Ebook or Paper

[stephen.samuels]

With all the Christmas adverts for E-readers, I wondered do people prefer E-readers like Kindle and Nook now?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Bound all the way. I have my list in and since my husband is living in a certain bookshop from now to Christmas and gets discount, I'm sure I'll get some. One year he gave me 15 presents, and 13 of them were books...

 

[Juliana]

E-book, definitely! Besides the logistics and price of getting books in English over here, I have space issues (apartment dweller) and am allergic to dust. Kindle is my saviour!

 

[stephen.samuels]

interesting, I still prefer turning the page myself

 

[nixie]

Books, for me. my mum got a kindle for her birthday although she uses it says it is not the same.

 

[stephen.samuels]

early doors, but the bound is winning

 

[nixie]

Pretty certain we have done this before and books won.

 

[stephen.samuels]

Pretty certain we have done this before and books won.

didn't realize x

 

[nixie]

No problem I couldn't find it when I looked, and tastes may have changed

 

[j d worthington]

I prefer the paper-and-ink form. It's a personal aesthetics issue for me, as I don't simply read a book... that's only one part of the pleasure in the experience for me. There are also various sensory aspects (texture, heft, smell, various aspects of the dimensions, artwork, type of binding, etc. Even whether the edges of the paper are cut smoothly or still ragged -- in some cases I prefer the first, in others the latter seems more suitable. In older books, too, there is the rustling of the paper, which has a different sound from modern books) which also come into play, from which I derive a great deal of pleasure... which is also why I prefer older forms of books to the PODs we have now, which are pretty bland overall (there are exceptions).

However, as far as simply reading the book -- that is, directly gathering the textual information -- either will do, as long as the information is transmitted accurately.

As for previous discussions of this issue -- I believe it has happened more than once, though my memory is spotty enough for me to not be certain; but here is a link to one such:

http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/534745-kindle-books-versus-oldfashioned-ones.html

 

[anivid]

Why setting them up against each other in an either - or ??
They each has their purpose -
eBook for the one time read, and reads where you proceed in good order from the first page - like in a novel.
Paper books for studying, dipping down whereever you want to, browsing back and forth, copying tables - getting an overview - cross referring with other books etc. etc.

 

[TheTomG]

I never have time to make it in to a bookstore, and I never know when I am going to be feeling like reading, so the e-book wins for me. It travels with me on my phone or iPad, and whether I'm in bed, on lunch at work, or sat bored waiting for an appointment, I know the book is always with me.

 

[Grunkins]

I love to peruse personal libraries. Bound books forever!

 

[ratsy]

Bound books are a lot better to me but the more I read, the less space I have so eventually will have to make the switch. I have bought 4 kindle books so far and have only finished 2.

 

[stephen.samuels]

I also think there is a certain satisfaction in amassing a personal library which is physical. I look at mine and feel emotion, it provides me with memories and reflects who I am.

 

[Warren_Paul]

There is a certain enjoyment to bound books, and they will always hold a soft spot in our hearts, but the e-book industry is slowly taking over because it's more convenient.

Don't get me wrong, I still prefer real books sitting on my bookshelf but I have been partially won over by the e-book craze - books that I don't think are worth paying full prices for are easily available and more affordable as e-books (depending on where you shop).

I also like that you can get e-books online in a matter of minutes while if I was to order a similar priced, bound book (from Bookdepository. Local stores are ripoffs) I would have to wait 1.5-2 weeks before I could read it.

So it's convenience vs immersion/tradition. I love the immersion of a bound book, but more and more often find myself leaning towards the convenience of an e-book instead.

At this point I'll probably only buy my favourite authors in print and the rest in e-book.

 

[stephen.samuels]

Its a similar scenario to the music industry, which makes me wonder if we could see a Reading version of Spotify?

 

[hopewrites]

Bound all the way. I have my list in and since my husband is living in a certain bookshop from now to Christmas and gets discount, I'm sure I'll get some. One year he gave me 15 presents, and 13 of them were books...

that must have been a good year!

I can see the appeal of ether. But I read a book once where they went to an island to retrieve lost knowledge and it had all been stored electronically (the characters didnt know this but I could tell) and so they had to go home empty handed (ok they had their lives, most of them) because nothing had been printed down.

strange as an argument as it is for bound books, I prefer to have something I know will be mine as long as its in my possession encase any of the apocalypses we are constantly being told to prepare for happens.

 

[Fishbowl Helmet]

I can carry thousands of books on a device I already carry with me every day without adding any weight to my person. Then there's bookmarks, highlighting, font size adjusting, etc.

Ebooks all the way.

If only they were reasonably priced.

 

[Lilmizflashythang]

Bound for me. I do read e-books though. Just not enough room for all the fun.