The Future of Books

[Kegg]

The Kindle is a life-saver, to be honest.

I'm vaguely paranoid, in the sense that whenever I go on holiday I want to have more books on hand then I can possibly read in the time given, just to be sure I never run out.

In practice this meant having a few thick volumes as carry-on luggage in a bag prepared for that function.

Now?

Well. Quite.

To be honest I've read books digitally about as long as I can remember - I used to download public domain books (first read Paradise Lost on a laptop and Dracula on a PC screen) all the time. The Kindle is sort of the next logical extension for me, although I don't think I'll part with my unpragmatically large pile of books anytime soon.

Despite this, I don't think I'll stop buying actual books simply because there's something about browsing in a bookstore that I've never tired of. I have no idea why this is and it's certainly not a rational feeling.

 

[Starkers]

The Kindle is a life-saver, to be honest.

I'm vaguely paranoid, in the sense that whenever I go on holiday I want to have more books on hand then I can possibly read in the time given, just to be sure I never run out.

In practice this meant having a few thick volumes as carry-on luggage in a bag prepared for that function.

Now?

Well. Quite.

Hmm, I can see the logic of that, especially if you're going away for several weeks to somewhere that might not have a book shop, but personally I'd be more paranoid about taking an expensive electical appliance away with me than a few cheap books.

 

[Kegg]

Hmm, I can see the logic of that, especially if you're going away for several weeks to somewhere that might not have a book shop,

Or to be specific a book shop in my langauge.

but personally I'd be more paranoid about taking an expensive electical appliance away with me than a few cheap books.

That's... not why I was paranoid about the books. It's not paranoia over being stolen, but being finished, which meant I'd have a bag specifically consigned to have books in it.

I can carry the same amount of books - more, really - on a Kiindle, and it damages my back a little less.

 

[Saga]

I will always and only buy real, physical books until the day I die. And that's a fact.

same here.

 

[RandyS]

Hell, 100 years from now paper itself might not even be around anymore.

And that's actually an interesting thought, too. Do you think there will be a time when people stop learning how to write?

Considering how people text, and junk like leet speak, I'm sure people have forgotten how to write.

And considering how often people text, you'd expect the reverse to be true.

It's ironic when you think about it.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Since getting my iPad I am reading more books than I used to. The main reason for this is I can choose a larger font size which means I am no longer suffering from headaches caused by eyestrain from reading print that is too small.

I am still buying printed books especially art books, books about wildlife, and some fiction that isn't available as digital form.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Since getting my iPad I am reading more books than I used. The main reason for this is I can choose a larger font size which means I am no longer suffering from headaches caused by eyestrain from reading print that is too small.

I am still buying printed books especially art books, books about wildlife, and some fiction that isn't available as digital form.

Me too.

I've always been very susceptible to migraines which is never meshed well with my love of spending long hours on end reading.

I often check out large print books from the library, but it's usually hard to find stuff I really want to read.

My nook has been a blessing.

However, I'm one of those people whose love of books is due in part to the tactile contact and "smell" of the experience--something complete absent in an e-reader.

I am also one of those people who is very cautious and concerned over the global digital migration. As such, the irony of my large e-library of dystopian fiction is not lost on me.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I don't usually have a problem with print size, but the book I'm reading now is driving me crazy. I have to actually take off my glasses and hold it up to my face to be able to read it.

 

[Captain Shaw]

If your e-reader gets damaged, can you re-download the E-books that were on it for free?

 

[CorporalClegg]

IDK, but you can store them on a hard/flash drive.

 

[Snaploud]

If your e-reader gets damaged, can you re-download the E-books that were on it for free?

All my e-books can be re-downloaded as much as needed (via my amazon.com or baen.com account). A damaged or stolen e-reader is an annoyance, but it's not the end of the world. The prices have dropped considerably, and I have a replacement plan for a broken device.

 

[Professor Zoom]

If your e-reader gets damaged, can you re-download the E-books that were on it for free?

Yes. Barnes and Noble has it stored in the "cloud." And many of my e-books I've gotten for free (public domain books) I have backed up on my computer, which also backs up to the cloud.

 

[Unicron]

My favorite statement on all this occurred in an NCIS episode a couple years back. Ziva and Tony are panicking because their Internet connection had gone down, and they were asking if there was some way they could keep up with the news without the Internet. And then Gibbs slaps a newspaper down on the desk in front of them.

It's an interesting subject, and one I think about myself sometimes. I don't own an e-reader at present, and I've always had a fondness for traditional books, but I might get there eventually. I think cultcross made a good point about the major issue for bookstores being advancements in online purchasing. Some people like me will likely buy at the local store whenever we find something good, but others will simply use Amazon and related vendors because of the convenience. Both are a good way to get stuff.

 

[Nerd unRage]

I still love physical books. I love the joy of going to the library or book store and browsing through the sections. It's easier for me then going to Amazon or some other website and finding a book. I do own a Kindle thanks to my brother-in-law who gave me his old since he had upgraded to the newest one. I've downloaded a ton of free books, mainly the classics, but it just hasn't had much of an appeal for me yet. I like being able to make the font size bigger (migraines are terrible things), but I find myself unable to stay focused for long periods of time.

I went to Powell's in Portland back in July and it was the best part of my trip to Portland. I could seriously see myself spending just an entire weekend and several hundreds of dollars just there and being completely happy doing it. Can't say the same for downloading a bunch of books.

 

[Skywalker]

I love physical books, and I don't think I'll ever stop buying them in special cases. But I'm thinking about finally getting an e-reader next year simply for convenience's sake. I have so many books that I literally have stacks of them lying on top of my bookshelves because I have nowhere else to put them.

 

[Snaploud]

It's nice to know that my e-books are easily re-downloadable even if my apartment was robbed or burned to the ground.

 

[Goliath]

I love physical books, and I don't think I'll ever stop buying them in special cases. But I'm thinking about finally getting an e-reader next year simply for convenience's sake. I have so many books that I literally have stacks of them lying on top of my bookshelves because I have nowhere else to put them.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

I have Kindle for PC, at work, in my office, and I've started buying e-books: IIRC, the first one I bought was Stephen Greenblatt's The Swerve. And I'm planning to get myself an e-reader for Christmas.

But as other people have indicated, shopping online is just not the same as browsing in a brick-and-mortar bookstore. Online booksellers are a great way to find what you're looking for, but bookstores are a better way to discover books you've never heard of.

 

[Starbreaker]

I still go to Barnes & Noble, look around, take pictures of barcodes of books that I want, have a chocolate chip drink thing at Starbucks, and then buy what I want for my ereader.

 

[Unicron]

Is there any particular cost advantage to download an electronic version of a given book, or is the e-version about the same in terms of price? Just curious.

 

[Starbreaker]

They're mostly the same in price. If you buy used books, you're definitely getting an advantage price wise with physical books.