Will books Survive eBooks?

carld · 05-21-2011, 08:08 AM

Opinion piece from Washington Post Business.

It's somewhat interesting, though nothing really new.

Giggleton · 05-21-2011, 09:33 AM

Some of the comments about the cost of ereading are more interesting than the article, which reminded me of that andy rooney piece from a few months back

"ebooks just don't smell right to me."

ebooks are extremely convenient but we should never place anything on a computer that we would not mind losing. This includes digital copies of ourselves

zespectre · 05-21-2011, 10:00 AM

This whole thing reminds me of a short Sci-Fi story I read. Basically explorers find a series of planets that were obviously inhabited at one time but the only remains are these small metal "marbles" all over the place. No other artifacts of any type.

Eventually they figure out that the alien society had built/integrated nanotechnology to such an extent that they just used it for every physical need. Then one day "something" happened and all the nano-machines stopped working all at the same time, reverting to these small metal spheres and the alien race couldn't survive the drop from "super-tech" to "pre-tool stone age".

It was a pretty good "all your eggs in one basket" kind of story.

Basically, if there are people out there still printing with Gutenberg style presses, and hand manufacturing blackpowder firearms, and using film cameras,...I doubt printed books will ever disappear.

We might see less of them, but there are still functions where a dead-tree edition is the most appropriate choice.

Quexos · 05-21-2011, 10:32 AM

My opinion: yes they will survive the digital revolution. Why ? Because paper books have been around for centuries, they are something of a classic. Any book loving person has some kind of library of print books at home, it looks nice in the shelves and it's a timeless classic thing to have it.
Personally I admit that I'm not too much into purchasing print books anymore but even with everything one day being available the digital way, I still would like to have at least the bigger works in nice printed versions on my shelves. e.g. The Lord of the Rings, War and Peace, Les Misérables and so on.

TotallyEpic · 05-21-2011, 11:58 AM

I think within a hundred years, paper books will be a rare sight.

It has happened before:

Stone Carvings >> Wood Carvings >> Parchment/Vellum >> Paper Books.

The previous technology superceded by the next.

ebusinesstutor · 05-21-2011, 12:07 PM

First off, an ebook is a book. Ebook is just another format to read it. Right now we have the capability of accessing more and more books either in a print version or a digital version.

I still like both. I often use print ebooks for reference where I might need the book open while typing on my computer. This may change as I now use multiple monitors on my computer. All my new fiction books are ebooks, so my greatest expenditures are there.

My main reasons for the switch:

1. Portability: I can carry 100s of ebooks in a device the weight and size of one paperback.

2. Free offerings: A huge number of free ebooks to explore from classic and new offers.

3. Multiple devices: I read my ebooks on my tablet, phone and computer.

Because of the inherent advantages of ebooks, I can see a day in the future where most new books are primarily released as ebooks with a "print on demand" option for those who prefer a dead tree version. But they are still "books."

Quexos · 05-21-2011, 12:07 PM

I disagree.
"Video (was supposed to) kill the radio stars" but your radio is still around and it's there to stay methinks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TotallyEpic

I think within a hundred years, paper books will be a rare sight.

It has happened before:

Stone Carvings >> Wood Carvings >> Parchment/Vellum >> Paper Books.

The previous technology superceded by the next.

TotallyEpic · 05-21-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quexos

I disagree.
"Video (was supposed to) kill the radio stars" but your radio is still around and it's there to stay methinks.

Radio is only there because you can't watch video when your driving.

elcreative · 05-21-2011, 12:14 PM

When did stone carvings get superseded... Vietnam War memorial & Ground Zero in US... similar in UK plus many more... stone carvings were never a wide distribution medium like paper but more monumental/in memoriam and still viable...

Quote:

Originally Posted by TotallyEpic

I think within a hundred years, paper books will be a rare sight.

It has happened before:

Stone Carvings >> Wood Carvings >> Parchment/Vellum >> Paper Books.

The previous technology superceded by the next.

mr ploppy · 05-21-2011, 02:37 PM

I can't think of anything that digital files were supposed to replace that doesn't still exist as a viable commercial product. There will always be people who want "things" in preference to a computer file. Especially if those computer files have restrictions that the "things" don't have.

typhoon5ht · 05-21-2011, 03:01 PM

Books will always be around.

I hope.

Quexos · 05-21-2011, 03:19 PM

That may be true but it is not the only reason for radio to still be around. People listen to the radio in the morning or at work on in their mp3 player and theoretically they could watch video in those times and places but they don't.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TotallyEpic

Radio is only there because you can't watch video when your driving.

niggle · 05-21-2011, 08:58 PM

Call me paranoid, but it strikes me quite forcibly that in "1984" George Orwell went to some lengths to describe frankly quite implausible futuristic technology which made it possible to alter history by altering the records of history. People and events that were seen as politically undesirable could be erased from the records. This was what underpinned the tyranny of Big Brother. With cloud technology, and all our written records increasingly in digital format how long before Orwell's future dystopia becomes the present for us? I'm keeping my print books! Of course the other development that made tyranny possible was a radical simplification of language to the extent that it became impossible to give expression to ideas of political dissent - of course that will never happen in reality...IMHO LOL

Amera · 05-21-2011, 09:10 PM

Print books will probably become a collectible and typically only something held onto by the wealthy. Physical books are a luxury when you think about it (space, printing costs, etc).

jbcohen · 05-21-2011, 09:17 PM

Personally I have little need for a printed book anymore.

