Poll: Age of People who Read E-Books - Page 2

bsandersen · 03-12-2008, 10:19 PM

I started making Newton books (and writing other Newton software) immediately after its release at the Boston MacWorld and the general availability of the Newton Developer Kit. This was back in the early to mid-1990's. (Wow: 15 years ago?!)

When I first spotted this poll I thought, "the ages represented will probably trend low." Then, the more I thought about it, the ages should actually trend _high_. One of the benefits of electronic books is the ability to increase the font size of the type in the book. I routinely read with the largest type size on my PRS-505. As eyes age and prespiopia begins to affect we aging baby-boomers the larger type brings welcome relief. No need to ditch our vanity and buy large print books; just get the electronic version and select the large typeface! I wonder when the AARP crowd will catch on to that trick?!

-- Scott (Acton, MA)

JSWolf · 03-12-2008, 10:30 PM

I am 44. I started reading LIT format eBooks on the computer once I figured I could remove the DRM and also read them on the laptop as well as my desktop without having to deal with DRM. I was reading Star Trek eBook on the computer mainly. The ones I could not get from the library. But now I just use my 505 for eBooks.

hidalgo1301 · 03-12-2008, 10:55 PM

I'm 34 and I really enjoy the freedom that the PRS has given. I read sci-fi, any suggestions for some good free content. Thanks.

binzer · 03-12-2008, 11:52 PM

well there may be a wide range of ages, but I think it's safe to say we're all a little nerdy.

Dave Berk · 03-13-2008, 01:03 AM

Middle twenties here as well. Started reading on the computer when the screen was green... (only half joking)
As a matter of fact I expected most of the people here to be above the 30 line. Don't know why I got that impression. Probably from the quality of writing on the forum and the moderate use of acronyms... But I enjoy seeing some other young whipper-snappers here who likes to read like me. It's a nice contrast to the people I meet in real life. When I go into the library and there is only me and a couple of grandmas, and the only young people I can see is by the nonfiction section... it's really embrassing.

RobbieClarken · 03-13-2008, 05:40 AM

I started reading ebooks half way through my undergraduate degree (when I was about 20) when I realised that instead of paying hundreds of dollars for textbooks, I could get them way cheaper off the internet. I bought a tablet PC to read them on and haven't paid for a textbook since. With the sort of research I am in (theoretical physics) I require the latest textbooks and the university library rarely has these. Plus the books are astronomically expensive because they are aimed at a very small customer base. So now I couldn't survive without my ebooks.

HarryT · 03-13-2008, 06:01 AM

I'm in my late 40s; been reading eBooks for well over 20 years now.

HarryT · 03-13-2008, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epiphany

I started reading ebooks half way through my undergraduate degree (when I was about 20) when I realised that instead of paying hundreds of dollars for textbooks, I could get them way cheaper off the internet. I bought a tablet PC to read them on and haven't paid for a textbook since. With the sort of research I am in (theoretical physics) I require the latest textbooks and the university library rarely has these. Plus the books are astronomically expensive because they are aimed at a very small customer base. So now I couldn't survive without my ebooks.

Where do you get these free textbooks from? I'm sure that many people would be interested in a legal source for them. Can you post a link, please?

Moonraker · 03-13-2008, 08:21 AM

I'm 64 and wondering if I'm the oldest member here. I've been into IT since computers first came into the workplace in the mid 80s. I'm retired now but still get many calls from friends and relatives for help. I don't often shop at PCWorld places but when I do I often have to suppress a chuckle when listening to BS from some salesmen. Do they see only a female with white hair and assume I know nothing?

I have been an voracious reader since I was about seven. If there was nothing available to read then the cornflake packet on the breakfast table would do. My mother would scream at me to get my attention if I happened to be engrossed in a book and deaf to the world. My parents were not the sort to monitor my reading material so I still have nightmares about the Holocaust to this day.

My first ebook reader was a Franklin eBookman 901, followed by a Fujitsu 1000, Fujitsu 3400, eBookwise, iLiad and Cybook Gen3. I have loved them all in their turn.

TallMomof2 · 03-13-2008, 09:22 AM

Pushing 50 *real* hard. Another one who needs a bigger screen than provided by a PDA.

DaleDe · 03-13-2008, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm in my late 40s; been reading eBooks for well over 20 years now.

What were you reading them on 20 years ago? What program were you using? Portable devices for reading eBooks are barely 10 years old.

Dale

HarryT · 03-13-2008, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

What were you reading them on 20 years ago? What program were you using? Portable devices for reading eBooks are barely 10 years old.

Dale

Dedicated bookreaders, yes. Portable devices on which one could read books, certainly not.

The first machine on which I read books was an early British PDA called the "Psion Organiser II", around 1986. See here. It had a built-in BASIC programming language and people quickly wrote software to allow it to display text files.

A few years later, around 1991, the hugely influential Psion 3 appeared, which had a clamshell design and a multitasking o/s. There was some great bookreading software available for that. I still have my Psion 3!

RobbieClarken · 03-13-2008, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Where do you get these free textbooks from? I'm sure that many people would be interested in a legal source for them. Can you post a link, please?

Sorry Harry, the sites I use for free ebooks don't distinguish between legal and illegal ebooks. I'm happy to point you to these sites but I don't want to violate MobileRead's rules.

HarryT · 03-13-2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by epiphany

Sorry Harry, the sites I use for free ebooks don't distinguish between legal and illegal ebooks. I'm happy to point you to these sites but I don't want to violate MobileRead's rules.

