During the days when CyberNet was a hobby for Ryan and I, there was an excitement to reporting on the the latest tech news, for fun. Once we graduated college and made CyberNet our full-time job, some of that excitement seemed to disappear. Don’t get us wrong, we have enjoyed nearly every minute of what we have done with CyberNet, and it has been one heck of a ride, but when something goes from being a hobby to something that you have to do, things change a bit.
Today we wanted to let you know that there will be some changes here at CyberNet. Ryan and I are going to be transitioning away (starting today) from working on the site full-time like we currently do, to once again making it a hobby. That’s what it originally was when Ryan started the site back in December, 2005. We are excited that CyberNet will be a hobby again, something that we can do for fun instead of something we have to do. What this means is that the writing schedule many of you have gotten used to will change.
First, our featured CyberNotes articles that post every day will no longer be an everyday thing. This is primarily because each article usually takes at least three hours to put together. We’ve also been having a hard time coming up with topics for these articles because, after all, we’ve already written over 700 of them! When we think of something interesting that could be turned into a CyberNotes, we’ll write about it. Some weeks there may be a few, other weeks there may be none. Remember, there’s the classic CyberNotes feed that you can subscribe to so that you can catch-up on previous CyberNotes that we have written.
Next, our regular daily writing schedule will change as well. Right now we post about 8 articles each day and it’s pretty consistent from one day to the next as far as a time schedule goes. We aren’t really going to be on a set schedule anymore. Many of the “news” items we’ll cover in Wrap-Ups, so actual articles will primarily consist of tips. Also, Daily Downloads won’t exactly be “daily” anymore. Those will post about once a week or so. On the bright side for you, there will be less to read which will make it easier for you to keep-up. 
So now some of you are probably wondering what we’ll be spending our days doing. Ryan has never been one to enjoy writing. Funny, isn’t it? He’s become a much better writer and communicator since starting this site, that’s for sure, but he went to school for computer engineering and misses that type of work, so that’s what he will be doing. As for me, my background is in education, and I miss it as well, so I will be returning to teaching.
In a nutshell, we’re not packing up and leaving CyberNet, we couldn’t do that. CyberNet and the people we have met through this site mean a lot to us. We wouldn’t be able to just walk away from something we have put so much time and effort into. Things will just be a little different and we won’t be reporting on as much as we do now.
As always, a HUGE thanks to all of you who have made us what we are today. Without readers, we’d be nothing. CyberNet started out with absolutely no readers and gradually grew to where we stand today with over 8,500 RSS subscribers and thousands of others who visit the site daily. Many of you have helped create the awesome community we have today. To ALL of you, a big thanks goes out!
Photo: Ryan and I with Ryan being unruly on a train ride down to Chicago
This is really a huge news, I have been following CyberNet News since quite long, and it has been a very nice source of news for me.
It’s so good to know that over the years your hard work has been really tremendous and the growth of this site is a reward for that.
Nevertheless it is good that you are going to pursue things you like and still keep up with the hobby you started out with. Best of luck for the future, and no as a regular reader I will still keep expecting some great posts from you’ll, even though I may see less of it.
Cheers for the future
Keith
Good luck with everything guys. We’ll still continue to support CyberNet no matter how many articles you write!
Mabey consider having other writers for your site? people write an artical and send it to you, then you approve it, and post it?
Best wishes as you move forward and thanks for making CyberNet one of my must read blogs.
I have enjoyed (and will continue) CN since I found a link to it on Slashdot a couple years ago. You have done a very good job of posting the kind of articles/info I like. Best of luck with your endeavors.
Take Care,
Brad
Good luck. Keep up the good work, professionally and hobbies!
Thanks for all good articles. I will miss them.
I read CybernetNews and Lifehacker on a regular basis, and will continue to drop by.
Ola
Why not take on new people and allow more user contributions?
Ryan and Ashley:
Doing something because you “like it” and not because you “have to” is what life is all about. You’ve made an excellent decision. As you know, I’m a dedicated reader of your site. It visit it more than once a day for the last six months or so. I will continue to do so, whenever you have a new article. My best wishes in your new areas of fun—Computers and Education.
