Your reason for buying an e-reader - Page 5

gollu · 12-24-2010, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by v1k1ng1001

I think it's safe to say that ereaders are not all that ecofriendly once the environmental impact of their production is taken into account.

I think it's not safe to say any such thing.
If a book reader is used for say 3-4 book per year it's probably not an eco-friendly solution for reading.

As those numbers grow (in some cases up to hundreds of books), it's obvious ereaders are very practical. It has been discussed before how big is the carbon footprint of a single book. Especially when shipped across the globe...

Enkidu of Abydos · 12-24-2010, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative

we 're still waiting for the paperless office to become a reality...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhartman36

The paperless office already exists in principle.

It also exists in reality. It's called Google Inc. No papers there, just laptops and whiteboards everywhere, and big rubber pencils for holding meetings with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhartman36

Reading on a PDA screen (especially before color screens became the norm) was really only for those with tip-top vision (which I used to have, back then), but it was serviceable, and it's hard to beat, from a portability standpoint. And just like a desktop screen, if you're used to looking at it for long periods anyway, it's no big deal.

Ah yes, but the question is not only how long you stare at something, but what you stare at. I can stare at a computer game or movies all day long and not get sore eyes, because they're colorfull and dark, but black letters on shiny white background gets my eyes hurting in half an hour.

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative

It's the forest myth again... guess what, the trees used to make paper are planted and grown to chopped down to make paper and then... they plant more so that they've got more to use for paper...

Who exactly guarantees that ? That may be the case in some parts of the US but on the international level I don't see why money-hungry people would bother with replanting trees they cut down for paper, unless the technical process of producing paper requires trees that are best grown. The Brazilians mow down a country-sized chunk of the Amazon forest every year and no one replants that. People chop down other people in some parts of the world and no one cares...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhartman36

There are also numerous sources for non-wood paper (e.g., hemp, cotton).

Hey man, hemp is for smoking ! Just like weed.

Enkidu of Abydos · 12-24-2010, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

Except perhaps my cookbooks, because at some point an accident is likely even if you are careful, so I accept that and don't fret about it.

My dirtiest books (not in that sense, you perverts !

) are not cookbooks but D&D manuals from back in high school when we used to play D&D, they have sticky pages from the all the snacking, crumbs and greasy stains, even real blood in one place from when I got a nose bleed during a D&D session...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

Because you don't look often enough

So you're like those evil angel statues from that horror movie, who look different each time you look at them because they're moving towards you to grab you whenever you're not looking at them ? Man, that movie was waaaaaaay creepy !

Enkidu of Abydos · 12-24-2010, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gollu

I think it's not safe to say any such thing.
If a book reader is used for say 3-4 book per year it's probably not an eco-friendly solution for reading.

As those numbers grow (in some cases up to hundreds of books), it's obvious ereaders are very practical. It has been discussed before how big is the carbon footprint of a single book. Especially when shipped across the globe...

There's lots of ways of poluting, not just carbon, there's trash pileup, there's ozon damage, there's water and air polution with heavy metals and such... It's just it's much easier, more fashionable and more easily exploited politically when you narrow it all down to just two simple words - global warming... Suddenly everyone forgot about the acid rains and everything else... When you narrow it down to just one thing it's much simpler to fool the masses into thinking you're trying to clean up your act when you're just continuing to polute as much as ever. Those global warming conferences are just a way for politicians to pretend they're actually doing something besides banging secretaries... While the world goes to hell.
Hmmm, it seems I've started to ramble... And it also seems we've gotten waaay off topic...

Joe Minton · 12-24-2010, 09:34 AM

Harvesting purpose-planted trees to make paper books may be a good thing. Wood locks up carbon and folks like us don't burn books. ;o)

Latinandgreek · 12-24-2010, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enkidu of Abydos

I don't exactly remember which model, I think it was maybe one of Sony's early models, maybe the Librie ? Anyway I remember reading about such things in the early days of e-readers, some debate on whether or not future e-readers should allow unencrypted books at all ! I sure wouldn't buy such devices, and many other people as well.

