the future is when??

[orangerful]

Okay, I remembered that I wanted to discuss this. At the LATI training this week, one of the trainers tried to convince us that eBooks were the waive of the future and that they would be replacing physical books.

I say, yeah right, whatever.

This has happened before. When the eBook wave hit a few years back, probably the mid-late 90s, the libraries bought a few eBook readers to lend. They were these horribly clunky things that looked like they had fallen out of a bad sci-fi show. Huge, clunky, and, in my opinion, totally unreadable. They had the visual quality of a gameboy. Gray screen, black letter. I know they checked out, and then they dissappeared. I'm not sure what happened to them (I was just a lowly page, and not kept abreast of all the behind the scenes-ness like I am now). I figured they were just too big of a hassle to mess with since every few months they had to be sent somewhere to get a new book uploaded into them.

Anyway, you can now download eBooks from our library website to your personal PDA, computer, etc. Why you would want to do this, I do not know. Does a paperback weigh so much that you couldn't handle carrying it onto a plane? Or to the doctor's office? Are you saying that on your lunch break, when you don't have to be staring at a computer screen, you're gonna whip out your PDA and read a book on that tiny little screen? Hm. I think not. I think you're gonna settle in with a real book. There's nonfiction books up there too, like travel guides and such, but wouldn't it just be easier to purchase the Fodors guide rather than depending on your electronic device (a device that guarantees as soon as you need information, the batteries will die).

It could just be me though. I can only read blog-sized entries on the computer and then my brain is like "yeah those are words, I just don't care to read them anymore" and shuts down. I hardly ever retain stuff I read online for very long.

There's a few university libraries who are "getting rid" of their book collections because all the research is done online. (when I say "getting rid" I really mean they are sending the books to other branches or putting them in storage - NOT throwing them away completely). While this alarms me, it also makes sense - if you're doing medical research you're probably going to find the most up to date information in the journal databases and not some text book on the shelf. Same with science research. And the English majors? well, they all buy their books anyway ;) I don't know if any eBooks are being used in this situation, if they are I doubt they are for pleasure reading.

Anyway, I think it's all bogus - eBooks are hardly making a comeback from where I'm sitting. But how do you all feel? Have you ever seen an eBook? Seen anyone reading an eBook? What do you think about the future of the printed word? After however many thousands of years it's been around, do you think it's days are numbered?

Comments

[faeriesfolly.livejournal.com]

And the English majors? well, they all buy their books anyway ;)

we totally do. although...I totally wrote in the ones that I disliked so that I could remember enough to write papers. sacreligious, I know...

Give me paper

[(Anonymous)]

If I'm doing research, I prefer online resources because they are usually more up-to-date and easier to search - assuming they're reliable sources, of course. But if I'm reading a fiction book for pure enjoyment or a non-fiction book in little snippets, I definitely prefer paper. Relaxing with an electronic book does not appeal to me at all. There's something about just holding a book in my hands that brings pleasure - the feel of the paper, the smell of the ink, the font size and style, using a post-it bookmark to hold my place, easily altering my reading position. Aaaahh. No, printed copies aren't going away any time soon.

Re: Give me paper

[(Anonymous)]

^^^^^^^^
Michele - forgot I'm anonymous on here.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

zzzzzzzzz*snerkgurgle* Hm? sorry, I went away for a minute there.

That digital ink you describe sounds exactly like the books in Angel season 5 that Wesley uses! No joke, I said that if a digital book would ever work for me, it would have to be like the magic books he has, where he just whispers to the pages what book he wants to read and the text magically appears! Then, maybe, I'd consider. But I'd rather call it digital ink than an eBook. hehe.

OMGOMG! If you guys get a 3D printer, I want to use it and say "EARL GRAY TEA HOT!" :D

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

BWHAHAHAHAH! I might have to save that and print it out. Or perhaps put it in my userinfo under "about you"

HEY! I tossed in a frickn' star trek reference at the end though! I give props to my older fandoms!

And I just was reminded that Patrick Stewart reads Transmetropolitan, the comic I told you about and love so much. I need to give you volume 1 so you can know the joy of Spider Jerusalem.

[maybemanda.livejournal.com]

if i may correct you, it's "TEA EARL GREY HOT," not the other way around. i may not have a clue about your latest fandoms but i do remember the next generation :)

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

*bows before your TNG knowledge*

I'm surprised you were the first person on my flist to call me on that! haha.