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66:
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25:
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but in the past several years, demos have grown from mere 50MB files to 500MB or larger. This discourages magazines from distributing most of the larger demos, unless the magazine has an exclusive distribution agreement or the title is highly anticipated. While in 1997 a CD could carry over 15 demos, in 2005 the typical CD had 5 or fewer. This led some magazines to insert a second CD, or to use DVD media instead.
745:
Although tagged as "free", covermount discs sometimes increase the price of a magazine. Magazines that carry discs can cost as much as double the price of other magazines without them, even if these magazines have more pages. The "free" label serves as a dissuading factor in retailers stripping discs
755:
damaging the credibility and reputation of the magazine. In several instances where viruses were spread this way, publications expressed that while the contents of the media were scanned by anti-virus software, the virus wasn't detected as the virus was too new. In 1998, cover discs released by both
638:
and
Amstrad Action put full versions of software, usually games on their covertapes. These games, provided by distributors from a list of games with lesser commercial value, are also often found in budget range labels, and can range from older but highly regarded titles to unknown titles with little
754:
Software added as covermount to computer magazines may sometimes not be secure. A fast-spreading medium, computer magazines can output over 10,000 discs in a matter of days. Although discs are thoroughly scanned and carefully assembled, there have been cases of discs being distributed with viruses,
592:
had one or more floppy disks with demos of upcoming games, but the fragility of the media and the increasing size of demos made publishers turn to compact discs, which were cheaper to produce, more resistant to damage, and had over 300 times more capacity. CDs became the most common storage media,
746:
and selling them separately. To prevent theft of the discs from the magazine covers, retailers sometimes remove the discs anyway, keeping them behind the counter to be given to a customer upon purchase of the magazine.
423:-related "partware" magazines (magazines aimed at collectors which build up to a complete set over months or years) have been launched in recent years, with covermounts containing episodes of the subject show (such as
876:
363:
magazines: while the printed version had the code explained, the disk had the code ready to be compiled without forcing the reader to type the whole listing into the computer by hand.
412:
Magazines are also including non-storage media like toys, games, stationery sets, make up, cross stitch kits and whatever the publisher believes will help the sales of their titles.
273:. The name comes from the method of packaging; the media or product is placed in a transparent plastic sleeve and mounted on the cover of the magazine with adhesive tape or glue.
737:
Software publishers, both then and now, are often against the overuse of putting software on the covers of magazines as they see it is deflating the value of software.
468:
was released in 2010, in
Belgium, under the same circumstances, with the same happening for the album with other publications across Europe. Pop rock band
897:
291:
were pressed onto 7" floppy vinyl (known as "flexi-discs" and "flimsies") and mounted on to the front of the magazine. The weekly pop music paper
836:
1046:
409:
Apart from magazines also newspapers have discovered the covermount and started to add compact discs to their publications.
1019:
544:, as well as albums in which you would have to send a token to the NME in exchange for the covermount release, including
281:
Audio recordings were distributed in the UK by the use of covermounts in the 1960s by the fortnightly satirical magazine
130:
730:
measures. If a buyer tries to apply a patch or update, there is a high chance of the game not recognizing a covermount
702:
102:
510:
shortly before the rights on it were due to revert to him, something about which the artist was not best pleased. The
229:
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52:
193:
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109:
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In addendum to viruses, glitches may be present in cover media that have an adverse effect; In 2004, an issue of
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used to distribute full versions of unknown commercial software, with a beginners' guide in the printed version.
580:
The initial purpose of covermount discs was to distribute demo versions of video games. Initial magazines, like
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178:
87:
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and other (usually free) content. One of the first covermount games to be added as a covermount was the 1984
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83:
38:
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and or audiovisual media) or other products (ranging from toys to flip-flops) packaged as part of a
956:
514:
have also had a long history with covermount releases, from the influential cassette compilations
928:
788:
711:
706:
462:, a record company representative, to decry this practice as 'covermount culture'. His new album
189:
76:
1133:
381:, covermounts on computer magazines never caught on. Instead, popular Finnish magazines such as
726:
Games redistributed by covermount occasionally have problems if the originals were fitted with
288:
844:
448:
was known for offering studio albums free with various newspaper publications. His 2007 album
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866:
655:
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388:
297:
issued audio recordings of rock music on similar 7" flexi-discs as covermounts in the 1970s.
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360:
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321:
8:
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shelf space. Some games or expansions were released exclusively on cover media, such as
123:
812:, a magazine contained entirely on disk rather than a disk attached to a paper magazine
597:
455:
352:
333:
304:. In the United Kingdom computer hobbyist magazines began distributing tapes and later
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was the first to be given this treatment, in the United
Kingdom, in partnership with
445:
632:
The trend of offering full versions appeared in the mid-80s, when magazines such as
374:
on the cover, the first full computer to be included as a covermount on a magazine.
