International Young Naturists Organisation
General Talk (primarily non-naturist) => Pitti's Book Club => Topic started by: Daft on March 20, 2011, 04:46:58 pm
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Now that devices that Kindle, iPad, Galaxy Tab and other tablets are geting more and more common, and digital books are selling more and more too, are you migrating to this new environment?
Or do you still prefer somwthing physical, that you can hold in your hands?
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Now that devices that Kindle, iPad, Galaxy Tab and other tablets are geting more and more common, and digital books are selling more and more too, are you migrating to this new environment?
I already did and I read a hell of a lot more with a kindle than I did with books.
I backup my books and strip off DRM though.
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I tried to read an ebook once, every 3 minutes the page timed out and I had to go back through the main site to find my book again. Needless to say I didn't finish the book because it was frustrating.
Or do you still prefer somwthing physical, that you can hold in your hands?
Yes, I still prefer to have the actual book in hand. Then again I have never owned / tried a Kindle or iPad so... :56789
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I got my wife a kindle for Christmas, she loves it! They're not good for the future of local bookshops but I guess local bookshops just have to evolve and adapt in a digital world!
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There are good and bad things about both formats. My personal opinion is that the dead tree format is far superior in all respects save storage and transportation. I really really really dislike reading digital books and I only do it under duress.
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There are good and bad things about both formats. My personal opinion is that the dead tree format is far superior in all respects save storage and transportation. I really really really dislike reading digital books and I only do it under duress.
Digital books are searchable and linkable. Their font is the exact size you want. You can annotate them typing on your computer's keyboard and possibly lengthy notes will be linked to the exact passage they refer to which is a boon if you are doing research on a text. They are dirt cheap to buy and will be delivered to you in seconds. You can bookmark dozens of pages in them without having dozens of papers sticking out of them.
Digital books are superior in all respects save being able to resell them and being available in libraries.
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I personaly prefer a book. I like book because its something you can feel and smell, likewise you dont need power to run it. Also if you want to make notes and all that you can. Likewise after you read it its easy to give to another person or take to used book store to get credit or exchange.
That said I also do like digital, reason being is I am on submarine, bringing alot of books takes up space and weight I dont have so being able to hold thousands of books on such is nice. By way we do have small library of actual books too
Michael
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I personaly prefer a book. I like book because its something you can feel and smell, likewise you dont need power to run it. Also if you want to make notes and all that you can. Likewise after you read it its easy to give to another person or take to used book store to get credit or exchange.
You don't need much power to run a ebook reader, if you don't use wireless, you can charge it once per month. Notes are more convenient with an ebook because they stay with the book and don't take valuable space.
Credit and exchange isn't very relevant because what you will get back is less than the price difference between physical books and ebooks.
It is possible to give ebooks to others but it usually is copyright infringement. That said, if you delete your own copy, you are morally spotless IMHO.
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I would like to touch books, I will turn the pages. I don´t like digital books and that gives me a headache.
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I would like to touch books, I will turn the pages. I don´t like digital books and that gives me a headache.
I definitely prefer books to an e-book reader . I find it too strenuous to read anything continuously from a LCD display though I dont know how reading on the kindle feels like with its e-ink display .
Aadil
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Digital books are superior in all respects save being able to resell them and being available in libraries.
And they are oh so easy to read during a quiet day at the beach --- NOT! You can't see the frickin screen without severe eye strain, the batteries crap out, sand gets into the reader, or someone pinches it while you're having a swim.
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It is possible to give ebooks to others but it usually is copyright infringement. That said, if you delete your own copy, you are morally spotless IMHO.
Your HO notwithstanding you are legally guilty of criminal copyright violation which can earn you a hefty fine and a jail term.
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I definitely prefer books to an e-book reader . I find it too strenuous to read anything continuously from a LCD display though I dont know how reading on the kindle feels like with its e-ink display .
Aadil
I don't consider LCD displays devices to be proper ebook readers. A proper reader with e-ink (like the Kindle) causes less eyestrain than paper because you can set the font to size most comfortable to you. I read from such a device 2 hours every day (daily commute) and I don't have any complaint about the display.
[/quote]It is possible to give ebooks to others but it usually is copyright infringement. That said, if you delete your own copy, you are morally spotless IMHO.
Your HO notwithstanding you are legally guilty of criminal copyright violation which can earn you a hefty fine and a jail term.
You aren't guilty of copyright infringement if you delete your own copy as per the first sale doctrine. If you are in the US, you might be guilty of breaking the copy protection (as per the DMCA) but you are still morally clear of any wrongdoing.
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As nearly all my jobs that I've been involved over the years have involved actual physical books, I will have to say that on preference I would always prefer to curl up in bed lie down on the beach or just sitting on the sofa at home with the real thing. That being said I can see the benefit of the ebooks whether they be in Kindle or I-pad etc. They do save up space. The one problem I have is that I just don't feel the connection to a piece of electronica that a real thing. Plus they don't have that intoxicating booky smell to them.
Ebooks are best for the beach (if there is no copy protection or if you cracked it) because you can just print a couple of pages and don't worry about damaging a book (I hate damaging books even if I never intend to read them again) or expensive electronics.
As far the book "feel", I understand the appeal but if it still matters when you are reading, your book isn't engaging enough ;)
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It is possible to give ebooks to others but it usually is copyright infringement. That said, if you delete your own copy, you are morally spotless IMHO.
Your HO notwithstanding you are legally guilty of criminal copyright violation which can earn you a hefty fine and a jail term.
You aren't guilty of copyright infringement if you delete your own copy as per the first sale doctrine. If you are in the US, you might be guilty of breaking the copy protection (as per the DMCA) but you are still morally clear of any wrongdoing.
Before anyone follows this bit of dodgy advice I suggest that you read very carefully the terms of sale and use for any e-book you are planning on sharing out to others.
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Before anyone follows this bit of dodgy advice I suggest that you read very carefully the terms of sale and use for any e-book you are planning on sharing out to others.
Are you aware those aren't legally binding? Same as they can't slap a sticker on your physical books saying you are forbidden from reselling them.
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Before anyone follows this bit of dodgy advice I suggest that you read very carefully the terms of sale and use for any e-book you are planning on sharing out to others.
Are you aware those aren't legally binding? Same as they can't slap a sticker on your physical books saying you are forbidden from reselling them.
I am aware that they constitute statements of intent which can be introduced into court to show that the purchaser was aware of the terms and conditions of sale and is therefore not acting in ignorance. Then the law itself comes into play and copyright law is no longer a laughing matter. As a Berne Convention signatory state Canada has copyright law that is quite draconian. If you can afford the $25,000 and the jail term please feel free to present yourself as a test case. In the meantime it is morally reprehensible to counsel others to break the law, their only defense being "Dan told me it was okay."
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I prefer printed rather than digital books because digital books require a device which I don't have and don't want to get due to the fact that I have an eReader on my palm phone; if it's compatible with that, I'm more likely to get it. However, printed books are easier to borrow; I can just walk into a library and check one out, rather than having to purchase a whole bunch of eBooks, which I often have no intention of reading more than once.
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I prefer printed rather than digital books because digital books require a device which I don't have and don't want to get due to the fact that I have an eReader on my palm phone; if it's compatible with that, I'm more likely to get it.
Check out Calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/). It converts pretty much from any format to any other.
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tbh, I don't read that many books in any format. I just buy them and intend to read them. I have not yet bought a dedicated ebook device. One problem is that I like to read outside, and trees always seem to drop and drip things, so the screen might soon be a sticky mess.
I imagine a Kindle would be best in bright sunlight. Does anyone have experience with that?
Digital books are searchable and linkable. Their font is the exact size you want.
Those are all very important advantages, but the biggest for me would be the ability to Search With Google. With some books, it seems there are ten words per page I need to look up in the dictionary or research in Wikipedia.
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One problem is that I like to read outside, and trees always seem to drop and drip things, so the screen might soon be a sticky mess.
That's a weakness of expensive electronics. You also can't throw them against the wall when the text you read frustrates you. If your books turn tend to sticky messes, it wouldn't be a good idea to switch to an ebook reader. That said, you might want to look into just printing pages before going outside.
I imagine a Kindle would be best in bright sunlight. Does anyone have experience with that?[/url]
The Kindle's cover (which is optional but highly recommended if you don't wish to damage your device) comes with an integrated light which works quite well even when it's very dark. It takes it's power directly from the Kindle so no need to put a battery in it.
Those are all very important advantages, but the biggest for me would be the ability to Search With Google. With some books, it seems there are ten words per page I need to look up in the dictionary or research in Wikipedia.
That's something I love about the Kindle, it has an integrated dictionary so you just have to move the cursor to any word and you instantly get a definition. There's also a shortcut to search on Wikipedia and you get unlimited 3G for life (for an extra $50 when you buy the device).
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You also can't throw them against the wall when the text you read frustrates you.
Is that a problem for you?!?
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I prefer a good old fashion book, you don’t have to hold it a certain way in good sunlight just to be able to see the screen and when you are out camping or hiking around no power is needed.
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You also can't throw them against the wall when the text you read frustrates you.
Is that a problem for you?!?
Not really, but I saw it reported as a downside by some authors who are apparently into reading things that greatly frustrate them.
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Printed books when reading for enjoyment . . . e-books for technical reference.
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Printed books when reading for enjoyment . . . e-books for technical reference.
:3145 . The find text feature comes in handy while searching for a particular text .
Aadil
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Printed books when reading for enjoyment . . . e-books for technical reference.
Funny, I do it the other way around.
It's easier to share physical books with coworkers.
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Printed books when reading for enjoyment . . . e-books for technical reference.
Funny, I do it the other way around.
It's easier to share physical books with coworkers.
It is harder to carry a library whilst doing field work in coastal boreal bog and forest; e-books are handy that way but they truly suck when reading for enjoyment.
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It is harder to carry a library whilst doing field work in coastal boreal bog and forest; e-books are handy that way but they truly suck when reading for enjoyment.
