Margin — a reading list of the open web

Questions, occasionally asked

Is Margin a search engine?

No. Margin is a hand-edited reading list. The catalogue is kept in alphabetical order, by section, and no algorithm decides what you see; the editor does.

Is a listing really free?

Yes — free, now and in perpetuity. There is no paid placement and no advertising in the issue. Submit a site; if its description holds together, the entry is printed.

How is a site chosen?

A site is listed if it exists, if it publishes plain terms, and if the description reads as honest. We do not list pages that exist only as a funnel of redirects or of search-engine bait.

What if my site stops working?

The catalogue is read each issue; entries that fall dark or that change character are quietly withdrawn at the next reading. Nothing remains in print after it has ceased to be useful.

How long until my submission appears?

Each issue is read in full by hand. An accepted submission is usually visible in the next issue, which is to say within a small number of days.

Will Margin write a description for me?

If the description field is left empty when you submit, the magazine will fetch a short note from your site’s own metadata. You are free, of course, to write your own.

Can I change my entry later?

Yes. Write to the editorial address with your URL and the change you would like, and the alteration will be made at the next reading.

Does Margin endorse any listed site?

No. The catalogue is a record of addresses, not a recommendation. The reader is asked, before any consequential dealing, to read the listed site’s own terms.

How many entries does the magazine keep?

At present, Margin keeps 797 entries across 22 sections. The number changes a little each issue, as new sites are added and silent ones withdrawn.

Why is it called Margin?

A margin is the white space around the text, where a careful reader takes notes. The magazine intends to be such a margin to the open web — a quiet space to keep small notes against the pages worth keeping.