Well, if we're gonna get local (and I think that's better left for the PMs

) I should first tell you that your attempt at name translation should say Algorithm (the original name is Algoritam folks)...

Secondly, thank you for pointing out that Cybook sale, wasn't aware of it till now, don't tend to visit their website, only their local bookstore occasionally and haven't seen that there. So they seem to be selling two Cybook models on their site, but I'm still not aware of any other model on sale in Croatia, out of the dozens existing worldwide, though I've seen the PRS-505 on sale in personal adds, and I've seen some news on www.bug.hr saying that Kindle was supposed to be available here after late 2009. but I have yet to see it in any store or webshop.
As for overpricing, it's true all electronics here are overpriced (like 30% to 100% more expensive then in the US) but it still stands you can get most smartphones or cameras here (and I know, cause I've searched) but can't get e-readers and the best explanation I can think of is a small market.
I've seen one other person with an e-reader (my brother

), also a PRS-505, and we both got ours overseas (mine was bought in the US, his in the UK), while an imported one might cost almost double the price in the US (counting shipping cost, tax and import fees) so no wonder few people have them.

Mine was bought overseas too, of course.

Kindle does ship here, and there are some companies that will ship Sony readers here now, but what with customs, taxes, shipping prices etc. I'm better off getting my next reader overseas (again).

Maggie Leung · 12-24-2010, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enkidu of Abydos

Doesn't the light in your eyes bother you when reading for long ?

No. I wouldn't use any device that bothered my eyes; I need them to edit for a living.

MrsJoseph · 12-24-2010, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enkidu of Abydos

You've actually read the same book 100 times ???

I've read my favorite ever book series 2-3 times now (maybe one more time when I'm old and gray) and seen my favorite movie maybe 3-4 times. A friend of mine once told me he had seen at least 5-10 of his favorite movies more then 20 times, I thought he was completely off his rocker. And now you tell me you've read a book for 100 times ? For what, to put yourself to sleep ? Because you must know it by heart by now...
No offense to your personal tastes, it's just this is one of the more bizarre things I've heard of...

I've been told I'm weird that I can read the same book multiple times, but I can and I do. IMO its weird not to read a good book at least 5 times. It's like visiting old friends. I can’t believe you have only read your favorites 2-3 times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

I interpret that 100+ as exaggeration to aid understanding, but apart form that, no, you're not alone. My own p-books tends to look un-read even after several readings. Except perhaps my cookbooks, because at some point an accident is likely even if you are careful, so I accept that and don't fret about it.

I would agree. While it’s certainly possible I’ve read a few that many times, I’ve never counted. And I agree with the cookbooks, too. None of my cookbooks are in pristine condition, especially since I try to flatten them out while cooking. I’m not feeling too confident about using my ereader while cooking, so that will stay a paper activity.

RW2112 · 12-24-2010, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

I've been told I'm weird that I can read the same book multiple times, but I can and I do. IMO its weird not to read a good book at least 5 times. It's like visiting old friends. I can’t believe you have only read your favorites 2-3 times.

I reread my favorites many, many times over.

I totally agree, it IS like visiting old friends and I love seeing them as much as I can...

italianReader · 12-26-2010, 07:16 AM

I bought an e-book reader for several reasons listed on the poll (free ebooks, portability, availability, ...) but one the main reason is that I never liked paper books (or things written on paper) too much.

The font is not resizable, if you often carry them with you they get damaged, you risk to lose them (maybe it's just me

), and a lot of other issues.

Moreover I really like the opportunity to separate the content from the form and I'm pretty happy to be part of this "revolution".

clanelliott · 12-27-2010, 11:47 AM

I got one based on price, dont like carrying books around with me, so i can put manuals and info on it to help my hobbies.

