Poll: E-Book vs Paperback
- Thread starter ToysforGuns
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For things I flick forward and back through like textbooks, I prefer a good hard copy. Since I move around a lot though, I like to get the books I read for entertainment on Kobo. The e-ink screen is much easier on the eyes than a tablet or computer monitor, and it means there are less books to cart around. When I'm more stable though, I'll probably get them in paper format and fill a big arse bookshelf with stuff. Horus Heresy anyone?
Books of course.
You can't throw E-books at people, well, you can, but it starts getting expensive.
You can't throw E-books at people, well, you can, but it starts getting expensive.
The "owning a physical object" argument is kind of dumb.ToysforGuns said:
First of all, the value of a book isn't the paper but the words on the paper.
Second of all, you need a lot of space for books. In my mom's house, there's an entire wall covered with books. Out of boredom, I once checked the weight of all that. It was over 400 kg. 400 KG!!! That's the weight of a small car. Imagine if you were to move to another house. You would have to hire an extra truck just to move all that. With e-books, you can carry all that and more in a pocket.
Third, trees don't have to die.
As for the DRM stuff... it's text. You can copy it and put it safely on some hard drive. Problem solved.
E books are good I don't hate them but I still love and prefer paperback there just something about turn pages I can't help but love
For me, it's hardback or e-book. I'm not fond of paperbacks.
If it's a book worth re-reading I definitely buy hardback or have a paperback bound by a professional. Sometimes you can find really good deals for high-quality paperbacks and in my opinion it's well worth the price taking it to a bookbinder.
Hardbacks are pretty ^_^
If it's a book worth re-reading I definitely buy hardback or have a paperback bound by a professional. Sometimes you can find really good deals for high-quality paperbacks and in my opinion it's well worth the price taking it to a bookbinder.
Hardbacks are pretty ^_^
I'm one of those nerds that writes his name and when he finished a book on the inside cover, and I kind of gush when I borrow a book from a friend and they've done the same thing, or I see a used book was read by some other person 40 years ago.
And I especially like having paper in my hands, which does not require batteries.
And I especially like having paper in my hands, which does not require batteries.
I was pretty anti-ereader but then I found I could get a lot of public domain books for free when I eventually got an iPad. It did take awhile to get use to the screen, but I eventually got into the system. I like to lay down when I read and move around a lot, and I find dicking around with lighting gets tedious, but with an ereader with a backlight I never have that problem. I mean physical books are still great because they don't run on batteries, but they also suck ass to move. I'll still collect the ones I REALLY want to own, like I already do with CD's and DVD's, so it does help me save on space and makes me question what I actually want to own. My only real complaint is the price of eBooks, which is almost equal to physical books you can find in stores, or in some cases, even more expensive.
I prefer hardback books over both, then paperback, then hitting my own dick with a hammer, then E-books. Why are E-books bad? Because I'm old and refuse to get with the times. Also I keep a very hard and thick dictionary around in case I need to hit someone with it.
E-Book
1. They don't occupy physical space, which is a problem lately.
2. They don't "fall apart" with usage.
3. They're obviously as light as the device.
4. There are books that are hard to find, most of them can be easily found in digital format. Here in Brazil we have a huge lack of fantasy and sci-fi (unless it's a screaming hit like Lord of the Rings and Dune, but you won't find Forgotten Realms for instance), so the digital format got me way closer to those books.
5. Most e-readers have a nice interactivity with the book that might come in handy, such as X-Ray (Kindle, it picks important stuff and search throughout the book and at a kindle thingy that gives info on characters, universe, etc), and a direct path to wikipedia, etc. I know, you can read your book per se and just search the internet, but it's nice to have it all on your fingertips.
6. It's usually cheaper
HOWEVER, don't ever underestimate the book itself. Recently I've been looking for Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa, a supreme masterpiece, couldn't find it on Apple's bookstore nor Amazon's Kindle Store, so I bought (for some heavy 100 dollars) the boxset containing 3 volumes (the way it's been divided here in Brazil).
I PREFER e-books, but if a certain book I want is not available in digital form I'm not going out of my way to find it that way, I'm just gonna pick it up at any bookstore and read it. Plus if I really LOVE a given book, and there's a special edition for it, I might take it, just for the sake of it.
1. They don't occupy physical space, which is a problem lately.
2. They don't "fall apart" with usage.
3. They're obviously as light as the device.
4. There are books that are hard to find, most of them can be easily found in digital format. Here in Brazil we have a huge lack of fantasy and sci-fi (unless it's a screaming hit like Lord of the Rings and Dune, but you won't find Forgotten Realms for instance), so the digital format got me way closer to those books.
