Trend Watch: Paper books back in vogue - Page 3

HomeInMyShoes · 07-25-2013, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

...digital data doesn't degrade with time, whereas your 20-year-old paperback is likely to be falling to pieces after a few reads.

That's what they said about the magnetic tape that is decaying after five and ten years so it is unreadable. Digital data is not permanent. While it is easily moveable to another source, you still have to do that prior to the source failure.

Freeshadow · 07-25-2013, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

Some of their reasons:

"irritation about "ugly adverts" to matters of art and aesthetics"
"The prospect of the bookshelf of the future -- just containing a slim tablet -- is truly depressing"
"I can't stand the sloppy, ugly, ignorant way ebooks are often presented"
"nice type to enjoy"
"I like to scribble all over [books]"

The "reasons" I quoted above have been discussed on MR ad nauseam - including remedies for them.
You should send this as a news to the source of all the whining.

HarryT · 07-25-2013, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

That's what they said about the magnetic tape that is decaying after five and ten years so it is unreadable. Digital data is not permanent. While it is easily moveable to another source, you still have to do that prior to the source failure.

You're confusing the data with the storage medium. The medium can certainly degrade, but that's where a good backup strategy comes into play. Having worked in the IT industry for 30+ years that's something I'm well aware of the importance of.

Lemurion · 07-25-2013, 03:26 PM

I prefer digital because it's easier to read. I like long books and trying to read a 1000-page paperback without text vanishing into the gutter is a pain. It's just easier in digital.

Rbneader · 07-25-2013, 04:29 PM

Honestly, I'm format agnostic. So long as something is readable I'm happy. There are advantages to paper and advantages to electronic, I'm most likely to get whichever one is available / cheap.

xg4bx · 07-25-2013, 04:42 PM

"whatever I read on my Kindle I couldn't really remember in the long term. It was as if I had never read it''

I can kind of identify, I seem to recall books I read in print for far longer and far easier than ebooks. There have been several times where I honestly wasn't sure if I had read a book already or not. I guess with print seeing the cover every time you pick the book up just ingrains the book in ones memory.

Rbneader · 07-25-2013, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xg4bx

"whatever I read on my Kindle I couldn't really remember in the long term. It was as if I had never read it''

I can kind of identify, I seem to recall books I read in print for far longer and far easier than ebooks. There have been several times where I honestly wasn't sure if I had read a book already or not. I guess with print seeing the cover every time you pick the book up just ingrains the book in ones memory.

That, and reading a physical book makes a much stronger sense-memory. There's more little differences to grab onto that differentiates the memory. It's more interactive, etc. Same reason staying in one place for too long makes it harder to remember, probably.

If I'm studying something, I need a physical book or to take a lot of notes. If I want to remember the story, I buy a physical copy of the book and keep that around. If it's just a forgettable piece of entertainment, any format will do.

Freeshadow · 07-25-2013, 06:45 PM

Not having that problem.
Might be amazon-specific

Clouded mind or something like that.

speakingtohe · 07-25-2013, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xg4bx

"whatever I read on my Kindle I couldn't really remember in the long term. It was as if I had never read it''

I can kind of identify, I seem to recall books I read in print for far longer and far easier than ebooks. There have been several times where I honestly wasn't sure if I had read a book already or not. I guess with print seeing the cover every time you pick the book up just ingrains the book in ones memory.

I have this problem with paper books as well. Some is age and some is from reading 150-200 books for around 55 years.

For example I was a big SF/Fantasy fan when I was younger and I still read a lot of fantasy. I cannot remember whether I read the Game of Thrones and I was a big fan of G. R. R. Martin. Many books I remember well, and usually a few pages in I will know if I have read it and a lot of the details, but I cannot remember from Title and cover alone anymore. Been quite a while since I could.

Helen

Catlady · 07-26-2013, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rbneader

That, and reading a physical book makes a much stronger sense-memory. There's more little differences to grab onto that differentiates the memory. It's more interactive, etc. Same reason staying in one place for too long makes it harder to remember, probably.

If I'm studying something, I need a physical book or to take a lot of notes. If I want to remember the story, I buy a physical copy of the book and keep that around. If it's just a forgettable piece of entertainment, any format will do.

With a physical book, I can visualize the placement of something I want to look for in the book: say, around the middle of the book, near the bottom of the page. With an e-book, I have no such memory cues.

