10 Reasons Why Paper Books Suck

Adam B. · 09-07-2007, 11:56 AM

This is the yin to this thread's yang.

Word of bias: I love electronics and hate paper.

While a single paper book is portable, when you start collecting them, the size adds up quickly.
Paper is difficult to search through, and hard to reference. Want to quote a snippit of a book? You have to rewrite it.
Paper degrades over time. It starts to yellow, and will eventually fall apart.
Distribution: Looking for a specific book? Go search through your local book stores, when you don't find it there, buy it online. Then wait for it to show up. Loose interest and/or excitement by the time it arives.
Environment: Books are dead trees. Trees make oxygen. We breathe oxygen. The more paper books you read, the more you're killing the rest of us.
Portability. I'm pretty sure I have mild ADD. You might as well. When I get bored with one thing, I move on to another for a while. If I carried around all the newspapers and books I could *possibly* want to read, I'd have a bad back too.
You look like an old person when you read paper books. Look at all the kids running around with their ipods and cell phones. Do you think you look cool reading that old fashioned stack of papers? I don't think so...
Paper Burns. You've probably read the article about the guy who's house was declared a fire hazard because of his paper book collection. If he collected ebooks, his house would be clean and tidy, and he'd still be living there.
Personal Injury. The edge of a sheet of paper can be as dangerous as a razor blade. When I was in grade school, I would use a sheet of paper to cut my unsuspecting friends. I bet they wished that I had an iLiad back then. You can't get a paper cut from an ebook device. Also, ever hear the phrase "throw the book at him"? You wouldn't do that if it was an ebook reader. You wouldn't want to risk breaking it by throwing it at someone.
Data integrity. If I spill something on a book, drop a match on it, or if it gets caught in a paper shredder, I'm stuck with a clump of useless wood pulp. I can't get another copy of it without buying it again, and there's no way to recover it. With an ebook, I can go back to where I bought it from, and simply download it again. No hassle, no fee, just a few clicks, and my collection is back.

I'm sure there are more, but that's all I can think of at the moment. I know, I'm reaching with a few of them.

tribble · 09-07-2007, 12:39 PM

I really like "personal injury"

This is going to be a real sales argument

Adam B. · 09-07-2007, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tribble

I really like "personal injury"

This is going to be a real sales argument

You can use that on your site if you like.

HarryT · 09-07-2007, 01:14 PM

Here's another one for you:

Security. Buy your books with DRM and you are safe in the knowledge that only you can read those precious books that you've bought with your hard-earned money. With paper books, anyone can take them and read them, which obviously isn't fair. You've bought them, so only you should be able to read them.

NatCh · 09-07-2007, 01:27 PM

Why, oh why do you encourage them, HarryT?

tribble · 09-07-2007, 02:14 PM

Kudos to you Harry. That was really ingeneous.

RWood · 09-07-2007, 04:46 PM

But, if I drop a paper book I may scuff up the cover and loase my place for a while but with an ebook I could shatter the screen and make all of them unreadable until I get it fixed.

If someone steals my pbook, they get only that book. If they steal my ereader they get copies of all the ebooks I had loaded on it.

NatCh · 09-07-2007, 06:46 PM

That sort of thing belongs in the other thread, RWood!

Adam B. · 09-07-2007, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

That sort of thing belongs in the other thread, RWood!

Yeah! No pro-pbook people in this thread darnit!

tribble · 09-07-2007, 06:57 PM

ok, ... understood, brb.

RWood · 09-07-2007, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

That sort of thing belongs in the other thread, RWood!

I didn't see the other thread. I wasn't out to spoil the punch. I haven't bought a pbook in ages. Even switched the Analog subscription from paper to electronic. (Amazing luck as the renewal notice arrived the day after I found Fictionwise offered emagazines in LRF format.)

Sorry to have rained on your parade. (Cue the elephants.

)

nekokami · 09-07-2007, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam B.

[*]Paper degrades over time. It starts to yellow, and will eventually fall apart.
[/LIST]

Well, anything for fun, I always say...

Not only will a paper book yellow and crumble, but it may harbor mold and mildew spores, potentially posing a health hazard-- not to mention a bad smell!

Paper uses valuable resources to transport. Reproduction costs of paper are so high, they may put most books forever out of reach of those in the developing world.

You can't search paper -- not one book, and not your whole library. So when you think, in the middle of the night, "Where did I read that?" if all you have is paper, forget about going back to sleep.

Adam B. · 09-07-2007, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

...but it may harbor mold and mildew spores, potentially posing a health hazard-- not to mention a bad smell!

I didn't even think about that! Good catch.

nekokami · 09-08-2007, 01:17 AM

Here's another: I've had several cats who liked to sharpen their claws on paper books. I have yet to see any of them attempting this with an ebook.

JSWolf · 09-08-2007, 05:36 AM

With a pbook, anyone can read it. With an ebook, you might get DRM so nobody can read it.

