Snail-reading on paper, could we call it that?

[taglines]

Ever since snail mail became popular, back in 1981 I think, I was thinking the other day about how I hate reading on paper surfaces these days when I can read much more comfy on my e-reader, and could we call that old-school traditional kind of paper reading as "snail reading"....? And just continue to call reading on ebooks and our ereaders as either "reading" (which it is!) or...e-reading, which it is!

Some research: Snail-reading is both a dysphemism and a retronym. It’s “dysphemistic”
because it’s a disparaging expression, sure, why not?, and its a retronym because the
advent of ebooks and e-readeres means we needed a term that emphasizes
the traditional, old-school kind of reading on paper, so maybe call it "snail reading"....? It still has its place, of course. Just as snail mail still has its place.

But the digital revolution has changed both personal mail and personal reading. What do other think of this term: snail-reading. A bit perjorative and disparaging yes, but descriptive, no?

[HansTWN]

It is not appropriate because it implies that reading on paper isn't slower. The reading speed is the same.

[angelbleu]

I agree with HansTWN.

One of the biggest reasons traditional postal services are called "snail mail" is because it's so much slower than e-mail.

But reading on a paper book is no slower than reading on an eReader, so the term "snail reading" would not be appropriate at all.

If there is to be a term, it should emphasize "tradition", "old age", and such, not speed.

Nothing catchy comes to mind... but then I was never good with catchphrases and such.

[zacheryjensen]

Originally Posted by angelbleu

I agree with HansTWN.

One of the biggest reasons traditional postal services are called "snail mail" is because it's so much slower than e-mail.

But reading on a paper book is no slower than reading on an eReader, so the term "snail reading" would not be appropriate at all.

If there is to be a term, it should emphasize "tradition", "old age", and such, not speed.

Nothing catchy comes to mind... but then I was never good with catchphrases and such.

I've got an idea

How about...
READING

[ardeegee]

Okay, fess up-- you just call it that because you leave a slimy trail on the paper...

[taglines]

"....Okay, fess up-- you just call it that because you leave a slimy trail on the paper... "

True, milkshake drippings, butter drippings from the toast, and ketchup overload from the hamburgers.... and that's not even my books, those are books i borrowed from the library a year ago. no more.

[DonaldL.]

The term "treeware" may be more appropriate.

[Jack Tingle]

After we finish this vital-to-the-Western-Canon debate, can we get to deciding on a word to use for reading on those scrolling multi-stroke ED displays they have on gas pumps? You know, the one's that say "Welcome to Choke-n-Puke... Insert Card and Remove Quickly". We'll need a word for reading on those, too.

And then we can move on to a word for reading on those LED-array signs businesses have on their front lawns, and a word for reading on the ones the highway department has with the little green poker-chips that flip over and back.

Disgustedly,
Jack Tingle

[Abecedary]

As someone I know says, the publishing world breaks down to cyber and fiber.

[etienne66]

Snail-mail refers to the actual message. It is not a different word for reading. All forms of reading material have come along; books, newspapers, magazines, computer screens, billboards. We have yet to come up with a different term for reading on all of those different materials, why do we need a different term for reading an ebook?

Etienne66

[Steve Jordan]

Have you been hanging out with Danny Bloom?

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Have you been hanging out with Danny Bloom?

I think that he is Danny Bloom. Look at the following evidence.

1.) On one of Bloom's blogs, he has just started using the terms "snail books," "snail reading," "snail-print," "snailpaper,"
http://zippy1300.blogspot.com/

2.) Some of his few post have been in threads started by Bloom, agreeing with Bloom:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...112#post644112

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...114#post644114

The "lower case "n" on "nook" is also an entry on Bloom's blog.

But the real kicker is this:

3.) http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?p=659347

Not only did he latch onto the made-up word "bookery" that I used in that post, but he addressed me by my real name. I didn't notice, at the time-- I go by my real name, Darren Garrison, in lots of areas on the internet and never had any real intention of being anonymous here (I'm nobody famous-- my real name is just as "anonymous" as my initials ardeegee) but here's what I didn't think about until just now-- I've never called myself by my real name on this forum. So he had to do some googling to track down my real name. Googling ardeegee shows on the first page an entry from AnandTech listing my name, which is how Dan Bloom likely found it.