KenJackson · 12-28-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative

It's the forest myth again... guess what, the trees used to make paper are planted and grown to chopped down to make paper and then... they plant more so that they've got more to use for paper...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enkidu of Abydos

Who exactly guarantees that ? That may be the case in some parts of the US but on the international level I don't see why money-hungry people would bother with replanting trees they cut down for paper, ...

Two motives guarantee paper companies replenish the trees they cut down: sustainability and image.

Sustainability simply means their business needs trees to survive. It will utterly fail if it doesn't have trees to cut down and make into paper. Since they need trees, they grow them. Trees are a crop like vegetables. They grow trees and harvest them.

Regarding image--what's the first thing that International Paper says on their website? They say, "We are committed to delivering the products our customers want while ensuring responsible stewardship of natural resources today and for generations to come."

They are obviously very concerned about how people perceive them. They don't want the public to think they are fat capitalist pigs in case they have to go to court, or the court of public opinion. Lots of companies have been burned by spurning public opinion.

But I don't buy either argument--whether e-readers or pbooks are better for the environment. Human life has an impact on the earth, but the earth is here for human life. The reason to be responsible with the environment is because it's beneficial to us. The reason to buy an e-reader is because it's convenient.

bhartman36 · 12-28-2010, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenJackson

But I don't buy either argument--whether e-readers or pbooks are better for the environment. Human life has an impact on the earth, but the earth is here for human life. The reason to be responsible with the environment is because it's beneficial to us. The reason to buy an e-reader is because it's convenient.

I like this line of thinking. If people are buying an e-reader thinking it's going to "save the planet", (which I think is a silly idea -- the planet will do just fine. It's us that'll be screwed if the planet heats up too much) then they should just save their money.

Having said that, paper manufacture has a deep environmental impact wherever the trees that supply the paper come from. Here's a breakdown of the subject. From that source, it appears that only 16% of the world's paper comes from tree farms.

I think over the long haul, e-readers could have a significant impact on paper consumption (together with tablets, of course). But people should buy whichever they're comfortable with. Personally, I think most people will eventually go electronic, but that's just a guess, and not a well-researched one, at that.

catsittingstill · 12-30-2010, 12:49 PM

I have sometimes (rarely) seen people promote e-books as "saving the planet" but that's really only the case if you 1) reduce your paper book buying by a significant amount and 2) don't buy a new electronic device to read them on. Let's be realistic; the plastic and rare metals and so on in an e-book reader aren't poofed into existence by the sustainability fairy--they all have environmental costs associated with extracting and processing them, and trashing the broken devices at the end of their lifetimes.

Mind you, I care about the environment, both out of self interest (it's not like we have another life-support system to fall back on when we've torn the crucial piece out of this one) and for its own sake (no, I don't buy the argument that the earth exists for us.) But protecting the environment requires real world data, not guesses that ignore half the environmental costs.

hedwig · 01-01-2011, 07:48 AM

I think that the main reason I got an Ereader was accessibility to books in English. I have lived in a non-English speaking country for the past 25 years and have always been limited to the selection at the 2nd hand bookstore (which also happens to be a 45 minute drive from my house).
As a native English speaker and a lover of books this has always be really frustrating and I am ecstatic that I now have access to such a wide range through the Kindle store.