Well, we found the difference between our uses, I work in an office environment where a library is a convenient way to share.
Why do you think ebooks suck when reading for enjoyment?
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It is harder to carry a library whilst doing field work in coastal boreal bog and forest; e-books are handy that way but they truly suck when reading for enjoyment.
Well, we found the difference between our uses, I work in an office environment where a library is a convenient way to share.
Why do you think ebooks suck when reading for enjoyment?
Because they do.
There is a certain tactile element involved in holding a real book that is entirely absent with e-book readers, just as there is a certain personal element within a manuscript that is absent from a printed book. There is also a certain friendliness about real books that bunch of components lurking within a piece of plastic can never replicate. These are things that if you don't "get it" already, you will never get it. It is a matter of personal preference, pure and simple.
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There is also a certain friendliness about real books that bunch of components lurking within a piece of plastic can never replicate.
It sure can. It just has to have "Don't Panic" written in big friendly letters on it.
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There's also a shortcut to search on Wikipedia and you get unlimited 3G for life (for an extra $50 when you buy the device).
That is an incredible deal if you root/jailbreak your Kindle to make it more of a tablet computer with unlimited free wireless surfing.
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That is an incredible deal if you root/jailbreak your Kindle to make it more of a tablet computer with unlimited free wireless surfing.
It already comes with unlimited wireless surfing. And it would make a poor tablet, it's very, very good at reading book, at the expense of not being so good at anything else.
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This is ironic:
Remote content removal
On July 17, 2009, Amazon.com withdrew certain Kindle titles, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, from sale, refunded the cost to those who had purchased them, and remotely deleted these titles from purchasers' devices after discovering that the publisher lacked rights to publish the titles in question. ... The move prompted outcry and comparisons to Nineteen Eighty-Four itself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle#Remote_content_removal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle#Remote_content_removal)
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This is ironic:
Remote content removal
On July 17, 2009, Amazon.com withdrew certain Kindle titles, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, from sale, refunded the cost to those who had purchased them, and remotely deleted these titles from purchasers' devices after discovering that the publisher lacked rights to publish the titles in question. ... The move prompted outcry and comparisons to Nineteen Eighty-Four itself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle#Remote_content_removal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle#Remote_content_removal)
Jeff Bezos said Amazon deserved all the criticism they received for the incident. They also restored the books and gave $30 to everyone affected.
I understand how the error occurred, they sold by accident a book they had no rights on and wanted to undo the sales. But I think it's wrong because if they sold by mistake a physical book, they wouldn't go retrieve it, they'd just deal with the consequences.
I believe Amazon learned its lesson and wouldn't do it again.
However, I advocate stripping off the DRM and making your own backups. Better safe than sorry.
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I'm one of those old fashioned people who still uses books with paper and pages and covers. Highest I've ever gone is book on tape, and those only on road trips or with my dad, as he listens to them very often since his work involves a lot of driving around.
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Interesting but fallacious.
If you want to compare apple to apple, you have to compare books and digital material preserved by people following best practices. I could easily point out cases of book badly preserved, many of which I owned, and claim that digital is superior to books because I did such a sloppy job preserving my books.
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I think electronic books represent another cultural loss.
As with any electronic item, we’ll have to budget for the inevitable upgrades. As soon as a company sells a few million devices, and sales begin to level off, a new and purportedly better device will be released. Plasma televisions? Heck no! You want LCD. You still have LCD? Geez, gramps, don’t you think it’s time to get an LED? Wow! Your LED isn’t 3-D? And on and on, forever. We’ll plop down $300, only to have the device go to $75 within 6 months, and then a cool new device will land.
Now, televisions and cell phones are one thing, but I worry about throwing books into the digital game. Black and white isn’t good enough anymore. Now there are color e-readers. And with that, you have classic children’s books that are being animated and “added to.” That Dr. Seuss book now has cartoons and interactive games and it will even read itself to the kid. Nifty, sure, but what does that take from the reading experience? Well, reading for starts. I think our imaginations are increasingly being taken from us. Electronic devices provide a prepackaged experience. Won’t there eventually be some improvement in which we don’t even have to open our eyes and translate letters anymore?
And the social ramifications of the coming dominance of e-books will be comparable to what has happened with the demise of music stores. Sitting alone in our bedrooms, punching buttons and clicking “like” on Facebook simply isn’t the same as getting off our butts, walking down the local music shop and digging through boxes of LPs. It isn’t the same as striking up conversations with the clerks and customers about what great books or albums have been released.
I don’t know. It seems like the more convenience and ease we add to our society, the more impatient and angry our society becomes. Maybe everything shouldn’t be a mouse click away. Maybe it’s good to exert energy accessing knowledge and information.
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And the social ramifications of the coming dominance of e-books will be comparable to what has happened with the demise of music stores.
Honestly, I feel that nothing of value was lost.
Sitting alone in our bedrooms, punching buttons and clicking “like” on Facebook simply isn’t the same as getting off our butts, walking down the local music shop and digging through boxes of LPs. It isn’t the same as striking up conversations with the clerks and customers about what great books or albums have been released.
If you didn't see *more* discussion on the web than in meatspace, I don't know on which web you've been...
I don’t know. It seems like the more convenience and ease we add to our society, the more impatient and angry our society becomes. Maybe everything shouldn’t be a mouse click away. Maybe it’s good to exert energy accessing knowledge and information.
We have a society that doesn't read much in the first place and technology is reversing this trend.
Anyway, the genie is out of the bottle and if you don't offer a digital copy of your book, someone else will (only you won't get a dime from it). And people like to pay $5 for a book rather than $25 for the cost of producing, transporting and storing it.
Digital books enable more diversity kind of in the same way the arrival of Amazon did. Book stores have limited shelf space and can't afford to stock anything but the most popular books. Amazon changed this by having a virtually infinitely big warehouse (they pull this feat by placing *their* order from the distributors when you place *your* order). This was a very successful strategy for Amazon, they make more money everyday with unpopular books combined than with bestsellers combined. Now digital books push this even further since they obsolete being out of print.
Advocating for people being forced to go to physical stores for music and books advocate a shallow and limited pop culture.
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Sitting alone in our bedrooms, punching buttons and clicking “like” on Facebook simply isn’t the same as getting off our butts, walking down the local music shop and digging through boxes of LPs.
The flip side of that argument is that for decades artists had to basically sell their souls to a record producer on the off chance that they would make them a hit. For a long time that was the only way to get airplay. If you didn't have such a producer you would never get onto MTV or any mainstream radio station. If you chose to go with such a producer than you were basically forfeiting all of your royalties from CD sales and such. They were basically loss leaders to promote you for your live shows.
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Honestly, I feel that nothing of value was lost. If you didn't see *more* discussion on the web than in meatspace, I don't know on which web you've been...
There is infinitely more discussion on the web than in real life, but the quality? And the outcome of any of these discussions?
We have a society that doesn't read much in the first place and technology is reversing this trend.
Again, the quality. One researcher noted that e-books have been so quickly adopted because we are a society accustomed to status updates and tweets. We don’t read 400-page books anymore. We read snips, paragraphs, blurbs. E-books encourage that. Some will argue that this trend is evidence of a more efficient, advanced society. There’s a cost. People are changing. Attention spans are decreasing.
And people like to pay $5 for a book rather than $25 for the cost of producing, transporting and storing it.
Unfortunately, the e-book prices are already creeping toward the physical book prices. At Amazon, the new Tina Fey book is $13.97 in hardback, $12.99 for the download. Music downloads are largely a dollar less than their CD counterparts. There are some e-books with greater price variances, but the elimination of thousands of bookstore and music store and warehouse worker positions should save me more than $2 or $3.
The elimination of the music industry's power has opened the gates. Sony doesn't give us boy bands anymore, but YouTube gives us Bieber.
Digital books enable more diversity kind of in the same way the arrival of Amazon did. Book stores have limited shelf space and can't afford to stock anything but the most popular books.
I agree with this observation. Making more books available to people without the benefit of a large-city bookstore is a good thing.
Advocating for people being forced to go to physical stores for music and books advocate a shallow and limited pop culture.
There’s an importance to having actual, physical interactions, even in seemingly mundane daily experiences. The internet offers little more than a hologram of pop culture. A mirror image. A fantasy. Can we replace sitting in a coffeehouse with friends? Why not concoct a pill that tastes like coffee that we can pop while chatting with our digital pals? Why experience the excitement of sitting in an auditorium and hearing the opening chords of our favorite band when you can simply watch a streaming HD concert in our living room?
This is quite relevant to nudism. Can you replace the rush of skinny dipping on a hot summer day with a nude chat room conversation?
We’re losing something, and I think most people haven’t noticed. Our social interactions have diminished. Our attention spans are fading. Parks are empty. We endlessly message and text and fill boxes on message boards (as I am shamelessly, foolishly doing at this moment) with words and thoughts that won’t make any difference to the strangers who read them. Hmmm. I should go reflect on my own words...
But, there’s no turning back. I just think we shouldn’t embrace everything described as progress without pausing to consider the costs.
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There is infinitely more discussion on the web than in real life, but the quality? And the outcome of any of these discussions?
We have quality too. Just as in meatspace, some places have better quality than others but there exist better quality discussions online. You can easily find online fans of specific genres you like and indy artists have a much easier time making fans and reaching them online.
Again, the quality. One researcher noted that e-books have been so quickly adopted because we are a society accustomed to status updates and tweets. We don’t read 400-page books anymore. We read snips, paragraphs, blurbs. E-books encourage that. Some will argue that this trend is evidence of a more efficient, advanced society. There’s a cost. People are changing. Attention spans are decreasing.
Ebooks are the same books you'll find printed on dead trees. I'm reading more books on a kindle because it's more convenient and cheaper and I'm not alone. Studies found the newest generation to be more literate (read more, write more and write better) than the one that came before because it it reads and writes so much online.
If people stopped reading full length books, the Kindle wouldn't be such a smashing success.
