Are books obsolete...?

[Wavie]

Just really a general question...?

My friend has always told me how ebooks are the way forward.

However I recently tried to read an ebook that I ordered off of amazon (instead of the normal book that i normally by), my findings were not the most pleasent.

Sore neck from leaning forward to long, my eyes became sore and started to water from reading off the computer screen for long periods of time.

However there must be some sort of other benefits from using ebooks eh =)?

No waste of paper one might think =)

Anyway I thought it would be interesting to see the online communities view on books and whether or not they are obsolete (or if will be in the future.)

Heh out of interest if you choose books or ebooks - can I ask why you think one is better =) cause I unfortunetly cannot think of many fors for either... im sure we all get bored sometimes, so making a post like this becomes interesting for most eh

[HoboGod]

Ebooks are wonderful and all (I have thousands,) but it doesn't beat the feeling of having a REAL book in front of you. The rituals involved with reading a real book have as great of an impact as the words inside them. Just like how DVDs will never replace theators because the rituals of going to the movies are so deep, the same is true of books.

[kj1980]

While eBooks will save publishing costs, you won't get those limited edition stuff that are premiums online. It's those types of things that still makes actually owning the book in your hands.

[DaFool]

electronic text and images are best for short articles and quick encyclopedic knowledge. For longform information such as novels and manga compilation nothing beats a physical copy. Just like a big screen theater is optimal for longform films when compared to shorts on a portable.

[sorvani]

eBooks fail until the eInk comes into it's 3rd generation..

for reference:
Sony Librie - First Gen, only available in Japan. I imported one a year ago.
Sony Reader - Second Gen
Iliad - Second Gen (no wiki so link to mfg.)
Hanlin V2/V8 - Second Gen (no wiki so link to mfg.)

[Secca]

I don't know if e-books wil replace papers in the future or not. But I'm one of those people who take pleasure in going to bookstores or libraries and get myself lost in a world of books. I love the feel of the papers under my fingers when I open one and browse the pages. I take my time reading and finding what book I want to read. Then I would find a comfortable spot, just sit down and read. For hours and hours. - aah it's just pure bliss for me. ~_~

I don't think it will be quite the same experience when reading e-books. So I hope paper books never be outdated. Beside what would Yomiko do if paper books were obsolete? >_<;;

[sorvani]

Originally Posted by Secca

Beside what would Yomiko do if paper books were obsolete? >_<;;

there are always government forms (in triplicate)

[Tommy]

Paperback books will never be obsolete.

[Kamui4356]

E-books just can't compete with the real thing. You never have to worry about recharging a book's batteries. Not to mention the problem with eye strain when reading long passages. Plus it just feels like something is lost. I don't like reading manga scanlations on a computer, but it can't compare to how much I hate reading novels on a computer. I want the book in my hands, not an electronic reader. The only thing I like about e-books is, you don't need as many shelves to keep your collection.

I just hope they never completely replace real books, even if they become the perfered means of reading at some point. After all, if there are only digital copies of something, we can never be 100% sure it wasn't altered for whatever reason. Though that might just be me being paranoid.

[KaneDragon]

In the future... the information will be pumped directly into your braaaiiiinnn.... o.o

Of course, this will be a moot point when the robots rise up against humanity...

[raikage]

Originally Posted by Kamui4356

After all, if there are only digital copies of something, we can never be 100% sure it wasn't altered for whatever reason. Though that might just be me being paranoid.

You can say the same thing about paper books.

Editors can change stuff before printing.

Oh, and I also think books are a long way from being obsolete. Can't exactly curl up on the couch with a notebook computer and comfortably read something shooting light at your eyes (or at least you shouldn't).

[SeekAndDestroy]

i like the convenience of e-books, the idea that i can take a media player, or even a palm with me and keep many many books, not to mention manga and others is very nice... however everything that has been said so far against e-books stands it doesn't feel the same. I would have to say though, the thing that i can't stand the least about e-books are it's complicated licenses and copyrights, the last thing i need is to feel like i have to put up with stuff sony- bgm style when i want to read a book... lame...

