Comments on: The Future of the Book http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/ Aha! Now we see the violence inherent in the system! Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:39:43 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Jason Cross http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/#comment-2668 Jason Cross Tue, 05 May 2009 02:52:01 +0000 http://chartroose.wordpress.com/?p=435#comment-2668 Great article. I think that you hit on some good points. I know that I am in the market for an e-book reader because of all the dust that my collection grabs. I would like to gradually eliminate some of these book shelves and just carry my books around. I have no doubt that the future lies in e-book readers. Great article. I think that you hit on some good points. I know that I am in the market for an e-book reader because of all the dust that my collection grabs. I would like to gradually eliminate some of these book shelves and just carry my books around. I have no doubt that the future lies in e-book readers.

]]> By: Nymeth http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/#comment-379 Nymeth Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:12:50 +0000 http://chartroose.wordpress.com/?p=435#comment-379 The transition from paper books to electronic devices such as the kindle is something I have extremely mixed feelings about. On the one hand, I love paper books. The way they feel, the way they smell, their weight when I hold them, the texture of the pages, everything. On the other hand, trees. So even though a part of me welcomes the transition, another knows I would really miss paper books. I think the change will be a slow one, though...it'll probably take a generation or two. I do wonder how the bookstores of the future will be. I love going into a bookstore and browsing, and browsing e-books online instead is not quite the same for me. I suspect that paper books will probably only disappear completely if we the environmental situations gets to such an extreme that there is simply no other solution. For now, there ARE other solutions (Ecolibris, recycling, etc), so I hope that things never get to that extreme. But who knows. In the meantime, I'm glad you're happy with your kindle! The transition from paper books to electronic devices such as the kindle is something I have extremely mixed feelings about. On the one hand, I love paper books. The way they feel, the way they smell, their weight when I hold them, the texture of the pages, everything. On the other hand, trees. So even though a part of me welcomes the transition, another knows I would really miss paper books.

I think the change will be a slow one, though…it’ll probably take a generation or two. I do wonder how the bookstores of the future will be. I love going into a bookstore and browsing, and browsing e-books online instead is not quite the same for me.

I suspect that paper books will probably only disappear completely if we the environmental situations gets to such an extreme that there is simply no other solution. For now, there ARE other solutions (Ecolibris, recycling, etc), so I hope that things never get to that extreme. But who knows. In the meantime, I’m glad you’re happy with your kindle!

]]> By: chartroose http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/#comment-378 chartroose Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:07:12 +0000 http://chartroose.wordpress.com/?p=435#comment-378 Thanks to everyone for your responses! Swimanog -- I prefer paper format too, and perhaps the two will coexist. That would be ideal. Where can I borrow a copy of your thesis? I'd love to read it. Whitney -- If you buy a Kindle, let me know what you think. I'm not paying for it, though! Do you think I'm made of money?( : Lisa -- Yes, I can read on my Kindle with my glasses off, but not for long because my eyes get fatigued and everything gets all blurry again. Drats! Litlove -- No, I don't want to give up my beautiful books, but the Kindle is just so convenient and fun! It is a dilemma, and I also think that books are going to be here for quite a bit longer, but they're going to become increasingly scarce as we become more electronic. You and I should start collecting first editions to leave to our children. Lezlie -- I wish someone could lend you one for a little while. Then you could see which you preferred. I'm dreading hearing from someone who says they got a Kindle due to my enthusiasm and hated it! Tasses -- I just looked at your website. It's really neat! I'm waiting for the Apple version too. Thanks to everyone for your responses!

Swimanog — I prefer paper format too, and perhaps the two will coexist. That would be ideal. Where can I borrow a copy of your thesis? I’d love to read it.

Whitney — If you buy a Kindle, let me know what you think. I’m not paying for it, though! Do you think I’m made of money?( :

Lisa — Yes, I can read on my Kindle with my glasses off, but not for long because my eyes get fatigued and everything gets all blurry again. Drats!

Litlove — No, I don’t want to give up my beautiful books, but the Kindle is just so convenient and fun! It is a dilemma, and I also think that books are going to be here for quite a bit longer, but they’re going to become increasingly scarce as we become more electronic. You and I should start collecting first editions to leave to our children.

Lezlie — I wish someone could lend you one for a little while. Then you could see which you preferred. I’m dreading hearing from someone who says they got a Kindle due to my enthusiasm and hated it!

Tasses — I just looked at your website. It’s really neat! I’m waiting for the Apple version too.

]]> By: Tasses http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/#comment-377 Tasses Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:31:47 +0000 http://chartroose.wordpress.com/?p=435#comment-377 Just like the record/cd purists, the book readers will cling to their paper versions for some time. There are several implications to this..... Hmmm.. thanks for a blogging idea... I'll link back to you ;-) Been thinking about getting one of these for some time, but as an Apple freak I just keep waiting for the possibility of an Apple version. Just like the record/cd purists, the book readers will cling to their paper versions for some time. There are several implications to this….. Hmmm.. thanks for a blogging idea… I’ll link back to you ;-)

Been thinking about getting one of these for some time, but as an Apple freak I just keep waiting for the possibility of an Apple version.