Unfortunately, the e-book prices are already creeping toward the physical book prices. At Amazon, the new Tina Fey book is $13.97 in hardback, $12.99 for the download. Music downloads are largely a dollar less than their CD counterparts. There are some e-books with greater price variances, but the elimination of thousands of bookstore and music store and warehouse worker positions should save me more than $2 or $3.
Isn't that the reverse, at $14, the hardback book's price is creeping toward the ebook's price.
As for the music price, it's mostly due to the antiquated business model known as labels who insist on those prices. Hopefully those leaches will die the same way they were born (piracy).
The elimination of the music industry's power has opened the gates. Sony doesn't give us boy bands anymore, but YouTube gives us Bieber.
And that's worse? I have no more trouble ignoring Bieber than I had ignoring boy bands...
Advocating for people being forced to go to physical stores for music and books advocate a shallow and limited pop culture.
There’s an importance to having actual, physical interactions, even in seemingly mundane daily experiences. The internet offers little more than a hologram of pop culture. A mirror image. A fantasy. Can we replace sitting in a coffeehouse with friends? Why not concoct a pill that tastes like coffee that we can pop while chatting with our digital pals? Why experience the excitement of sitting in an auditorium and hearing the opening chords of our favorite band when you can simply watch a streaming HD concert in our living room?
As far as I know coffeehouses do just as well as they always did (but now offer free wifi) and concerts are just as popular as they used to be...
This is quite relevant to nudism. Can you replace the rush of skinny dipping on a hot summer day with a nude chat room conversation?
We’re losing something, and I think most people haven’t noticed. Our social interactions have diminished. Our attention spans are fading. Parks are empty. We endlessly message and text and fill boxes on message boards (as I am shamelessly, foolishly doing at this moment) with words and thoughts that won’t make any difference to the strangers who read them. Hmmm. I should go reflect on my own words...
But, there’s no turning back. I just think we shouldn’t embrace everything described as progress without pausing to consider the costs.
Parks tend to be full of people, try to go to one, they are neat.
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I prefer to have a real book in my hands. The Kindle's a fantastic piece of kit - two of my friends have them and they're very impressive and useful - lecture slides are nice to read on them as well as books, but I still just like having a book. It's just a tactile thing, I guess. Ah well :P
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I agree with the sentiment that there is something to be said for the tactile qualities of a book.
I have recently purchased an Android phone with e reader built in. Whilst great for convenience and storage it will never replace books for me. In. Saying that I won't end up being the ebook snob that I thought I would be, a time and a place for both.
Walking into a second hand book store and perusing through the covers of pre loved books is one of my favorite things to do.
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I own both a Kindle and a myriad of "old school" books, I don't think I'll ever get rid of the older books. Like others have posted, just something about the tactile feel of pages under your fingertips. I do enjoy the Kindle because I can shop for books at home (I live far away from an actual bookstore) and it's easier than lugging around a bunch of books when I travel.
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Call me old fashioned but I much prefer the old fashion physical paper book!
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Call me old fashioned but I much prefer the old fashion physical paper book!
What's your experience of digital books?
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its better to hav physical books
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I definitely see the benefit of digital books. It's lighter, and you can store everything you want to read on it no problem. Quite frankly though, I don't like reading things electronically that much since I stare at computer screens all day anyway. It seems unnecessary to make all parts of my life digital, especially if I don't see it suffering by not being digital. Having a digital copy of a book offers the same core benefit of owning a physical copy of a book- I get to read the information I want. It's not like I'm carrying 6 books at once. I have a little book that I read on my commute to work.
The cost really is a non issue since since with the internet you can actually getting a lo of physical copies of books for quite cheap. With sites like Amazon and ebay, if you're willing to wait you can get books dirt cheap. Then there is a company who's basic model is to only print a book when it's been requested. So instead of paying extra for a book because they're trying to return a profit from production costs and whatnot, you pay way less since it basically just prints straight when ordered.
Digital is nice, but I'll keep my regular books now
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I prefer printed rather than digital books because digital books require a device which I don't have and don't want to get due to the fact that I have an eReader on my palm phone; if it's compatible with that, I'm more likely to get it.
Check out Calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/). It converts pretty much from any format to any other.
First off, I want to thank Dan for recommending Calibre; the program is excellent and works wonderfully. :234567 My views on e-books have changed somewhat since I last wrote on this topic, although I still prefer my paper books. My views have changed because today my county library system launched an e-library which would allow me to search for books and then download them and convert them using Calibre. I don't use my e-reader on my phone to do much reading other than my Bible nightly because the screen is so small and I refuse to spend money to purchase an e-reader just so I can read the few e-books that I have. Most of the books that I purchase I've read at least twice; with e-books, I'd be forced to purchase them sight unseen. I'd rather borrow the book from the library and then purchase the book instead of using an buying an e book because the screen is too small.
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Calibre is under very active development, there are new versions coming often with neat new features.
And remember book/ebook it's not a mutually exclusive choice. You can use both in parallel. For instance, ebooks are easier to search and annotate. Many people love them because they love the outdoor; they want to go to the beach / forest / wherever and not put water or mud on the book so they use the ebook to print off a few pages to read in dirtier environment.
Neither format will make the other disappear, embrace both!
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Let's face it, digital is how it's going to be in the future. Can't really go against it.
That being said, while I still live in the age of the paperback, I will always opt for it. While it may not have much practical value anymore, it still smells nice and gives you a pleasant, nostalgic feeling when you curl up with tea, a blanket, and a book rather than a tablet. Soon books will be like art. They're pretty things to enjoy for the sake of their existence. I'll start now.
Anyway, I try not to disregard paper too much despite the whole digital age that's pretty much here. My math teacher (well, several of them) always told me that it's important to know how to do the work because if your calculator dies in the middle of an exam and you don't have any batteries, well you're on your own. I'm all for the digital age, but I don't want to be stuck on an 18 hour flight and my kindle being the only thing I brought for entertainment just died on me...well...at that point I would draw or write my own stories, but my point is still made dammit! XD
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I'm all for the digital age, but I don't want to be stuck on an 18 hour flight and my kindle being the only thing I brought for entertainment just died on me...
That's not much of a problem, a Kindle's battery can last a good month if you don't activate wifi/3G. Plus, you could always just plug it in in the plane.
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digital for new books (cheaper, more mobile). but i do have a fetish for out of print older books that requires shelf space.
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That's not much of a problem, a Kindle's battery can last a good month if you don't activate wifi/3G. Plus, you could always just plug it in in the plane.
Can you? I've never seen an outlet on a plane. Could be I'm just not looking hard enough though. Plus, I haven't been on a huge plane for a long time. Last 18 hour flight I took was when I was 15. XD Well, if that's the case, then I think my point is moot. lol Just don't forget your charger. =u=
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I like when I can feel the pages under my fingers.. Like the smell of it, the sound when you turn the page, the way you can hug a book.. so no digital for me..
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Can you? I've never seen an outlet on a plane. Could be I'm just not looking hard enough though. Plus, I haven't been on a huge plane for a long time. Last 18 hour flight I took was when I was 15. XD Well, if that's the case, then I think my point is moot. lol Just don't forget your charger. =u=
I remember so but I haven't been on a plane for a long time too.
Might vary per model.
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I like when I can feel the pages under my fingers.. Like the smell of it, the sound when you turn the page, the way you can hug a book.. so no digital for me..
I like the smell of out-of-print books. the mustiness. i also like to see what other people underlined.
/used book geek
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still like a real book but im coming round to the idea of the gadets
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I'm... 50%-50%! :)
Working on the book industry, maybe my experience goes a little further than the "like/dislike/prefer/hate" (by the way, as a reader I use both with no preference. If I'm around and see a book I'm interested in, I go and buy it - if it's not too expensive. 22€ for a hardcover fiction book is WAY TOO much! And if I want to read something in English, the American online stores have "piles" of books to choose from, and the best thing is that you canstart reading in minutes)
"Professionally" speaking... God bless the e-readers! :)
Consider this: you're not American/English and a big part of your job is reading foreign books to decide if translating in your home language (Italian, in my case). Before the e-readers were reality, you had to read everything on a monitor or print pages and pages of text (and consider what happened if a book had to be read by more than one person). You could also request to agencies or foreign publishers some reading-copies of the printed book but:
- 8 times out of 10 they replied to the mail just attaching the PDF
- 2 times out of 10 you had to wait for them to prepare and send the book(s) and for the postal service to do its job (oversea shipping takes a loooooooooooong time, and nobody wanted to pay for express delivery, which was - and still is, I suppose! - expensive as hell)
Now, you can just have the PDF or DOC or whatever it is in few minutes - it's just an email - convert it if necessary and read it on your ereader, without killing your eyes in front of a monitor or printing piles of sheets of paper.
So... as a "job instrument" it's not just handy, it's a lot more.
Again, as a "regular book reader", I don't have a preference on p-books ("printed" or "paper", you choose!) or e-books. What is important is having something good to read.
Last thing: I'd kill (I joke, of course! :P ) whoever says "I love the smell of the printed paper and can't live without it"! :) It's true, it's a particular smell, but try to go and pick up a 10-years-old book from a public library, better if it is a bestseller which has been read by many people and got a lot of dust staying in the shelf for such a long time. The "lovely smell" becomes a "rancid stink"! :-P
... and, talking about ebooks, it's not all "good news": a failure of the internal memory of the e-reader and/or a bad backup can destroy your library!
That's why both formats will survive, in my opinion! :)
(as usual, sorry for any small/medium/bad/horrible mistake with the English language. I do my best!)
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... and, talking about ebooks, it's not all "good news": a failure of the internal memory of the e-reader and/or a bad backup can destroy your library!
Backups, backups, backups.
There's no reason no to make them.
And if you didn't, you can just pirate the book back.
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There's no reason no to make them.
Lazyness. And I'm talking on behalf of 98% of mankind! :786 :786 :786 :786 :786
And if you didn't, you can just pirate the book back.
