Why e-books? - Page 8

bgalbrecht · 03-17-2016, 10:27 PM

Warnings and Legal Disclaimers

Please use in well ventilated area. May cause dizziness and hallucinations. May cause itching and runny nose. If symptoms persist for longer than eight weeks please consult your physician. Not for use on “real” books. Do not use while riding public transportation. Discard empty container with hazardous waste. Not for use as a room deodorizer. Not for use on burning books. Do not use on a Zune. Keep away from the Kindle Fire!

Eau, You Have Cats contains trace amounts of feline testosterone. Not for use by athletes subject to random drug testing.

----
I've been double-dipping, buying ebooks when I already have a print edition, usually when I can get the replacement for about $2 or less. My intentions are to sell the print books to the local SF bookstore or the used-book chain. I don't miss the book smells, I just brought it up because so many people who hate ebooks claim that it's one of the reasons why they'll never switch.

GeoffC · 03-18-2016, 07:16 AM

Storage space, plus the added bonus (then) of ebooks being less pricey than printed versions. I could easily get copies from the US without paying taxes and p&p. Sadly Apple and Amazon put paid to that!

kyteflyer · 03-18-2016, 07:37 AM

Storage space for me too in recent years but initially it was just one more thing I could do with my PDA, and working nightshift meant I didnt have to cart extra stuff if I couldnt decide which book I wanted to read. That said, I still have four bookcases overflowing. I can't seem to decide to move the dead tree books on.

fjtorres · 03-18-2016, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Storage space, plus the added bonus (then) of ebooks being less pricey than printed versions. I could easily get copies from the US without paying taxes and p&p. Sadly Apple and Amazon put paid to that!

Uh, Amazon?
Agency and its high prices is due to the big NY publishers.
Amazon is the one that *still* gets vilified for wanting lower prices and for discounting.

HarryT · 03-18-2016, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

Storage space, plus the added bonus (then) of ebooks being less pricey than printed versions. I could easily get copies from the US without paying taxes and p&p. Sadly Apple and Amazon put paid to that!

Ebook prices are still a lot lower than pbook prices. I generally find that I pay between half and two thirds of the pbook price for an ebook.

eschwartz · 03-18-2016, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgalbrecht

[IMAGE TOO BIG - DELETED!]

Image size is 547x524 (original image)
Guidelines say 600x600 IIRC.

P.S. bgalbrecht -- thanks for reposting a resized image, I didn't notice my original post was too large.
Apparently it was a whole 4 pixels too large along one side

what horrible luck. Worse -- I know I posted it before, several times... somewhere... and I never noticed.

tubemonkey · 03-18-2016, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Image size is 547x524 (original image)
Guidelines say 600x600 IIRC.

I agree. When I first saw it, I checked its to size to see if action was warranted. Since it was within guidelines, I left it alone.

Frenzie · 03-18-2016, 09:30 AM

I haven't. But insofar as I have, primarily because it's the easiest way to read certain out of print works (from e.g. Project Gutenberg, Archive.org, DBNL, etc.) and because it's certainly more pleasant than any light-emitting screen. I also use it to read scientific articles and the like. Since acquiring an e-reader I have also added some DRM-free stuff from e.g. Humble Bundle to the mix.

pdurrant · 03-18-2016, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Image size is 547x524 (original image)
Guidelines say 600x600 IIRC.

My mistake. Restored.

Katsunami · 03-18-2016, 09:56 AM

There are lots of reasons why I started e-reading. I actually started in 2007, but there weren't enough books; not the ones I wanted to read at that time, anyway, so then I quit again, until 2011. The 2010 ebook boom had happened, and everything I ever knew, wanted or could want was suddenly available.

These were (some) of my reasons to start e-reading:
- Takes far less storage.
- Transport of books is easier.
- Much lighter than hard covers.
- The spine never cracks; books never get damaged; they never degrade.
- Easy to have multiple copies and so never lose your library if you do it right.
- Resizable fonts.
- Frontlight (since the Paperwhite)
- Books are often cheaper, and sometimes even free.

The only snag in the equation is DRM, but that was solved in 2011 already; at least for the Kindle and ADE 2.0.1 and before. I hope ADE 3.x and up get 'fixed' as well at some time, but just in case, I've been buying like crazy in the last 5 years. My TBR will now last at least 10, maybe 20 years....

pdurrant · 03-18-2016, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsunami

The only snag in the equation is DRM, but that was solved in 2011 already; at least for the Kindle and ADE 2.0.1 and before.

There was a year or two (somewhere around 2007) when I didn't buy any DRMed ebooks, because The Dark Reverser and i♥cabbages hadn't yet published their splendid DRM removal scripts that Alf and friends continue to support and enhance to this day.

Thanks to all the people who've worked on those scripts. I wouldn't have bought the thousands of pounds worth of ebooks that I have over the past eight years with you!

Katsunami · 03-18-2016, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Thanks to all the people who've worked on those scripts. I wouldn't have bought the thousands of pounds worth of ebooks that I have over the past eight years with you!