]]> By: Lezlie http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/#comment-376 Lezlie Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:20:53 +0000 http://chartroose.wordpress.com/?p=435#comment-376 I go back and forth with my desire for a Kindle. I love the idea, but I love my books more I think. But I feel bad about all the trees. Such a quandary! I'm glad you like yours so much! Lezlie I go back and forth with my desire for a Kindle. I love the idea, but I love my books more I think. But I feel bad about all the trees. Such a quandary!

I’m glad you like yours so much!
Lezlie

]]> By: I Must Be Missing Something About the Kindle « Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’? http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/#comment-374 I Must Be Missing Something About the Kindle « Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’? Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:45:43 +0000 http://chartroose.wordpress.com/?p=435#comment-374 [...] wrote about this very subject today, absolutely raving about this freaking Kindle first came out on Amazon. Even after her rave [...] [...] wrote about this very subject today, absolutely raving about this freaking Kindle first came out on Amazon. Even after her rave [...]

]]> By: litlove http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/#comment-373 litlove Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:34:37 +0000 http://chartroose.wordpress.com/?p=435#comment-373 I don't think books are dead, nor are they likely to be for a long while to come. At the end of the day it's up to us to keep buying them and then the market will continue. Book buying reached the height of its popularity between the two world wars, at a time when more people could read than ever before and the paperback made books affordable. There was no competition then from the television or the internet. But in fact more books by far get sold every year now than back then. It's just that publishers produce so many more titles that the share of the market is distributed very widely. So, there's no reason for books to fall out of favour and I'd like to think there's room for both digital and print formats. Are there no books you wouldn't still like to have in paper form, Chartroose? And I'm not sure about saving trees at the expense of a piece of non-biodegradable hardware that will soon end up surpassed by technology and in a landfill site. Your kindle sounds lovely and I'm so glad you're enjoying it, but I wouldn't want one myself. I don’t think books are dead, nor are they likely to be for a long while to come. At the end of the day it’s up to us to keep buying them and then the market will continue. Book buying reached the height of its popularity between the two world wars, at a time when more people could read than ever before and the paperback made books affordable. There was no competition then from the television or the internet. But in fact more books by far get sold every year now than back then. It’s just that publishers produce so many more titles that the share of the market is distributed very widely. So, there’s no reason for books to fall out of favour and I’d like to think there’s room for both digital and print formats. Are there no books you wouldn’t still like to have in paper form, Chartroose? And I’m not sure about saving trees at the expense of a piece of non-biodegradable hardware that will soon end up surpassed by technology and in a landfill site. Your kindle sounds lovely and I’m so glad you’re enjoying it, but I wouldn’t want one myself.

]]> By: lisamm http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/#comment-371 lisamm Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:54:31 +0000 http://chartroose.wordpress.com/?p=435#comment-371 Well if books aren't dead yet, your Kindle lovin' post is going to help kill them!!!! LOL Seriously, this is something I never thought I'd want UNTIL you mentioned that handy little feature about enlarging the font to any size you want. OMG. That is sooooo cool, especially for me and my 40 something eyesight that has recently hit a wall.. I HATE the way I look in reading glasses!! If Kindle lets me read without the dreaded glasses, I'm in! Well if books aren’t dead yet, your Kindle lovin’ post is going to help kill them!!!! LOL

Seriously, this is something I never thought I’d want UNTIL you mentioned that handy little feature about enlarging the font to any size you want. OMG. That is sooooo cool, especially for me and my 40 something eyesight that has recently hit a wall.. I HATE the way I look in reading glasses!! If Kindle lets me read without the dreaded glasses, I’m in!

]]> By: Whitney http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/#comment-370 Whitney Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:29:41 +0000 http://chartroose.wordpress.com/?p=435#comment-370 I was totally uninterested in the Kindle until this post showed up in my google alerts. If I buy one, you owe me. I was totally uninterested in the Kindle until this post showed up in my google alerts. If I buy one, you owe me.

]]> By: swimanog http://chartroose.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/the-future-of-the-book/#comment-368 swimanog Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:30:05 +0000 http://chartroose.wordpress.com/?p=435#comment-368 I wrote this idea eight years ago in MA dissertaion then a PhD on the same subject. But have to say now the book isn't dead. It isn't even sick. It took the codex three hundred years to take over from papyrus, Gutenberg's press well over a hundred years just to get a proper foothold, another two hundred to go properly mass. Handheld devices will have drop DRM and authors, publishers drop copyright before the book even looks likes keeling over. But in the meantime the two can coexist and should. Books, especially functional no fiction, should appear on portable screens with linked text. But the novel in the paper forms, screens don't even get close. I wrote this idea eight years ago in MA dissertaion then a PhD on the same subject. But have to say now the book isn’t dead. It isn’t even sick. It took the codex three hundred years to take over from papyrus, Gutenberg’s press well over a hundred years just to get a proper foothold, another two hundred to go properly mass. Handheld devices will have drop DRM and authors, publishers drop copyright before the book even looks likes keeling over. But in the meantime the two can coexist and should. Books, especially functional no fiction, should appear on portable screens with linked text. But the novel in the paper forms, screens don’t even get close.

]]>