Well, most stores I have bought books from also give you the opportunity to download the purchased files without having to get a pirate one. I should just verify for how long it can be downloaded after buying it, I never really cared about that (because I'm quite geek and I love having all my data regularly backed up!)
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It's not about books, but I'm gonna give digital comics a try now in a few days, when DC Comics begin their relaunch (The New 52). The titles will be available at the same day in both formats (printed and online).
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Which format will they use? Hyper-protected-and-DRMed-stuff or something more human-usable?
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I prefer paper - I'm a little old fashioned with this, but I need paper in my hand ...
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Which format will they use? Hyper-protected-and-DRMed-stuff or something more human-usable?
I've purchased some DRM'ed MP3s in the past, it's so annoying...
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I'm... 50%-50%! :)
Working on the book industry, maybe my experience goes a little further than the "like/dislike/prefer/hate" (by the way, as a reader I use both with no preference. If I'm around and see a book I'm interested in, I go and buy it - if it's not too expensive. 22€ for a hardcover fiction book is WAY TOO much! And if I want to read something in English, the American online stores have "piles" of books to choose from, and the best thing is that you canstart reading in minutes)
"Professionally" speaking... God bless the e-readers! :)
Consider this: you're not American/English and a big part of your job is reading foreign books to decide if translating in your home language (Italian, in my case). Before the e-readers were reality, you had to read everything on a monitor or print pages and pages of text (and consider what happened if a book had to be read by more than one person). You could also request to agencies or foreign publishers some reading-copies of the printed book but:
- 8 times out of 10 they replied to the mail just attaching the PDF
- 2 times out of 10 you had to wait for them to prepare and send the book(s) and for the postal service to do its job (oversea shipping takes a loooooooooooong time, and nobody wanted to pay for express delivery, which was - and still is, I suppose! - expensive as hell)
Now, you can just have the PDF or DOC or whatever it is in few minutes - it's just an email - convert it if necessary and read it on your ereader, without killing your eyes in front of a monitor or printing piles of sheets of paper.
So... as a "job instrument" it's not just handy, it's a lot more.
Again, as a "regular book reader", I don't have a preference on p-books ("printed" or "paper", you choose!) or e-books. What is important is having something good to read.
Last thing: I'd kill (I joke, of course! :P ) whoever says "I love the smell of the printed paper and can't live without it"! :) It's true, it's a particular smell, but try to go and pick up a 10-years-old book from a public library, better if it is a bestseller which has been read by many people and got a lot of dust staying in the shelf for such a long time. The "lovely smell" becomes a "rancid stink"! :-P
... and, talking about ebooks, it's not all "good news": a failure of the internal memory of the e-reader and/or a bad backup can destroy your library!
That's why both formats will survive, in my opinion! :)
(as usual, sorry for any small/medium/bad/horrible mistake with the English language. I do my best!)
Gino, picking up those old books (like from a second hand book shop) is one of those smells I really love... it is like history in your hand... to me that smell is some what romantic. - Don't kill me!
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Has any one heard about the book crossing movement?
Basically it is a social experiment where by people love a book and want it to be shared, so after they are done reading it, the register the book on a website, put a lable on the inside cover and then leave it in a public place for someone else to pick up and hopefully enjoy.
The donater then can track the books movement around the world...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BookCrossing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BookCrossing)
Official site: http://www.bookcrossing.com/ (http://www.bookcrossing.com/)
I think that people would be less likely to do this with their e- reader...
Another vote for paper.... :098
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I think that people would be less likely to do this with their e- reader...
I assure you digital books are shared much much more than paper books.
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Has any one heard about the book crossing movement?
Basically it is a social experiment where by people love a book and want it to be shared, so after they are done reading it, the register the book on a website, put a lable on the inside cover and then leave it in a public place for someone else to pick up and hopefully enjoy.
The donater then can track the books movement around the world...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BookCrossing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BookCrossing)
Official site: http://www.bookcrossing.com/ (http://www.bookcrossing.com/)
I think that people would be less likely to do this with their e- reader...
Another vote for paper.... :098
I've done it, it's a great initiative. I got "Body Snatchers" from a friend, read, and give it to another friend, who's now in Germany. :)
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I have not used an e-reader but I read alot of PDFs on my laptop. It's not ideal but some of the books I read are very difficult to get in physical form now.
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Nothing will ever beat the smell, feel, and physical page turning of an actual book. Not to mention, it is awesome to see a collection of books you read, stack up on your bookshelf. Yeah, an e-book can hold my attention a bit better, and is for some reason easier on my eyes, but nothing will ever beat having a real book. It is like dating sims vs. a real person. Nothing could ever beat the one you can have that full experience with.
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Asthetics aside, the fact that you could have pounds of books fit into something that you can easily carry with you can't be ignored and that's the full appeal of it. Mass amounts of information without breaking your back. Project Gutenburg is a major contributor to that as well.
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Technology is a bit like naturism in a way. It has it's place in today's world. We love it and can't live without it. Every now and again its great to strip back to basics and reject technology.
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Well, since September I started buying some comics books from Comixology, specially when there's some kind of sale, with selected titles por .99 cents each.
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I'm a romantic at heart and would feel weird reading something like 'The Great Gatsby' on an e-reader. Although I really have nothing against them.
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I'm a romantic at heart and would feel weird reading something like 'The Great Gatsby' on an e-reader.
If the book you read is truly great, the medium on which you read it should soon enough become transparent.
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I'm a romantic at heart and would feel weird reading something like 'The Great Gatsby' on an e-reader.
If the book you read is truly great, the medium on which you read it should soon enough become transparent.
I agree, the book would be just as great. I'm just very particular ahah and see it the same way as I would watching an old classic movie like 'Gone with the Wind' or 'Casablanca' in colour.
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I'm a romantic at heart and would feel weird reading something like 'The Great Gatsby' on an e-reader.
If the book you read is truly great, the medium on which you read it should soon enough become transparent.
I agree, the book would be just as great. I'm just very particular ahah and see it the same way as I would watching an old classic movie like 'Gone with the Wind' or 'Casablanca' in colour.
I had this very conversation today visiting Pike Markets in Seattle.. The guy at the second hand book shop (I have a romantic idea of meeting a girl in one) said to me... "yeah this technology is amazing... it can get wet and still works"
Loved it...
There was also something special about visiting the second hand book store, a hodge podge of loved, enjoyed and considered words that were being passed on.. there is not that same sentiment from electronic medium.
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For me i prefer real books. There is something about the feel and smell of a book that makes it easier for me to get lost in the plot. i guess it's an association thing.
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For me i prefer real books. There is something about the feel and smell of a book that makes it easier for me to get lost in the plot. i guess it's an association thing.
Yes, because people said the same thing when the printing press arrived: nothing like the feel of a handwritten book.
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Yeah, I wonder if back in the day scrolls were met with the same reverence that books are starting to be endowed with now.
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Yeah, I wonder if back in the day scrolls were met with the same reverence that books are starting to be endowed with now.
Its a reverence that'll quickly vanish if you move house. Carrying 5 bookcases worth of books will make you want a kindle very quickly.
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Yeah, I wonder if back in the day scrolls were met with the same reverence that books are starting to be endowed with now.
Its a reverence that'll quickly vanish if you move house. Carrying 5 bookcases worth of books will make you want a kindle very quickly.
As someone who has moved multiple times since graduating university, I wholeheartedly agree
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digital for school or constantly using it as a reference on the go, and physical to read good favorites or new series!
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I like both. I actually have an e-reader type app on my laptop, and it's okay. But sometimes I also like the feel of what I have been used to- the paper books.
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I'm a luddite in this regard. I hate reading short stories or novels on a screen, whether it be a computer screen or an e-reader screen. There's a tactile joy that you get from reading a real book that you don't get from reading a digital book. The smell of the pages, the immediacy of the words, and the ability to easily flip back and forth between the pages are all aspects of reading a real book that I love. I spent a lot of time at the local library or book store as a kid, and those experiences are not something that you can recreate by sifting through digital books on iTunes or Amazon.com.
Also, I think that having a book collection is great. Yes, it's quite annoying to move it between houses, but well worth it in my opinion. For me, displaying my books is like displaying paintings or pictures or posters. They are decoration and identity, and my living space would feel empty without them.
The only reason that I'd even slightly want an e-reader is for university, as lugging around heavy textbooks can be awful. Still, it seems like I study better from reading actual books than reading digital copies anyway.
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Still, it seems like I study better from reading actual books than reading digital copies anyway.
Print the part you are studying.
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Still, it seems like I study better from reading actual books than reading digital copies anyway.
Print the part you are studying.
I do that sometimes, but not if the readings are really long or there's a lot of them. Ink is too expensive! Haha.
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I do that sometimes, but not if the readings are really long or there's a lot of them. Ink is too expensive! Haha.
Get a laser printer. You can get a good black and white one for about 50 bucks. Inkjet printers disposes of at least half the ink you buy for it in an internal compartment and you paid more per volume for that ink than you would if you were buying human blood (not an exaggeration or a figure of speech).
Go buy laser, you'll save a ton of money.
Here's a video about all the ink an inkjet wastes.
The Dirty Little Secret Of Inkjet Printers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycD4XkUtbIw#)
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I do that sometimes, but not if the readings are really long or there's a lot of them. Ink is too expensive! Haha.
Get a laser printer. You can get a good black and white one for about 50 bucks. Inkjet printers disposes of at least half the ink you buy for it in an internal compartment and you paid more per volume for that ink than you would if you were buying human blood (not an exaggeration or a figure of speech).
Go buy laser, you'll save a ton of money.
Here's a video about all the ink an inkjet wastes.
The Dirty Little Secret Of Inkjet Printers (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycD4XkUtbIw#)
Wow...that's kind of horrifying. Now I know where all my unicorn blood..err...I mean printer ink has been going. Thank you sir! I might have to get a new printer pretty soon. You still have to use ink for laser printers though, right? Doesn't it just use a lot less?
