the jasubhai group started with chip magazine. and now we have chip special, chip hindi, network computing, computer reseller news, tele.com, computer gaming world, computer arts special, and a technology portal called zdnetindia.com.

at the copy editor’s meet today, i realised that there is a huge difference between the online and offline editing world. the offline editors felt the job of the online copy editor had a much hassle-free job…no pictures to scan and print, no scribbles to make (at chip, we used to visualise every page, brainstorm story ideas and design), and no need to bargain for time from the production units.

they thought online copy editors just have to cut and paste, and post and update.

i’ve been in the print medium. as the editor for a college magazine, a rotary bulletin, with express computer from the indian express group, and for chip…almost all of them for two years each.

now i’ve stepped in the world wide web, and i know that online editing is much more than just cut and paste.

you read a magazine and it stays in your bag to read on the train, and then on the bookshelf or rack till you give it to the raddiwala. a web site stays on your screen for less than seven seconds.

online copy editors have to make sure that those seven seconds double every time a visitor comes back to the web site.

before the copy editor’s meet next month, i have to make sure i understand this, and convey to them this difference.