Rant against eBooks and how we counter it

[Colin Dunstan]

Abram Katz from the Pakistan Daily Times writes:

The year is sometime in the 2020’s, and an amazing discovery has been made. Basically, people of the future have rediscovered paper. The Egyptians, as you may recall, invented paper, around 4,000 years before the common era.

They wove strands of papyrus into mats and then pounded the material until it was thin and flat. In 105, our years, a Chinese courtier took a mixture of bark, rags and water, and beat it to a pulp.

Then he squeezed the water out of the stuff, squashed it flat, and let it dry in the sun.

Paper finally settled in Europe in about 1000, when Arabs built a paper mill in Spain. In 1680, the Spanish built a paper mill in Mexico. Paper must have originally been a luxury affordable only to the wealthy, who were also probably among the few who knew written language.

Now the average person in the United States goes through almost 800 pounds of paper a year, including paper packages, paper plates, paper towels, toilet paper, paper cups, notebook paper, office paper, stationery, periodicals and books.

Many people thought the computer would spell the end of paper, but it turned out that computers beget printers, and printers gobble up paper and spit it out. Modern offices actually use more paper, not less. Paper was a smashing success. Yale has a distinguished rare book library because high-quality paper can last for centuries. The modern reader of English could, with a little difficulty, read plays written by William Shakespeare and published about 400 years ago.

Right at the moment, the future of books is in doubt. Now that almost everyone in North America and Western Europe has access to a computer and the Internet, books are beginning to seem superfluous. Unlike paper, information stored in a computer cannot be used up. An inexhaustible supply of ephemeral signals means no demand for paper.

Minus the book, the information continues to exist in a disembodied state, assuming that someone converts the print into a digital file. It’s not that there’s an infinite stock of compact disks. The information itself is eternal. (Presumably.)

Distributing information over the World Wide Web at little or practically no cost has not proven to be a cultural panacea, however. You can’t own 1’s and 0’s, which means there’s no way to collect royalties on the 1’s and 0’s that you wrote or recorded. This makes artists like Lars Ulrich, drummer of Metallica, angry. Ulrich believes that whoever it is that likes Metallica should purchase Metallica disks for $15 instead of downloading the songs for free. Of course, free isn’t really free. “Free” here means putting aside the cost of the computer, the cost of Internet access, and the cost of electricity. Not to mention the desk that the computer is on and a chair. And a place to put the desk, chair and computer.

So actually, you’re not getting anything for free. It’s just that the owner of the intellectual property is nowhere in the loop. Companies that make computers, software, modems, and cables and provide Internet service, make whatever profit there is to be made at poor Lars Ulrich’s expense.

Anyway, after everyone is forced to buy e-books and has no choice but to depend on the Internet Service Provider and possibly a computer, information becomes less and less accessible. Now you really will have to purchase a newer computer every six months.

Then one day, someone realizes that paper is cheap, relatively durable and is portable. It can be folded and placed in a pocket. It can be written on and erased over and over. And it’s so cheap; once you’re done with one piece, you can just recycle it. Of course, by then, that special someone will have had to look up “paper” on the Internet.

[Colin Dunstan]

Having read my first post, you should now read Zygmunt Scheidlinger's collection of 50 'pro' arguments; Scheidlinger is a moderator of a forum from the International Forum of Educational Technology and Society.

