The Future of Print

[Crusader]

This is an amazing documentary and definitely worth a watch:

http://www.epiloguedoc.com/doc.html

I won't comment more than just to say that I agree that there will come a point where both happily coexists. At least that's what I'm hoping for.

[carpetmojo]

Surely they already do ?

[VaporPunk]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

Surely they already do ?

They do indeed, but paper isn't that happy about it.

[DarkScribe]

One thing that can be said about printing books on the ghosts of dead trees rather than digitally - they are durable. They aren't reliant on technology with its propensity to fail when power goes out, or surges, when components fail, or screens break. Some people go on about reclaiming shelf space, but if I did discard all of my books, what could I use to fill those empty spaces? Nothing has the appeal, the warmth, or offers the comfort of rows of books.

[Crusader]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

Surely they already do ?

They do to an extent, but it's still a jostle between the two trying to find that perfect equilibrium.

[crich70]

New ideas don't become established because those who don't like them come to accept them, but because those who don't like them eventually die, and the next generation accepts them as being a better idea than what used to be the great idea. I can imagine that when someone had the idea to put text in the form of pbooks some hundreds of yrs ago those who favored the scroll weren't pleased either. Probably there were those who didn't like the printing press either because books were carefully produced works of art and no mere machine could possibly do a better job. There was a time not so long ago when VHS tapes were all the rage for viewing movies. Then the DVD was developed. Gradually stores went from having only VHS tapes to about .75 VHS and .25 DVD's to .50 VHS and .50 DVD's then to .25 VHS and .75 DVD's and now you can't even find a VHS tape on sale in a store. VHS has been pretty much phased out as a medium just like the scroll was by books and I imagine eventually pbooks will be phased out too though not quite so quickly as VHS tapes were.

[danskmacabre]

I buy most novels in an ebook format. But bigger books such a gaming books (tabletop RPGs) and non-fiction books, for example I recently bought an A4 sized book about the crusades with lots of castle maps and site pictures etc.
This would not be suitable on an ereader and I would far prefer a pbook version for that.
Mind you after saying that, I bought a tablet recently, I probably would have been happy enough reading that bigger book on a tablet, which has colour and a much bigger screen.
Still the large book I bought was pretty old and is unlikely available in an electronic format.

So maybe for me it's more accurate to say I will buy older physical books if I can't get them in an electronic format or if I just seeing them being sold really cheap (like cheaper than the ebook variant.

I probably wouldn't buy cheaper physical novels over an ebook as I just don't have the room for 100s of novels, but can spare the space for the occasional larger book, which I buy a lot less frequently than novels.

[Harper Kingsley]

I do like print books. There's something nice about being able to hold a book in my hand, to be able to smell the paper and the ink, or even to be able to open two or three books at the same time for reference purposes--something I cannot do with my single Kindle

If I'm looking for certain information, it's a lot easier to flip through a physical book than it is to have to click through all the pages of an ebook. Though the convenience of my wanting a book, and just being able to click and buy it and always have it available on my computer or wherever does make me happy.

So for semi-crappy fiction, I'm happy to read an ebook. But for something I want to keep forever... I have a giant hardback and paperback collection, probably more than 10,000 books between everyone in my house. I personally believe that print books are always going to be around, even if it's just as a crazy indulgence of eccentric people.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by DarkScribe

One thing that can be said about printing books on the ghosts of dead trees rather than digitally - they are durable. They aren't reliant on technology with its propensity to fail when power goes out, or surges, when components fail, or screens break. Some people go on about reclaiming shelf space, but if I did discard all of my books, what could I use to fill those empty spaces? Nothing has the appeal, the warmth, or offers the comfort of rows of books.

I do admit that i find it exceedingly difficult to read in the dark.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Harper Kingsley

I do like print books. There's something nice about being able to hold a book in my hand, to be able to smell the paper and the ink, or even to be able to open two or three books at the same time for reference purposes--something I cannot do with my single Kindle

If I'm looking for certain information, it's a lot easier to flip through a physical book than it is to have to click through all the pages of an ebook. Though the convenience of my wanting a book, and just being able to click and buy it and always have it available on my computer or wherever does make me happy.

So for semi-crappy fiction, I'm happy to read an ebook. But for something I want to keep forever... I have a giant hardback and paperback collection, probably more than 10,000 books between everyone in my house. I personally believe that print books are always going to be around, even if it's just as a crazy indulgence of eccentric people.

When that need arises I have Kindle apps on my Transformer, Galaxy Note, ViewSonic 7" tablet, HTC Desire and PC laptop, so outside my Kindle I can have five more reference works open. Not only that, but the search function takes me directly to the point in the book I want, I don't have to waste time flipping through indexes, finding the page and then finding the required sentence on that page. Sorry, but for a rational and efficient approach to research, nothing beats electronics. Granted though, I do look a tad odd to my colleagues when I'm researching electronically and they sit with their tomes

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by crich70

There was a time not so long ago when VHS tapes were all the rage for viewing movies. Then the DVD was developed. Gradually stores went from having only VHS tapes to about .75 VHS and .25 DVD's to .50 VHS and .50 DVD's then to .25 VHS and .75 DVD's and now you can't even find a VHS tape on sale in a store. VHS has been pretty much phased out as a medium just like the scroll was by books and I imagine eventually pbooks will be phased out too though not quite so quickly as VHS tapes were.

But DVD was clearly an improvement over VHS. The DVD gives better picture quality, lasts longer, takes up less space (think of the difference between a complete TV series on tape and on DVDs!) Only real reason for VHS now is that some VHS material hasn't been released on DVD.

An e-book, though, is not a clear-cut winner over a physical book. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

When that need arises I have Kindle apps on my Transformer, Galaxy Note, ViewSonic 7" tablet, HTC Desire and PC laptop, so outside my Kindle I can have five more reference works open. Not only that, but the search function takes me directly to the point in the book I want, I don't have to waste time flipping through indexes, finding the page and then finding the required sentence on that page. Sorry, but for a rational and efficient approach to research, nothing beats electronics. Granted though, I do look a tad odd to my colleagues when I'm researching electronically and they sit with their tomes

Maybe, but there's something to be said for serendipity. With a physical book, I'll look for something in an index, but then some other entry may catch my eye, and I'll look at that, and maybe discover something new and unexpected.

[Kumabjorn]

@catlady

Absolutely, but your statement was that it was easier to flip through a physical book, not that it was serendipitous. For the record, I agree that flipping through books may yield some lucky break that you didn't anticipate, but when you are on a deadline to produce some tangible results before your grant is under review, believe me, you want all the efficiency you can get.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

@catlady

Absolutely, but your statement was that it was easier to flip through a physical book, not that it was serendipitous. For the record, I agree that flipping through books may yield some lucky break that you didn't anticipate, but when you are on a deadline to produce some tangible results before your grant is under review, believe me, you want all the efficiency you can get.

No, I did not make a statement about it being easier.

An additional comment: Digital searches are only as good as your search terms. You may easily miss something important if your searches are too limited.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Catlady

No, I did not make a statement about it being easier.

Originally Posted by Harper Kingsley

it's a lot easier to flip through a physical book than it is to have to click through all the pages of an ebook.

No you didn't my mistake.