As an author of physics textbooks myself, I'm sure you'll appreciate my interest in the fact that they are being made available free of charge. I know that some publishers are releasing PDF versions of textbooks, but I hadn't come across them being made available without cost. How do the economics of this work? ie how does the author get paid?

DaleDe · 03-13-2008, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Dedicated bookreaders, yes. Portable devices on which one could read books, certainly not.

The first machine on which I read books was an early British PDA called the "Psion Organiser II", around 1986. See here. It had a built-in BASIC programming language and people quickly wrote software to allow it to display text files.

A few years later, around 1991, the hugely influential Psion 3 appeared, which had a clamshell design and a multitasking o/s. There was some great bookreading software available for that. I still have my Psion 3!

Wow, reading eBooks on a 2 line display. That is dedication. I had some early orgainizers but would never have thought of reading eBooks on them. My first real reader was a Palm III. Earlier I had read some stuff on Commodore PET and even an early laptop but not real eBooks although I did have some Bible study programs on my character screen based laptop using DOS.

Dale

View Poll Results: At about what age did you start reading ebooks?
60+	34	7.02%
55-59	33	6.82%
50-54	49	10.12%
45-49	56	11.57%
40-44	54	11.16%
35-39	75	15.50%
30-34	66	13.64%
25-29	51	10.54%
20-24	39	8.06%
15-19	18	3.72%
less than 15 years old	9	1.86%
Voters: 484. You may not vote on this poll

03-12-2008, 10:19 PM	#16
bsandersen Nerd Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Acton, MA Device: Sony PRS-300,505, Kindle 2, iPad	Newton books I started making Newton books (and writing other Newton software) immediately after its release at the Boston MacWorld and the general availability of the Newton Developer Kit. This was back in the early to mid-1990's. (Wow: 15 years ago?!) When I first spotted this poll I thought, "the ages represented will probably trend low." Then, the more I thought about it, the ages should actually trend _high_. One of the benefits of electronic books is the ability to increase the font size of the type in the book. I routinely read with the largest type size on my PRS-505. As eyes age and prespiopia begins to affect we aging baby-boomers the larger type brings welcome relief. No need to ditch our vanity and buy large print books; just get the electronic version and select the large typeface! I wonder when the AARP crowd will catch on to that trick?! -- Scott (Acton, MA)

03-13-2008, 08:21 AM	#24
Moonraker Addict Posts: 314 Karma: 1002965 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: UK Device: ILiad. Gen 3, PocketBook 360, Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Oasis 2	I'm 64 and wondering if I'm the oldest member here. I've been into IT since computers first came into the workplace in the mid 80s. I'm retired now but still get many calls from friends and relatives for help. I don't often shop at PCWorld places but when I do I often have to suppress a chuckle when listening to BS from some salesmen. Do they see only a female with white hair and assume I know nothing? I have been an voracious reader since I was about seven. If there was nothing available to read then the cornflake packet on the breakfast table would do. My mother would scream at me to get my attention if I happened to be engrossed in a book and deaf to the world. My parents were not the sort to monitor my reading material so I still have nightmares about the Holocaust to this day. My first ebook reader was a Franklin eBookman 901, followed by a Fujitsu 1000, Fujitsu 3400, eBookwise, iLiad and Cybook Gen3. I have loved them all in their turn. Last edited by Moonraker; 03-13-2008 at 08:35 AM.

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03-12-2008, 10:30 PM	#17
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,612 Karma: 145863177 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I am 44. I started reading LIT format eBooks on the computer once I figured I could remove the DRM and also read them on the laptop as well as my desktop without having to deal with DRM. I was reading Star Trek eBook on the computer mainly. The ones I could not get from the library. But now I just use my 505 for eBooks.

03-12-2008, 10:55 PM	#18
hidalgo1301 Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Dallas Device: Sony Reader 505	I'm 34 and I really enjoy the freedom that the PRS has given. I read sci-fi, any suggestions for some good free content. Thanks.

03-12-2008, 11:52 PM	#19
binzer Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 195 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Victoria BC, Canada Device: Cybook Gen3	well there may be a wide range of ages, but I think it's safe to say we're all a little nerdy.

03-13-2008, 01:03 AM	#20
Dave Berk Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 138556 Join Date: May 2006 Device: PRS505	Middle twenties here as well. Started reading on the computer when the screen was green... (only half joking) As a matter of fact I expected most of the people here to be above the 30 line. Don't know why I got that impression. Probably from the quality of writing on the forum and the moderate use of acronyms... But I enjoy seeing some other young whipper-snappers here who likes to read like me. It's a nice contrast to the people I meet in real life. When I go into the library and there is only me and a couple of grandmas, and the only young people I can see is by the nonfiction section... it's really embrassing.

03-13-2008, 05:40 AM	#21
RobbieClarken Addict Posts: 371 Karma: 1002274 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Australia Device: Kindle	I started reading ebooks half way through my undergraduate degree (when I was about 20) when I realised that instead of paying hundreds of dollars for textbooks, I could get them way cheaper off the internet. I bought a tablet PC to read them on and haven't paid for a textbook since. With the sort of research I am in (theoretical physics) I require the latest textbooks and the university library rarely has these. Plus the books are astronomically expensive because they are aimed at a very small customer base. So now I couldn't survive without my ebooks.

03-13-2008, 06:01 AM	#22
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm in my late 40s; been reading eBooks for well over 20 years now.

03-13-2008, 09:22 AM	#25
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	Pushing 50 real hard. Another one who needs a bigger screen than provided by a PDA.