[list=1][*]The ordinary printed book is produced in a large number of copies. This calls for a large initial investment, for providing storage and accounting for the remaining stock, while an E-book is produced in the exact quantities requested by the market. [*]The distribution of an e-book is practically free of charge, and its delivery is immediate - by electronic mail.
The e-book may be updated as often as it is necessary while an ordinary printed book becomes obsolete, sometimes very fast. [*]The e-book may utilize any type of font in whatever size, and may use an electronic magnifying glass that shows the relevant part of text with any requested magnification. [*]The e-book may be downloaded on a floppy disk, CD or any other storage device that occupies much less space and weights much less than a printed book. All encyclopaedias and many other reference materials are already printed in form of e-book. [*]The author’s honorary may be paid after selling every copy. [*]The buyer of an e-book may print it at home in any format. He may print only the interesting chapters or parts of the book, and may share the book with an unlimited number of friends. [*]The author of an e-book sees it published immediately after the book has been finished and corrected. [*]The e-book may be translated into several languages immediately and free of charge. [*]All these features may contribute to a substantial increase of the number of the readers. [*]One may reasonably expect that in course of the next 3 to 5 years storage devices with memory of some 50 to 75 Gb will appear, enabling users to store a whole library containing several thousand books on a single disk. Thus every child may be supplied with all the masterpieces of world literature on a single disk [*]An e-book may contain large number of illustrations, photos and diagrams without increasing its weight or volume. [*]An e-book may be read by voice, as well as contain clips of music or poetry. [*]There is no delay between writing an e-book and its publishing worldwide. [*]The “transportation” of an e-book does not call for packing and handling. [*]An e-book may be printed on some kind of durable medium which may survive hundreds of years, even under adverse climatic conditions. [*]Conducting a search for specific passages or for certain information in an e-book is decisively easier than in a commercially printed book. [*]The fate of an old book is, in most cases, regretfully - that it gathers dust on the shelf until somebody will dare to throw it away. Most people don't have enough time to read new stuff, let alone the old one. In the case of an e-book the problem does not exist, since it occupies a miniscule space on the storage medium and may be deleted by one click without ecological damage. [*]An e-book provides access to most of the museums and thus may contribute to the dissemination of art and sciences among the population. The existing catalogues of most museums are heavy and costly while the quality of pictures is, in general, far below what a good modern monitor may provide. [*]Undoubtedly using computer graphics, sound and animation teaching kids read and write may be performed more effectively than by using old printed books only (in Poland the book teaching read and write – Elementarz Falskiego- was in use for almost hundred years). [*]Computer-based learning creates lasting interest in learning, while oral teaching associated with commercially printed books is deadly boring. Many teachers feel that things learned from computer stay etched in the mind for a long time if not forever, while knowledge gathered from old handbooks evaporates very fast. [*]Computers allow an extra dimension in education (of adults and children) and call for a complete change of philosophy and teaching methods. Such a change may take place only by the replacement of the entire structure of education by another one, fully computer-based. [*]The Introduction of computers in primary schools helps to introduce this form of media earlier in life, and there is no doubt that this is the most valuable aid in further education. [*]There is no place for a distinction between e-books and commercially printed books since we can place books online and download their contents in minutes. Books and computers are made for each other and serve each other’s purposes. But where computers are really going to shine is in conjunction with the Internet in online courses of education. [*]The e-book provides easy links to similar articles while commercially printed material besides indicating (in the best case) the existence of relevant material - does not assist in getting it. [*]The e-book can offer interactivity that engages the student. The e-book and the computer have the potential of analysing the students learning pattern and optimise the learning process. Frequently the computer (especially the Internet with its hypertext links) allows the user to find information without effort. All this proves that the e-book has the potential of surpassing (rather than encompassing) commercially printed books. [*]Artificially intelligent, high quality courseware allows to tailor lessons individually for each child – nothing similar can be provided by a commercially printed handbook. [*]One picture is worth thousand words – the number of illustrations in an e-book is practically unlimited and the cost of their insertion is miniscule. [*]An e-book provides an opportunity for a personal contact with its author. [*]An e-book provides all the means for supervising the child's activities and reactions, as well as his interests and this way the learner can benefit from the absorbed material. [*]Excellent multimedia material stimulates the child’s intellect more than anything else. It induces further reading or watching, and may serve as the most powerful source of knowledge about the world and about people.[*]The wealth of information provided by the e-book cannot be compared with that supplied by ordinary paper book. [*]The e-book stimulates the development of artistic talents of children, especially in the field of graphic art, drama, choreography, architecture, literature and music. [*]The reduction of the price of printers (a very good printer produced by HP costs below $40), together with reduction of the price of ink cartridges enables inexpensive printing of large blocks of downloaded materials, including e-books. [*]Reading material can be bound together and the result will not differ from a book produced by a professional book publisher at a much lower price. [*]In case of an e-book the attention of the child is concentrated on the text and the accompanying graphics while the dreadfully boring character of the paper book causes that the child is constantly distracted. A well developed, attractive courseware, prepared by team of outstanding pedagogues will undoubtedly raise standards among all learners, including primary school children. [*]Basing on the experience of the last 45 years there is no doubt that the next decade will bring processors that are, at least, ten times faster and hard drives that are at least ten times bigger, with all the possibilities arising from such a developmen in the education process. Enormous R&D budgets and thousands of talented scientists/engineers dealing with the subject guarantee that such a development is highly probable. [*]Valuable, well researched information is presented on the screen of TV or computer, because it attracts viewers and raises rating, while a paper book rarely contains information that is given away for nothing. Besides, in most cases this information is worthless, obsolete or outdated. [*]Reading the paper book goes hand in hand with headaches, eye strain and mobility problems because of the font of small size, unsuitable for people above 50, poor paper and the bleak printing ink (you see the font from the other side of the page), while the computer enables to get a font of any size by using the inherent features of the computer and, in addition, has the wonderful ”electronic magnifier glass” feature that enables reading of every text even by people with very weak sight, without strain. [*]By using computers in an interactive way the horizons are virtually limitless. Of course we need to completely rethink teaching methods and to redefine the role of the teacher, if any. [*]If we accept the idea that it is the subject matter that counts, not the decorative effect, then the e-book has all the advantages – a decisively lower price, immediate delivery, easy transportation in case of relocation, no load on the floor, no fire hazard, fast access to needed information, a possibility of sharing with friends, easy disposal of outdated books and many others. [*]Of course such issues as the cost of a computer, portability and reliability will have to be resolved – these problems do not seem unsurmountable – before e-books will finally replace ordinary books and mediocre teachers as the main tool for education. [*]An e-book may be discussed with a group of frriends scattered over the globe while discussion of an ordinary book calls for the gathering of participants in one place or arranging a costly teleconference. [*]The failure of introducing of e-books and computers into the educational process so far results from the limited courseware development budget, from the lack of knowledge of most educators how to fully utilise computers, and last but not least, from the fear that computer will partially or fully replace mediocre teachers. [*]An ordinary book may be destroyed by fire or water and nobody keeps a back-up for books. However, an e-book may be stored on a CD-ROM less than 1mm thick and one may easily have a back-up that will cost a few cents and be kept in a safe place. [*]The delivery of ordinary book lasts several days and the cost of delivery is very substantial (comparable with the cost of the book itself) while an e-book is delivered in minutes and it costs practically nothing. [*]Ordinary books are often large and heavy - e-books in hundreds may be loaded on a single CD. [*]An e-book enables to get explanations, interpretations, and bibliographical data. It may contain a Thesaurus of words and phrases and thus assure better understanding of the subject matter. [*]Only the e-book together with distance learning may satisfy the growing number of learners that for the age span 14 to 17 exceeds 950 per thousand and the people in their thirties and forties that encounter new methods, new machines, new materials and new techniques. [*]Only a transition to e-book enables the utilization of the constructivist learning theory that is the leading learning theory today. [*]The e-book may prepare the learner to learn independently, without a teacher – in a real situation. The e-book may provide the learner with all the knowledge that is requested for understanding the new material. Only an e-book may contain the answers to all possible questions of the learner and may provide all the information that may be necessary for understanding the new material so that the presence of the teacher/lecturer should be redundant.[/list=1]