05-21-2011, 08:08 AM	#1
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Will books Survive eBooks? Opinion piece from Washington Post Business. It's somewhat interesting, though nothing really new.

05-21-2011, 10:32 AM	#4
Quexos Member Retired Posts: 1,999 Karma: 11348924 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Limbo Device: none	My opinion: yes they will survive the digital revolution. Why ? Because paper books have been around for centuries, they are something of a classic. Any book loving person has some kind of library of print books at home, it looks nice in the shelves and it's a timeless classic thing to have it. Personally I admit that I'm not too much into purchasing print books anymore but even with everything one day being available the digital way, I still would like to have at least the bigger works in nice printed versions on my shelves. e.g. The Lord of the Rings, War and Peace, Les Misérables and so on. Last edited by Quexos; 05-21-2011 at 10:34 AM.

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05-21-2011, 09:33 AM	#2
Giggleton Banned Posts: 1,687 Karma: 4368191 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Oregon Device: Kindle3	Some of the comments about the cost of ereading are more interesting than the article, which reminded me of that andy rooney piece from a few months back "ebooks just don't smell right to me." ebooks are extremely convenient but we should never place anything on a computer that we would not mind losing. This includes digital copies of ourselves

05-21-2011, 10:00 AM	#3
zespectre BookMonkey Posts: 90 Karma: 18008 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Shenandoah Valley Device: NOOK, iPod Touch, Asus Netbook	This whole thing reminds me of a short Sci-Fi story I read. Basically explorers find a series of planets that were obviously inhabited at one time but the only remains are these small metal "marbles" all over the place. No other artifacts of any type. Eventually they figure out that the alien society had built/integrated nanotechnology to such an extent that they just used it for every physical need. Then one day "something" happened and all the nano-machines stopped working all at the same time, reverting to these small metal spheres and the alien race couldn't survive the drop from "super-tech" to "pre-tool stone age". It was a pretty good "all your eggs in one basket" kind of story. Basically, if there are people out there still printing with Gutenberg style presses, and hand manufacturing blackpowder firearms, and using film cameras,...I doubt printed books will ever disappear. We might see less of them, but there are still functions where a dead-tree edition is the most appropriate choice.

05-21-2011, 11:58 AM	#5
TotallyEpic Enthusiast Posts: 31 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3 3G + Wifi	I think within a hundred years, paper books will be a rare sight. It has happened before: Stone Carvings >> Wood Carvings >> Parchment/Vellum >> Paper Books. The previous technology superceded by the next.

05-21-2011, 12:07 PM	#6
ebusinesstutor Star Gawker Posts: 526 Karma: 6944314 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Spruce Grove, AB Canada Device: Kindle Paperwhite	First off, an ebook is a book. Ebook is just another format to read it. Right now we have the capability of accessing more and more books either in a print version or a digital version. I still like both. I often use print ebooks for reference where I might need the book open while typing on my computer. This may change as I now use multiple monitors on my computer. All my new fiction books are ebooks, so my greatest expenditures are there. My main reasons for the switch: 1. Portability: I can carry 100s of ebooks in a device the weight and size of one paperback. 2. Free offerings: A huge number of free ebooks to explore from classic and new offers. 3. Multiple devices: I read my ebooks on my tablet, phone and computer. Because of the inherent advantages of ebooks, I can see a day in the future where most new books are primarily released as ebooks with a "print on demand" option for those who prefer a dead tree version. But they are still "books."

05-21-2011, 02:37 PM	#10
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	I can't think of anything that digital files were supposed to replace that doesn't still exist as a viable commercial product. There will always be people who want "things" in preference to a computer file. Especially if those computer files have restrictions that the "things" don't have.

05-21-2011, 03:01 PM	#11
typhoon5ht Member Posts: 14 Karma: 20000 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle	Books will always be around. I hope.

05-21-2011, 08:58 PM	#13
niggle Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Hanlin v3	Call me paranoid, but it strikes me quite forcibly that in "1984" George Orwell went to some lengths to describe frankly quite implausible futuristic technology which made it possible to alter history by altering the records of history. People and events that were seen as politically undesirable could be erased from the records. This was what underpinned the tyranny of Big Brother. With cloud technology, and all our written records increasingly in digital format how long before Orwell's future dystopia becomes the present for us? I'm keeping my print books! Of course the other development that made tyranny possible was a radical simplification of language to the extent that it became impossible to give expression to ideas of political dissent - of course that will never happen in reality...IMHO LOL

05-21-2011, 09:10 PM	#14
Amera Member Posts: 20 Karma: 50000 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle	Print books will probably become a collectible and typically only something held onto by the wealthy. Physical books are a luxury when you think about it (space, printing costs, etc).

05-21-2011, 09:17 PM	#15
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	Personally I have little need for a printed book anymore.

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