Some earlier probably has the answer (though jokingly mentioned it about his jazz mag stash).
Basically when eBooks get to a point where people will share them and you can download them from dodgy download sites for nowt then they'll take off.
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The end of books?
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Posted 1 year ago #
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you can download them from dodgy download sites for nowt then they'll take off.
the worlds been there for *quite some time*.
I have a library, but I still buy from Amazon - the reason? I like the reccomendations, the help chosing a new book. when you have 8000 books its really tricky to figure out which one to read next (and just having a library stops the ability to read a synopsis)
Posted 1 year ago # -
Just done the same search on kindle for the next 4 books I have to read.
The Road, Cormac Mccarthy, yey yes available £4.32
Scar Tissue, Anthony Kiedis, not available.
The Sportswriter, Richard Ford, not available.
The Real 'Dad's Army': The War Diaries of Col. Rodney Foster by Rodney Foster, not available.So either my reading habits are weird or a lot of things are not available on Kindle.
I don't know about you guys but I would not want what I read dictated too by availability.
Posted 1 year ago # -
buying a kindle won't stop you reading 'real' books.
there's a lot of kindle content that isn't available in a physical format. you can self-publish a book in kindle format at no cost. try getting a run of books printed if you don't have any history of creating read books. How will you read all these books if you *dont* have an e-reader?
Posted 1 year ago # -
A book is uniquely satisfying thing to own, hold and read. I just can't quite see myself getting as attached to an e-reader. A good book can last for decades, be read many times, will never suffer from a flat battery, can be dropped in the bath and will never suffer from the problem of incompatibility with newer formats.
I'm off to dust my bookshelves...
Posted 1 year ago # -
I think they will be successful and this will mean fewer authors being able to support themselves from their sales leading to greater quantity of choice but quite possibly less quality.
Posted 1 year ago # -
The Car Pool video above covers self-publishing and libraries.
With electronic publishing, libraries become even more important. Well, librarians do. Librarians are best at finding information and getting the right books in from of the right readers; with the democratisation of publishing, this becomes even more important.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Do you know what, 've never considered the price of a book to be high
a good 300 page book will last me 3 to 4 weeks
You read slow
Posted 1 year ago # -
Do you know what, 've never considered the price of a book to be high
a good 300 page book will last me 3 to 4 weekswow! Your finger must be worn to the bone!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Wouldn't bet on it, it takes a lot to dig up lithium for the batteries that powers it (albeit for a long time).
What about recycled lithium?
I don't know about you guys but I would not want what I read dictated too by availability.
Er, owning a Kindle dictates nothing. You can still buy normal books if you want EVEN IF you own a Kindle!
Currently I am not looking for specific books, I am simply browsing for whatever takes my fancy, as I might do in a real bookshop. If I were in your position with a set reading list then it'd be different.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I doubt it I've just bought a couple of hard backs cheaper than a downloaded versions
Posted 1 year ago # -
The fact that 20% VAT is charged on ebooks came as a surprise, and certainly explains some of the cost differential.
New ebooks don't need to be more expensive, a new book by one of my favourite authors, Kate Griffin, is due next March. The paperback is £5.49 pre-order on Amazon, the Kindle and iBook version £4.99.
No sign of a US hardcover, though, which is annoying. Her previous three were, and I've managed to get them signed, so no hardcover for the remaining three books is very irritating. I get the ebooks as well, as my phone is always with me, and I never know when I might have some time free to enjoy a book.
The thing to remember about having ebooks on phones and pads is that they do back up when you sync.Posted 1 year ago # -
You still can if it's an eBook!
I await with interest the hordes of middle class Taliban waving their e-copies of the Koran about as the Afghanistan government collapses.
Posted 1 year ago # -
i am a massive gadget fan, however i will always buy books. I may also get a kindle/ereader at some point, i'm not discounting them - but not until they release the new one that does more than just books.
I generally read a book every 6 weeks or so, so i'm not a massive reader, however generally the books i read are hardcover 1st editions from 5 or 6 authors so part of the enjoyment for me is the book itself and the collecting them for the shelf.
The wife however is a MASSIVE reader, 2/3 books (sometimes 4) books a week. so a ereader will be a massive thing for her. She gets all of her books from the library or charity shops and rarely keeps one. She is however a technophobe so really isnt bothered when/if she gets an ereader - generally i'm the one that buys the electrical stuff in the house.
eReaders are great for some people - not so much for others.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I am not sure about this
I may also get a kindle/ereader at some point, i'm not discounting them - but not until they release the new one that does more than just books.
The thing about the kindle is that it does 1 thing really well, it can get email & it can be used as a browser but its pretty rubbish, however if you want to read words it is excellent. It seems to me that with most gadgets the more they do the less good they are for the original purpose.
I am very interested into what happens over th next few years with digital books though, it will be possible to add music to them when necessary, interactive pictures and videos etc, reading a MTBmagazine means you will be able to watch a tutorial/video as a page. That will be very different to what we now have as books.
The only way I can think to improve the kindle I have is the new smaller more cut down one because its smaller so even easier to carry.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I just rediscovered a blog post by Alistair Humphreys Why I Love the Kindle – by Someone Who Hates the Kindle.
One thing that was very interesting that he posts in the comments is that he gets 70% of the cover price of one of his Kindle books while he only gets 4% of the cover price of one of his books bought through a book shop.
If you love books, buy ebooks...
Posted 1 year ago # -
Alistair Humphries new book is now on my kindle, all for £2.18. Looks like a good read from the first few pages which you can see on amazon
Posted 1 year ago # -
The paper version will be under my Christmas tree in a week and a bit. Loved his first two books.
Posted 1 year ago # -
A comment from that chap's blog is a good one:
Besides all the rest involving ease of use,weight and number of books you can have at once, if you travel, it’s incredible because if you find yourself somewhere and suddenly want to read something about the area you are in, then book exchange and buying is not an option. Eg. Im in Jordan now and just read a history ofthe Arabs…gives you the ability to learn continuously and enhances your discovery and experience of wherever you are.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'm a librarian. I don't have any particular fondness for books, more interested in the content,transfer of ideas and that.
Our users want e-content, so we try and give it to them - if that's ebooks then that's cool, as long as people are using the service then great.
Posted 1 year ago # -
the 3g ones have unlimited access to wikipedia in every country as well. as a service goes, I think that's excellent
Posted 1 year ago # -
It is - it makes me want to get a cover with 'Don't Panic' written in large friendly letters on the back cover. Cos that's basically what we have
Posted 1 year ago # -
Molly +1
Posted 1 year ago # -
I hear I'm getting the cheapest Kindle for Christmas. My Mrs. is trying to prevent a mountain of books, magazines and other paper things I'm going to buy for commuting entertainment after my office relocates next spring. No idea if this will mean not buying real books after that but for pocketbooks this seems like a good idea.
Posted 1 year ago # -
There are many self published books that are well worth a look too, I have read Kok and Tvatt
Author takes a bow... Posted 1 year ago # -
I can see the attraction of a kindle. Books are somewhat easier to share though: no DRM. And books are more environmentally friendly: biodegradable, no heavy metals, renewable resource... Also without books I'd have to put pictures on the walls instead of covering them up with book cases.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Neil the wheel +1, I enjoyed his boook and Samuri's... currently reading one by Steven Roach, pretty enjoyable for £1.71
Posted 1 year ago #
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