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Wow...that's kind of horrifying. Now I know where all my unicorn blood..err...I mean printer ink has been going. Thank you sir! I might have to get a new printer pretty soon. You still have to use ink for laser printers though, right? Doesn't it just use a lot less?
Laser printers actually use some form of powder it fuses to the paper with heat. It doesn't use any form of "wet" ink which means that a laser printer doesn't make the sheets you print kinda soggy like an inkjet do. Also an inkjet printer wastes ink even when you aren't printing because otherwise the print heads get stuck with dried ink. Laser do not have that problem which is a boon if you are an infrequent printer. And if you are a frequent printer, laser toners are so cheaper than it's worth it too.
It's estimated that an inkjet costs you 15-18 cents per sheet printed (plus whatever it costs you when not printing) and a laser printer about 3-5 cents.
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I'm a luddite in this regard.
Well played on this reference :e4444
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I'm a luddite in this regard.
Well played on this reference :e4444
Huh? What do you mean?
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I have a kindle and iPad. Both have pluses and munuses to reading. The kindle is way easier on the eyes and great for outdoors.
But Sometimes after a day of work where all I did was look at a screen I just want to hold something that isn't digital.
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For me, part of the experience is in the feel and smell of a book. I love being surrounded by shelves lined with books. Digital cant match that for me.
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i don't read much (trying to do it more often) but if i do, i prefer paper although tried to read on kindle, but didn't like it
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I always used to think that physical books were the only way, but when I see how lightweight and compact the e readers are now I am beginning to change my mind. although I do think they can exist side by side for a long time yet
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I always used to think that physical books were the only way, but when I see how lightweight and compact the e readers are now I am beginning to change my mind. although I do think they can exist side by side for a long time yet
I'm afraid that they're going to phase out physical books though because of online competition and easy downloading of digital copies. What happens when the older generations that prefer physical books die off and there's only the digital generations left that hardly even know what a book is? It's a distinct possibility in my opinion. The Encyclopedia Britannica has already stopped producing the print version of their books. Now granted their books are gigantic, not very user friendly compared to an online version, and kill a lot of trees, but it still seems like a sign of the times to me.
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I'm afraid that they're going to phase out physical books though because of online competition and easy downloading of digital copies. What happens when the older generations that prefer physical books die off and there's only the digital generations left that hardly even know what a book is? It's a distinct possibility in my opinion. The Encyclopedia Britannica has already stopped producing the print version of their books. Now granted their books are gigantic, not very user friendly compared to an online version, and kill a lot of trees, but it still seems like a sign of the times to me.
They stopped printing because the whole thing is extremely expensive, not nearly as up to date as things you can read online (and even if it was totally up to date when you buy it, it wouldn't be soon enough and you wouldn't want to buy everything all over again. And it's just slightly more accurate than Wikipedia.
Britanica was a bad fit for paper. I don't think that it not being printed anymore says anything about books disappearing.
And on the topic of disappearing, my favourite feature of the new books is that they don't have to go out of print anymore. They can always be downloaded (or pirated if the publisher is clueless and stops selling them) and for physical books we have print-on-demand which means that the book doesn't have to be printed until you order it (meaning you don't have to make a print run of thousands if you aren't sure to sell them all anymore).
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I also prefered the real book... then I bought the iPad 2 ... and since then I always read books in this digital form. Espacially for holiday trips with the airplane it's a lot better because of the weight. But only if you are not reading in the direct sun and having an anti-reflect foil on the screen.
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:3145 I love to have a real book in my hand.
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I'm afraid that they're going to phase out physical books though because of online competition and easy downloading of digital copies. What happens when the older generations that prefer physical books die off and there's only the digital generations left that hardly even know what a book is? It's a distinct possibility in my opinion. The Encyclopedia Britannica has already stopped producing the print version of their books. Now granted their books are gigantic, not very user friendly compared to an online version, and kill a lot of trees, but it still seems like a sign of the times to me.
They stopped printing because the whole thing is extremely expensive, not nearly as up to date as things you can read online (and even if it was totally up to date when you buy it, it wouldn't be soon enough and you wouldn't want to buy everything all over again. And it's just slightly more accurate than Wikipedia.
Britanica was a bad fit for paper. I don't think that it not being printed anymore says anything about books disappearing.
And on the topic of disappearing, my favourite feature of the new books is that they don't have to go out of print anymore. They can always be downloaded (or pirated if the publisher is clueless and stops selling them) and for physical books we have print-on-demand which means that the book doesn't have to be printed until you order it (meaning you don't have to make a print run of thousands if you aren't sure to sell them all anymore).
That's only while the infrastructure for digital books exists. Who says that it's going to be around forever? I mean...the world is ending in a few months. :tongue:
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That's only while the infrastructure for digital books exists.
It is. They're either going to be sold through legitimate channels or pirated but digital books don't disappear.
Who says that it's going to be around forever? I mean...the world is ending in a few months. :tongue:
Then the current infrastructure will endure until the end of the world.
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I am a Kindle nut, I read so much and adding another heavy book to my backpack doesn't make sense! Once I even went to an office supply store with a physical book so that they could convert it to PDF which I then uploaded to my Kindle.
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I am a Kindle nut, I read so much and adding another heavy book to my backpack doesn't make sense! Once I even went to an office supply store with a physical book so that they could convert it to PDF which I then uploaded to my Kindle.
Yeah that's why I like digital books for school. Those books are so heavy! I mostly read paperback novels though, so the weight isn't an issue for them usually.
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I admit that I have a Kindle program for my computer, and several books saved on disk and to my computer, but I prefer actual physical books. I actually have so many that my bookcase collapsed. Lol
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I admit that I have a Kindle program for my computer, and several books saved on disk and to my computer, but I prefer actual physical books. I actually have so many that my bookcase collapsed. Lol
Haha. You are a bibliophile indeed!
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I honestly like to have the actual thing in my hand. But sometimes, I will rather deal with the digital version of a book. Mainly because my vision is very bad to begin with... And the digital version allows me to make the font bigger.
Will admit that I do have some books on my computer... Mainly because I'm too cheap to actually buy the real thing... And well... Trying to save up money for The Great Gatsby because I want to watch the movie.
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We all like to have the physical thing in our hands. You can connect more when you have the paper and ink to make a book, and the raised grooves on a record to make sound. There is a disconnect with all that science in the way but you must agree that it is a huge benefit to be able to get so much more content with you at any time.
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Each time I'm buying more and more digital comic books. The sales on Comixology are very good and the "guided view" system that focus one panel at a time is very helpful (specially on smaller devies, like an iPhone).
And now companies like DC are publishing "digital-first" comics books, focusing mainly on digital platforms (even the art is formatted to fit a wide screen).
Of course I still buy physical editions, but the digital scheme seems more and more interesting to me.
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I am generally reading my books more on my iPhone, just because it's cheaper to do it that way. But if I have my preference, I'll take the physical book over the digital copies any day.
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I am generally reading my books more on my iPhone, just because it's cheaper to do it that way. But if I have my preference, I'll take the physical book over the digital copies any day.
Isn't it pretty difficult to see the words though on such a small screen? I feel like my eyes would get sore after awhile...
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My boss gave me a kindle the first week I started. I needed a book as a reference manual for C# (a programming language I hadn't used before) and he gave me a kindle instead with two books about C# on it. It was his old kindle. I've been using the kindle on the daily commute and it's been really handy for that, but I haven't bothered using it for the programming books. I found that I really needed something in my hand when programming and that I couldn't easily find what I needed using the books as a reference manual. Google was quicker and easier.
For my science books, I was faced with the decision as to whether to buy them on kindle or a hardcopy. With kindle I'd be more likely to read them than lugging around a large hardback in my handbag. But then I use my science books more like a library of knowledge than something I read from front to back. Ideally for those books I'd prefer both. Something I can put on the bookshelf and something I can put on the kindle to bring with me.
With fiction though I wouldn't hesitate to have it on a kindle.
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I needed a book as a reference manual for C# (a programming language I hadn't used before) and he gave me a kindle instead with two books about C# on it.
It's a bit of tangent but how did you like C#?
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I needed a book as a reference manual for C# (a programming language I hadn't used before) and he gave me a kindle instead with two books about C# on it.
It's a bit of tangent but how did you like C#?
It's better than I thought it would be. Quite simple and fast to do stuff with it although there are a few features that I find a bit odd. At least I don't have to use Spring anymore and I can't stand Eclipse so C# has that advantage. Although I haven't figured out how to stop it trying to second guess what variable name I am typing out and to 'helpfully' autcomplete it for me.
It's also the first time I've used a GUI designer and found it to be useful. I didn't like the ones that came with Qt or Borland C++. I prefer to use screen, vi and the command line. I really don't like IDEs and having to use a German keyboard makes development a lot slower.
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It's also the first time I've used a GUI designer and found it to be useful. I didn't like the ones that came with Qt or Borland C++. I prefer to use screen, vi and the command line. I really don't like IDEs and having to use a German keyboard makes development a lot slower.
I like Qt Designer quite a lot. It's the only GUI designer I actually like. It doesn't absolutely position things (like the one of Borland) and doesn't generate ad-hoc code that will break if modified by hand like the one of Microsoft. It doesn't even force colleagues to use IDEs, they just have to modify the UI files written in schema validated XML if they wish.
As for the keyboard, that's an issue for pretty much all of the non-English world. Most of us switch to the US layout to code.
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Kindle is certainly a huge boost to writers. Now we can publish what we want without worrying about getting an agent or a publisher. Its levelled the playing fields in the same way digital recording has for music, and its a fantastic development.
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Kindle is certainly a huge boost to writers. Now we can publish what we want without worrying about getting an agent or a publisher. Its levelled the playing fields in the same way digital recording has for music, and its a fantastic development.
And with all the money saved by not printing, we can afford to buy more books / make more impulse purchases which in the end, is better for authors too.
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Kindle is certainly a huge boost to writers. Now we can publish what we want without worrying about getting an agent or a publisher. Its levelled the playing fields in the same way digital recording has for music, and its a fantastic development.
