MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Ebook readers

vivaldirules · 01-04-2008, 03:11 PM

I think I nearly qualify as an average user. I have no financial interest in ebooks or readers, I love reading, and I hate gadgets (although I will make limited exceptions occasionally when there's one I need or really want). I love my Sony Reader. It's not perfect. I couldn't care less about DRM or not because most of what I want to read is either public domain or stuff that I convert. About 40% of what I read comes from the Sony store and has DRM. I am aware of the pitfalls of DRM but don't care because I don't expect this gadget to have a life of more than two or hree years anyway. If I get that much from it, it will have been well worth it to me. If I get more, I'll be elated. If those ebooks are lost after I have read them all, I can live with that although I'd obviously prefer to keep them. The number of titles that I can buy as ebooks is also increasing and I presume will be very high in a couple of years. Until then, I still have plenty of stuff I want to read that is available and I don't mind reading the occasional pbook when there's something I really want now that isn't available. So I think your conclusion is wrong that ebook readers aren't ready for the average user except for one part of what you said:

My only real complaint is the geeky tech junk that you have to put up with to use it. For example, I use PDFLRF all the time and it has saved me because it works. But it is a slow, painful annoyance that I find typical of dealing with gadgets. Having to use it reminds me of the antivirus updates and scanning and the backups of data and upgrades of software and defragging of hard drives and other such incredibly terrible time-wasting junk that I have to deal with to use a PC. I can't believe the time and effort that the average PC user (and that includes me) is willing to expend just to use one. Having to run PDFLRF is just as necessary for me so I do it. I don't fool with the other utilities and hacks for the Reader because there's nothing there I absolutely need. I want something my grandmother could use (if she were around). I don't want to search the internet for sites that have what I want. I don't want to do format conversions. I don't want to manage my library. I just want to read. Amazon had it right by making all of these steps trivial for non-geeks to use the Kindle, in my opinion, and Sony needs to catch up in that regard.

01-04-2008, 03:11 PM	#21
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	I think I nearly qualify as an average user. I have no financial interest in ebooks or readers, I love reading, and I hate gadgets (although I will make limited exceptions occasionally when there's one I need or really want). I love my Sony Reader. It's not perfect. I couldn't care less about DRM or not because most of what I want to read is either public domain or stuff that I convert. About 40% of what I read comes from the Sony store and has DRM. I am aware of the pitfalls of DRM but don't care because I don't expect this gadget to have a life of more than two or hree years anyway. If I get that much from it, it will have been well worth it to me. If I get more, I'll be elated. If those ebooks are lost after I have read them all, I can live with that although I'd obviously prefer to keep them. The number of titles that I can buy as ebooks is also increasing and I presume will be very high in a couple of years. Until then, I still have plenty of stuff I want to read that is available and I don't mind reading the occasional pbook when there's something I really want now that isn't available. So I think your conclusion is wrong that ebook readers aren't ready for the average user except for one part of what you said: My only real complaint is the geeky tech junk that you have to put up with to use it. For example, I use PDFLRF all the time and it has saved me because it works. But it is a slow, painful annoyance that I find typical of dealing with gadgets. Having to use it reminds me of the antivirus updates and scanning and the backups of data and upgrades of software and defragging of hard drives and other such incredibly terrible time-wasting junk that I have to deal with to use a PC. I can't believe the time and effort that the average PC user (and that includes me) is willing to expend just to use one. Having to run PDFLRF is just as necessary for me so I do it. I don't fool with the other utilities and hacks for the Reader because there's nothing there I absolutely need. I want something my grandmother could use (if she were around). I don't want to search the internet for sites that have what I want. I don't want to do format conversions. I don't want to manage my library. I just want to read. Amazon had it right by making all of these steps trivial for non-geeks to use the Kindle, in my opinion, and Sony needs to catch up in that regard.