09-07-2007, 11:56 AM	#1
Adam B. Addicted to Porting Posts: 1,695 Karma: 7194 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Indianapolis, IN Device: iRex iLiad, Nokia 770, Samsung i760	10 Reasons Why Paper Books Suck This is the yin to this thread's yang. Word of bias: I love electronics and hate paper. While a single paper book is portable, when you start collecting them, the size adds up quickly. Paper is difficult to search through, and hard to reference. Want to quote a snippit of a book? You have to rewrite it. Paper degrades over time. It starts to yellow, and will eventually fall apart. Distribution: Looking for a specific book? Go search through your local book stores, when you don't find it there, buy it online. Then wait for it to show up. Loose interest and/or excitement by the time it arives. Environment: Books are dead trees. Trees make oxygen. We breathe oxygen. The more paper books you read, the more you're killing the rest of us. Portability. I'm pretty sure I have mild ADD. You might as well. When I get bored with one thing, I move on to another for a while. If I carried around all the newspapers and books I could possibly want to read, I'd have a bad back too. You look like an old person when you read paper books. Look at all the kids running around with their ipods and cell phones. Do you think you look cool reading that old fashioned stack of papers? I don't think so... Paper Burns. You've probably read the article about the guy who's house was declared a fire hazard because of his paper book collection. If he collected ebooks, his house would be clean and tidy, and he'd still be living there. Personal Injury. The edge of a sheet of paper can be as dangerous as a razor blade. When I was in grade school, I would use a sheet of paper to cut my unsuspecting friends. I bet they wished that I had an iLiad back then. You can't get a paper cut from an ebook device. Also, ever hear the phrase "throw the book at him"? You wouldn't do that if it was an ebook reader. You wouldn't want to risk breaking it by throwing it at someone. Data integrity. If I spill something on a book, drop a match on it, or if it gets caught in a paper shredder, I'm stuck with a clump of useless wood pulp. I can't get another copy of it without buying it again, and there's no way to recover it. With an ebook, I can go back to where I bought it from, and simply download it again. No hassle, no fee, just a few clicks, and my collection is back. I'm sure there are more, but that's all I can think of at the moment. I know, I'm reaching with a few of them. __________________ Openiliad.com - Your source for iLiad Software and Documentation

09-07-2007, 12:39 PM	#2
tribble iLiad Maniac Posts: 1,382 Karma: 2369 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Device: Bookeen Opus (i love that thing) and iPad (what an irony)	I really like "personal injury" This is going to be a real sales argument __________________ justread.de - Die neue Art zu lesen offizieller iRex Reseller für Deutschland

09-07-2007, 01:14 PM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 54,665 Karma: 26165759 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	Here's another one for you: Security. Buy your books with DRM and you are safe in the knowledge that only you can read those precious books that you've bought with your hard-earned money. With paper books, anyone can take them and read them, which obviously isn't fair. You've bought them, so only you should be able to read them. __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

09-07-2007, 01:27 PM	#5
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,605 Karma: 926222 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Nook STGR	Why, oh why do you encourage them, HarryT? __________________ ΨΦ! "Torg, why do you have emergency pants?" -- Riff

09-07-2007, 02:14 PM	#6
tribble iLiad Maniac Posts: 1,382 Karma: 2369 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Device: Bookeen Opus (i love that thing) and iPad (what an irony)	Kudos to you Harry. That was really ingeneous. __________________ justread.de - Die neue Art zu lesen offizieller iRex Reseller für Deutschland

09-07-2007, 04:46 PM	#7
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,237 Karma: 148836 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	But, if I drop a paper book I may scuff up the cover and loase my place for a while but with an ebook I could shatter the screen and make all of them unreadable until I get it fixed. If someone steals my pbook, they get only that book. If they steal my ereader they get copies of all the ebooks I had loaded on it.

09-07-2007, 06:46 PM	#8
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,605 Karma: 926222 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Nook STGR	That sort of thing belongs in the other thread, RWood! __________________ ΨΦ! "Torg, why do you have emergency pants?" -- Riff

09-07-2007, 06:57 PM	#10
tribble iLiad Maniac Posts: 1,382 Karma: 2369 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Device: Bookeen Opus (i love that thing) and iPad (what an irony)	ok, ... understood, brb. __________________ justread.de - Die neue Art zu lesen offizieller iRex Reseller für Deutschland

09-08-2007, 01:17 AM	#14
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Here's another: I've had several cats who liked to sharpen their claws on paper books. I have yet to see any of them attempting this with an ebook. __________________ ~neko “Life is not so short but that there is always time for courtesy.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson Click here for Ministry of Unutterable Silliness loot -- featuring Rock Lobster Souvenirs! Is an iPad an InfoPad ? What about the Entourage Edge? Hm...

09-08-2007, 05:36 AM	#15
JSWolf Mobile Reader Geek Posts: 34,226 Karma: 13801376 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Sony Reader PRS-650, iPad	With a pbook, anyone can read it. With an ebook, you might get DRM so nobody can read it. __________________ Jon 2013 Reading List

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