Digital Magazines (Books) - Do We Want This?

[SonicMan46]

Now, I know that reading magazines, books, etc. on a computer (or another screen display device) has been around for a while, but I just got a RUDE awakening a few months ago; for 20+ years, I've subscribed to PC Magazine, which at the beginning of the year decided to offer just an 'electronic' edition - GOD!  Not to hold one of my favorite mags in my hands anymore - is this the future! 

Now, I've downloaded their Zinio reader onto my office computer (which has a large, widescreen monitor) and have looked at several issues of the magazine - not too bad, but really dislike reading a LOT of information on a monitor; plus, on a smaller unit, esp. on a laptop, might not be as enjoyable (if that is the word?)!

Now, I've been reading about the Kindle device shown below - is this the future of publishing (i.e. books, magazine, etc.) to be relegated to these LCD (OLEDS in the future) displays?  I'm goin' to miss turning the pages - will be interesting to see what the options will be in the next few years?

Just curious 'how' others may feel about this apparent paradigm shift in presenting 'information' to us - comments please & also what may be some of our best choices for the future?   

[Gurn Blanston]

Actually, I'm very intrigued by the Kindle. My real concerns involve things like:

Do I actually own the book? Can I store it somewhere and reread at will?

I don't read a lot of mainstream books. Can I get, like, those books we were talking about in the Corner the other night?

If they shrug off the physical costs of producing a book, will the savings be passed along to us? Or will it still cost a fortune even though I now possess just a bunch of 0's and 1's?



But if all these things were answered satisfactorily, I think I could love with something like this, provided the experience took advantage of the possibilities of the Kindle as a computer. You know, a little multimedia action, like being able to actually play those music samples printed in the book, for example.

[Lethevich]

I don't read a lot of mainstream books.

Yeah, this will never begin to "replace" books until a massive and comprehensive digitisation of the back catalogue of every publisher has begun. It amazes me at just how obscure even quite notable non-fiction books can become a decade or two after their initial release. Even considering how cumbersome producing physical copies of books are, the amount of digital ones available (many pirated) are just a drop in the ocean versus how many useful ones are unavailable...

These things do however seem perfect for sites like JSTOR, unfortunately those are not available to proles like me.

Edit: other concerns I have regarding these readers is keeping my eyesight in good condition. I use computers for several hours per day, and I see reading books as a way to rest my eyes. There have been claims that newer readers are less harsh on eyesight, but I'm still happy to keep my space-wasting bookcases for now, rather than digitise everything

[Renfield]

These things do however seem perfect for sites like JSTOR

Indeed! I hadn't considered this. If Kindle supported JSTOR (and was finally made available in the UK ), this might tempt me. I'm certainly as used to reading things on a monitor as I am to reading them on paper, after ca. 16 years of continuous computer use (yes, I started early!); but I also occasionally find printouts of things like academic papers to give me a different perspective than the 'on-screen' version.

Not to mention I still can't read digital text quite as fast as printed text, towards the look and feel of which I understand the Kindle to be optimised.


All in all, I would welcome the diligent and consistent digitalisation of printed 'technical' (or information/commentary, e.g. newspapers, magazines) material. I'm not as sure about things like fiction, which I (emotionally) associate with the feel of paper, etc. that I would greatly miss.

[SonicMan46]

...... I'm certainly as used to reading things on a monitor as I am to reading them on paper, after ca. 16 years of continuous computer use (yes, I started early!); but I also occasionally find printouts of things like academic papers to give me a different perspective than the 'on-screen' version.....

Hello Eugene - I obtained my first computer back in 1980 (Apple II+), a year before IBM released their first PC; by the mid-80s, switched to a DOS PC w/ my first hard drive; of course, text was pre-GUI; but even after all of these years, I find reading text on a monitor rather 'fatiguing', and at my age (now needing bifocals), the task is even more difficult - actually, this is more of a problem in my daily duties as a radiologist - imaging now is all 'digital' and read off monitors, i.e. I sit @ a workstation w/ four monitors in front of me; two are high-res B&W for image viewing; another serves as the 'voice recognition' software, and yet another a standard computer to connect to our HIS/Web/etc. - boy, I miss 'flipping' old films onto a viewbox! 

But, I feel that this will be a permanent transition to 'digital' presentation of information - mags & papers will go first (will miss goin' out to my driveway to pick up my morning papers), then what will happen to books - these may soon enter the whelm of 'collecting' vinyl - will be interesting & become nostalgia perhaps - Dave 

[Kullervo]

Do We Want This?

No!

[Renfield]

No!

Not even if we get to keep all our previously-acquired paper volumes?

