Paper books still have an advantage

[Kindleing]

The oddest complaint against ebooks/ereaders I remember seeing was an opinion piece I ran across a few years ago. I don't remember where I read it. The author wrote that her favorite passtime on long airline flights was observing what nearby passengers were reading. She paid attention to the title and cover art, and would pick a passenger based on what she could see. She would then create an imaginary storyline for the passenger; occupations, families and life style would be invented and refined during the flight. Upon landing, she would position herself so she exited the airplane next to the unsuspecting passenger. As they made their way to the baggage claim she would engage them in conversation and pump them for details about their life. She would compare their reality to her imaginary scenario to see how close she came.

She said writing the article was triggered by her latest flight; everyone around her was reading on an ereader so she had no clue what anyone was reading. She said it completely ruined her flight and she wished ebooks had never been invented.

Personally, it made me hope that I never encountered her on one of my rare flights.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Kindleing

The oddest complaint against ebooks/ereaders I remember seeing was an opinion piece I ran across a few years ago. I don't remember where I read it. The author wrote that her favorite passtime on long airline flights was observing what nearby passengers were reading. She paid attention to the title and cover art, and would pick a passenger based on what she could see. She would then create an imaginary storyline for the passenger; occupations, families and life style would be invented and refined during the flight. Upon landing, she would position herself so she exited the airplane next to the unsuspecting passenger. As they made their way to the baggage claim she would engage them in conversation and pump them for details about their life. She would compare their reality to her imaginary scenario to see how close she came.

She said writing the article was triggered by her latest flight; everyone around her was reading on an ereader so she had no clue what anyone was reading. She said it completely ruined her flight and she wished ebooks had never been invented.

Personally, it made me hope that I never encountered her on one of my rare flights.

If the author wants to know what I am reading, just ask. I have nothing to hide. I would locve to tell her I'm reading a Chuck Tingle book.

[Luffy]

There will come a time in the future when the line between pbook and e-book will be further blurred. In 100 years I can imagine the screen to have e-ink properties while being rock solid (an advantage over paper, though that is not how it works in the game), with no need for a recharge (having a battery that lasts for a year or even years) etc etc. Then, e-books will be at least on par with some characteristics of physical books. Sometimes it is fun to imagine the most cherished technology or the most cutting edge one as potentially outdated as a daguerreotype camera. I cling to the hope of witnessing some truly innovative developments during my lifetime, rather more so after the nuclear fusion breakthrough.

[Sarmat89]

Modern E-Books do not have much future IMO, because they are based on HTML, which is was designed for manuals and not for narrative literature. You can put a ton of weirder and weirder CSS and scripts on it, but it will not change its nature.

[DiapDealer]

Ah yes. The old Hyper Text Manual Language.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sarmat89

Modern E-Books do not have much future IMO, because they are based on HTML, which is was designed for manuals and not for narrative literature. You can put a ton of weirder and weirder CSS and scripts on it, but it will not change its nature.

I have lots of eBooks that use HTML. They seems to work rather well. What about them don't work because they use HTML?

[Renate]

The problem is that markup makes it cost more.
If they had only used markdown...

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Renate

The problem is that markup makes it cost more.
If they had only used markdown...

Great. More coffee on my keyboard! You rump-fed ronyon!

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

...coupled with some sort of explicit statement that I can't be a "real reader" if I don't read "real books."

Oh man. I remember years ago, on this very board, I used those dread words 'real reader' to refer to people in my office who would regularly spend their break time reading as opposed to talking, watching TV or watching videos on their phones. It was a tempest in the teapot. Context was seemingly thrown by the wayside and to my mind it felt like others were just looking to be offended.

I still bear the scars.

[Renate]

Hmm, you brought up an interesting point.
In a long working career I can't think of once where I read (any kind of) book during lunch or break.
Usually a good walk while eating a sandwich got me through lunch.
At home though I often have a (e)book propped up while eating lunch.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

and to my mind it felt like others were just looking to be offended.

I typically find phrases like this to be code for "I feel like I get to be the decider of what others should be offended by."

Me personally... I would love nothing more than not to be offended by things people say. But then wouldn't you know it; they go and say something I find offensive.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I typically find phrases like this to be code for "I feel like I get to be the decider of what others should be offended by."

I think it (like many things) depends on context

Me personally... I would love nothing more than not to be offended by things people say. But then wouldn't you know it; they go and say something I find offensive.

I tend to give a LOT of leeway and benefit of the doubt. It's not that I can't be offended. But it does take a lot.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Renate

In a long working career I can't think of once where I read (any kind of) book during lunch or break.

If I did that, I'd be a healthier person. Too bad I'm such a... 'real reader'

[Sarmat89]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What about them don't work because they use HTML?

Books, since the 16th century, use polygraphic techniques which cannot be represented in primitive HTML: tabulations, the two-dimensional text, sub-pages, columns, etc.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sarmat89

Books, since the 16th century, use polygraphic techniques which cannot be represented in primitive HTML: tabulations, the two-dimensional text, sub-pages, columns, etc.

You mean HTML uses three-dimensional text? How come I've never seen it?