Puhhh.. what a killer!

[kennyc]

Hmm, Sorry to dig up this really old thread, but as I'm becoming once more acquainted with the world of ebooks and electronic publishing I find it quite interesting.

Originally posted in 2003 - a bit more than six years ago. I'd have to dig in the e-reader history to know what ebook readers might have existed then, but I'm not sure any of them did, and certainly this was pre-Kindle. Maybe the Sony 500? ..... Just found this from January 2006:
-------------------
01-05-2006, 02:32 AM
So the Sony Reader is the (US-) revamped version of the Sony Librie. Another user here online said that the SR will have a faster screen. But other than that, and the addition of SD card and PDF support (latter is just a software feature). All these years of waiting - and all Sony did was to bring this small Librie upgrade and to find US publishers who would sign up for Sony's ridiculous e-book format?

-------------

I'm thinking the landscape has changed completely since this original posting, but still seem quite relevant.

[ahi]

Rant against eBooks and how we counter it

Apparently by utterly ignoring it... along with the rest of the world outside the writers immediate geographic/ethnocultural target audience?

Probably a safe bet in most cases.

- Ahi

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by ahi

Apparently by utterly ignoring it... along with the rest of the world outside the writers immediate geographic/ethnocultural target audience?

Probably a safe bet in most cases.

- Ahi

The Canadian approach, eh?

[Bald Eagle]

And egyptian scientists of that earlier time surely bemoaned the ephemeral nature of this new-fangled paper as compared to the eternal durability of clay tablets and how easy it has become for charlatans to scribble ever more copies of sacred texts.

Eagle

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Bald Eagle

And egyptian scientists of that earlier time surely bemoaned the ephemeral nature of this new-fangled paper as compared to the eternal durability of clay tablets and how easy it has become for charlatans to scribble ever more copies of sacred texts.

Eagle

Yep, I bet was in all the papers.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Yep, I bet was in all the papers.

[Lemurion]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Yep, I bet was in all the papers.

Nahhhh-- it was carved in all the steles.

[ahi]

Originally Posted by kennyc

The Canadian approach, eh?

Are you making light of Canadians' stereotypical passivity/agreeability/nonviolance or suggesting that the rest of the world just tends to ignore Canada and Canadians?

Probably right on both counts...

- Ahi

[Abecedary]

The best way to counter a rant from 2003? Howsabout not replying to it to keep from repeatedly bumping it to the front of the forum?


Crap!

[ahi]

Originally Posted by Abecedary

The best way to counter a rant from 2003? Howsabout not replying to it to keep from repeatedly bumping it to the front of the forum?


Crap!

Not acceptable! Silence implies consent.

[DixieGal]

I just sort of turn it around with genle humor, especially since it is usually strangers who don't know I'm really a raging b!tch.

Them: "Is that one of them Kindle things? Seems like a waste of money. I don't like to read, but if I did, I would want to read a real book."

Me (with a genuine smile, which they think is friendly but is actually me holding back a scornful smirk): "No, actually it is a Sony, see the logo? (Points at logo) So you don't like to read? I LOVE books! Real books, electronic books, books on my PC, audiobooks, just about anything. And you're right, it is a bit expensive just to read books on, but I don't drink or anything, so reading and coffee are my 'vices.' May I get another napkin and a refill of my coffee?"

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Hmm, Sorry to dig up this really old thread, but as I'm becoming once more acquainted with the world of ebooks and electronic publishing I find it quite interesting.

Originally posted in 2003 - a bit more than six years ago. I'd have to dig in the e-reader history to know what ebook readers might have existed then, but I'm not sure any of them did, and certainly this was pre-Kindle.

For a history of eBooks see our wiki.

Dale

[kennyc]

Thanks Dale, I'll check that out. I've got about 20 years of catching up on this industry to do.