Why eReaders totally suck!

[Bobstad]

I joined MobileRead quite a few weeks ago; and today buying a couple of Michael Parenti's books in paper at Amazon, I got interested in reading about Kindle where for awhile I'd been excitedly thinking about managing my finances to try to budget for one, or alternatively imagining finding out more about the other eReaders.

That is until the reality struck home; comparing my long standing reading habits of the past five decades or more. Where the used and very cheap, often free book has been the outstanding staple, mainstay and usually only source of my reading materials.

This electronic alternative as far as I can see offers no comparable experience; instead entirely devoted to capitalist greed and heavy manipulation and indoctrination to try to get us to believe in plutocratic monopoly control of technology, as not only destined but, absolutely integral to the specie's evolution of our relationship to the intellectual product we all collectively create.

Yeah, if you are fast tracking via academic degrees or some business, corporate equivalent around which your immediate livelihood may be involved; these electronic alternatives may be unavoidable. But, at the prices a person would have to give up per word read; there is no way I can endorse the current situation.

And that despite easily imaging an entirely anti-capitalist alternative; where instead of intelligence being disseminated competitively, this is given out heartily with the absolute least barriers possible for the absorption of same, by as many people on the planet as possible.

For, how else are the daunting problems of existence currently compounding logarithmically in a lifetime to be challenged; which had previously taken even millennia to notice the adverse effects of, by comparison.

The only reason for continuing consolidation of control and intelligence in the hands of the few at the expense of the many is to maintain an already vastly unbalanced and corrosive status quo.

The long standing pyramid of control simply needs to be stood on its head; where no longer can those few habitually recognized as unique for their incredibly stupidly acquired advantages allowing their domination, be thought of as in any way more deserving, with more potential, or somehow more needed by the rest of us, than anyone else.

Anyone who can't see this is absurd to an almost unbelievable degree. Yet that is the character and intelligence of those still being allowed to call nearly all the shots.

Yeah, I can sure find attractive a device such as a Kindle; when we are paid to have one, and when we also being paid in every other aspect of using one; rather than the reverse situation as exists now.

Anything contrary is a brutal insult, as well as damningly counter productive to the advance of the social evolution of the species; at likely the most crucial juncture of that process since the ice ages or maybe including that greatest to date stimulus to technological advance.

Simply put GET REAL!!!

[SkyDream]

Thanks god this is just your lonely opinion.
Assume you don't have any computer, mobile, tv ...

[Bobstad]

The photos from top left clockwise are: Me & my close to forty year old ten speed, in my overcrowded B'ham apartment; some wall art left be a couple of previous women tenants I'd known in my Eureka, CA apartment I'd had to leave to move here to B'ham under duress almost three years ago; my Fender Rhodes stage 73 electric piano I'm thinking of selling, in excellent condition, with on top an unique single-reed, conical bore horn which plays chromatically and over-blows the octave like a flute or saxophone I made; the rear of my '91 Ford Festiva...I write also as "bobstad" at [http://www.fordfestiva.com]...where my favorite sticker on that wall a Berkeley friend contributed reads "Wouldn't You Rather Be Behind a Book?" from PEGASUS BOOKS in Berkeley & Oakland; another picture of the car, with me in the foreground during one of eight round trips moving from February into June of '08 from Eureka to Bellingham, nearly seven hundred miles, here in the rest area on I-5 south of Olympia, WA; and finally two great musicians, Jessica Lurie nearly hiding behind her Amy Denio, playing during the July 8th, 2006 performance of their band the TIPTONS SAX QUARTET here in Bellingham; my photos all these.

[desertgrandma]

What you fail to realize, young one, is that there are literally thousands and thousands of books available for FREE....public domain books, whose authors knew how to write enduring stories, that remain interesting today, unlike so many current bestselling authors.

There are independent authors, many who are members here, who offer their books almost free........these are people who write because its their love, not for the money.

An ebook reader is about so much more than buying the latest and greatest.

For those with vision problems, it allows them to read at any font they need to, for failing eyesight.