185:
697:
graphics, where the player throws grenades at Dutch players, following the loss of
403:
329:
478:(their fourth studio album). Other artists known to release covermount albums are
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44:
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as a storage medium. The cassette was in the end replaced by the compact disc.
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1005:
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CD), covermount demos only began appearing in 1996, with the official Sega and
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The covermount practice continued with computer magazines in the early era of
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Covermount from computer magazines, they contain both demo and full products.
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grew, so did the importance of having a strong covermount. Others, like
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adding covermounts in the form of sampler for promotional uses, using
818:, a jewel case sized music magazine that came with a CD in each issue
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367:
313:
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359:. The distribution of discs with source programs was also common in
196:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.
65:
763:
734:, as they are often reprints and lack the copy prevention sectors.
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266:
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though the term "covermount" was not in usage at that time. The
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publications. Since nearly all 8-bit and 16-bit consoles were
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stated caused the malware to become a "widespread threat". A
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469:
464:
370:
magazine brought the concept full circle and attached a free
937:. No. 25. Dennis Publishing. January 1988. p. 17.
1041:
605:
867:"Music industry attacks Sunday newspaper's free Prince CD"
837:"Reviews of Speccy Games Based on Real Life Personalities"
398:
Adding audiovisual media as a covermount has started with
667:
511:
491:
293:
16:
Storage media packaged as part of a magazine or newspaper
731:
749:
983:. No. 90. HHL Publishing. May 1992. p. 64.
963:. No. 14. emap Images. November 1989. p. 8.
740:
90:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
719:), the last game developed by the company for the
345:Most magazines backed up by large publishers like
1155:
1102:"Important Notice regarding the August (#27) CD"
659:. As access to internet gaming websites such as
627:
796:-based magazine, had a glitch where the user's
308:with their publications. These disks included
1089:. Virus Bulletin Ltd. August 1998. p. 3.
1069:. Virus Bulletin Ltd. August 1998. p. 2.
1110:. No. 29. Next Publishing. p. 10.
767:were infected with the Marburg virus, which
779:cover disc in 2002 contained the AutoStart
472:too released a covermount album, which was
387:offered subscribers access to an exclusive
53:Learn how and when to remove these messages
898:"Oldfield attacks Tubular Bells giveaway"
683:made several games for distribution with
230:Learn how and when to remove this message
212:Learn how and when to remove this message
150:Learn how and when to remove this message
1127:
1125:
571:
567:
241:
1099:
351:included a covermount CD or DVD with a
1156:
1049:from the original on January 31, 2021.
1031:
1029:
1022:from the original on December 6, 2002.
596:Covermounts came late to the world of
500:to cover-mount 2.25 million copies of
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1000:
998:
864:
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161:
88:adding citations to reliable sources
59:
18:
1026:
750:Problems with covermounted products
460:Entertainment Retailers Association
13:
1045:. CNET Networks. January 2, 2002.
995:
800:was wiped after executing a demo.
14:
1185:
741:Price of covermount storage media
34:This article has multiple issues.
1134:"The Hidden Risks of Demo Discs"
1037:"MacAddict issues CD-ROM caveat"
166:
64:
23:
1132:Goad, Libe (December 3, 2004).
1093:
1073:
879:from the original on 2024-06-29
604:-based (with the exceptions of
75:needs additional citations for
42:or discuss these issues on the
1053:
967:
957:"The One: Final Frontier Disk"
949:
921:
890:
858:
829:
1:
1100:Mansill, Ben (October 1998).
822:
628:Full product covermount discs
391:via modem, and later via the
1061:"Anti-CIH-pating the Future"
906:. 2007-05-08. Archived from
651:Populous: The Final Frontier
490:and Soulwax. In April 2007,
339:The Thompson Twins Adventure
7:
1014:. New York, United States:
865:Allen, Katie (2007-06-29).
841:Speccy at the Movies/People
803:
192:the claims made and adding
10:
1190:
276:
377:In other places, such as
357:open-source applications
1174:Video game distribution
789:PlayStation Underground
712:Sensible Train Spotting
257:) is the name given to
577:
289:Private Eye recordings
247:
1169:Software distribution
980:Amstrad Computer User
575:
568:Demo covermount discs
532:The Chemical Brothers
245:
84:improve this article
1164:Magazine publishing
1081:"Marburg Follow-up"
1018:. August 13, 1998.