And with all the money saved by not printing, we can afford to buy more books / make more impulse purchases which in the end, is better for authors too.
And the books are cheaper. Mine is less than £1, and I get a steady stream of sales.
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And the books are cheaper. Mine is less than £1, and I get a steady stream of sales.
So... Pretty much the same thing you'd get with a publisher after they take their cut, except you sell more of them?
Seems like a good deal. :)
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And the books are cheaper. Mine is less than £1, and I get a steady stream of sales.
So... Pretty much the same thing you'd get with a publisher after they take their cut, except you sell more of them?
Seems like a good deal. :)
I get published in the first place, without having to get an agent, without being told to change things to make it more accessible & commercial, etc. No bullshit, no nonsense. The only problem is I have to self publicise, which I seem to have done ok at.
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I like Qt Designer quite a lot. It's the only GUI designer I actually like. It doesn't absolutely position things (like the one of Borland) and doesn't generate ad-hoc code that will break if modified by hand like the one of Microsoft. It doesn't even force colleagues to use IDEs, they just have to modify the UI files written in schema validated XML if they wish.
Yeah I'm going to have to look at Qt Designer again I think. I started writing a GUI by hand but didn't really keep at it.
As for the keyboard, that's an issue for pretty much all of the non-English world. Most of us switch to the US layout to code.
In my last job we were supplied with a US keyboard. I might just end up buying a keyboard myself rather than carry on with the one that came with the new computer.
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In my last job we were supplied with a US keyboard. I might just end up buying a keyboard myself rather than carry on with the one that came with the new computer.
Why don't you set a layout that's different than what's written on the keys?
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The German layout actually has an extra key, which alters the layout around the enter button and creates a really tiny LShift. Which results in quite a few keys being not only mapped, but located differently. Mostly punctuation.
Interestingly, at my university, they supply an english-only OS in the computer pools to make it more accessible for international students from India, China and other countries, yet they still issue German keyboards.
I think your main problem is that you learned to type on English ones, though. Keys like tilde, backslash and pipe being behind the AltGr modifier are not bad if you learned to use that modifier, and dead keys only really matter for the caret, as other symbols that are also used as accent marks are pretty uncommon unless you do tons of SQL.
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I think your main problem is that you learned to type on English ones, though. Keys like tilde, backslash and pipe being behind the AltGr modifier are not bad if you learned to use that modifier, and dead keys only really matter for the caret, as other symbols that are also used as accent marks are pretty uncommon unless you do tons of SQL.
I learned to type on a French Canadian keyboard and think that it makes a huge difference. I really hate using AltGr all the time.
The German keyboard like all the other non-US keyboard is key-wise a superset of the US keyboard. So it's not really an issue to switch to US, all the keys are there (even if some are shorter).
Did you try coding with a US keyboard? You should try.
Also, it helps to set your layout switching per-application instead of globally that way you can have your IDE in US and browser in DE.
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I have always loved books. I can't really see myself leaving hard copies and turn towards digital ones. I like turning pages and I like the feel of a new book.
I have trouble reading stuff from my laptop, I can't keep up doing it for long periods of times since I will eventually get a migraine. A bad screen gives one even quicker, but I don't disregard it as not being useful. And it could possibly workout during lectures, since teachers leave their course material on the internet in pdf-form. And printing them work as long as my printingquota isn't reached. Which it is.
So:
Not against it, but I like my books better.
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Its rather interesting - I'm hearing many of the same kinds of arguments in favour of books that people made for vinyl records twenty years ago.
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I have trouble reading stuff from my laptop, I can't keep up doing it for long periods of times since I will eventually get a migraine. A bad screen gives one even quicker,
I have the same trouble now that I am more sensitive to light. I wouldn't even bother trying to use a tablet or laptop for reading books with an active display and I had the same worry as you when I heard about these devices. But a kindle is much easier on the eyes because it's not lit up. It's the same as a book in that you'd be straining your eyes if you were wanting to read it in the half light,.
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I still have triuble reading long texts on desktops or laptops. But I've became totally adapted to tablets, got no problems.
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I love books so much that I recently have had to come to terms with the fact that... Books take space. a lot of space. I have 3 bookshelves in my room and they're totally full. I have books piling up on tables and pretty much everywhere. I have taken a good look on Kindles and it seems really like a good buy. I'm thinking about it, it would help solve my space problem!
But there is absolutely no comparison between a beautiful binded book and a tablet.
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I love books so much that I recently have had to come to terms with the fact that... Books take space. a lot of space. I have 3 bookshelves in my room and they're totally full. I have books piling up on tables and pretty much everywhere. I have taken a good look on Kindles and it seems really like a good buy. I'm thinking about it, it would help solve my space problem!
But there is absolutely no comparison between a beautiful binded book and a tablet.
I have few piles on the floor too :azn: and I have tried to fill all available spaces on the bookshelf. But I find that there is something nice in being able to see all the books on the shelf, especially when you go to a friends house and see their bookshelf. You can see his or her reading history and preference in books.
Also, when I need multiple sourcebooks for a paper I can spread those books open on the floor in semicircular fashion.
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Digital. I never have to fumble with pages on the subway.
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Either is good depending on the situation. .. for example I really would have preferred paper books when I was reading in the jacuzzi and on the beach this week . Though as I was travelling the size and weight of a kindle is much more comfortable.
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I'm old school. I prefer physical books, CDs, DVDs etc. I also like browsing in stores, I think you can stumble across things whilst browsing, online also usually requires searches so you might miss out on something because you didn't know it existed to search for it :)
Plus there is nothing like the smell of a book :)
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Preferably old and used. I support the digitalization of books, but I wouldn't buy a Kindle till there's a better market for it. A good portion of the formats for some of these e-books is just horrid. I know it may be cheaper, but it's not even worth that price.
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I'm old school. I prefer physical books, CDs, DVDs etc. I also like browsing in stores, I think you can stumble across things whilst browsing, online also usually requires searches so you might miss out on something because you didn't know it existed to search for it :)
Plus there is nothing like the smell of a book :)
I agree about browsing and the smell of books... i have a romantic connection wuth physical books and will always continue to love a hard copy, particularly second hand book stores. However i think the convenience of digital books cannot be ignored.
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Definately physical. I don't know what it is about books, but reading text on a screen doesn't feel as good as reading a book.
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Definitely physical. I like having a book in my hands, smell the pages and turn them.
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I definitely understand the convenience of an e-reader but nothing can beat the feel of a physical book. The smell, the sound of the pages turning, and you can practically feel the weight of the words in your hands.
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Maybe I am oldschool but for me it is definitely physical. There is something special with holding the book in your hands. And I find it better to read paper versus reading on a screen. And my shelves looks much better with physical books
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As a counterpoint to all the recent "physical is better" posts, I am a whole-hearted convert to digital books. Convenient, built-in light (so I can read in the dark without disturbing my wife), and I can carry 10-15 books with me on vacation. Try lugging 4-5 heavy books in your luggage on vacation and you will change your mind quickly!
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Wow! I just learned a whole lot. I never knew the real difference. When I replace my current printer I am making that switch to laser printer. I'll have to check out that Calibre site. Does it convert to PDF for printing when I want physical pages?
To PDF, easily. But no tool can yet do a good job of converting *from* PDF.
Also, @Dan , which ereader do you recommend? I have one of the very early kindles without the QWERTY pad, and for that reason I hated it. How are the new ones? Or maybe some other brand is better?
Do you mean with the QWERTY pad? The first kindle looks like this:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle#mediaviewer/File:Amazon_Kindle_-_Wikipedia.jpg)
I had an early Kindle too.
I have a Kindle Paperwhite and I like it much better. The lack of a hard keyboard and side buttons makes it way more comfortable to hold without pressing anything by accident. The integrated backlight makes reading comfortable on the eyes no matter how bright or dark it is. The soft keyboard is a pain to use because it doesn't react nearly as quickly as a tablet and of course can't support sliding motions. That said, if you aren't taking much notes, it's not really a problem.
The only thing that I'd love that would really improve it is if the backlight could somehow set its own level due to ambiant light rather than have to set it to a comfy level every time you pick the kindle.
I also had a Kobo but it choked on many books (the device just crashed randomly every few pages), they refused to take bug reports (with details instructions to reproduce and the book as an attachement) and generally had a quite terrible support that invented excuses out of thin air. I hate that company and wish never to deal with it again.
Can't comment on nooks and others.
Also, e-ink devices are terrible with PDFs, you need a tablet for those.
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I'm definitely a physical book person. I like the idea of using less paper,(especially since I worked in a bookstore once, and books that didn't sell we're eventually destroyed. It was kind of heartbreaking)but you just can't beat the feel if a good book.
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The newer kindles are touch for note taking but the screen isn't as responsive as a tablet.
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I prefer physical books, I don't know how to work an Ipad
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I prefer the physical. There's nothing quite like sitting down and cracking open a book, thumbing through the pages, etc. There's a whole universe of sensations (tactile, auditory, olfactory (sometimes)) that you miss with a digital book. Of course, a single Kindle is a lot lighter than a library of paper books, but still.
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I prefer the physical. There's nothing quite like sitting down and cracking open a book, thumbing through the pages, etc. There's a whole universe of sensations (tactile, auditory, olfactory (sometimes)) that you miss with a digital book. Of course, a single Kindle is a lot lighter than a library of paper books, but still.
:3145
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I prefer the physical. There's nothing quite like sitting down and cracking open a book, thumbing through the pages, etc. There's a whole universe of sensations (tactile, auditory, olfactory (sometimes)) that you miss with a digital book.
:3145
Me as well!
The pleasure of opening a new book is incomparable :)
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Me as well!
The pleasure of opening a new book is incomparable :)
I'm currently opening a new book I acquired so I can't argue that physical books are great. However, I think they are only so in the comfort of your own home. On the go, they can be quite annoying and that's where e-reader with e-ink shine.
