Paper books still have an advantage

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by shalym

Besides, if I'm going on vacation, I always bring a spare reader with me, both loaded with all of the same books.

On the one hand, that feels like overkill. On the other, I already know when I pack for trips later this year, this conversation will be in the back of my mind...

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Quoth

A big advantage of paper over ebooks is layout size and shape/aspect ratio.
Also cut-outs and folding.
Serious folding maps like UK Ordinance Survey for hiking.

Poetry is an example where I think paper is better.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Calenorn

One great thing ereaders have done for me is open the door to thousands of books that are out of print in paper, but available in public domain as ebooks. It's like finding a hidden library floor that I never knew existed!

I bought an ereader for two reasons originally:
1) To read PD ebooks, which I'd been downloading intermittently for over a decade and even reformatted to read on an Archos 605 PMP.
2) To proof read new novels without the massive cost of ink/toner and paper.

Gradually the ratio of paper books to ebooks of recent titles purchased has changed over the last 10 years, faster since switching from 6″ Paperwhite 3, to 7″ and now 8″ Sage. Wife prefers buying ebooks now.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by issybird

Poetry is an example where I think paper is better.

Illustrated books, like the original version of Stardust with the Charles Vess illustrations.

Even before ebooks were a thing, I realized that I personally valued the small, portable mass market paperback to a large, illustrated tome.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Not so much public domain (though I do love those) but I appreciate old, OOP genre books being readily available again as ebooks. No need to haunt used book stores or eBay. And now the author gets another chance to make a few bucks off their old work. It's a win/win.

Open Road Media specializes in these!

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Open Road Media specializes in these!

Yeah, there's a few small-fry publishers doing this. Open Road, Piccadilly Publishing, Valencourt Books...

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

There's plenty of articles out there that are exactly this:

• Bold Prediction: Why e-books will never replace real books
• Why Ebooks Will Never Replace Physical Books
• Turn that e-reader off, and pick up a real book

They are almost always worded the same way (physical books have notes from grandma, a certain smell, you can see how far into the book you are, etc.). They likely stem more from a reporter having a deadline than any actual preference.

The first one struck me as thoughtful and experience based, but was solely about the mechanics of authorship and had nothing to do with the ebook reading experience of anyone not the author or editor of the work. If the title can be considered a headline/conclusion, it is a complete non sequitur that does not follow from the content in any way.

Maybe the last link is a humor piece since it lists waiting for the download as an ebook disadvantage.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

There's plenty of articles out there that are exactly this:

• Bold Prediction: Why e-books will never replace real books
• Why Ebooks Will Never Replace Physical Books
• Turn that e-reader off, and pick up a real book

They are almost always worded the same way (physical books have notes from grandma, a certain smell, you can see how far into the book you are, etc.). They likely stem more from a reporter having a deadline than any actual preference.

The last one cracked me up. Especially the complaint about running out of room on the eReader just a few paragraphs after mentioning overflowing bookshelves.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

There's plenty of articles out there that are exactly this:

• Bold Prediction: Why e-books will never replace real books
• Why Ebooks Will Never Replace Physical Books
• Turn that e-reader off, and pick up a real book

They are almost always worded the same way (physical books have notes from grandma, a certain smell, you can see how far into the book you are, etc.). They likely stem more from a reporter having a deadline than any actual preference.

Surgeon General's WARNING! Paper books cause cancer!

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Surgeon General's WARNING! Paper books cause cancer!

Let me guess, "known to the the state of California..."

(The thought of items becoming carcinogenic only after crossing an arbitrary political border will never fail to amuse me.)

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Let me guess, "the state of California..."

(The thought of items becoming carcinogenic only after crossing an arbitrary political border will never fail to amuse me.)

One ting can happen to pBooks a lot easier. They can get moldy. Also, you can get paper cuts.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

One ting can happen to pBooks a lot easier. They can get moldy. Also, you can get paper cuts.

I once got an inflammation of the thumb joint because I held a heavy doorstopper in my hand for hours. Has never happened with ereaders.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I once got an inflammation of the thumb joint because I held a heavy doorstopper in my hand for hours. Has never happened with ereaders.

Stands don't work well with pBooks.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

The last one cracked me up. Especially the complaint about running out of room on the eReader just a few paragraphs after mentioning overflowing bookshelves.

That pont 6 made me feel sorry for the article author. They celarly have a dial-up connection since they have to wait and watch the download wheel spin when downloading AN EBOOK

[theducks]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Let me guess, "known to the the state of California..."

(The thought of items becoming carcinogenic only after crossing an arbitrary political border will never fail to amuse me.)

We had to have one of those signs on the door of the (data center) UPS battery room because of the Lead (submerged in 5 gal of Battery ACID) for the racks of 1000lb batteries