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nekokami · 10-20-2006, 08:01 AM

Hi folks,

Many people like to emphasize the difference between eBooks and other purposes to which computer-like gadgets can be put, and I'm generally in agreement. But what about "interactive fiction"? (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_fiction if you don't know what I'm talking about.) There are literary contests, non-proprietary formats, and a range of different genres.

Cory Doctorow (and others, I'm sure) have pointed out that some of the strengths of eBooks are orthogonal to those of pBooks. Might this be one? Granted, a text input device is required, which could rule out some platforms, e.g. the Sony Reader. (I think.) Yet, the tradition of "choose your own adventure" pBooks is certainly there to draw on, and I rather like the idea of fiction that can adapt somewhat to the interests of the reader.

(Now, if you really want to head into the gray area, let's talk about MU* connections... still text-based, often with careful story design... is it still a book if more than one reader is interacting with it at once?)

10-20-2006, 08:01 AM	#1
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Interactive Fiction on eBook readers? Hi folks, Many people like to emphasize the difference between eBooks and other purposes to which computer-like gadgets can be put, and I'm generally in agreement. But what about "interactive fiction"? (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_fiction if you don't know what I'm talking about.) There are literary contests, non-proprietary formats, and a range of different genres. Cory Doctorow (and others, I'm sure) have pointed out that some of the strengths of eBooks are orthogonal to those of pBooks. Might this be one? Granted, a text input device is required, which could rule out some platforms, e.g. the Sony Reader. (I think.) Yet, the tradition of "choose your own adventure" pBooks is certainly there to draw on, and I rather like the idea of fiction that can adapt somewhat to the interests of the reader. (Now, if you really want to head into the gray area, let's talk about MU* connections... still text-based, often with careful story design... is it still a book if more than one reader is interacting with it at once?)