5. Most e-readers have a nice interactivity with the book that might come in handy, such as X-Ray (Kindle, it picks important stuff and search throughout the book and at a kindle thingy that gives info on characters, universe, etc), and a direct path to wikipedia, etc. I know, you can read your book per se and just search the internet, but it's nice to have it all on your fingertips.
6. It's usually cheaper
HOWEVER, don't ever underestimate the book itself. Recently I've been looking for Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa, a supreme masterpiece, couldn't find it on Apple's bookstore nor Amazon's Kindle Store, so I bought (for some heavy 100 dollars) the boxset containing 3 volumes (the way it's been divided here in Brazil).
I PREFER e-books, but if a certain book I want is not available in digital form I'm not going out of my way to find it that way, I'm just gonna pick it up at any bookstore and read it. Plus if I really LOVE a given book, and there's a special edition for it, I might take it, just for the sake of it.
Paperback, for two reasons:
1: My bookcase occasionally makes me go "Oh, I haven't read that in a while!" when I glance past it, encouraging me to read good books again.
2: Nothing is as rewarding as closing a book with an little audible 'thud' after finish an entertaining read. Nothing.
1: My bookcase occasionally makes me go "Oh, I haven't read that in a while!" when I glance past it, encouraging me to read good books again.
2: Nothing is as rewarding as closing a book with an little audible 'thud' after finish an entertaining read. Nothing.
I prefer paperback and hardcover books/novels. I actually enjoy going out and buying them. I like holding them in my hands, I also enjoy the smell and having full bookshelves. Collecting 'paper' literature is a pleasant experience for me. However, when I forget to bring a book with me I use a 'book app' for my phone that allows me to read classic literature for free. So, it has it's uses.
i like e-books partially because i can't stand paperbacks. they're flimsy, look and feel cheap, and fall apart too fast. when i buy physical books, which is rare because i lack the space to store them, i only buy hardbacks.
i also love e-books. they are generally cheaper than physical books, their DRM is easy to crack which makes them easy to back up or trade, and i can store the entire Song of Ice and Fire series in something roughly the size of a small magazine.
however, i do maintain my own library of physical books (all hardcovers) because when i'm older, it will look nice. they're mostly hardbacks of book series i like (original Harry Potters, A Song of Ice and Fire), old copies of good books, and reference books i've used for school.
i don't think that Communist States in Comparative Perspective will look all they great next to Darkly Dreaming Dexter.
i also love e-books. they are generally cheaper than physical books, their DRM is easy to crack which makes them easy to back up or trade, and i can store the entire Song of Ice and Fire series in something roughly the size of a small magazine.
however, i do maintain my own library of physical books (all hardcovers) because when i'm older, it will look nice. they're mostly hardbacks of book series i like (original Harry Potters, A Song of Ice and Fire), old copies of good books, and reference books i've used for school.
i don't think that Communist States in Comparative Perspective will look all they great next to Darkly Dreaming Dexter.
The standard grayscale nook's screen is excellent for simple reading, in terms of impact on the eyes, it is no different than a standard paper page of text. It also doesn't use a DRM coded file format like the kindle does. I've been using one for a while now and I love it.
Regardless, I prefer hardbacks over paperbacks, and paperbacks over e-book, regardless of the device they are on. But this is largely in terms of the aesthetic feel when convenience is not an issue. For traveling, or any other circumstances where the size or vulnerability of standard books present a problem, my nook is a champ.
Regardless, I prefer hardbacks over paperbacks, and paperbacks over e-book, regardless of the device they are on. But this is largely in terms of the aesthetic feel when convenience is not an issue. For traveling, or any other circumstances where the size or vulnerability of standard books present a problem, my nook is a champ.
I like both.
but the fact that the several thousand ebooks I have take up wayyyyyy less room that the few hundred paperbacks I have does give ebooks quite the advantage for voracious readers.
but the fact that the several thousand ebooks I have take up wayyyyyy less room that the few hundred paperbacks I have does give ebooks quite the advantage for voracious readers.
Paperbacks are actual books. You can feel them, smell them, read them. You can fill bookshelves with them and having a collection of electronic documents on your tablet isn't nearly as satisfying as looking at that full bookshelf of perfectly fine reading material. Paperbacks are tangible. They have a certain soul to it which makes more satisfying to read. Buying a new book and feeling that material underneath your fingers is a fantastic feeling that e-books cannot imitate. For me, actual books all the way, while I see the value in e-books and their portability, it just doesn't seem the same.
It depends on what I am reading...
I have a Kindle and the screen looks like a sheet of paper so it doesn't strain my eyes but it lacks the new book smell. If I want to read something I don't want other people to see/know I'm reading... then Kindle. If I don't mind/don't care then paperback.
I have a Kindle and the screen looks like a sheet of paper so it doesn't strain my eyes but it lacks the new book smell. If I want to read something I don't want other people to see/know I'm reading... then Kindle. If I don't mind/don't care then paperback.