For those with mobility problems, it allows them to read books that they wouldn't be able to hold in paper versions.....to heavy, etc, in a device smaller than a paper back.

Those who just love to read, can take their entire library with them, anywhere, and read what they choose when they choose.

And those who choose to download books to support the 'capitalist agenda' have a right to do that also.

In my opinion, the "advance of the social evolution of the species" will come when those like yourself, who expect to be paid for breathing, are gone.

Now, go back to the basement in your mothers house and eat some cheese poofs.

[Bobstad]

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Thanks god this is just your lonely opinion.
Assume you don't have any computer, mobile, tv ...

I'm on my third computer since the first bought on layaway I brought home April of 2003; all used Macs nearly obsolete when first obtained. Big, heavy items grossly cumbersome to have to pack around; and expensive, where I also got took by the commercial outlets selling them to me. You pay through the nose for the compact size and contemporary technology, I can't afford. Particularly when you are new to the technology and obviously vulnerable.

I also have similarly restrictive television, stereo and musical gear; where what I can afford are the least attractive options, as someone due to ramifications of spinal disease particularly though from many other more common liabilities also, disadvantaged. My television is a five year old 27" JVC given me by a pair of strangers unloading a moving van, I brought all the way cross town on the back of my bike, I can't even lift alone.

I sure don't think SkyDream has a clue, since I'm certain my opinion is hardly a lonely one. No doubt, someone nearly brain dead in their isolated cocoon, who has never heard of Socialism.

My favorite quotation attributed to Karl Marx; "the only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain." Far too often this is the prevailing outlet for suffering on the planet today.

Too bad SkyDream hasn't the available intelligence to try to elaborate on such a narrow opinion as was expressed?

Instead relying upon an unequivocal condemnation without the least documentation or credentials. Typical of those whose ideas are opposed to the sort I express. They own everything, so why not shut people down without reason; is their theory.



HO! I just saw desertgrandma's exclamation. Just take the time to calculate the price per word read, to see the difference in cost between paper and electric. And, for that matter I don't think paper prices were congenial either. Capitalism is a disease needing eradication.

Hey, and within nature survival is assured of all sentient beings to a very reasonable extent; except within humanity. Lets see if anyone here is going to weigh in on my behalf? Maybe the cyber world is too much the province of reaction for that; though I'd of expected not?

[joobies]

Bobstad, if you are so unhappy with ereaders and those that use them....
Then, why are you here?
You will not convert us away from what we love and in most cases need....
anymore than we can give you a ______ to go with your ego.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by Bobstad

I sure don't think SkyDream has a clue, since I'm certain my opinion is hardly a lonely one. No doubt, someone nearly brain dead in their isolated cocoon, who has never heard of Socialism.

My favorite quotation attributed to Karl Marx; "the only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain." Far too often this is the prevailing outlet for suffering on the planet today.

Too bad SkyDream hasn't the available intelligence to try to elaborate on such a narrow opinion as was expressed?

Instead relying upon an unequivocal condemnation without the least documentation or credentials. Typical of those whose ideas are opposed to the sort I express. They own everything, so why not shut people down without reason; is their theory.

HO! I just saw desertgrandma's exclamation. Just take the time to calculate the price per word read, to see the difference in cost between paper and electric. And, for that matter I don't think paper prices were congenial either. Capitalism is a disease needing eradication.

Hey, and within nature survival is assured of all sentient beings to a very reasonable extent; except within humanity. Lets see if anyone here is going to weigh in on my behalf? Maybe the cyber world is too much the province of reaction for that; though I'd of expected not?

We are a world wide forum, so you'll probably find at least one person who agrees with you.

Karl Marx, Socialism, the eradication of capitalism.....you must be very happy with our current presidential office holder.

I would suggest you try living in countries that already have those societies......but then, I doubt you'd have the freedom of spewing your poison you have here, would you?

Surely there are other forums online who would love to have conversations with you decrying the evils of capitalism, and the ignorance of the masses.