[Bogey]

Not for me.  Just went to the library today as a matter of fact.  Love scrolling through the spines and finding nice surprises that I never knew existed.  Also we still get two newspapers.  Nothing like pulling a chair up next to a sunny window with a cup of coffee and doing the NY Times crossword.  Not against the new technology, but it is just not for me.  Too attached to the tactile of books and the sound of turning a page, measuring how long a chapter might be, and even the sound of shutting a book upon completion.   

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

In case of CDs and booklets, I don't need them, I want their digital equivalents. But books? I need books. So the answer on your question is big, red and has 2 letters.

[Florestan]

Not for me.  Just went to the library today as a matter of fact.  Love scrolling through the spines and finding nice surprises that I never knew existed.  Also we still get two newspapers.  Nothing like pulling a chair up next to a sunny window with a cup of coffee and doing the NY Times crossword.  Not against the new technology, but it is just not for me.  Too attached to the tactile of books and the sound of turning a page, measuring how long a chapter might be, and even the sound of shutting a book upon completion.   

Excellent post. I would add to the pleasures of a real book the smell of it when it's brand new. 

No!

Thirded. 

[ChamberNut]

No!

Fourthed

We are getting irrational with our technology.  Pretty soon we'll be eating virtual food.

[Dr. Dread]

No!

DOUBLE NO!!!

[Dr. Dread]

I would add to the pleasures of a real book the smell of it when it's brand new. 

Don't sniff the books from the library. 

[Florestan]

Don't sniff the books from the library. 

[haydnguy]

Not at that price.   

[SonicMan46]

Well on a short 'lunch' break in the office and decided to checkout the Zinio Website - take a look at not only the HUGE number of magazines obtainable online, but also the LOW pricing - I can see some of the other magazines that I subscribe to going the same route as PC Magazine - not sure that the consumer will have much of a choice! 

[orbital]

A big YES here.

I've been using Sony Reader for the last year, and haven't looked back. E-readers are expensive, sure, but so are i-pods. However, when you compare 99c songs to $16-17 CD albums, if you are an avid listener (reader) the thing pays off in a very short time. All non-copyright books are already available for free downloads, and that includes many more books than you would like to read in your life time.
I have not owned a Kindle, but Sony makes the better looking device that offers more format options. Whichever one you buy, the screens on those machines are amazing. The sheer amount of books you can carry with you (although it doesn't have the same immediate advantage of carrying your whole music collection) is a big advantage. Much less clutter at home, and of course, they are -in a way, more organic and definitely much more earth friendly.

So what you have is a technologically better medium, cheaper (or free) price, unlimited storage capacity and this all when you are not contributing to the cutting down of the trees. What more do you want? The feeling and the smell of paper on your fingers? 

I can't think of a future where everything has gone digital but we are still carrying paper books. It just doesn't make sense 

[Benji]

Edit: other concerns I have regarding these readers is keeping my eyesight in good condition. I use computers for several hours per day, and I see reading books as a way to rest my eyes. There have been claims that newer readers are less harsh on eyesight, but I'm still happy to keep my space-wasting bookcases for now, rather than digitise everything

This would be one of my main concerns too. Every year it seems the lenses on my specs need replacing for stronger ones and I suspect it has much to do with the 7 hours i'm tied to a computer for a job [and the 2 or 3 hours on top of that I spend in front of this screen of my own choosing!]. Reading my books on the commute and before bed is precious time my eyes aren't being bathed in white light.

Picture this dystopian future: mankind picked off one by one by predators they didn't see coming until they were 40cm away.

I would add to the pleasures of a real book the smell of it when it's brand new. 

Oh yes!  0:)

[ChamberNut]

This would be one of my main concerns too. Every year it seems the lenses on my specs need replacing for stronger ones and I suspect it has much to do with the 7 hours i'm tied to a computer for a job [and the 2 or 3 hours on top of that I spend in front of this screen of my own choosing!]. Reading my books on the commute and before bed is precious time my eyes aren't being bathed in white light.

Not to worry Benji, we can digitally zap your eyes with this laser treatment that will fix your eyesight, so you can continue looking at digital devices 24/7. 

Digital, digital, digital.........what else can we make digital........I'm so hyper on digital.   I love my digital, digital, digital, digital....devices.....VICES!!!!!!!!!!!  Must have a digital car so I can watch high definition digital TV in my car!!!!! 

[orbital]

This would be one of my main concerns too. Every year it seems the lenses on my specs need replacing for stronger ones and I suspect it has much to do with the 7 hours i'm tied to a computer for a job [and the 2 or 3 hours on top of that I spend in front of this screen of my own choosing!]. Reading my books on the commute and before bed is precious time my eyes aren't being bathed in white light.

e-ink is no different than paper. Reading on the computer screen or ipods for extended periods of time is indeed not the best idea, but these devices are something else completely. I would say even easier on the eyes than books that are printed on white paper.


Quote from: Florestan on Today at 02:20:48 AM

I would add to the pleasures of a real book the smell of it when it's brand new.

I am sure that can be digitized as well