I especially liked this bit; it was so well-phrased:
Quote:
Q.Physical books were convenient, cheap, easy to use, attractive, practically indestructible. What will the great advantages of e-books be?
A.In 20 years, the space of one generation, print books will be as rare as vinyl LPs. You’ll still be able to find them in artsy hipster stores, but that’s about it. So the great advantage of e-books is also their curse; e-books will be the only game in town if you want to read a book. It’s sobering, and a bit sad. That said, e-books can do what print books can’t. They’ll allow you to fit an entire library into the space of one book. They’ll allow you to search for anything in an instant, save your thoughts forever, share them with the world, and connect with other readers right there, inside the book. The book of the future will live and breathe.
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Did you notice how the interviewer phrased physical books as past tense already? As if it is already a done deal.
I don't think they will REALLY start to disappear until eBooks are cheaper than paperbacks. Even then, it is nice to have "the classics" in hardcover.
As he said later, it is also nice to easily share the book with no technological knowledge, and to have a hand-written dedication inside the cover. It gives me a warm feeling inside to write and read dedications.
