Versatile Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 The ebook readers that use e-paper displays are actually very comfortable to read on. You almost can't even tell it's not paper... They're not even backlit. If you haven't seen one up close, go have a look sometime. The technology is fascinating. I do have a nook, and I like the fact that you can check out and download books from the library. That being said, I still prefer regular old paper books. I like holding the book, flipping through the pages etc. I also don't crap my pants when I drop a paper book. The thing I don't like about the ebook trend is that you don't actually own anything. I enjoy having a physical book collection and everything that goes along with it. What happens when Amazon peters out one day, or they decide to change formats? I'd rather own something tangible when it comes to books. Another thing that aggravates me is that they don't really cut you much of a price break on the ebook version. One would think they could pass along a little bit of the savings from not having to print/distribute physical media. So basically, I think they are convenient for cheap books that you'll never read again. If it's a book you want to keep, re-read and cherish, buy a hardcopy. Yes good points...analogous with the 'owning and cherishing' of LP etc music collections What annoys me, like the desperate rush to stay up to date with the last PC op system, is the relentless media pressure to purchase more and more electronica to 'live a modern life'..... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantha Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Milod.. My thoughts exactly. I use some "sharing" sites for the convenience, but I don't put anything out there that I don't have a local copy of. The cloud frightens me to be honest. More and more we are hearing about major sites being hacked and our personal data exposed. And they want us to store everything on the cloud? No thanks. The trend is disturbing to me. If you haven't read the terms of use (who actually reads those anyway?) to the amazon cloud drive, section 5.2 basically states that they can access your files as they see fit. Section 5.3 states that they can't guarantee your files will stay safe. What's the point? I'll stick with my old ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre S Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I'm halfway through 'Disgrace' by J.M. Coetzee. Going to finish it tomorrow and then reread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I bought $400 worth of books today at the Borders bankruptcy sale 70% off plus an additional 10% because of a loyalty card. They were mostly Art books and everything they had left in Moleskine notebooks but there was probably 20 Sci-Fi and Mystery novels so I'm set for a couple months For those that don't like E-books yet you better get used to it print is almost dead and were just watching the final kicks as part of the industries death watch. With Borders closing nationwide Barnes & Noble has become pretty much the last general new book superstore. Newspapers are all but dead with a 33% drop in ad revenue and 187 major newspapers closing in 2009 alone and it's gotten worse every year since then. Books are sold for pennies on the dollar out of the few discount stores left and even magazines are disappearing in huge numbers or becoming small local editions used mostly to advertise the on-line magazine's presence. Publishing houses are also vanishing in record numbers with by far the largest number of books being self published in digital format now so get used to the digital world and say goodbye to the major authors as yet another industry dies out with barely a whimper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cthulhu fhtagn Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 After that I'll probably be tackling For Whom the Bell Tolls. Great choice! That novel is great literature, but at the same time it is unbelievably exciting. You're going to enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Oh almost forgot the two major comic book chains in Phoenix at least followed Borders into the rubble of bankruptcy this week a regular occurrence in America lately so even the comic books we all chased as kids whenever we had extra money are disappearing as anything other than digital art so kids won't even know the excitement of serial comics pretty soon. As little as four years ago I was turning down offers to color for at least four comic book companies full time on a regular basis when they just couldn't keep up with the number of books coming out every month, not one of the four companies is in business anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobB Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Daughter of Regals and other tales by Stephen R. Donaldson The stories in this book would fit nicely in shows like Twightlight Zone, Outer Limits, Tales from the Darkside, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 One of my favorite things to do, after reading a good book, is to pass it on for someone else to enjoy. Hard to do with e-readers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Retro... I personally think part of the newspaper readership problem is more a matter of corporate operations that couldn't weather changes in the money business rather than the business of provision of content. Highly leveraged purchases by rapidly growing media companies of increasing numbers of "properties" tumbled into crisis when maintaining financing became more difficult. Consolidation of "expense centers" and "money saving" cuts across the board by fewer but larger companies brought the inevitable lessening of the properties' value. That brought yet more difficulty in covering the "needs" of financing. Smaller operations are still doing rather well regardless of local economies, even as they did in the 1930s, largely because of more direct personal relationships within their communities. Don't get me wrong, I'm on the Web - obviously - all or a major part of waking hours. I love what it can do for me as a writer, musician and in other aspects of my life. But print is far superior to Internet access to information regardless of the format once one has found the basic information source. That's true even if one has to print out a file from the Internet. It goes back to the concept of a random access database as opposed to sequential access. You can far more easily look at the index of one of your art books and find information you want or need. Ditto a rapid paging campaign through a newspaper. Bottom line is that our eyes and brains are still faster than hardware chips and software systems for gathering information. Even with the concept of hypertext that has been around for ages - over 30 years that I'm aware of - the problem is that you lack that rapidity of human interface of paging through a newspaper, magazine, book or catalog. When that dam is broken with some degree of a virtual interface, the electronic will have the advantage. I don't see it in the near future. E.g., if you as an artist have a literal shop with 100 pieces on display, I absorb the basics of where and how to look at items within a minute or less. A print catalog somewhat longer. An on-line catalog takes longer yet and that set of views is not necessarily aided by an index that appeals to the subconscious as well as conscious. A virtual "store" that might give that 60-second overview just ain't there. Yet. My current lifestyle in general is more Internet oriented. I don't foresee much difference for me personally for another several years. After that, I really don't know. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted August 28, 2011 Author Share Posted August 28, 2011 Great choice! That novel is great literature, but at the same time it is unbelievably exciting. You're going to enjoy it! I read it a couple years ago, it's been too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I'm currently reading the Complete History Of Rickenbacker Guitars by Richard R. Smith and I also strongly suggest Beatles Gear by Andy Babiuk.These books are must haves for Beatles fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duende Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 I am reading a biography of Quintin Tarintino and Bach, I love biographies next I am going to finish off 'Bravo Two Zero' written by an SAS soldier about his time behind enemy lines in Iraq. I prefer books (at the moment) to online reading. one of my favourite books :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShredAstaire Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 One of my favorite things to do, after reading a good book, is to pass it on for someone else to enjoy. Hard to do with e-readers. It's not actually. It's not built into the machine...its just a file. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Allen Posted August 28, 2011 Share Posted August 28, 2011 Excellent book you have there James. I highly recommend this book and I'm looking forward to the follow up... although I don't have any money right now to buy it. Thank you Djroe1! I finally sent one of the new books off Friday to start the publishing process. Soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl M Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 "Life is yours to Win" - by Augie Garrido (Texas Longhorns baseball coach) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I'm reading law books, books on recording, and manuals I don't understand......... Oh, and STEVE'S Biography : " Vodka Boy, One Bottle at a Time." (non fiction).... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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