[wannabee]

I once had some annoying neighbours. If the ones on my left weren't arguing then the guy downstairs was playing his drums. If for some reason either of those neighbors were out someone in the street would have a loud party. There were car burnouts and street fights too. So I moved. Now I live somewhere pleasant. The bell birds are tollong away as I two finger tap on my capitalist iPad on my back verandah overlooking the stream that runs past the property. I can't change the views of others so I seek like minded individuals who are happy to have conversation over a schooner or two and solve the world's problems that way. So Bobstad, if you are ever down Sydney way stop by for a schooner or two and you'll find that people that buy things can be nice people too. I'll even let you have the old Bondi Blue iMac under the house.

[ImogenRose]

and welcome to MR!

Imogen

[lila55]

[HarryT]

Of course, depending on what it is that you like to read, eBook readers can be a lot better than trying to find paper books.

My main reading interest is 19th century novels. One of my favourite authors, Sir Henry Rider Haggard, wrote about 65 novels during his lifetime. You'll probably only find two of these in a typical book shop - "King Solomon's Mines" and "She". Every one of his novels, however, is available free for the eBook reader.

[GeoffC]

I would, normally, be writing here to welcome you to mobileread. However I'm not too sure you want to join us here.

Nonetheless, Welcome - If, as other have written above, you are interested in books, the library on here has many out - of - copyright ones that no longer have any financial benefit to their authors. That might just about fit into your creed.

Enjoy. .

[Nexutix]

Bobstad, it's not about getting something real! Academics like me need to carry 3000 page books to college in all traffic and ruffle-shuffle! Is it durable? Most textbooks are also online for personal use along with the hard copy you bought. So, pretty many times, friends buy different books and can save lot of money! E-readers are not only for reading classics, novels and only entertaining material. The point is portability. Period.

Second, the eyes. Imagine a student staring deep into book's small font with lens's number increasing day-by-day! Same is case with glareful LCD screens. IMExperience, I currently read nearly 10 hours a day on my e-reader. Compared to small-fonted hard-copies and LCD screens, it's always better.

To summarize, IT IS A BETTER SOLUTION FOR STUDENTS!

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Bobstad

This electronic alternative as far as I can see offers no comparable experience; instead entirely devoted to capitalist greed and heavy manipulation and indoctrination to try to get us to believe in plutocratic monopoly control of technology, as not only destined but, absolutely integral to the specie's evolution of our relationship to the intellectual product we all collectively create.

Dear Junior Member Bobstad

Please scroll to the top of this page.
Click on the link called e-Books. You will find several lifetimes worth of quality reading there. No payment necessary.

If you click on link named Wiki a little bit higher on this page, find link Free Ebooks. There are links to places where you can acquire tens of thousands of quality books. And not only authors that died long time ago. There is, for example, Baen Free Library and other places offering quite a few contemporary pieces.

If you are an opportunist, acquiring paper books in second-hand shops, libraries, sales, garage sales and borrowing from friends you have learned long time ago not to focus on finding books that are the newest fad.

If you decide to buy Kindle or Sony or other e-ink reader you will also find quite a few e-books that publishers offer for free to attract potential customers to their stores.

Once you purchase an e-reader you do not *have* to pay for your reading material EVER. If you insist on getting the newest books, you can buy an e-ink reader that will let you borrow the e-books from your library without leaving the house. You can get even newest Stieg Larson book if you are patient enough to wait in Library queue.

If you hang around Mobileread you often find an author offering his just finished book for free download for limited time.

If that is not enough and you insist on getting the newest fad recommended by Oprah, there is no help for you and you have to hunt for a paper book in a sale or pay whooping $9.99 for an e-book.

By the way, the TV in my house is almost 20 years old CRT. Still going strong. And none of my numerous computers I ever owned (with the exception of two e-ink e-book readers) was purchased new. Quite a few of my computers and computer parts have been salvaged from a heap of discarded hardware and repaired.

[Seanette]

Originally Posted by lila55

Exactly. Trolls are like stray cats: you feed them, they never leave.