[sorvani]

i agree with all the people posting about reading on PDA's & laptops & computers. that IS eye strain.

but eInk is completely different. reading on my librie is all but the same as reading from a book. The eInk screen is nothing like anything else you've ever electronically read on before.

as for battery life, i easily get 2-3 books out of one set of batteries on my librie.

[Kamui4356]

Originally Posted by raikage

You can say the same thing about paper books.

Editors can change stuff before printing.

I don't think you got what I meant. If everything is digital, it would be a simple matter, in theory, of having an updater that will edit out anything ''subversive'' in existing works or altering them to better reflect the current political ideology.

Of course, like I said it's just me being paranoid. It may be simple in theory, but it would likely be very difficult in practice. There's always going to be someone who transfers e-books onto a seperate, completely off-line system, and anal computer geeks that insist on not letting their systems do anything without their knowledge. Not to mention the technical challanges of getting such a system to work. They would have to alter the data, and do so without anyone knowing. I doubt could be done for more than a week before being exposed. I know it's not very likely to happen, but still I'd feel better if there was a law forbidding the government from manipulating electronic data for such purposes. As if a law would stop them.

[Retsoor]

It isn't just about the feel of a good book, it's the smell too! Honestly, how many of you can say you don't sniff your books? I sure know I do.

Then there's the physical existence of the books. I don't want my books stored in some memory bank, they have got to be in a shelf, or scattered around the house, so you can bask in their blinding glory.

Finally, definitive editions. Hunting for a fair-priced copy of a '39 signed and illustrated book of which only 50 were made? Even that'd be obsolete.

[Xellos-_^]

Theres nothing better then digging through your library to find a book to read. You don't ge tthat fleeing with ebooks. Ebooks have thier place since they are very convenient to carry but you can beat reading form a actual book.

[Ebichuman]

I'd much rather have paperbacks than ebooks. The eye strain is distracting, it keeps me from really getting into the book. Plus the fact paperbacks are easy to carry around. I just keep a book in a pocket in my jacket and flip it open whenever I have some time.

Oh, and don't forget. What would people do who want to appear really smart and important without bookshelves full of encyclopedia's and philosophy books?

[Sofu]

Until ebooks feel and read like real books, I'll continue to prefer real books. Not to say I don't like ebooks. Convenience and storage are definite benefits. But a real book is a simple device. It's user-friendly. Some books have pictures next to their text. Some have text over pictures. Real books can be different sizes. Some have inserts or fold-out extras. And who ever heard of a pop-up ebook?

I like the versatility of real books. I like the cover art. I like the feel of the pages and how different kinds of books use different paper stock to help convey their messages. I like that if I fall asleep while reading a real book, I don't have to worry about its battery running low. I like that if I'm reading a real book in a public area, it might start a conversation with a total stranger because they recognize the cover. I like the memories that come just from picking up a book I enjoyed reading.

Besides, how do you get the author's signature on an ebook? Just doesn't work.

[Aoie_Emesai]

I don't mind the ebooks if it can help me on my project ^_^.

[lavielove]

Originally Posted by Retsoor

It isn't just about the feel of a good book, it's the smell too! Honestly, how many of you can say you don't sniff your books? I sure know I do.

I sniff mangas too The scent of books that is.What I like about books over ebooks is that I can take them around where ever I go and show my friends easily ,like "See, this is the character I'm talking about" and such.No extra equipment require for me to mess up with.or otherwise,there are only a handful of people would buy mangas.Ebooks are also good coz sometimes getting a book which I like to read in a library or a bookstore is taking much more times than reading that book.

Another one thing is the life-span of the books mostly depend on the book owner, and life-span of the ebooks absolutely depend on the electronic equipments that is stored.