But That's most noticeable attribute -- its small size -- actually came as a result of financial considerations.
"It's about 70 percent cheaper at its current size than it would be as an A4 magazine," Heasman said, referring to the traditional magazine size.
That was born from the ashes of Fink, another English-language free zine started in part by Heasman and Lee. Fink fizzled after its first edition in December 2001. That went to press five months later.
"The direction Fink was headed wasn't clear. ? That focuses more on local artists and nightlife," Heasman said.
But as a guide to events and entertainment in Taipei, That must compete with Taiwan Fun, which went to press at the same time as Fink and enjoys the benefits of being part of a group of magazines.
Taiwan Fun's publishers, Douglas Habecker and Courtney Donovan Smith, hope to duplicate the success they've had with Compass in Taichung. While the magazine's print run remains the same as it was when it first came out, 10,000, Habecker believes it's just a matter of time before that number can be increased to equal or surpass Compass' monthly print run of 14,000 copies.
"By the time the middle of the month rolls around, it's hard to find [the magazine]. Demand is very good," he said, adding that recent surveys by his company estimate that 90 percent of the magazine's readership are Taiwanese. "Taiwanese office girls between 25 and 35 in particular seem to love us. ? But being an advertising-based publication, [increasing the print run] all depends on support from the market."
From the reader's point of view, however, it's nice to finally see a choice of magazines where once there were too few. Moreover, the competition between them is all to the benefit of the island's English-language readership.
But will the competition raise the magazines' overall quality, or will it force one or another of them to close? Heasman, for his part, seems optimistic. "There's more with it to be done," he said.
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