Now, of course, before someone says I can use a search function with an e-book, sure, that's often extremely helpful. But there are times when I don't remember specific wording to search for, but only the idea of the passage, or when the words I remember are so common that I get way too many search results.

tompe · 07-26-2013, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

With a physical book, I can visualize the placement of something I want to look for in the book: say, around the middle of the book, near the bottom of the page. With an e-book, I have no such memory cues.

Exactly. I also remember if it is on a left or right page for paperbooks. And this cannot be used for ebooks. And position on page does not wok either since that is not stable for ebooks.

speakingtohe · 07-26-2013, 03:53 PM

I think finding things is generally easier in a paper book as well.

Not that hard for me in an ebook though. Often I use the TOC to get close and page forward, or go to the middle etc. and jump x pages at a time.

The search does work for me in many (most) instances and there is nothing like it in a paper book. Mostly if I really want to find something I know some of the words.

But losing your place and finding it again is faster in a paper book. Luckily it doesn't happen that often with an ebook.

Helen

jgaiser · 07-26-2013, 08:05 PM

And there's always the search function. I just used it to find a particular passage in an ebook with a single phrase.

frahse · 07-27-2013, 02:21 AM

I like all forms.
There are advantages to each, though as time passes, some advantages become less important others more so.

I still look for the cheap used paper book (hard or soft cover) for $4.00 or less for that "one time read." That is usually all I do for fiction.

It is also easier to use a paper book for common reference because you can put tabs in it, underline, highlight the text.
I commonly will write inside the front cover the page number of something I want to remember or refer to.
Hardbound takes up more room usually, and I have gotten rid of most of mine except some old text books. Not sure why I keep them. Nostalgia, maybe.

eBooks are useful because they essentially take no room. I prefer to have them in searchable, across volume, form, which means usually pdf.

I do keep a copy in "lit" format if I have it because that is my favorite.

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07-25-2013, 03:26 PM	#34
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	I prefer digital because it's easier to read. I like long books and trying to read a 1000-page paperback without text vanishing into the gutter is a pain. It's just easier in digital.

07-25-2013, 04:29 PM	#35
Rbneader Fanatic Posts: 500 Karma: 2661351 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: None	Honestly, I'm format agnostic. So long as something is readable I'm happy. There are advantages to paper and advantages to electronic, I'm most likely to get whichever one is available / cheap.

07-25-2013, 04:42 PM	#36
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	"whatever I read on my Kindle I couldn't really remember in the long term. It was as if I had never read it'' I can kind of identify, I seem to recall books I read in print for far longer and far easier than ebooks. There have been several times where I honestly wasn't sure if I had read a book already or not. I guess with print seeing the cover every time you pick the book up just ingrains the book in ones memory.

07-25-2013, 06:45 PM	#38
Freeshadow temp. out of service Posts: 2,792 Karma: 24285242 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Duisburg (DE) Device: PB 623	Not having that problem. Might be amazon-specific Clouded mind or something like that.

07-26-2013, 03:53 PM	#42
speakingtohe Wizard Posts: 4,812 Karma: 26912940 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet	I think finding things is generally easier in a paper book as well. Not that hard for me in an ebook though. Often I use the TOC to get close and page forward, or go to the middle etc. and jump x pages at a time. The search does work for me in many (most) instances and there is nothing like it in a paper book. Mostly if I really want to find something I know some of the words. But losing your place and finding it again is faster in a paper book. Luckily it doesn't happen that often with an ebook. Helen

07-26-2013, 08:05 PM	#43
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,281 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	And there's always the search function. I just used it to find a particular passage in an ebook with a single phrase.

07-27-2013, 02:21 AM	#44
frahse occasional author Posts: 2,314 Karma: 2064403292 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Wandering God's glorious hills, valleys and plains. Device: A Franklin BI (before Internet) was the first. I still have it.	I like all forms. There are advantages to each, though as time passes, some advantages become less important others more so. I still look for the cheap used paper book (hard or soft cover) for $4.00 or less for that "one time read." That is usually all I do for fiction. It is also easier to use a paper book for common reference because you can put tabs in it, underline, highlight the text. I commonly will write inside the front cover the page number of something I want to remember or refer to. Hardbound takes up more room usually, and I have gotten rid of most of mine except some old text books. Not sure why I keep them. Nostalgia, maybe. eBooks are useful because they essentially take no room. I prefer to have them in searchable, across volume, form, which means usually pdf. I do keep a copy in "lit" format if I have it because that is my favorite.

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