(BTW, I was a college Professor in Business Administration for over six years.)
I too have been reading Cybernet almost since you all started. I know that even though there are changes ahead for the site it will still be great.
Good for you! It will be a nice change for the both of you. Also should be an improvement for the blog as well, somethings just really weren’t meant to be daily (like the downloads). Fine if you had a full time staff but way too overwhelming for just the two of you. Keep up the great work and don’t forget to have fun with it!
I think this is a good idea – I’d think about writing a few articles for you guys if you chose this community-based route? They’d be in my scathing style, naturally
Anyways, goodluck guys and thanks for providing a great blog to read with so many tips and programs I’ve really found useful…you guys are the BEST for finding new software programs. Give yourselves a pat on the back for that, k?
Best wishes,
Wow!!! When I first stsrted reading blogs back in the days when Onfolio was a popular RSS Reader, Cybernet was one of my first blogs that I subscribe to. I have enjoyed all your postings and wish you both the best in your future endeavors.
We are going to miss the insane posting schedule but it sounds like you guys have thought things out and are acting now so that you don’t burn out, which is great. If you’re happy, we’re happy!
-mouser
Be happy!
I have been a following cybernet news for a while and I have been liking it a lot. Especially getting to know so many great utilities which wouldn’t have got to know (yet) otherwise.
Sad that you guys leaving the full time but understand that things can get bit tough and less fun when you have to make a living out of it.
Wish you all the best with next endeavor.
Good luck in whatever else you do. I’ve enjoyed reading your feed over the last year, and I’m sure it will be just as good in part-time mode.
I like/love cybernet. I’ve enjoyed your site and frequent visitor. I wish you all the best.
wow, this is great news. for you that is.
but what about us? haven’t the internet surfers suffered enough? do you mean i won’t be able to read something new few times a day?
well, if this change will enable you to do what you love, then i guess its ok
but really, all the best of luck to you 2 crazy kids. by judging from what you been up 2 here, i am sure you will do great in your “real world” job.
as for the idea of community writers, it might be good, you just need to take into considerations things like rights for the published posts, payment (of sort, if any) and so on. you can always make more wrap-up posts i guess too.
and again, all the best.
pls don’t go
best of luck , have fun where ever you go….
It’d be interesting to see CyberNet transform into a more community-maintained website, if you’d decide to go in that direction. Of course you don’t have to, but it could potentially turn out to be a great Web 2.0 experiment. Heck, maybe you could make a small side business out of it.
Judging from what I just read in the comments, many people are eager to write for you!
Ah well, whatever you decide: I wish you two all the best.
I for one will be missing the daily updates but at the same time i surely understand your decision. CN is among the three top computer blogs on the net along with Lifehacker and Downloadsquad. Anyways, good luck to you guys!
Good luck! Thanks for all the news! But I guess your site will be great as a hobby, too! regards from Germany
Markus
It sure takes strength to make such a decision for a weblog that is so popular and known for its quality. I think you guys are taking the right decision. Having fun in what you do is very important and will reflect back to us readers as well. Looking forward to continued quality posts, though in a lower quantity! I’m just happy you’re not disappearing completely!
Also wish the both of you lots of luck in your endeavours outside CN!! Enjoy your new schedules
I too, like most of the commenters here have been an avid CyberNet News reader and have always spread the news about it. I have really enjoyed the articles and have found some great software and learned a bit from it. You guys do what you need to do to be happy. It is good to hear that you will continue on a hobby basis.
I to believe it would be interesting to have some community people write articles and send them in to you guys to review, edit and post. I would be willing to write an article from time to time.
Best of luck to you guys. I still plan to visit sometime, and may be living back in Indiana in the near future. At least that is what I am hoping for.
Thanks for all the quality content. Best wishes to you both as you move forward with your careers.
- A fellow Chicago-area resident
I guess life is all about transitions and this is certainly a big one as cybernet was one of the first tech blogs that I started to read on a daily basis. Good luck with the new endeavors and don’t forget us
this is very sad news for me, i have been reading cybernet for over 1 year and i come here 2 times in a day and 365 days a year, anyway good luck to both of u in ur new jobs.
Best wishes.
