Article: 7 Reasons Why eReaders Make Great Gifts This Year

[ahi]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

No. I simply search until I find what I'm looking for.

Again. Its out there. You just have to want to read it badly enough. Even if you have to scan it yourself.

More nonsense.

Unless your reading needs are either very limited or very flexible, it really isn't out there. That's a fact, and an uncontroversial one at that.

The prospect of having to scan it yourself is what more objective individuals might consider a proof of eBook availability being limited, if not downright poor.

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Freedom is not free........its always been paid for by the blood of our military.

I'm just sayin'.....

No doubt there's an abundance of books with brilliant quotes like these though.

- Ahi

[dmaul1114]

No need to be such an elitist snob about people's reading interests.

Oh you're French-Canadian. That explains it then.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by ahi

More nonsense.

Unless your reading needs are either very limited or very flexible, it really isn't out there. That's a fact, and an uncontroversial one at that.

The prospect of having to scan it yourself is what more objective individuals might consider a proof of eBook availability being limited, if not downright poor.



No doubt there's an abundance of books with brilliant quotes like these though.

- Ahi

Limited or flexible according to whose standards?

I suppose if my reading needs were very esoteric or pretentious, I might have a problem finding the books I want. As it is, they aren't, and I don't.

As for your second comment, arguing with individuals like you is useless. I always feel like I've stepped in something nasty.

[Superlucky]

Originally Posted by ahi

Unless your reading needs are either very limited or very flexible, it really isn't out there. That's a fact, and an uncontroversial one at that.

Every so-called "Great Book" is available as an ebook - with the overwhelming majority available for free - and every newly released best-seller. Of course, many other titles are available, but even if it were only the classics and the best sellers one could hardly characterize the selection as very limited. Yes, there are books I'd like to read that aren't available, but I've gotten responses to my emails to publishers saying that even those are forthcoming. So if one's taste is primarily obscure, out-of-print titles, then an ebook device is not recommended; everyone else can probably easily find years' worth of material. I think your faulty assumption is that if one is a voracious reader that his or her book choices must be exotic.

You do realize, Ahi, that this is a forum for ebook enthusiasts, don't you?


*** Edit ***

My last statement was not intended to communicate that you are unwelcome, but rather that, given your opinions, MobileRead seems like an odd place for you to hang out.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Superlucky

You do realize, Ahi, that this is a forum for ebook enthusiasts, don't you?

Exactly. I encourage everyone to do what I just did. Click User CP and add ahi to the ignore list.

He's clearly just here to stir the pot since this is an ebook enthusiast site and he does nothing but bash ebooks, insult people, and try to stir crap up--and usually succeeds--with myself included clearly.

Don't feed the forum trolls and they usually go away.

[Connallmac]

[=X=]

Originally Posted by Superlucky

You do realize, Ahi, that this is a forum for ebook enthusiasts, don't you?

True but it doesn't make him wrong. His point on how limiting eBooks are is true to a degree, though he is known for greatly exaggerating his point.

While I go to lengths to read all my material on an eBook it is sometimes quite painstaking to do so.
It's sad the amount of time one has to put into an eBook when those minuites/hours could have been used reading a book.

=X=

[=X=]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Don't feed the forum trolls and they usually go away.

Nah, you have mistaken Ahi for a troll, he's more of "gad fly"

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by =X=

While I go to lengths to read all my material on an eBook it is sometimes quite painstaking to do so.
It's sad the amount of time one has to put into an eBook when those minuites/hours could have been used reading a book.

There's just really no reason to do so IMO. It doesn't need to be an either or proposition--one can still read paperbooks when that's more convenient.

I'll never work to acquire an e-book, or format it on my own etc. It's either something I can by from Amazon, or get easily from Feedbooks and stuff like that or I won't bother. My time is to valuable, and reading too low on my hobby list, to bother putting more than minimal effort into acquiring a book.

I'll get the paperbook, or more likely, just not bother reading it until an ebook version comes out since their are gazillions of other things on e-book I can read instead.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Exactly. I encourage everyone to do what I just did. Click User CP and add ahi to the ignore list.

He's clearly just here to stir the pot since this is an ebook enthusiast site and he does nothing but bash ebooks, insult people, and try to stir crap up--and usually succeeds--with myself included clearly.

Don't feed the forum trolls and they usually go away.

"Stir the pot" is exactly what makes forums like this interesting and informative. As they say, the truth is born from an argument.

Ironically calling someone you disagree with a "troll," does in fact constitute "insulting people" and hardly wins the argument.