View Poll Results: What are the reasons that made you decide to buy an e-reader ?
Free books (having the option of downloading ANY book from the Internet for free instead of having to pay for paper)	70	27.34%
"Legally" free books (public domain books, hard to find or unavailable in print books, digital releases, old books...)	134	52.34%
Portability (being able to take a 100 books on a trip instead of just a few or getting rid of the weight)	220	85.94%
Availability (you have a choice of more books to buy or download for free online then in your local bookstore / library)	94	36.72%
Price (you pay for digital books but they're still cheaper then the paper version and you don't mind losing the paper)	77	30.08%
Instant gratification (the speed of downloading a book via your computer or via WLAN VS going to a bookstore / library)	96	37.50%
Home storage space (one hard drive or e-reader memory card VS many cupboards crammed with books)	164	64.06%
Access to english (or other) books when in a foreign country	33	12.89%
Mobile / unplanned access to books (unplanned buying new books by WLAN on a train or in an airport or on holiday)	23	8.98%
Gadget love (you love gadgets and buy any new gadgets that come to market regardless of usefullness)	73	28.52%
Poor eyesight (you can't read the small print in paper books but you can read the largest font on your e-reader)	35	13.67%
Ecology (you want to save forests and trees from being cut down to make paper books)	47	18.36%
You were already reading books on your computer and this is easier to carry around and read in bed	57	22.27%
You wanted to give a suitable gift to an avid reader or addicted gadget geek	7	2.73%
You need the built-in dictionary or some other feature not directly related to reading	25	9.77%
Your eyes hurt less from reading e-paper then from reading real paper	21	8.20%
It's easier to read in the dark (because you have an LCD-based device or an e-paper based one with built-in lighting)	21	8.20%
Your e-reader is more comfortable to hold in your hands then books are	97	37.89%
E-readers don't age like paper books (they don't turn yellow, don't get twisted and ruffled-up)	33	12.89%
Reading comics	9	3.52%
Reading news	13	5.08%
Study (you use it to read textbooks or manuals)	19	7.42%
Work (you use it to look over documents and annotate or correct them, like correcting your own writing or student tests)	19	7.42%
You like looking cool and high-tech and want people to see you using it	12	4.69%
You're exceptionally prone to papercuts	9	3.52%
You love anything shiny, just like a crow	40	15.63%
Some other reason	24	9.38%
You bought an e-reader but weren't satisfied with the experience and decided to go back to strictly reading paper books	1	0.39%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 256. You may not vote on this poll

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12-24-2010, 09:34 AM	#65
Joe Minton eReader Posts: 60 Karma: 31585 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Southern California Device: Sony 650, iPod Touch 4G, iPhone 4, Nook: Touch/Glow/Color/Tablet	Harvesting purpose-planted trees to make paper books may be a good thing. Wood locks up carbon and folks like us don't burn books. ;o)

12-26-2010, 07:16 AM	#70
italianReader Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 340 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: onyx boox 60	I bought an e-book reader for several reasons listed on the poll (free ebooks, portability, availability, ...) but one the main reason is that I never liked paper books (or things written on paper) too much. The font is not resizable, if you often carry them with you they get damaged, you risk to lose them (maybe it's just me ), and a lot of other issues. Moreover I really like the opportunity to separate the content from the form and I'm pretty happy to be part of this "revolution".

12-27-2010, 11:47 AM	#71
clanelliott Enthusiast Posts: 35 Karma: 188 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Scotland Device: iriver story	I got one based on price, dont like carrying books around with me, so i can put manuals and info on it to help my hobbies.

12-30-2010, 12:49 PM	#74
catsittingstill Guru Posts: 643 Karma: 551634 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle 1.0.8, iPod Touch, Kindle Keyboard	I have sometimes (rarely) seen people promote e-books as "saving the planet" but that's really only the case if you 1) reduce your paper book buying by a significant amount and 2) don't buy a new electronic device to read them on. Let's be realistic; the plastic and rare metals and so on in an e-book reader aren't poofed into existence by the sustainability fairy--they all have environmental costs associated with extracting and processing them, and trashing the broken devices at the end of their lifetimes. Mind you, I care about the environment, both out of self interest (it's not like we have another life-support system to fall back on when we've torn the crucial piece out of this one) and for its own sake (no, I don't buy the argument that the earth exists for us.) But protecting the environment requires real world data, not guesses that ignore half the environmental costs.

01-01-2011, 07:48 AM	#75
hedwig Book Worm Posts: 116 Karma: 158766 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPod Touch 5	I think that the main reason I got an Ereader was accessibility to books in English. I have lived in a non-English speaking country for the past 25 years and have always been limited to the selection at the 2nd hand bookstore (which also happens to be a 45 minute drive from my house). As a native English speaker and a lover of books this has always be really frustrating and I am ecstatic that I now have access to such a wide range through the Kindle store.

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