Keep it up with more or less posts, i’ll be here.
Thanks for all work done already.
Good luck in whatever else you do. I’ve enjoyed reading your website since early 2006, and I’m sure it will stay just as good as its been since the start
I am also willing to write posts for CN if you decide to go that route
………..and a HUGE thank you to you two lovely people for your work and dedication over the last three years or so. I shall still visit regularly but in the meantime, enjoy whatever comes by on your individual horizons!
Love, Light and Peace
JC
I’m gonna miss you guys. But I can’t stop thinking about what happens with personal blogs: For one thing or another, the creators get tired or boring and they leave them…
This is like a job, when you don’t like it anymore, you quit. The problem is that you left people that follow you behind…
Guys, you’ve worked very hard during these years, making a great blog with excellent content every day just between you two, so it’s understandable sooner or later it would end up becoming a bit overwhelming.
I think the new direction would be as good for the blog as for you, and I wish you all the luck in the pursue of new endeavors.
good luck on the new adventures.
taf
I’m going to miss my frequent doses of CyberNet News, but I don’t blame you guys one bit. Best of luck on your future endeavors.
all the best of luck to you guys–and thank you very much for all the energy and good spirits you have put into this site. well, we all know, sometimes it is time for change, isn’t it?
Quite some changes on their way for you both! Looks exciting, and I hope you will find the fulfillment you’re looking for.
I hope you will find the joy again in writing for Cybernet on a less “I have to” basis. And I do hope you will share your experiences in your new jobs with us too!
I wish you all the best!
I don’t really mind if you write less articles. What really counts isn’t the number of posts per day, but the quality of them. CyberNet’s articles are so enjoyable and helpful.
Several months ago, I discovered your site by following a link from gHacks and since then, I’ve been visiting Cybernet every day.
As for the community contributions, I second that. Personally, I’m not good at writing long articles as yours, but I guess I can always send you a short tip or something.
Good luck with your new life! I will you all the best!
I went through the same thing with a site from April 1998-August 2005. It started out as a hobby, but eventually grew into what felt like an obligation. Although I loved doing it all the way–even at the very end–I closed it after 7 years because there were other things I wanted to pursue. Three years later, I don’t regret it at all.
Best of luck to you both and I will still be visiting!
Hi, finaly i can have a rest for little time ….. people you were killing me with your posts ….. the second thing i do after I wakeup every morning is reading your articles ……. and now i can do another thing …….. Thx Thx Thx Thx Thx
BTW …… i like what you write and your writing style ….. so keep on but relax and come-down ……. he he he he he he
………
>
I understand you because I’m in a situation somewhat similar.
Good luck and thanks for all the work done.
Thanks so much everyone for your support! We’ve actually spent the weekend moving to a new place closer to downtown Chicago, and our Internet isn’t even setup in our place (you can only imagine the withdrawals I’m going through). The iPhone is keeping my Internet-addiction at bay though.
The idea of having a community-run site definitely sounds appealing, and will definitely have to be something I look into. The tough things about that would be the quality control, and also determining a way to compensate the authors.
We definitely won’t be walking away from the site because that would be extremely hard for us to do. We love the community that has emerged from starting the site, and would hate to see that disappear.
Thanks again for all of your support!
I have enjoyed Cybernet very much for the past few years and will continue to be a reader in the future. Good luck in your future!
I’ve enjoyed reading your posts over the last couple of years. Good luck with the new format. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it more. That’s what I found when I cut my blogging frequency back last year.
Whilst I am sure that everyone appreciates your reasons for the changes, I am sure we are all going to miss you very much. It has only been a day and GoogleReader seems empty without you. Good luck and wish you success in whatever you do.
Thanks for all the really nice articles. I understand your decision and wish you all the best. Glad you don’t wrap it up, so I can still drop by in the future.
A reader from the Netherlands
Best of luck guys, I started reading your site a few months in when it was just Ryan and still a hobby and I liked it then as now, so I’ll still be reading as you change it around again
Thanks guys, it was getting difficult to keep up with your articles!
Seriously, good luck with whatever you do, I have been a reader of your blog for a long time and I have really enjoyed it.
Thanks for all of the well wishes!