Hey! Somebody gets it...

[zelda_pinwheel]

obviously, i don't agree with all the conclusions in this article but i do think he makes some fair and excellent points ; the idea that many people won't be satisfied completely by the digital reading experience seems very true to me, based on conversations i've had with people around me, although i can easily imagine people discovering books digitally and then buying paper "archive" copies of the ones they really love.

nonetheless, overall it seems a very good article and it's refreshing to read such a balanced and generally positive account of the phenomenon.

i particularly like this paragraph :

This is not the end of civilisation. Innovation in the delivery of the written word characteristically does not eliminate old media, rather the reverse. The typewriter did not replace the printing press, nor the ballpoint the pencil. Similarly, video did not kill the radio star and DVDs have not annihilated the cinema. The ebook is an add-on, not a replacement.

that's a point which i think it's important to make to reassure the alarmists and paper apologists (of which there are quite a few...) who seem to sincerely fear the implications of ebooks.

[slayda]

Originally Posted by kazbates

You are of course, entitled to enjoy a book how ever you like . With my liseuse (see Argel, I'm still trying ), I am able to page backward and forward through my ebooks quite easily and am able to determine how many pages are left using the page numbers, just as I would a paper book. The added benefit is that I can search for a particular word or phrase if I wish to go back to refresh my memory (which, believe me, happens quite frequently ).

By the way, I have read a book where the binding was not attached and the pages were loose and wanted to pull my hair out before I even reached the middle of the book. With 3 kids and 3 dogs running around, any loose leaf papers tend to go flying.

You said it! Go girl! I agree 100%. I get more "satisfaction" by having a very useful "tool".

Originally Posted by Zelda-Pinwheel

the idea that many people won't be satisfied completely by the digital reading experience seems very true to me

There are still a lot of people who get a lot of satisfaction from riding a horse but when they need to get somewhere, the use a motoer vehicle of some sort. Just as there are riding clubs today, I can imagine a day when there will be reading clubs who get together with bound books to share their "satisfaction" from turning the pages and smelling the musty, dusty pages, saying things like, "Isn't it satisfying to have to manually search through the pages for a particular quote?"

[GeoffC]

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by slayda

There are still a lot of people who get a lot of satisfaction from riding a horse but when they need to get somewhere, the use a motoer vehicle of some sort. Just as there are riding clubs today, I can imagine a day when there will be reading clubs who get together with bound books to share their "satisfaction" from turning the pages and smelling the musty, dusty pages, saying things like, "Isn't it satisfying to have to manually search through the pages for a particular quote?"

preaching the choir, slayda. nonetheless, it does seem to be true for some people (call them fetichists, if you like ), based on conversations i've had. and explaining to them patiently that ebooks are an *additional* format for reading rather than something which threatens to replace paper books altogether goes a long way towards getting them to take a look with any kind of open mind.

also, now matter how much i love ebooks (and you know i do love them !) i have to concede that for now, at least, it's true that some books just don't translate well to a screen (art books, for instance). and i have sufficient appreciation myself for a well-designed book (i mean the page layout, the typography, etc.) to fully understand why people are attached to paper books, even if that doesn't stop me from enjoying my ebooks one second.

[pwjone1]

Interesting how much of these discussions end up covering look/feel/smell of paper vs eBooks (or DRM), but anyway....

Towards the bottom of:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53727

I included a couple of links indicating that Amazon might be working out the kinks to bring out a GSM version of the Kindle, which in turn would allow it entrance into the European market.