Why do I say how Dan Bloom found it, not "taglines?" Because if you go back and look at Dan Bloom's earlier threads here, you will see that a week ago he deleted most of his posts from within the threads that he started. He left various reasons for the deletions (such as "offline") but on some, he leaves the reason as "darren garrison" or "darren garrison aka ardeegee." He is trying to delete his history of having been here under his name.

So-- yes, I think that "taglines" at the very least has been hanging out with Dan Bloom, and probably IS Dan Bloom, trying to get a fresh start. Dan likes new words-- perhaps he will like sockpuppet?

Is there a MobleRead rule about one person having more than one account?

[Phogg]

Can we call paper book pulishers "presscargot" now?

[CleverClothe]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

I think that he is Danny Bloom. Look at the following evidence.

1.) On one of Bloom's blogs, he has just started using the terms "snail books," "snail reading," "snail-print," "snailpaper,"
http://zippy1300.blogspot.com/

2.) Some of his few post have been in threads started by Bloom, agreeing with Bloom:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...112#post644112

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...114#post644114

The "lower case "n" on "nook" is also an entry on Bloom's blog.

But the real kicker is this:

3.) http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?p=659347

Not only did he latch onto the made-up word "bookery" that I used in that post, but he addressed me by my real name. I didn't notice, at the time-- I go by my real name, Darren Garrison, in lots of areas on the internet and never had any real intention of being anonymous here (I'm nobody famous-- my real name is just as "anonymous" as my initials ardeegee) but here's what I didn't think about until just now-- I've never called myself by my real name on this forum. So he had to do some googling to track down my real name. Googling ardeegee shows on the first page an entry from AnandTech listing my name, which is how Dan Bloom likely found it.

Why do I say how Dan Bloom found it, not "taglines?" Because if you go back and look at Dan Bloom's earlier threads here, you will see that a week ago he deleted most of his posts from within the threads that he started. He left various reasons for the deletions (such as "offline") but on some, he leaves the reason as "darren garrison" or "darren garrison aka ardeegee." He is trying to delete his history of having been here under his name.

So-- yes, I think that "taglines" at the very least has been hanging out with Dan Bloom, and probably IS Dan Bloom, trying to get a fresh start. Dan likes new words-- perhaps he will like sockpuppet?

Is there a MobleRead rule about one person having more than one account?

I thought I had read this exact thread before, a strong sense of deja vu.

After reading your post I now know why. Taglines' post is written just like Dan Bloom's posts, and the first few replies are the exact same skepticism from the other thread!

Glad to know I'm not going crazy.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by taglines

Ever since snail mail became popular, back in 1981 I think, I was thinking the other day about how I hate reading on paper surfaces these days when I can read much more comfy on my e-reader, and could we call that old-school traditional kind of paper reading as "snail reading"....? And just continue to call reading on ebooks and our ereaders as either "reading" (which it is!) or...e-reading, which it is!

Some research: Snail-reading is both a dysphemism and a retronym. It’s “dysphemistic”
because it’s a disparaging expression, sure, why not?, and its a retronym because the
advent of ebooks and e-readeres means we needed a term that emphasizes
the traditional, old-school kind of reading on paper, so maybe call it "snail reading"....? It still has its place, of course. Just as snail mail still has its place.

But the digital revolution has changed both personal mail and personal reading. What do other think of this term: snail-reading. A bit perjorative and disparaging yes, but descriptive, no?

Quoting the whole thing for Google posterity, so that you can't purge this message of yours, Dan, like you have others.

Hi, Google! Witness Dan Bloom/Danny Bloom creating fake accounts and lying (giving a 180 degree different opinion from before on ebooks) so that he can try to spread his "new words." Say hello to liar Dan, Google!