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I prefer physical books over digital. While digital had its chance to be unique by taking advantage of special features like internet links, video usage, or sounds (imagine reading about the rainforest and your e reader made those sounds on certain pages) they really don't compare to a physical book.
Physical books will win me over by being actually touchable (flipping through those pages), easy to use when I do research, being able to lent and borrow them to other people, and over the years of buying them makes your house look nice and educated.
All that being said I do enjoy using my Nook e reader. My nook book collection almost matches my physical book collection.
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I prefer physical books over digital. While digital had its chance to be unique by taking advantage of special features like internet links, video usage, or sounds (imagine reading about the rainforest and your e reader made those sounds on certain pages) they really don't compare to a physical book.
I would hate all of that.
Physical books will win me over by being actually touchable (flipping through those pages), easy to use when I do research, being able to lent and borrow them to other people, and over the years of buying them makes your house look nice and educated.
Ease of doing research and being easy to lend (just send a copy) are advantages of digital books IMHO.
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"Out of the home" I dont see much difference between carrying around a book or some electronic device seems about the same to me.
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I like the feel of the pages and the sound of the paper. That's the only difference to me
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i really like the feel of the paper between my fingers when i read, but thats just me. I have read a few books on my phone, but i prefer physical copies.
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i really like the feel of the paper between my fingers when i read, but thats just me. I have read a few books on my phone, but i prefer physical copies.
Reading on a phone is not a very enjoyable way to read ebooks.
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It is good enough for me. Then again, I do most of my reading on a screen.
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It is good enough for me. Then again, I do most of my reading on a screen.
Did you compare with alternatives?
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It is good enough for me. Then again, I do most of my reading on a screen.
Did you compare with alternatives?
I found it no worse than paper. Have not compared small tablets or e-paper readers since I have neither.
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Physical. I'm old school, to put it simple.
The only two books I have read in digital version are "Nothing to Envy", a book about memoirs of North Korean refugees (digital only); the other one is Bible (both printed and digital).
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I like both!
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Physical. Because I like having them on my shelf, to flip the pages and smell the 'new book scent'. Plus, staring at a screen is more tiring. But I respect who prefers digital, specially because of the lower price and the fact that they take less space.
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Both have there pros and cons. I like having a bookshelf with books that i can walk up to and just start reading.
I also like the convenience of having amazon kindle on my phone so I can read anytime.anywhere
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I always prefer a physical book, only have some work books in digital form. Nothing like holding a book and escaping into another world.
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This question is a great battle between my partner and I.
She prefers physical books, being able to smell and feel the paper. I much prefer to read books on my kindle - a lot more compact and easy to hold, and never have the issue of finishing a book on the train and having nothing to read for the rest of the journey.
This obviously makes it a bit difficult to read all of our books, as they are split between my kindle and the overflowing bookshelves :P
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I have both... And enjoyed reading my kindle. But finding hardcover books for $1.75 at the thrift store is fun. I can try new books I have not read with out feeling like I wasted money if I don't like it
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For travelling it's so much easier having a kindle. I'd say it's the best thing I've every bought myself, the one thing I get the most use out of.
That said, I still end up with tons of books - I just can't resist going into a book shop. And I can't resist buying. It keeps those book shops open though and I wouldn't want them to disappear.
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I think from a cost and storage point of view, digital is the way forward. I still like a real book now and then but mainly map/reference type books.
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For some reason, I can't seem to absorb the information I read on a screen as well. I'd much prefer a physical book.
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Digital. Even though I love the "feel" of a book in my hands, its just easier to read on my phone. Plus, I do not spend an hour looking for where I left my book, as it is always in my pocket.
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I prefer the paper.
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Will always prefer physical books. Did try reading books online, but somehow it doesn't feel the same as holding a book in your hands (like the magic is gone). Still very much love going to the library or bookstores (both new and second hand) to find books to read :smiley:
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Both :tongue:
I like both honestly. They both have their positives and negatives, but overall they're both good to use and do the job.
I however do not like and can't get into audio books. Only if they're extremely short.
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If its just pure text like your average fiction novel, I prefer digital. Its easier to hold a device for long periods of time in many positions than a physical book. The physical book has never stood out to me as part of a pleasant memory. However I have spent part of a 2 week power outage during an ice storm reading The Legend of Drizzt on my phone. Reading on the FBReader app, under all the blankets and sleeping bags I owned, is a pleasant memory. That I can reach out and snag almost any book I want off the internet is pretty appealing too.
If its a book with diagrams or pictures like a shop manual or how to book of some kind, I prefer a physical copy.
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I'm late to this thread, probably.
But just recently I bought a kindle, and it's definitely my favorite 'gadget' I've ever owned. Of course it's not the exact same as reading a physical book (especially because you can't hoard ebooks to keep on your shelf), however there are advantages, like being able to read before bed because of the lights, during trips because it's easy to carry, and also you can search for words and place bookmarks way more easily.
That being said, I still can't read on my phone pleasantly.
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Digital is far better to me, especially with a kindle. You can potentially take a huge amount of books with you at any time, all coming with features you couldn't get on a physical one. Only exception would be for comics, which just look better on paper.
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Audible lol. Really handy for someone who drives long distances and spends a lot of time on cardio machines due to terrible drivers in my neighborhood and not wanting to blow my joints out before I'm 50.
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I lean toward physical. I actually find it rather hard to read digital books. I find that the text is always smaller even on larger screens and I tend to "get lost" far more often when reading digital books. Now to be completely fair it may have to do with the fact that I'm supposed to have reading glasses and currently don't or it could be that I haven't found the right way for me to read digital books. On the note of audio books... well it's really hit or miss. I have to be doing something else while listening to an audio book or radio drama and even then if the voice acting isn't great it's gonna be a problem. Taking that into account most of the audio books I've personally listened to have been great. Overall I just prefer having having a book in my hands though.
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I prefer physical, can’t concentrate properly on a digital format, but I’m beginning to downsize, so I might have to go the ebook route out of convenience.
Still, majority of my currently owned books are art instructional books, so having physical versions are far more preferable. If only converting them to digital wasn’t such a pain...
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For travel, I use a Kindle to avoid lugging lots of books around, but otherwise I prefer a paper book. And for studying, I hate e-books because scrolling is never as easy as physically flipping back and forth, although having a search function is admittedly useful.
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For travel, I use a Kindle to avoid lugging lots of books around, but otherwise I prefer a paper book. And for studying, I hate e-books because scrolling is never as easy as physically flipping back and forth, although having a search function is admittedly useful.
Right! Studying with a digital book is just painful for me and I don't think I retain the information as well.
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For travel, I use a Kindle to avoid lugging lots of books around, but otherwise I prefer a paper book. And for studying, I hate e-books because scrolling is never as easy as physically flipping back and forth, although having a search function is admittedly useful.
Right! Studying with a digital book is just painful for me and I don't think I retain the information as well.
And digital becomes even more painful with books that have endnotes instead of footnotes (ugh). At least with phyisical books you can keep a finger on the page with the notes and flick back and forth easily, but with ebooks you often have to scroll and wait for it to load.
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For travel, I use a Kindle to avoid lugging lots of books around, but otherwise I prefer a paper book. And for studying, I hate e-books because scrolling is never as easy as physically flipping back and forth, although having a search function is admittedly useful.
Right! Studying with a digital book is just painful for me and I don't think I retain the information as well.
And digital becomes even more painful with books that have endnotes instead of footnotes (ugh). At least with phyisical books you can keep a finger on the page with the notes and flick back and forth easily, but with ebooks you often have to scroll and wait for it to load.
Yeah, endnotes are the absolute worst but I would argue even footnotes can be pretty bad, depending on the exact formatting of course.
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into vacations i have my kindle, at home i like more paperbooks
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I can get most books for free on my phone and I always have that. I don't like carrying unnecessary weight.
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Physical, I love the smell of paper and I like to browse them
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Without a doubt physical over digital. Digital doesn't offer the same tactile feel as holding a device. Hardcover, when affordable, feels even better then paperback.
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I used to be a big fan of physical books (I still am) and only used ebook for those I couldn't get the physical copies. However, in the last 2 years, I find out that with ebooks, I can read more efficiently. I use my kindle and smart phone to read in parallel. But on holiday, I tend to use the kindle as the battery last longer.
Also, on trips to naked places, I usually read with kindle to avoid the trouble with people thinking I'm trying to take any unsolicited photos.
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I enjoy book in my and I have tried to use a kindle but disliked it. My siblings on the other hand enjoy reading from there kindles.
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Way easier to read a physical book, but easier to get ahold of ebooks. Especially now.
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I prefer my Kindle it is just a lot more convenient.
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For me it depends on where I'm reading. If it's at home, definitely digital. I can adjust the screen brightness, easily bookmark and highlight things etc. If I'm somewhere like the beach, definitely physical. It doesn't risk getting damaged, loss of battery, and just easier to handle and see.
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I used to think physical books were the only way to go, but ever since getting an e-reader I can tell you it's a lot easier to bring it onto a train while traveling vs what might be a heftier book. One major set back/advantage is how much easier it is to buy books immediately on your e-reader. Gonna hurt my wallet if I'm not careful.
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Gotta say, my mind has been changed, somewhat. I recently got my grandma's old Kindle 4 (not back lit, no touch screen) and I've got to say that using that might be my favorite way to read. It's easy on my eyes and there's enough customization that I never have a problem with fonts being too small. It's also super light despite being larger than a phone, so it's super convenient. I still wouldn't want to use it to read textbooks, TTRPG books, or anything you have to flip back and forth in a lot. But, for my novels and light novels it's great.
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I do not like reading book digitally at all
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Digital is way more affordable and convenient for me right now but I’d read physical books any moment I can right now.
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Physical whenever possible
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I have never read a digital book. Always physical. Currently I am reading Isaac Asimov's foundation series.
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Physical :).
