MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - will e-books kill paper books?

Zorz · 06-19-2010, 03:25 AM

ebooks very well may become more popular, but many like myself still prefer the real thing. I have an ereader mainly to read web material and books I can get for free, as well as those I can rent for free from my local library via overdrive.

I will never buy an ebook, it is just a flat out waste of money when you can have a uninhibited paper version in your home. But that is just my option. I have had my kindle for nearly 6 months and still am yet to buy an ebook, and I don't plan on it anytime soon. I have downloaded a few of the available classics, but surly did not pay for them.

I truly prefer paper based books, especially those made of high quality paper. I mainly use my kindle for material which is not worth printing, but is worth knowing and not worth reading on the computer. As an example would be a wikipedia page or a RFC. News, blogs and the like are also good for ereaders, but again I would never pay amazon for them. But is it better than a printed news paper, if there is no missing content which seems common these days.

I also feel I learn a lot better from paper books than I do ebooks. There is just something missing from the ereader. As an example, my textbooks are filled with small notes, such is just to hard on an ereader. Today I was working on a circuit, I was able to go back to my engineering circuits text from school, and knew exactly where to look in the book for the formula I needed. My knowledge is tied to those books, and I need them here in print format.

I also like to own what I buy, and don't want to rent them. I will never buy a book or any form of media which includes any form of DRM. I also don't want companies to have the ability to change what I buy, or decide they should take it away. If I buy it I want it in my home, for me to have and hold. I am the exact same with music, movies and tv shows. I would never consider buying a album from iTunes when I can just buy the real thing at the store, or from amazon with free shipping. I get a higher quality product and its mine.

Thats how I feel I guess. Id consider buying an ebook, if I had the option to get the paper copy for free along with it. But paying $9.99 for an ebook when I can get the paper copy for the same price is insane. A proper price for an ebook, to me at least would be around $2 USD. If they cant go that low, they include the ebooks with the purchase of a paper copy and allow those who don't want the paper copy to simply opt out.

06-19-2010, 03:25 AM	#84
Zorz Zealot Posts: 134 Karma: 36 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: Kindle 2i	ebooks very well may become more popular, but many like myself still prefer the real thing. I have an ereader mainly to read web material and books I can get for free, as well as those I can rent for free from my local library via overdrive. I will never buy an ebook, it is just a flat out waste of money when you can have a uninhibited paper version in your home. But that is just my option. I have had my kindle for nearly 6 months and still am yet to buy an ebook, and I don't plan on it anytime soon. I have downloaded a few of the available classics, but surly did not pay for them. I truly prefer paper based books, especially those made of high quality paper. I mainly use my kindle for material which is not worth printing, but is worth knowing and not worth reading on the computer. As an example would be a wikipedia page or a RFC. News, blogs and the like are also good for ereaders, but again I would never pay amazon for them. But is it better than a printed news paper, if there is no missing content which seems common these days. I also feel I learn a lot better from paper books than I do ebooks. There is just something missing from the ereader. As an example, my textbooks are filled with small notes, such is just to hard on an ereader. Today I was working on a circuit, I was able to go back to my engineering circuits text from school, and knew exactly where to look in the book for the formula I needed. My knowledge is tied to those books, and I need them here in print format. I also like to own what I buy, and don't want to rent them. I will never buy a book or any form of media which includes any form of DRM. I also don't want companies to have the ability to change what I buy, or decide they should take it away. If I buy it I want it in my home, for me to have and hold. I am the exact same with music, movies and tv shows. I would never consider buying a album from iTunes when I can just buy the real thing at the store, or from amazon with free shipping. I get a higher quality product and its mine. Thats how I feel I guess. Id consider buying an ebook, if I had the option to get the paper copy for free along with it. But paying $9.99 for an ebook when I can get the paper copy for the same price is insane. A proper price for an ebook, to me at least would be around $2 USD. If they cant go that low, they include the ebooks with the purchase of a paper copy and allow those who don't want the paper copy to simply opt out.