).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.generateconf.com/videos|title=Videos|work=generateconf.com}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official|www.creativebloq.com/net-magazine}} * [https://thenetawards.com/ The Net Awards]
{{Future plc}} Category:Future plc Category:1994 establishments in the United Kingdom Category:2020 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Category:Defunct computer magazines published in the United Kingdom Category:Magazines established in 1994 Category:Magazines disestablished in 2020 Net Category:Web awards