Whether one agrees with ahi or not, he has shown a great amount of knowledge and insight on many topics, and adding him to some sanctimonious "ignore list," may just make one miss much valuable input.

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

...
I'll never work to acquire an e-book, or format it on my own etc. It's either something I can by from Amazon, or get easily from Feedbooks.... My time is to valuable, ...

Wow, so all the kind people, who actually spent a bit of time formatting a book and posted it here, or on Feedbooks, so you can download it, are just schmucks whose time is worth nothing, is that it?

[Idoine]

Personally, I read ebooks that I wouldn't have read in paperbook ! I wouldn't have buy some paperbooks in english, that I downloaded (some classicals, for free as they are in PD, and others recommanded here).

And BTW, I wouldn't recommand ebook readers for people who don't read english, and would want to read new french books (by new, I mean not yet in PD), unless they are ready to pay more than for paperbooks (and often even hardbacks !)

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Sonist

Wow, so all the kind people, who actually spent a bit of time formatting a book and posted it here, or on Feedbooks, so you can download it, are just schmucks whose time is worth nothing, is that it?

I implied nothing of the sort.

If other people enjoy doing that stuff, more power to them. Everyone has different hobbies. And I'm grateful that people enjoy doing it and making books available to us. I don't read that stuff much anyway. Never downloaded a book from here. And I've read one book from Feedbooks so far--I mainly stick with Amazon books as I'm not much into classics etc.

But in any case, I meant no insult to people who do edit their ebooks etc., and I'm not sure how I implied it.

I just said I won't do it as readings not my main hobby and I don't have the free time to waste on editing an e-book (work 70+ hours most weeks) when I could be using that time to actually read a book for leisure or spending on another hobby.

Not that there was anything wrong with people who do edit books and enjoy it. Saying I'd never do it isn't in anyway an insult to those who do!

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

exuuuuuse me???


I can read from the library, easily, I can convert txt, lit, pdf and many other formats using Calibre, then put it on my kindle or read on my laptop or netbook. I can strip a book I bought that isn't available for the K1 and use it anyway.

I am neither a "soccer mom" or in that "socio-economic group". Neither am I a "shallow/casual reader"

Its not the shortcomings of the device......its the shortcoming of the people who know nothing about them and are not willing to learn.

Does no one remember when computers first became available to the general public? You had to learn the different work arounds. You had to apply yourself to get the most out of your computer. You had to write your own programs, for gosh's sakes!

Now.....any idiot can have access, and clog the airwaves with spam.

Eventually e-book readers will get there. For now.......the Kindle or any of the others are excellent devices.

IF you are willing to use your brain instead of having your thinking done for you. Sheesh!

Exactly why do you feel the need to vindicate your personal ownership against a comment that another person (i.e. me) would not give an ebook reader as a gift in general except to a vague group that you don't identify with? I in no way, shape, or form said "desertgrandma does not know how to goof around with ebooks to her singular satisfaction".

Further, yes the technology is crippled. Has nothing to do with having "thinking done for me." The devices are excruciatingly slow and the display quality is fairly poor. The Kindle, if unmolested by geeks, displays one font (before PDF support I suppose) badly in terrible text layouts with low resolution and contrast. I won't sweep that under the rug with "but you can resize text!" either. Either you ignore the limitations or you don't. If you ignore them, good for you. Not everyone can. I don't make the assumption that everyone can, and I would not buy a device for people who I suspect would be bothered by those limitations. Not user limitations, mind you, but hardware and software limitations. Next year might be a different story.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

... I don't have the free time to waste on editing an e-book (work 70+ hours most weeks) ...

70+ hours, and this is your 10th post here, just today!?

Could have edited a whole book in a couple of days like this, and actually contributed to the reading pleasure of all of us....

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Sonist

70+ hours, and this is your 10th post here, just today!?

Working at a computer the majority of time when not in the class room or in meetings. Was in the office from 10 am to 1 am yesterday (not counting 3 hours of teaching) and have been here since noon today.

Forums are a nice way to take a quick break for a few minutes every hour or so. Though I freely admit I could be more efficient (and spend less time at the office) if I could cut down on internet breaks.

But I lose focus if I try to push through without taking breaks to look at something else. Only so long I can write continuously or clean/analyze data continuously without needing a few minutes to look at something else.

Like I said, I'm grateful for those of you that do edit stuff for others. I don't take much advantage of it though, and I'm here to kill time, get info, and share my opinions not do things for others beyond that. But it's great that you and others do take time to do so.