Are Books Dated Now?

Author
Discussion

98elise

26,671 posts

162 months

Monday 17th December 2012
quotequote all
I read a lot on holiday, and prefer something I can use at the pool or beach that I don't care if it gets damaged or nicked.

I generally buy a cheap second hand copy, then if its been a good read (so something I'll read again) I buy a nice fresh copy for the bookself at home.

I can't see me ever moving over to electronic books.

Pothole

34,367 posts

283 months

Saturday 29th December 2012
quotequote all
IainT said:
In a perfect world I'd have a nice Library room with some comfy chairs to read in, dark oak bookshelves floor to ceiling packed with all my favourite books.
So a library, then?

psgcarey

611 posts

163 months

Sunday 30th December 2012
quotequote all
Why does one format have to exclude the other?

I have both a kindle, which I think is fantastic, and shelves of books.

Sometimes the kindle is the better option, sometimes I just prefer the paper option.

No different from having more than one car for different purposes.

Paper books will not die for a long while yet though, and e-books are here to stay.

iwantagta

1,323 posts

146 months

Sunday 30th December 2012
quotequote all
I work for a books retailer.

Expectations are that the physical books market in 5 years will be seriously reduced = 40% down is the figure I hear banded about most often.

Airport sales down considerably already as most business travellers have e-books now.

Eric Mc

122,077 posts

266 months

Monday 31st December 2012
quotequote all
Interesting chat on Irish radio at the moment on the future of books. A retailer interviewed predicts that the market for good quality HARDBACKS will actualy increase - but that the paperback will fade out over time.

An interesting point was that you never actually "own" a downloaded book. You are legally leasing it under licence and the licence can be withdrawn if there is any sort of dispute over legal title.

This actually happened when Amazon allowed people to download Orwell's "1984" on the basis that it was copyright free. It turned out it wasn't and people who had downloaded the book to read discovered that it had disappeared off their Kindles.

Pothole

34,367 posts

283 months

Monday 31st December 2012
quotequote all
psgcarey said:
Why does one format have to exclude the other?

I have both a kindle, which I think is fantastic, and shelves of books.

Sometimes the kindle is the better option, sometimes I just prefer the paper option.

No different from having more than one car for different purposes.

Paper books will not die for a long while yet though, and e-books are here to stay.
It doesn't necessarily. My sister used to buy about 3 books a week. Her large house was filled to bursting with them. She moved to a smaller house and got a Kindle soon afterwards. She now has 2 medium sized bookcases, but still buys 2 or 3 'books' a week.

coppice

8,631 posts

145 months

Tuesday 1st January 2013
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Interesting chat on Irish radio at the moment on the future of books. A retailer interviewed predicts that the market for good quality HARDBACKS will actualy increase - but that the paperback will fade out over time.

An interesting point was that you never actually "own" a downloaded book. You are legally leasing it under licence and the licence can be withdrawn if there is any sort of dispute over legal title.

This actually happened when Amazon allowed people to download Orwell's "1984" on the basis that it was copyright free. It turned out it wasn't and people who had downloaded the book to read discovered that it had disappeared off their Kindles.
You don't own the contents of a book either of course- you have the physical book but not the right to reproduce its contents in any form. Actually I think the debate re e book and the real thing is without much substance- a book is what you read- the medium isn't really important. I switched to a Kindle and love it but having just bought Scheleglmilch's sports racing book I wouldn't want that on a Kindle...

Justin Cyder

12,624 posts

150 months

Tuesday 1st January 2013
quotequote all
One of my small pleasures is browsing through the local Oxfam bookshop & taking a punt on something well thumbed that I wouldn't ordinarily consider.

It's the feel & smell of a book as much as the content. Can't beat it & I can't imagine I'd ever get the same tactile thrill from a Kindle.

LordGrover

33,549 posts

213 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2013
quotequote all
Justin Cyder said:
One of my small pleasures is browsing through the local Oxfam bookshop & taking a punt on something well thumbed that I wouldn't ordinarily consider.

It's the feel & smell of a book as much as the content. Can't beat it & I can't imagine I'd ever get the same tactile thrill from a Kindle.
You'll get germs and spots and leprosy and stuff like that.

I'm a kindle fan, especially novels.

Cookery, fitness, cars, watches, etc. books are better suited to real books though - nice big hardbacks with glossy photos.

IainT

10,040 posts

239 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2013
quotequote all
Pothole said:
IainT said:
In a perfect world I'd have a nice Library room with some comfy chairs to read in, dark oak bookshelves floor to ceiling packed with all my favourite books.
So a library, then?
If, by Library, you mean public library then no. What I'd like is a nice, private, comfy library with a log fire and comfy chairs. Preferably situated in the tower of the house I'd have to go with it. Maybe a bit like this place near me!

Pothole

34,367 posts

283 months

Wednesday 2nd January 2013
quotequote all
IainT said:
Pothole said:
IainT said:
In a perfect world I'd have a nice Library room with some comfy chairs to read in, dark oak bookshelves floor to ceiling packed with all my favourite books.
So a library, then?
If, by Library, you mean public library then no. What I'd like is a nice, private, comfy library with a log fire and comfy chairs. Preferably situated in the tower of the house I'd have to go with it. Maybe a bit like this place near me!
If you took the word room out of your post, do you think anyone would really assume you meant your own public library?

IainT

10,040 posts

239 months

Thursday 3rd January 2013
quotequote all
Pothole said:
IainT said:
Pothole said:
IainT said:
In a perfect world I'd have a nice Library room with some comfy chairs to read in, dark oak bookshelves floor to ceiling packed with all my favourite books.
So a library, then?
If, by Library, you mean public library then no. What I'd like is a nice, private, comfy library with a log fire and comfy chairs. Preferably situated in the tower of the house I'd have to go with it. Maybe a bit like this place near me!
If you took the word room out of your post, do you think anyone would really assume you meant your own public library?
Ah, I was wondering at the nature of your query, was it just a pathetic dig at a misplaced capital letter? Really?