inignoct wrote:
] ] Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI), Sony
] ] Corporation(NYSE: SNE) and E Ink Corporation announced
] ] today the world's first consumer application of an
] ] electronic paper display module in Sony's new e-Book
] ] reader, LIBRIé, scheduled to go on sale in Japan in late
] ] April. This "first ever" Philips' display utilizes E
] ] Ink's revolutionary electronic ink technology which
] ] offers a truly paper-like reading experience with
] ] contrast that is the same as newsprint.
]
] [ This is an area I follow with some enthusiasm, since I love
] to read. I'm still not sure how i feel about ebooks...
] there's something missing in the sensual experience -- the
] texture of the page, the smell of ink and paper, the heft and
] solidity of a bound novel. I can't help but think that this
] line of thinking will expire, like most traditional modes, as
] current youth grow up with the new modalities. I see myself
] already becoming the oldster, lamenting the lost experience
] offerd by paper books, while the kids snicker about silly old
] men not being hip to the present. And I'm only 25. Anyway,
] I'm curious to see what the MS community thinks about all
] this.
]
] Leaving behind the philosophy, i think this device, as a
] product, needs to lose the keyboard, add a slick pen
] interface, and be wireless. Then it's existence as *the*
] newspaper is solidified... constant realtime updates to news
] content from the source(s) you choose, an easy means for
] annotation and bookmarking, clipping and forwarding news
] objects.
]
] The evolution towards Star Trek style tablets continues. -k]

Kerry, I feel the same way. I love to read, and half of the passion of reading comes from the book itself. I love to be surrounded by books, and nothing is better than cracking open a new book, feeling it in your hands, the smell of the paper... You are right, the sensations would be missed. I can't say I am a proponent of ebooks, but at the same time, I can see how they would be useful. Take textbooks for example. With an e-textbook, instead of being years behind due to the slowness of publishing, e-textbooks could be updated in a moment, which could really be useful. By the time textbooks hit the shelves in the college bookstore, they are way behind. Anyway, I am oldskool and I always will be:) - Nano

Nanochick wrote:
] Kerry, I feel the same way. I love to read, and half of the
] passion of reading comes from the book itself. I love to be
] surrounded by books, and nothing is better than cracking open
] a new book, feeling it in your hands, the smell of the
] paper... You are right, the sensations would be missed. I
] can't say I am a proponent of ebooks, but at the same time, I
] can see how they would be useful. Take textbooks for example.
] With an e-textbook, instead of being years behind due to the
] slowness of publishing, e-textbooks could be updated in a
] moment, which could really be useful. By the time textbooks
] hit the shelves in the college bookstore, they are way behind.
] Anyway, I am oldskool and I always will be:) - Nano

[ sounds like we're both of the opinion the e' makes sense for reference, while diminishing the experience for pleasure reading. God knows that easy cross referencing, annotation, citation, correlation, not to mention updating and revision are a hell of compelling package for reference materials (inc. textbooks, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines [except for maybe the real pretty artsy ones, which will eschew the format anyhow], blogs and government publications. I hope things evolve that way. -k]

inignoct wrote:
] [ sounds like we're both of the opinion the e' makes sense for
] reference, while diminishing the experience for pleasure
] reading.

Well, I must say the two of you sound like old geezers waxing on about the time before the automobile. Paper kills trees. Paper decays. Paper is not dynamic. Paper is not interactive. Paper is heavy. Paper is expensive. Rejoice! Paper is dead!

Decius wrote:
] inignoct wrote:
] ] [ sounds like we're both of the opinion the e' makes sense
] for
] ] reference, while diminishing the experience for pleasure
] ] reading.
]
] Well, I must say the two of you sound like old geezers waxing
] on about the time before the automobile. Paper kills trees.
] Paper decays. Paper is not dynamic. Paper is not interactive.
] Paper is heavy. Paper is expensive. Rejoice! Paper is dead!

[ Dynamism, interactivity, and cost, not to mention the marginal environmental impact (all the shit you need to make chips and whatnot kill trees, waste water, etc etc), are completely irrelevant to my enjoyment of a work of literature. I can think of no benefit technology can provide that would offset the reduction of experience. I'm not waxing sentimental about some mythical "simpler time"... I'm talking about the emotional aspects of reading... something that non-fiction readers don't and can't understand. It's not about absorbing information... it's about immersing yourself in a story. I concede in the realm of reference works, perhaps even for historical literature, in which you may find unfamiliar words or idioms... interactivity is a blessing there, where absorbing information *is* the goal.

I'll treasure my books... for all their inefficency, the subtle artistry matters to me.

In the long run, it's not like it matters... technology will continue to improve, and things will change. Impermanence is an important lesson to take to heart too... as all my cracking, yellow volumes are testament to. -k]