PCQuest
Encyclopedia
PCQuest is an India
n technology publication, and part of the Cyber Media group of publications that also publish Dataquest
.
Founded in 1982, the magazine was originally called PC World, and was one of the earliest technology magazines published in India
. In 1992, the magazine was renamed to PC Quest (now PCQuest, without the space).
Today the magazine covers three aspects of IT technologies, products and implementation of solutions, with the focus being on the implementations
. With the proliferation of Internet access as of 1996, this service moved to the web
.
, the first cover CD carried a fully functional copy of OS/2
Warp 4.
Today the magazine carries a Dual Layer DVD every month.
technologies. This has resulted in the distribution of close to a million Linux
CD-ROMS in India since 1996. For many people in India, this became the primary source of Linux distributions.
Since 2001, the initiative has been called PCQLinux, which is not entirely correct, as the name only refers to the customized Linux distribution on the CD, not the initiative to promote and support Open Source technologies. The last PCQLinux was published in 2009 after a user poll concluded not much use of CD to urban users, as the broadband access improved and also other ways of getting CD became available.
PCQuest has published "Linux Specials" every year since 1996, except in 1997 and 2001, when it published two such special issues.
, Kishore Bhargava, Ashish Gulhati
, Rishab Aiyer Ghosh
, Vinod Unny, Krishna Kumar
and others. Subsequently, PCQuest built up the first magazine owned test and review facility for IT products in India.
Today, most of the content is created by a team of in-house technology analysts.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n technology publication, and part of the Cyber Media group of publications that also publish Dataquest
Dataquest
Dataquest is India's oldest IT publication. A fortnightly, Dataquest is published by Cyber Media India Ltd, South Asia's largest specialty media group. The magazine targets senior IT managers in user organizations as well as the IT industry professionals in India.Dataquest has grown with the Indian...
.
Founded in 1982, the magazine was originally called PC World, and was one of the earliest technology magazines published in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 1992, the magazine was renamed to PC Quest (now PCQuest, without the space).
User Orientation
In 1993, PCQuest began focusing more on actual users, carrying instructional and descriptive articles that enabled users to familiarize themselves with the technologies described.Today the magazine covers three aspects of IT technologies, products and implementation of solutions, with the focus being on the implementations
PCQ Online BBS
In 1994, PCQuest launched India's first attempt by an Indian publication to create an online, interactive service for its readers, by setting up a BBSBulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
. With the proliferation of Internet access as of 1996, this service moved to the web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
.
PCQ Labs
To support its own sister publications, as well as external entities requiring such services, PCQuest formed PCQ Labs in 1994. The charter of PCQ Labs was to do technology and product reviews, investigate new technologies, and document them for readers. The labs has since been renamed to Cybermedia Labs.PCQ Cover CD/DVD
In 1995, PCQuest became the first Indian publication to carry a Cover CD - a CDROM that carried supplementary information, software and other material. With permission from IBMIBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, the first cover CD carried a fully functional copy of OS/2
OS/2
OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as part of the same generation change release as IBM's "Personal System/2 " line of second-generation personal...
Warp 4.
Today the magazine carries a Dual Layer DVD every month.
PCQ Linux Initiative
In March 1996, PCQuest launched its PCQuest Linux Initiative. The initiative included the publication of an annual Linux distribution on the cover CD as well as technical articles about Linux and other Open SourceOpen source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
technologies. This has resulted in the distribution of close to a million Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
CD-ROMS in India since 1996. For many people in India, this became the primary source of Linux distributions.
Since 2001, the initiative has been called PCQLinux, which is not entirely correct, as the name only refers to the customized Linux distribution on the CD, not the initiative to promote and support Open Source technologies. The last PCQLinux was published in 2009 after a user poll concluded not much use of CD to urban users, as the broadband access improved and also other ways of getting CD became available.
PCQuest has published "Linux Specials" every year since 1996, except in 1997 and 2001, when it published two such special issues.
Content
PCQuest, initially did not retain dedicated writing staff. In late 1992, then-editor Prasanto Kumar Roy initiated a new approach, by sourcing much of PCQuest's content from technology industry writers, contributors and enthusiasts. Over the years, these writers included names such as Atul ChitnisAtul Chitnis
Atul Chitnis is an Indian consulting technologist. He is also the founder of FOSS.IN , one of Asia's largest FOSS conferences.-Biography:...
, Kishore Bhargava, Ashish Gulhati
Ashish Gulhati
Ashish Gulhati is notable for being one of India's first online activists and open source hackers.-Open source:As one of India's original hackers, Ashish has worked to raise awareness about FOSS in India...
, Rishab Aiyer Ghosh
Rishab Aiyer Ghosh
Rishab Aiyer Ghosh is an Indian journalist, computer scientist and Open-source software advocate. An Open Source Initiative board member, he is Founding International and Managing Editor of peer-reviewed journal First Monday, and Programme Leader of Free/Libre and Open Source Software at UNU-MERIT...
, Vinod Unny, Krishna Kumar
Krishna Kumar
Krishna Kumar is an Indian chemist whose research spans organic chemistry, chemical biology, bioorganic chemistry, biophysics and cell biology....
and others. Subsequently, PCQuest built up the first magazine owned test and review facility for IT products in India.
Today, most of the content is created by a team of in-house technology analysts.