PCQuest (magazine)

2021-10-20T20:59:27Z

2600:1014:B00E:12E5:85DA:2F2F:1C9:C448: Added link to archived magazines

{{short description|Indian technology publication}}
{{other uses|PC Quest (disambiguation)|PCQ (disambiguation)}}
{{Refimprove|date=June 2011}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title = PCQuest
| logo = [[File:Pcqlogo sm.png|250px]]
| image_file = PCQuest-Magazine.jpg
| image_size = 265px
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| editor = Thomas George
| editor_title = Group Editor
| previous_editor = L Subramanian, Prasanto Kumar Roy, Krishna Kumar, Anil Chopra
| staff_writer =
| frequency = monthly
| circulation =
| category = Computer
| company = [http://cybermedia.co.in Cyber Media India Limited]
| publisher = Pradeep Gupta
| founded = 1982
| country = India
| based = [[New Delhi]]
| language = English
| website = {{URL|https://www.pcquest.com|''Official website''}}
| issn =
}}
'''''PCQuest''''' is an [[India]]n technology publication, and part of the [[Cyber Media]] group of publications that also publish [[Dataquest]].

==History and profile==
Founded in 1982, the magazine was originally called ''PC World'',{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} and was one of the earliest technology magazines published in [[India]]. In 1992, the magazine was renamed to ''PC Quest'' (now{{as of?|date=May 2012}} ''PCQuest'', without the space).

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{{as of?|date=May 2012}} 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 [[Bulletin Board System|BBS]]. With the proliferation of Internet access as of 1996, this service moved to the [[World Wide Web|web]]{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}.

== 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{{as of?|date=May 2012}} been renamed to ''Cybermedia Labs''.

== PCQ Cover CD/DVD ==
In 1995, PCQuest became the first Indian publication to carry a [[Cover CD]] - a [[CD-ROM]] that carried supplementary information, software and other material. With permission from [[IBM]], the first cover CD carried a fully functional copy of [[OS/2]] Warp 4.

Today{{as of?|date=May 2012}} 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 Source]] 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 <ref name="userpoll">{{cite web|url=http://forums.pcquest.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=7003 |title=user poll |publisher=Forums.pcquest.com |date= |accessdate=2012-06-07}}</ref> 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.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}

== 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 Chitnis]], [[Kishore Bhargava]], [[Ashish Gulhati]], [[Rishab Aiyer Ghosh]], [[Vipul Ved Prakash]], Varun Jaitly and others. Subsequently, ''PCQuest'' built up the first magazine owned test and review facility for IT products in India with [[Krishna Kumar (businessman)|Krishna Kumar]] joining to setup PCQLabs. PCQ labs built up a strong team of internal reviewers and analysts including [[Vinod Unny]], Nikhil Dutta, Sanjay Majumder, [[Anindya Roy]], [[Shekhar Govindarajan]] and many more

In 1999, [[Krishna Kumar (businessman)|Krishna Kumar]] became the editor of ''PCQuest'' and started repositioning the magazine in the enterprise technology implementation space.

Today,{{as of?|date=May 2012}} most of the content is created by a team of in-house technology analysts.

== Video ==
In 2005 ''PCQuest'' started experimenting with producing a video on technologies and products that was carried in the cover mounted CD/DVD. In 2006, this became a regular feature of about 25–30 minutes that is carried every month.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.pcquest.com }}
* [http://cybermedia.co.in/ Cyber Media website]
*[https://archive.org/details/texts?query=Pcquest Archived PCQuest magazines] on the [[Internet Archive]]

[[Category:1982 establishments in Delhi]]
[[Category:English-language magazines published in India]]
[[Category:Computer magazines published in India]]
[[Category:Monthly magazines published in India]]
[[Category:Magazines established in 1982]]

{{compu-mag-stub}}

Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

PCQuest (magazine)