Titles that only look good (or better) on old fashion paper books.

jocampo · 02-12-2012, 02:27 PM

I do love ebooks. I mainly read computer titles, which are very thick and dense; ebooks are awesome for that.

But I've found certain titles, like this one ...

HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites

... where pages, design and style are simple wonderful on paper. Very difficult to reproduce on a single LCD or 6" sink screen.

Do you know or any other similar title that simple looks gorgeous on paper?

By the way, I am sitting here at B&N reading this awesome book and very tempted to leave here with it, after buying, of course , lol

MrTeatime · 02-12-2012, 02:39 PM

House of Leaves is the first book that springs to mind.

Elfwreck · 02-12-2012, 03:49 PM

Reference books often don't transfer well to the small screen, no matter how well-designed they are. There's just not room to show before-and-after pics, or exploded diagrams, or with-and-without code samples side by side. And anything that involves a lot of flipping back and forth between pages isn't going to be great on an ereader; even screen scrolling isn't as good as page flipping for checking between two specific paragraphs.

Formatted poetry also doesn't translate well to the small screen. Aside from the hassle of all that custom CSS code to get the indents and spacing right, if the original poem was designed with a certain page size in mind, the small screen can lose a lot of the impact. (I've tried reading e.e. cummings on a small screen. Some poems translate; some just don't.)

Some art books are just never going to make the transition--I have a copy of Codex Serephinianus, and I don't think it'll ever be a good ebook.

House of Leaves is the only novel I can name off the top of my head that really doesn't work as an ebook. (Except, y'know, non-reflowable PDF, which really doesn't count.)

DiapDealer · 02-12-2012, 03:56 PM

My 11.5" x 16", M.C. Escher art book would look horrible on a 6" eInk screen.

jocampo · 02-12-2012, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Reference books often don't transfer well to the small screen, no matter how well-designed they are. There's just not room to show before-and-after pics, or exploded diagrams, or with-and-without code samples side by side. And anything that involves a lot of flipping back and forth between pages isn't going to be great on an ereader; even screen scrolling isn't as good as page flipping for checking between two specific paragraphs.

Formatted poetry also doesn't translate well to the small screen. Aside from the hassle of all that custom CSS code to get the indents and spacing right, if the original poem was designed with a certain page size in mind, the small screen can lose a lot of the impact. (I've tried reading e.e. cummings on a small screen. Some poems translate; some just don't.)

Some art books are just never going to make the transition--I have a copy of Codex Serephinianus, and I don't think it'll ever be a good ebook.

House of Leaves is the only novel I can name off the top of my head that really doesn't work as an ebook. (Except, y'know, non-reflowable PDF, which really doesn't count.)

I totally agree. However, I wasn't talking about the format only. On the title I mentioned, the layout is just pure art! Even as a regular paper book it is a beautiful work.

Some code is at left or right, with a beautiful picture or screen being shower at full color on the other one. Very, very nice! I do not know how to explain it.

By the way, I've found my Kindle for iPad and Kindle DXG (sold mine though) do a decent job with computer books.

CJJ · 02-12-2012, 06:10 PM

There was a time when Authors were very particular with the typeface used for their books. John Updike comes to mind as an Author who insisted on dictating the typeface and binding methods used for his books. As digital books evolve I am sure we will eventually see a Renascence of this master-craft.

Andrew H. · 02-12-2012, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJJ

There was a time when Authors were very particular with the typeface used for their books. John Updike comes to mind as an Author who insisted on dictating the typeface and binding methods used for his books. As digital books evolve I am sure we will eventually see a Renascence of this master-craft.

I don't think so.

Part of the attraction of e-books is that you can change the font or font size.

Of course it would be nice if there were an "author recommended" setting. But if I can't change it, I might as well read something else.

CJJ · 02-12-2012, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

I don't think so.

Part of the attraction of e-books is that you can change the font or font size.

Of course it would be nice if there were an "author recommended" setting. But if I can't change it, I might as well read something else.

That's what I would imagine. I wouldn't want it to circumvent my ability to choose. I imagine the standard (as opposed to those readers that already allow custom) font choices to only expand over time.

jocampo · 02-13-2012, 08:29 AM

I ended buying the book at B&N!

It wasn't available as ebook but is the type of book that I prefer in paper format anyway: HTML and CSS

I know a bit of HTML but trying to grab some CSS tricks for a small project at work.

Fantastic title for anyone trying to learn those concepts or develop a nice webpage.

danskmacabre · 02-13-2012, 09:04 AM

For me, anything that isn't a novel will not be good enough for me on an ereader.
A4 or greater sized books generally donot go well on an ereader.

02-12-2012, 02:27 PM	#1
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	Titles that only look good (or better) on old fashion paper books. I do love ebooks. I mainly read computer titles, which are very thick and dense; ebooks are awesome for that. But I've found certain titles, like this one ... HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites ... where pages, design and style are simple wonderful on paper. Very difficult to reproduce on a single LCD or 6" sink screen. Do you know or any other similar title that simple looks gorgeous on paper? By the way, I am sitting here at B&N reading this awesome book and very tempted to leave here with it, after buying, of course , lol

02-13-2012, 08:29 AM	#9
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	I ended buying the book at B&N! It wasn't available as ebook but is the type of book that I prefer in paper format anyway: HTML and CSS I know a bit of HTML but trying to grab some CSS tricks for a small project at work. Fantastic title for anyone trying to learn those concepts or develop a nice webpage. Last edited by jocampo; 02-13-2012 at 09:05 AM. Reason: English typo

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02-12-2012, 02:39 PM	#2
MrTeatime Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 513276 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Sony PRS-350	House of Leaves is the first book that springs to mind.

02-12-2012, 03:49 PM	#3
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,185 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	Reference books often don't transfer well to the small screen, no matter how well-designed they are. There's just not room to show before-and-after pics, or exploded diagrams, or with-and-without code samples side by side. And anything that involves a lot of flipping back and forth between pages isn't going to be great on an ereader; even screen scrolling isn't as good as page flipping for checking between two specific paragraphs. Formatted poetry also doesn't translate well to the small screen. Aside from the hassle of all that custom CSS code to get the indents and spacing right, if the original poem was designed with a certain page size in mind, the small screen can lose a lot of the impact. (I've tried reading e.e. cummings on a small screen. Some poems translate; some just don't.) Some art books are just never going to make the transition--I have a copy of Codex Serephinianus, and I don't think it'll ever be a good ebook. House of Leaves is the only novel I can name off the top of my head that really doesn't work as an ebook. (Except, y'know, non-reflowable PDF, which really doesn't count.)

02-12-2012, 03:56 PM	#4
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,545 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	My 11.5" x 16", M.C. Escher art book would look horrible on a 6" eInk screen.

02-12-2012, 06:10 PM	#6
CJJ Zealot Posts: 125 Karma: 189828 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin, USA Device: laptop, iriver Story HD, Galaxy Tab2 10.1	There was a time when Authors were very particular with the typeface used for their books. John Updike comes to mind as an Author who insisted on dictating the typeface and binding methods used for his books. As digital books evolve I am sure we will eventually see a Renascence of this master-craft.

02-13-2012, 09:04 AM	#10
danskmacabre Guru Posts: 733 Karma: 3593438 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Glo. Galaxy Tab S 8.4	For me, anything that isn't a novel will not be good enough for me on an ereader. A4 or greater sized books generally donot go well on an ereader.