The Value of Books
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- Miesfan0
Well ... the book smells. I can take notes in the margins, and sometimes, draw pictures. Normally, working without electricity. The definition of types and images is exquisite. Work with any browser. And I remember quickly what the bastard who did not return.
- Dodecahedron0
I'd hate to study out of a ebook. I'd also hate to read in bed at night with a ebook or else I'd become an insomniac. Looking at screens all the time is just not good for you.
- is staring at a book really better for you than staring at a kindle?Milan
- raf0
Ebooks we have today are a nicely crafted scam.
Their prices are only a little lower than print editions. At the same time, their delivery cost is substantially lower than paper books' and you don't get half of the value you did with paper.
You don't own the book you get from Amazon like you own paper books. You borrow them from Amazon, they can always revoke the book from your reader if they decide to censor it or fuck up its licensing. You cannot lend your books to people (well you "can" now on Amazon: each book once and only for two weeks). You cannot give them to people after you've read them and you cannot resell them.
You're not really buying a book, you are buying the right to read it.
- <scarabin
- lame.Dodecahedron
- Its like they actually want us to get them from torrents instead.Dodecahedron
- hargbine0
^disagree that books will become a niche object. Primary market maybe with better quality content for newly printed books, but the secondary market is not going to become niched.
you don't really need anything else in order to read a book (except maybe light.)
you don't need a gadget/computer/ipad/iphone/what...
you don't have to charge them.
you don't have to read through them through some other gadget interface/screen.
- Milan0
I prefer ebooks, but there are rare exceptions. If it's a timeless, beatifully designed and printed book, that smells, feels and tastes? good then of course I'd prefer the printed version.
- gramme0
Typography in ebooks is (thus far) horrible. And until we have true high resolution screens, there's no contest when it comes to legibility. Additionally, on an iPad the reading experience is somewhat tense because of the back-lit screen.
That said, I don't think ebooks will go away; they'll continue to evolve. The compact nature of such a device and storage system is attractive, even to a print fiend like myself.
But when it comes to design, production techniques, and real live paper, I don't think the ebook will ever be able to touch the keepsake quality of an old-fashioned book.
I suppose it comes down to why people buy books. I only buy printed books these days if they're beautiful. I'll download the ebook if the print edition is ugly, or if it's free (e.g. I'm reading The Count of Monte Cristo right now on my iPad b/c it was free via iTunes).
- ETM0
IMO eBooks are best for disposable, quick reads like newspapers, magazine or even pop culture books etc. that I won't want or care about in a month or year. When it comes to a good book, I want it on my shelf. I want to touch it and physically turn the pages. It doesn't matter if its an art or photography book, or just fiction, if its worth revisiting, I want the real thing.
- Not to mention the eye problems that will come to long exposures of LED, LCD lightsVikingKingEleven
- Readers like the Kindle use eInk, not LCD screens.ETM
- akrok0
just checked the book market, it gone down 994 points. still doing pretty good. buy now, make a sharp cut.
- maquito0
Ecstasy?
- VikingKingEleven0
Books will become very valuable.
As energy becomes more scarce and expensive a revert back to old technology will flourish.
- hmm, if you don't have enough energy to power a kindle, reading will be the least of your prioritiesMilan
- neonspice0
I mean, since Bibles were the first form of printed media (not counting the Chinese) since Guttenberg's invention, can you imagine people using eBibles in church either on a Kindle or an iPad?
"Now flip to Corinthians 1:13"
*swipes finger over iPad- they already do. now it's possible to ctrl+F a passage.sseo
- imbecile0
fact: cds are of better quality than the mp3s sold through high volume retailers such as itunes, amazon etc...
- CanHasQBN0
i bought five books yesterday. weee.
coming from a print background, there's something nice about the feel of paper in my hand, and i like the cool cover designers. plus, books look good on a shelf. and that's it.
- cover designs*CanHasQBN
- That is why print design will never die, nor books. Magazines, flyers, junk mail yes but not quality speciality printingVikingKingEleven
- imbecile0
fact: many popular blogs have been converted into printed books, for instance "Things White People Like."
- shit my dad saysPixter
- That last one is a TV show too...I think.WrappedInBooks
- raf0
Having said the above ^^^^^^ I would buy my Kindle again, if only for free classics and free worldwide 3G internet it comes with.
- moIdero0
"will anyone care if I took all the lolcat images from icanhascheezburger.com"
icanhascheezburger.com might care i guess.