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

obviously, i don't agree with all the conclusions in this article but i do think he makes some fair and excellent points ; the idea that many people won't be satisfied completely by the digital reading experience seems very true to me, based on conversations i've had with people around me, although i can easily imagine people discovering books digitally and then buying paper "archive" copies of the ones they really love.

nonetheless, overall it seems a very good article and it's refreshing to read such a balanced and generally positive account of the phenomenon.

i particularly like this paragraph :

This is not the end of civilisation. Innovation in the delivery of the written word characteristically does not eliminate old media, rather the reverse. The typewriter did not replace the printing press, nor the ballpoint the pencil. Similarly, video did not kill the radio star and DVDs have not annihilated the cinema. The ebook is an add-on, not a replacement.

that's a point which i think it's important to make to reassure the alarmists and paper apologists (of which there are quite a few...) who seem to sincerely fear the implications of ebooks.

When I used to teach "computers" to my students (we had a 45 min lab each week), the initial lesson included a discussion of what constituted "Technology". I explained to them that at one point, a pencil was the newest technology. They were amazed!

I can't help wondering how many people would change their views on reading paper over digital if they actually sampled reading an entire book on a liseuse. It seems to me, once you've tried it and seen the advantages, you couldn't help but be hooked.

Tompe, I truly hope you are correct and the ereading technology just keeps getting better and better.

[Argel]

Originally Posted by Abecedary

I'm with Harry. I think it's pretty clear that the author is saying that "Amazon promises to launch the Kindle for Christmas". It's a simple, direct statement, and there isn't much room for interpretation. Also, he's a professional writer--if he intended to say something else then he would've written something else.

There's always room for interpretation with a professional writer, it's what distinguishes us from people who just say what they mean.

Anyway, I've left a question on the page so maybe we'll find out whether he's being stylish (my interpretation) or making a factual claim without stating his source or authority (your interpretation).

[=X=]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm not so sure about the "Amazon promises to launch the Kindle in the UK by Christmas" bit. AFAIK, nobody's "promised" any such thing.

Promise is a big word, and should not be assumed. However there is intent

http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/Amazon_eyes_MVNO_deal.html

Amazon is understood to be frantically working on having the Kindle ready for launch before Christmas 2009 and has already secured agreements with book publishers. It is also in the process of negotiating with news and magazine publishers.

http://www.fiercewireless.com/europe...eal/2009-07-17

Of course Amazon never made the promise they in fact they are not committing to any official timeline.

Originally Posted by Abecedary

Also, he's a professional writer...

You them give TOO much credit.

=X=

[GA Russell]

Thanks for that link, Argel.

Just think! You guys in the UK will be able to have a copy of 1984 without Amazon taking it back!

[doreenjoy]

I'm not convinced the article is all that balanced. He doesn't point out the real advantages of E-readers over paper, particularly for those with vision problems or who don't want to carry multiple heavy paper books around with them.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Thanks for that link, Argel.

Just think! You guys in the UK will be able to have a copy of 1984 without Amazon taking it back!

Mr Blair (aka George Orwell) died in 1950, so his work is in copyright in the UK until 1st Jan 2021.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Mr Blair (aka George Orwell) died in 1950, so his work is in copyright in the UK until 1st Jan 2021.

There are sometimes things that have passed me by that amaze me that they have done so. I remember not getting the silly "How do you get down off an elephant?" joke until high school (up until then I had been faking laughter), and now I find out that "George Orwell" was a pen name. How did I go so long not knowing that?!

I swear, the internet is just a giant conspiracy to make me feel stupid.

Cheers,
Marc

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

I swear, the internet is just a giant conspiracy to make me feel stupid.

Cheers,
Marc

Are you sure it's not the beanie and the monkeyface?

[Slite]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

There are sometimes things that have passed me by that amaze me that they have done so. I remember not getting the silly "How do you get down off an elephant?" joke until high school (up until then I had been faking laughter), and now I find out that "George Orwell" was a pen name. How did I go so long not knowing that?!

I swear, the internet is just a giant conspiracy to make me feel stupid.

Cheers,
Marc

Don't, I had no idea that George Orwell was a penname either, and to boot, I've never heard the joke you are refering too

[griffonwing]

Lemme guess..

How do you get down off an elephant?

You don't! You get down off a duck!!