This is certainly true. The un-DRM-tools, Calibre, and Sigil (before Calibre got its editor) where instrumental to building my e-book library. Because I'm afraid that someday DRM can't be cracked anymore (ADE 4.x, 5.x..., new Kindle4PC), I've bought everything I could ever want; at least as far as I knew. I haven't bought books for many months now.

jj2me · 03-18-2016, 12:36 PM

Original reasons for purchasing an e-Ink reader:
- gadget curiosity/lust
- book storage space reduction
- 100 free Classics offer from Sony for PRS-505
- bundled accessories sale
- can carry multiple books

Later discovered reasons:
- instant access (almost) to books from the library
- the single flat screen:
--- easier to read (easier to hold and turn pages) while lying on my side
--- easier to light with an accessory light (only one "page")
--- easier to transport (particularly my 5" Sony PRS-350)

s4nder · 03-19-2016, 02:09 AM

The moment I saw the screen of my Kindle 3, I knew there was no going back.

JaneD · 03-19-2016, 02:22 AM

Another vote for storage space. Tiny house, many many books piled everywhere.

03-17-2016, 10:27 PM	#106
bgalbrecht Wizard Posts: 1,806 Karma: 13399999 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: US Device: Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Glo HD, Kobo Clara HD, Kindle 4	Warnings and Legal Disclaimers Please use in well ventilated area. May cause dizziness and hallucinations. May cause itching and runny nose. If symptoms persist for longer than eight weeks please consult your physician. Not for use on “real” books. Do not use while riding public transportation. Discard empty container with hazardous waste. Not for use as a room deodorizer. Not for use on burning books. Do not use on a Zune. Keep away from the Kindle Fire! Eau, You Have Cats contains trace amounts of feline testosterone. Not for use by athletes subject to random drug testing. ---- I've been double-dipping, buying ebooks when I already have a print edition, usually when I can get the replacement for about $2 or less. My intentions are to sell the print books to the local SF bookstore or the used-book chain. I don't miss the book smells, I just brought it up because so many people who hate ebooks claim that it's one of the reasons why they'll never switch. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by pdurrant; 03-18-2016 at 09:32 AM.

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03-18-2016, 07:16 AM	#107
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	Storage space, plus the added bonus (then) of ebooks being less pricey than printed versions. I could easily get copies from the US without paying taxes and p&p. Sadly Apple and Amazon put paid to that!

03-18-2016, 07:37 AM	#108
kyteflyer Wizard Posts: 1,844 Karma: 9547754 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Newcastle, Australia Device: iPhone 12 Mini	Storage space for me too in recent years but initially it was just one more thing I could do with my PDA, and working nightshift meant I didnt have to cart extra stuff if I couldnt decide which book I wanted to read. That said, I still have four bookcases overflowing. I can't seem to decide to move the dead tree books on.

03-18-2016, 09:30 AM	#113
Frenzie Wizard Posts: 1,751 Karma: 730681 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Antwerp Device: Kobo Aura H2O	I haven't. But insofar as I have, primarily because it's the easiest way to read certain out of print works (from e.g. Project Gutenberg, Archive.org, DBNL, etc.) and because it's certainly more pleasant than any light-emitting screen. I also use it to read scientific articles and the like. Since acquiring an e-reader I have also added some DRM-free stuff from e.g. Humble Bundle to the mix.

03-18-2016, 09:56 AM	#115
Katsunami Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,111 Karma: 34000001 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: KPW1, KA1	There are lots of reasons why I started e-reading. I actually started in 2007, but there weren't enough books; not the ones I wanted to read at that time, anyway, so then I quit again, until 2011. The 2010 ebook boom had happened, and everything I ever knew, wanted or could want was suddenly available. These were (some) of my reasons to start e-reading: - Takes far less storage. - Transport of books is easier. - Much lighter than hard covers. - The spine never cracks; books never get damaged; they never degrade. - Easy to have multiple copies and so never lose your library if you do it right. - Resizable fonts. - Frontlight (since the Paperwhite) - Books are often cheaper, and sometimes even free. The only snag in the equation is DRM, but that was solved in 2011 already; at least for the Kindle and ADE 2.0.1 and before. I hope ADE 3.x and up get 'fixed' as well at some time, but just in case, I've been buying like crazy in the last 5 years. My TBR will now last at least 10, maybe 20 years....

03-18-2016, 12:36 PM	#118
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	Original reasons for purchasing an e-Ink reader: - gadget curiosity/lust - book storage space reduction - 100 free Classics offer from Sony for PRS-505 - bundled accessories sale - can carry multiple books Later discovered reasons: - instant access (almost) to books from the library - the single flat screen: --- easier to read (easier to hold and turn pages) while lying on my side --- easier to light with an accessory light (only one "page") --- easier to transport (particularly my 5" Sony PRS-350)

03-19-2016, 02:09 AM	#119
s4nder Connoisseur Posts: 75 Karma: 546874 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Aura One	The moment I saw the screen of my Kindle 3, I knew there was no going back.

03-19-2016, 02:22 AM	#120
JaneD Addict Posts: 324 Karma: 1057749 Join Date: May 2010 Location: LA, CA Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2013	Another vote for storage space. Tiny house, many many books piled everywhere.

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