I guess they don't want you to reread

[RainingLemur]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

So now we have a book with an expiration date.

A sort of tangible DRM?

[Joykins]

Next thing you know they will be printing them on toilet paper so you can read right before you wipe.

Attempts to sell deliberately-disposable media products have typically not gone over well. People who don't want to keep these things around choose to rent rather than buy.

[Freeshadow]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

It was called DIVX (Digital Video Express) and was an attempt at a different way to rent movies. With some titles you could then pay more and "own" the movie permanently if you chose to (as long as you used it on the authorized player/account). There were lots of problems including players that initially cost almost double what a regular DVD player cost at the time.

More...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIVX

I think it isn't what was meant.
I recall having read someone developed DVD coating which got damaged by the reading laser.
The outcome was you would end up with a disc you are able to guaranteed read once, but would damage the more, the often you would play it.
As if old style vinyl records would be of extra soft, matter and get destroyed faster by the needle.

Note to the youngsters: the line above is deliberately left blank to give you time to look up the ancient audio tech in Wikipedia

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by Joykins

Next thing you know they will be printing them on toilet paper so you can read right before you wipe.

Now THAT I'd buy. My roommate and I have differing tastes in bathroom reading material. This way, we could just each have our own roll. And it's much more sanitary than keeping regular books in there.

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

I'm guessing he means it would leave you with hundreds of useless DVDs laying around. AOL provided my house with coasters for years.

We use these as Frisbee.

[J. Strnad]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

I think it isn't what was meant.
I recall having read someone developed DVD coating which got damaged by the reading laser.
The outcome was you would end up with a disc you are able to guaranteed read once, but would damage the more, the often you would play it.
As if old style vinyl records would be of extra soft, matter and get destroyed faster by the needle.

Note to the youngsters: the line above is deliberately left blank to give you time to look up the ancient audio tech in Wikipedia

I don't remember that one. The self-destructing DVD I remember had a coating that began turning black when exposed to air. Came in an airtight packet and started self-destructing once you opened it. Still got one.

[Freeshadow]

They were never made afaik. I just read that some guy developed and patented that crap.

[dreams]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

I'm guessing he means it would leave you with hundreds of useless DVDs laying around. AOL provided my house with coasters for years.

We collected them from friends and relatives, then:

• tied string to them and hung them in fruit trees to keep the birds away.
  
• overlapped and glued them, so we could stick them upright into the soil as flower borders.

[Teknikal]

My bet is they all turn blank before they are sold and no one ever tries this again.

[WatchAdam]

And to think, Bradbury was mad about ebooks! Why doesn't the book just self-ignite?

Now, if this were disappearing, RE-appearing ink, that would be interesting.

[sabredog]

Originally Posted by CWatkinsNash

Now THAT I'd buy. My roommate and I have differing tastes in bathroom reading material. This way, we could just each have our own roll. And it's much more sanitary than keeping regular books in there.

At least if you disliked the reading material, it is then used appropriately...

[Connallmac]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

I'm guessing he means it would leave you with hundreds of useless DVDs laying around. AOL provided my house with coasters for years.

You got it in one! We'd have at least a couple of dozen floating around our dorm suite in college being used as coasters, frizbees and non-lethal shurikens.

[teh603]

Originally Posted by WatchAdam

And to think, Bradbury was mad about ebooks! Why doesn't the book just self-ignite?

Why did this remind me about a horrible joke from World of Warcraft?

Q: What do you call a Tauren with a Goblin Dragon Gun?" (A flamethrower that usually exploded, setting the user on fire)
A: Self- roasting beef.

Now, if this were disappearing, RE-appearing ink, that would be interesting.

Sounds like a magic show trick.

[WatchAdam]

Originally Posted by teh603

Sounds like a magic show trick.

Hey, the publishers tried integrating video with books (saw one in the shops, not sure the title). So why not magic?

[Hellmark]

It is an anthology, which is something I'm more likely to reread.

Plus, am I the only one that likes rereading before I get the author's next book? That way I get back in the mindset of that author's style and stories.