649:, or the expansion
557:Ally Pally Paradiso
334:computer wallpapers
253:(sometimes written
598:video game console
578:
526:, mix albums like
456:The Mail on Sunday
444:American musician
366:In November 2015,
353:Linux distribution
248:
177:possibly contains
929:"Moley Christmas"
691:Sensible Massacre
681:Sensible Software
404:compact cassettes
372:Raspberry Pi Zero
330:operating systems
240:
239:
232:
222:
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179:original research
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1006:"Buggy WarGames"
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843:. Archived from
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715:(related to the
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194:inline citations
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728:copy protection
721:Commodore Amiga
709:qualifiers) or
695:Sensible Soccer
642:Moley Christmas
630:
570:
537:Beat up the NME
400:music magazines
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1086:Virus Bulletin
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497:Mail on Sunday
458:. This caused
417:United Kingdom
393:World Wide Web
302:home computers
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934:Your Sinclair
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910:on 2012-03-19
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847:on 2001-11-08
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810:Disk magazine
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647:Your Sinclair
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635:Your Sinclair
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547:Capital Radio
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539:
538:
533:
529:
525:
524:
519:
518:
513:
509:
508:
507:Tubular Bells
503:
502:Mike Oldfield
499:
498:
494:licensed the
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488:Calvin Harris
485:
484:Peter Gabriel
481:
477:
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467:
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432:Stargate SG-1
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259:storage media
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175:This article
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101: –
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95:Find sources:
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85:
79:
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73:This article
71:
67:
62:
61:
56:
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47:
46:
41:
40:
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1107:PC PowerPlay
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1040:
1009:
978:
969:
960:
951:
932:
923:
912:. Retrieved
908:the original
901:
892:
881:. Retrieved
872:The Guardian
870:
860:
849:. Retrieved
845:the original
840:
831:
787:
785:
774:
768:
762:
758:PC PowerPlay
756:
753:
744:
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710:
701:against the
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583:Amiga Format
581:
579:
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521:
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505:
495:
475:Radio:Active
473:
463:
459:
451:Planet Earth
449:
443:
438:The Prisoner
436:
430:
424:
414:
411:
408:
397:
382:
376:
365:
348:Linux Format
346:
344:
337:
322:applications
316:versions of
306:floppy disks
299:
292:
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261:(containing
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250:
249:
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127:
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99:"Covermount"
94:
82:Please help
77:verification
74:
50:
43:
37:
36:Please help
33:
798:memory card
686:Amiga Power
624:magazines.
622:PlayStation
542:Fatboy Slim
540:, mixed by
530:, mixed by
528:NME Dust Up
361:programming
324:, computer
284:Private Eye
255:cover mount
202:August 2010
140:August 2010
1158:Categories
1144:Ziff Davis
975:"Feedback"
914:2011-11-03
903:Music Week
883:2024-06-29
851:2007-06-01
823:References
426:Dad's Army
421:television
384:MikroBitti
355:and other
251:Covermount
186:improve it
110:newspapers
39:improve it
1116:1326-5644
1011:CNN Money
989:0952-3049
943:0269-6983
776:MacAddict
770:CNN Money
674:PC Format
618:PC Engine
602:cartridge
589:ST Format
552:The Clash
368:The MagPi
314:shareware
271:newspaper
190:verifying
45:talk page
1047:Archived
1020:Archived
877:Archived
804:See also
764:PC Gamer
662:GameSpot
656:Populous
576:Demo CDs
267:magazine
263:software
961:The One
705:in the
699:England
689:, like
610:Mega-CD
419:, many
415:In the
379:Finland
326:drivers
277:History
184:Please
124:scholar
1114:
987:
941:
816:Volume
794:CD-ROM
707:USA'94
693:(uses
562:BAD II
534:, and
446:Prince
126:
119:
112:
105:
97:
1139:eWeek
717:hobby
703:Dutch
470:McFly
465:20Ten
318:games
131:JSTOR
117:books
1112:ISSN
1042:CNET
985:ISSN
939:ISSN
792:, a
781:worm
761:and
653:for
612:and
606:Sega
554:and
520:anD
480:UB40
312:and
310:demo
103:news
668:IGN
665:or
645:in
616:'s
614:NEC
608:'s
586:or
560:by
550:by
523:C86
517:C81
512:NME
504:'s
492:EMI
441:).
435:or
389:BBS
294:NME
269:or
188:by
86:by
1160::
1142:.
1136:.
1124:^
1104:.
1083:.
1063:.
1039:.
1028:^
1008:.
997:^
977:.
959:.
931:.
900:.
875:.
869:.
839:.
783:.
732:CD
723:.
564:.
486:,
482:,
429:,
395:.
342:.
332:,
328:,
320:,
48:.
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1118:.
991:.
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917:.
886:.
854:.
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200:(
182:.
153:)
147:(
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138:(
128:·
121:·
114:·
107:·
80:.
55:)
51:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