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Both, we have a lot of books here and I do like to read them, if I need something fr school or something I will go digital
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I have a kindle and it is good to read, but I do still like actual books most of the time
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I read books both digital and physical, it depends on the availability. I don't have a special book reader device, and would never buy a kindle because I don't like the way amazon acts and that amazon destroys the local shops.
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@Borter I agree that Amazon kills local economies and puts local people out of jobs
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I prefer the iPad... easier, physical books for the coffee table.
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digital books are more affordable and modern, but i'll always prefer physical books - especially ones i own myself. there's just something so authentic and satisfying about them.
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digital books are more affordable and modern, but i'll always prefer physical books - especially ones i own myself. there's just something so authentic and satisfying about them.
I think it's the tactile sensation of holding the book and turning the pages.
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I do prefer physical books. I hate reading in digital platforms.
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I always preferred physical books, but more recently I've actually turned to audiobooks. I know some purists will hate that. But I have huge drives and I prefer to get information from books or podcasts over just listening to the radio.
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I have a kindle for emergencies, like when I travel and I run out of books, but I find if I read on it, I don't remember what I read, and I normally remember a lot. I think it has to do with visual memories
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I prefer physical books. Reading them does not make the same big effort to the eyes like reading a digital book.
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I prefer physical. I have trouble reading lots of text on a screen. Short messages and emails fine but scrolling through long letters, instructions and books I prefer to look down a page I’m holding in my hand
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Most definitely physical books. I have tried listening to books but like others here say, I cannot get into them in the same way - especially with a narrator who I have maybe seen in film or television - that really confuses things!
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Physical is cool but when you travel, it is clearly better to use a device that allow you to read ebook.
Its more practical (less bulky and heavy)
In some device, you can amso have a dictionnary inside, and it can be very usefull !
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Physical is cool but when you travel, it is clearly better to use a device that allow you to read ebook.
Its more practical (less bulky and heavy)
In some device, you can amso have a dictionnary inside, and it can be very usefull !
I love e ink readers.
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Comics and manga have always been a digital read for me, so transitioning to buying digital from scanlations has been fairly smooth.
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Before actually having to be on my computer for hours everyday, I would have said digital for sure.
But now my eyes really get tired of watching a screen so I would definitely say physical.
*I guess that with a proper digital reading device it would be much better, but i do not have one atm.
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maybe i sound old but i find it easier to read if i have a physical book
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I like the feel of physical books and I like having an actual bookshelf full of books. One thing I do like about digital books though is if you don't know a word you can just highlight it to look it up. I sometimes listen to audiobooks when I go to bed too.
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I love physical books, but atm im reading so much I am using more digital, as they are much cheaper and more easily obtainable
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I like the feel of physical books and I like having an actual bookshelf full of books. One thing I do like about digital books though is if you don't know a word you can just highlight it to look it up. I sometimes listen to audiobooks when I go to bed too.
It always feels like I'm living in the future when the book quotes something in a different language, and I can just highlight it and tell the e-reader to translate it for me
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Don't know if I posted here but if I did my answer's this: I prefer holding a book but the Ebooks are a nice alternative.
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I do like reading paper books but I read a lot on the kindle just to save space.
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Physical! There's so much more to a book than just text, it's haptics, smell and weight, too.
I feel that reading on my kindle app is not as immersive - it's useful during vacation, though.
But whenever possible I prefer physical objects to data.
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I’d rather hold a physical book
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I’d rather hold a physical book
Same here. I get the practicality of digital books. Sure, it's easier - you can hold hundreds, nay thousands, many more on a device, but it's not the same when it's a physical book. I'm not sure how to explain it, it's just better.
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I’d rather hold a physical book
Same here. I get the practicality of digital books. Sure, it's easier - you can hold hundreds, nay thousands, many more on a device, but it's not the same when it's a physical book. I'm not sure how to explain it, it's just better.
Even looking at a screen that has been set up to mimic looking at paper you’re still looking at a lit screen.
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I’d rather hold a physical book
Same here. I get the practicality of digital books. Sure, it's easier - you can hold hundreds, nay thousands, many more on a device, but it's not the same when it's a physical book. I'm not sure how to explain it, it's just better.
Even looking at a screen that has been set up to mimic looking at paper you’re still looking at a lit screen.
Literally this. It's more difficult for me to get interested in a book if I'm reading it on a device. Here's me saying this when I don't read many books. Still better tho lmao
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I’d rather hold a physical book
Same here. I get the practicality of digital books. Sure, it's easier - you can hold hundreds, nay thousands, many more on a device, but it's not the same when it's a physical book. I'm not sure how to explain it, it's just better.
Even looking at a screen that has been set up to mimic looking at paper you’re still looking at a lit screen.
Literally this. It's more difficult for me to get interested in a book if I'm reading it on a device. Here's me saying this when I don't read many books. Still better tho lmao
Funny that, I don’t read many either…. What else do we have in common? 😂 jk lol
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Recently, I've got around the Digital vs Physical problem by reading an ebook when I'm out and about, a physical book at home and an audio book at work. It sometimes takes a second to remember going on in each book, but so far its been working well.
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For me, since I travel a lot during vacations, I do prefer digital just for the sake of convenience. I’m also a minimalist so it’s great to not have shelves of books! But, there’s just something about holding a physical book that always makes me read one of those every now and then.
Right now, I use a kindle, and I really like how it opens right up to the last book I was reading
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Physical
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I definitely prefer digital books, it's just easier as I can take my phone anywhere with me, a physical book not so much. It's also much more comfortable to read on the phone in public transport.
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I've always been a physical book guy personally, but I think that mostly stems from the fact that I like to collect books, which isn't as... Satisfying when your collection is just a couple megabytes on a digital device. From an actually reading point of view though, I'd definitely prefer the convenience of a digital book.
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Physical, it's just so much nicer to be able to hold onto a book
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physical. i can't get into digital books
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Physical too. I've noticed that I end up remembering more when reading a "proper" book. I also like the smell.
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Physical too. I've noticed that I end up remembering more when reading a "proper" book. I also like the smell.
Hmm so long as the books new or been looked after not so much when it’s been through so many greasy hands or smelly homes lol
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Physical books are best!
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I find that the sensation of picking up a book - whether it is hardback or paperback trumps any form of ebook device hands down.
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I love physical books, its nicer, and more tactile and they don't even require batteries. However, books are expensive and take up space. You can't pirate a physical book. So some books that I want to have on my shelf I buy, otherwise I tend to get them from libgen of zlib.
Also, one aspect is collecting them, I like to have a little curated library. It's a nice way to show off what books you like and lend one to a friend. One of my dreams is to have a library/study.
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I much prefer reading and writing in real books. I can more easily process everything I read if I'm holding the book in my hand.
Writing by hand is also far better than writing something down on my phone, I can more easily remember it.
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Physical hands down, like holding a book, seeing books on a shelf, and with smartphones we are always looking at a screen so it it nice to not have to look at one. Good excuse for a screen break
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I find physical books a lot better for staying focused, but my course needs a lot of books that are very expensive to get a physical copy of so I read a lot of books digitally these days
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I definitely enjoy reading a physical book over digital.
However, with that being said, my job requires me to maintain a large number of manuals and publications which are frequently revised, and updated. I'm very thankful that they are all digital because all I have to do when an update is issued is hit the sync button and it's all taken care of. Likewise, I always have to carry these manuals, and having them digital makes it MUCH easier. If not for that I'd be hauling another 30-40 pounds worth of books/papers around.
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I would rather read an actual book, I hate reading off a screen.
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the main disadvantage to physical (well, paperback) books, as much as i love them, is the sheer horror and dread of putting them in a bag with other things and knowing it might get creased for the first time
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I'm not much of a reader but when I read I prefer paper because on my phone or computer I can get easily distracted and that's not that cool yk?
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the main disadvantage to physical (well, paperback) books, as much as i love them, is the sheer horror and dread of putting them in a bag with other things and knowing it might get creased for the first time
Oh I know! That first crease in a new book sucks. But then you can relax and it doesn't matter so much. Well that's how I find it lol.
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Kindle>paper>tablet.
Tablets are horrible for reading because LCDs put too much strain on my eyes, and as others have mentioned they have notifications and other distractions. An e-reader is much better since it uses an EPD instead of LCD and don't have any distractions. Paper is nice and all but they're not very durable and they take up space that I could use for something else.
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Books all the way no question. Although e-readers are better for travelling when I can't take a suitcase full of books
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at home i like the paper but on the go kindles are just to convenient.
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In my experience, every time I try to read on my phone at least, I cannot read without closing the app and moving onto something else within 15 minutes.
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i love my Kindle to read everywhere i can
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i love physical books :) The feeling, the smell :smiley:
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I prefer physical books. Not a fan of audiobooks either, I find it hard to concentrate if I can't see the words myself.
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I prefer physical books. Not a fan of audiobooks either, I find it hard to concentrate if I can't see the words myself.
agreed, so easy to zone out
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I dont really read :confused
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I struggle to read physical books but Spotify have released thousands of audiobooks, I might give it a go.
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I'll admit, i've transitioned over to Audible and Ebooks....
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For 2 years, I've been using our local library's online service - through an app, I can borrow and return e-books at any time. Since then, I've been reading a lot more, almost exclusively on my tablet.
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Paper for me.
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The library near me doesn't carry manga so I'm always reading on my phone. Paper books help me pay attention though. The one notification and the ADHD goes crazy
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Physical is the only way for me!
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I'm somewhere in the middle. I like the convenience of digital books, when i go on vacation it's much more practical to bring a single e-reader instead of 50 books. But the books that i absolutely love, that are my favorites, i buy in physical form. Because physical books have some sort of class and a collection of books looks way more interesting than an e-reader.
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definitely physical for me. I find it so much harder to concentrate on digital text plus I love just owning physical copies
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I like the tactile feel of holding the book and turning the pages
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Physics books are the only way I can concentrate.
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Physics books are the only way I can concentrate.
i too love physics books
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I mainly read in phisical books but the digital option gives you a a lot of offer.
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Ebooks. Saves on space.